BM563 Operations Management: ASDA's Efficiency, Technology & Functions

This report analyzes ASDA's operation management practices, focusing on supply chain management and its impact on efficiency. It critically examines how supply chain management impacts ASDA's efficiency by building strong relationships with suppliers, optimizing product flow, and reducing inventory costs. The report evaluates how technology, specifically Software as a Service (SaaS), can be or has been embedded in ASDA's supply chain to enhance operational effectiveness and gain a competitive edge. Furthermore, it discusses supporting functions like product development and their role in improving supply chain efficiency and overall organizational success. The report concludes by highlighting the importance of these elements in maintaining ASDA's competitiveness and meeting customer demands.

OPERATION AND SERVICE
MANAGEMENT.

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
TASK...............................................................................................................................................3
1- Identifying one operation management practice within a company........................................3
2- Critically examine how this operation management practice impacts the company in regard
to efficiency.................................................................................................................................4
3- Evaluating how technology could be embedded in this procedure or evaluate how this has
already been achieved..................................................................................................................5
4. What supporting functions linked to operation management and their evaluation,................7
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................9
REFERENCES .............................................................................................................................10

INTRODUCTION
Operational or operation management is defined as process of managing specific
organizational operation that put positive impact on companies in term of increasing their
operational effectiveness and efficiency more than stakeholders expectations. It also refers to
procedure of managing venture practices that help to create high extent of efficiency possible
within a company, whether it is large or small, public or private. The current assignment will be
based on ASDA, which falls under the category of top 10 supermarkets in the UK. The study
will explain one specific operation management practice, their impact on company efficiency
and technology that embedded in overall process. Furthermore, the study will also define the
supporting functions that are linked to chosen operation management practice and how it can
assist to assure organizational success.
TASK
1- Identifying one operation management practice within a company
In order to run a venture or company in the world of business, organizations conduct a lot
of efforts, among which operation management is quite essential. It is mostly considered with
planning, managing and supervising in the context of manufacturing production or provision of
products & services. There are different forms of operations management practices has been
conducted in a company that play vital role in their growth and success while operating venture
into specific sector. For example, supply chain management is one of those practices that an
organization conduct with the help of trustworthy suppliers in effective manner (Supply chain
management (SCM), 2021). It is defined as procedure of handling or dealing overall flow of
production operation that allow organizations such as ASDA to produce or offer the best quality
products and provide services to individual customers according to their need and expectation as
well as requirement. With this practice ASDA may effort to create a wide or small network of
suppliers that may allow firm to move its items along from each supplier of raw materials to its
outlets where skilled candidates are accessible to deal directly with end users such as customers.
Usually, supply chain management practice or operation encompasses five different
components such as planning, sourcing, manufacturing, delivery & logistics and returning
(Birkel and Müller, 2021). This effective system may contribute to minimize cost, time and
waste in production cycle of ASDA, which include production of fruits, salad and more through
to houseplants. It can be said that the sector standard has become a just in time supply chain

where retail industry sales continually may replenishment an item or service order to
productions. The supply chain is the most apparent face of ASDA for consumes and other
stakeholders. When the current practice of supermarket is effective and run effectively, it may
contribute to protect its venture brand image and long term sustainability from being drop down
(Craighead, Ketchen and Darby, 2020). In the recent time, contemporary supply chain
management may take benefit and provide the same to company in term of massive amount of
information generate by chain procedures and are parson via analytical experts.
Supermarket and co-operator, while running venture into retail industry are pioneering
the best and most effective way of supply chain network & collaboration, in term of enabling
common suppliers to submit aggregated data on water, waste and energy to both companies at
the same time (Asda and Co-op to work together to drive supply chain efficiencies, 2020).
Supply chain management practice in return provide a lot of benefits to both parties in term of
increasing profitability, performance level and generating revenue more than their rivals that are
operating in similar industry or market. Along with all operations' management practices, current
one is as beneficial and essential as they are.
2- Critically examine how this operation management practice impacts the company in regards to
efficiency
It is quite important for a manager to put positive impact on operational effectiveness and
performance of a company, because it may contribute to increase sales and foster success factors
(Kot, Haque and Baloch, 2020). Supply chain management as the best and most effective
operation management practice put similar impact on firm in term of increasing efficiency
related to supply chain operation of ASDA, which enable brand to deliver quality and
satisfactory quantity of goods. It helps to gain the attention of new customers and give existing
target market reason to retain with purchase of supermarket products. It can be said that supply
chain management impact positively in term of building strong and trustworthy relationship with
those suppliers who are conducting sustainable practices and also follow the concept of CSR.
Supply chain management is considered as optimization of a new item creation and flow
from raw materials sourcing to manufacturing, logistics and last but not the least delivery to
target market (Shahzad and et. al., 2020). It may put positive impact on ASDA in term of
increasing or enhancing speed to supply chain operation and efficiency, which play vital role in
growth and excellent success of supermarket. As it integrated with different stages or activities

of company, it may contribute to drive the attention of management toward taking pleasure of
increasing sales, and demand from market side regarding products that people prefer to purchase
because of quality and better quantity. Supply chain management affect in effective manner on
business efficiency in form of managing flow of products and services in appropriate manner. It
can be said that efficient supply chain management may better negotiate power to may obtain the
best rate and items in short time possible. With the help of this practice, management may take
pleasure of reducing inventory costs that affect other functions or operations (How Does Supply
Chain Management Affect Manufacturing Companies, 2021). Furthermore, it may also impact in
the similar manner in form of improving entire planning and effectiveness of ASDA operations.
It may affect supermarket efficiency in way to determine the requirement related to
inputs for offering the best items to target marketing that allow and give them reason to stay
connected with company for longer time. It affects in several manners including accessibility of
key resources that are needed to produce and offer something new and valuable to individual
customers. Along with above benefits, supply chain operation or management may provide more
to organization (Seiler, Papanagnou and Scarf, 2020). For example, it may attempt to establish
strong and trustworthy communication as well as relationship with key suppliers, who are able to
perform in productive manner and give pleasure to continue flow of products demand.
It put positive impact on ASDA operations and efficiency in form of assuring that all raw
materials may consistently arrive at manufacturing and supply facilities on time, without any
mistake, that affect negatively. The best thing about supply chain operation is it may help to
reduce cost of distribution. For example, it may aid to low distribution expenses that is a major
function of current chosen operation management practice. It can be said that with a cost
effective supply chain, organization can reduce overhead and direct investment at same time.
3- Evaluating how technology could be embedded in this procedure or evaluate how this has
already been achieved.
In the world of business, there are different forms of technologies accessible that has
utilized by many organizations whether it is small or large, for purpose of running supply chain
operation effectively and appropriately. For example, in case of ASDA supply chain
management, management may take initiative and develop plan to utilize Software as a service
(SaaS) technology, which enable supermarket to transform its supply chain operation or
administration as well as logistics function in the recent era, as it may aid company to give tough

competition to its rival that are operating in similar industry for purpose of gaining competitive
advantages and increasing profitability, which is quite essential and beneficial for brand (How
SaaS is Revolutionizing Supply Chain Management, 2020). In the recent time, due to technology
advancement, firm may take pleasure of enhancing operational effectiveness or efficiency. As it
may help to gain profit and more revenue than other supermarket chains. With the help of this
technology, supply chain task might be handled appropriately and successfully.
With the utilization of this technology, organization may enhance its performance level
even better than last few years or months. SaaS offers more effectiveness and efficiency
considering their offline competitors with gaining an advantage over others. With the proper
utilization of system may tends in revolutionizing for professionals of scm to have wide variety
about locations and devices (Wong and et.al., 2020). When offline or traditional methods fails to
delivering correct or accurate results SaaS aids firm for making a transparency in between all
departments which heads to provide more flexibility in organization for being more cost
effective and stable in the longer time period. Apart from that increasing storing of data into
cloud space for easily applicabilities and delivering more security and maintenance towards the
working conditions and infrastructure. Only authorized users getting access about the
information with proper knowledge from starting to end, as well as more of cost-effectiveness.
Visibility with other advantages in respect for creating collaborative network empowering
communication of data getting lesser chances of errors, among in other opportunities
(Chakraborty and Das, 2021). Making managers avoid high capital cost investment and giving
operators to access advance route planning capabilities, staffing for advanced systems. Providers
generally offers to get many subscriptions and flexibility for changing that when in needed,
deploying upgrades centrally to hosting application and removing workload on managers.
Allowing ASDA being up-to date at every stage, quick and easy to accessible. No need to
waiting for drivers or persons for getting information regarding delivery as industry may able to
track every part of product, route and various points to stoppage (Prashanth, Kumar and Gowda,
2020). Solutions aiming in automation of various business practices, also aiding in empowering
workers and executives. In addition, as being an effective tool for helping business to optimize
operations the system also provides to improve customer relation, focusing more on
responsiveness and meeting all consumers requirements for providing satisfaction. SaaS may
offers other services to ASDA like providing compatibility of easy to use and providing

workforce for simply managing all resource and eliminating of various problems while saving
time and cost (Bastas and Liyanage, 2018). One of the biggest benefits this technology provides
with improving business continuity in the working of SCM by integrating various separated
function into one and keeping keen eye on every working operations. With flexible cloud
environment allows managers or leaders of 'ASDA' getting together every aspect of supply chain
for tracking of every efficiency about their operations. Collection and process information in
real-time and more effectively also improves business continuity in the long term.
4. What supporting functions linked to operation management and their evaluation,
The supporting functions play an important role in the context of chosen operation
management practice such as supply chain, in term improving working, gaining more
accessibility and overcoming all the issues occurring while operating. As well as aiding in
improving efficiency with providing an adequate effectiveness to the organization and supply
chain management. Supporting functions includes:
Product Development relation with supply chain management: In the today's market
product development plays an important role in relation towards supply chain management as
with the need of this strategy management may tends to improve the working ability for firm
(Kim and Chai, 2017). Dependency on the strategic relations with customers meaning to know
about consumer's needs and want knowing about their more taste and preferences aids in supply
chain for improving, operating and obtaining market-share. With fast developing markets and
customers designing products may required for creating value and matching the processes and
product platforming. Both department work together in term of sharing information about those
items that they may offer to people. For example, product development section may share info
about useful resources for which supply chain operation is accountable. This relation or
connection may support chosen practice effectively and appropriately.
Supply chain performance may does help in NPD process in driving more of capital
investment into production function and various distribution channels. Along with that also may
tends to improve and describing about success including in sales, research, marketing and
executive management (Wang, Wang and Huang, 2017). With using systematic and
methodological approach to close the gaps in NPD-performance and executing to the targeted
audience opportunities for management and improving position of ASDA in market.

Marketing in connection with supply chain: With both departments sharing
information to each other regarding knowing about market trends and requirement to supply
chain. Traditionally focusing on sourcing components, materials as well as distribution and
requirements for improving supply chain. With marketing in consideration may tends to create
and provide essential demand information and building relations with supply chain for helping in
improving working efficiency (Liu and et.al., 2019). Marketing provides information on getting
to know about prices of various products and raw materials required, availability, tracking, sales
information regarding showing about how effective product is doing in market and more major
features required for improving.
With the use of connection between departments helps in increasing understanding about
marketing campaigns and initiatives which may head in, improving supply chain planning.
Moreover, focusing on customers requirements, marketing enable management in strengthening
and acquiring competitive advantage over other firms. Apart from all marketing also may aids in
improving growth about market awareness, so that firm may able to deliver more value in
providing products and services through supply chain. Using marketing also helps distribution
partners in creating benefits and increasing brand value, as brand make difference in between
various companies.
Supply chain management link up with operations: Supply management being linked
up with operations tends to provide ASDA in creating and generating of issue-less working and
effective production-operations (Tönnissen and Teuteberg, 2020). Both supply chain and
operations linked up with providing with giving details and facts about needs and requirements
of raw materials and finished products. Improved operations results companies in building
customer relations in regard to providing with an enhanced and more demanded product.
With operation and supply chain managers equalizing and co-ordinating workflow and
work place with managing financial activities with sales and other data. Strategic supply chain
operation may puts various organizations for improving critical business operations with
immediate effects of brands costs and profits. Including the systems, structures and processes for
planning and executing flow of goods and services form various supplier to customers. With
operations linked and interconnected helps in evaluation of both internal and external operations,
not just value but also cost savings significantly quality improvement and customer service
across whole supply chain.

CONCLUSION
By summing up above discussion, it has been summarized that organization has gained
competitive advantages by managing supply chain and enhancing the effectiveness of overall
practice more than the rivals who are operating in similar market. It has enhanced the customers
base and individual buyer satisfaction, by delivering products on time with better quality and
satisfactory quality. Furthermore, from above analysis, it has been concluded that technology
advancement and their utilization at workplace has increased the performance of company, it has
provided organization's benefit of giving tough competition to all competitors. Technology usage
related to supply chain management has assured rapid success of venture, and increased supply
chain effectiveness even better than last few years or months that lead to decrease profitability
and productivity as well as demand of quality products.

REFERENCES
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Online
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