Continuous Improvement Assessment for Australian Hardware - BSBMGT516

This assignment presents a comprehensive continuous improvement project undertaken by a student. It begins with a role-play scenario centered around the Australian Hardware company, focusing on sustainability improvements and addressing issues such as water and electricity usage, waste management, customer satisfaction, and employee pride. The role-play involves a continuous improvement consultant and an assessor, discussing the feasibility of continuous improvement plans. The project then includes follow-up communications in the form of an email to the Head of the Department of Sales and Marketing team at Australian Hardware, detailing the objectives of increasing the customer base and cultural diversity through social media marketing and the implementation of a six sigma model. This email outlines plans for conferences, outcome analysis, training, and performance monitoring. The assessment concludes with a reflection section where the student evaluates the continuous improvement plan, emphasizing the importance of communication, the six sigma model, flexible policies, feedback mechanisms, and strategic approaches to cost reduction and sustainable development, including the application of relevant management theories and models like the 3C model, scientific management theory, and the use of social media for marketing and brand image enhancement.

Running head: MANAGMENT
Facilitative Continuous Improvement Assessment
Name of the student:
Name of the university:
Author note:

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Table of contents
Part 1- Role play.........................................................................................................................2
Part 2- Follow up communications............................................................................................5
Part 3- Reflection.......................................................................................................................7
Bibliography.............................................................................................................................10

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Part 1- Role play
Characters:
Continuous improvement consultant
Assessor
Continuous Improvement consultant: Very warm welcome to you sir.
Assessor: Thank you.
Continuous improvement consultant: Today we have gathered to discuss on the feasibility
of the continuous improvement plans in the current business scenario of Australian
Hardware.
Assessor: You have indeed selected a productive topic for discussion.
CIC: The scope and arena of the plan would extend to management, employees and
suppliers
Assessor: The scope is itself a diversified one, which can be effective for enhancing the
cultural diversity of the workplace
CIC: You would be surprised to know that one of the dimensions of the plan is to
improvise on the quality of the operations, for which quality checks and controls have been
planned.
Assessor: That’s indeed a productive thought. I think audits and controls for quality would
be effective for reducing the issues of customer complaints.
CIC: Policies pertaining to continuous improvement have been formulated with the
collaboration of management and governmental agencies, which reflects to the flexible
corporate governance.
Assessor: Yes, I went through the draft of the policies and I found it to be effective in
terms of sustainable development. However, I think meetings and conferences are to be

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conducted for enhancing the awareness of the staffs regarding the quality control systems
and processors.
CIC: Can you specify the issue further?
Assessor: I think practical training sessions would be beneficial in terms of enhancing the
awareness of the staffs towards judicious use of the inventory systems for using the
resources according to the requirements.
CIC: Sir, please be best assured that plans have been chalked for conducting practical
training sessions. You would be delighted to know that drafts have been prepared regarding
the budget, which would circulated to the management and board of directors for approval.
Assessor: I think it is a systematic approach towards improvising on the quality of the
operations through the means of sustainable development.
CIC: Thank you, sir.
Assessor: According to my opinions, adopting six sigma model would help you to gain
deeper understanding of the logistics, contribution of the stakeholders and shareholders
towards improvising on the quality of the operations.
CIC: We are in the process of working on this aspect. Most of the aspects have been
covered. Once the process is completed, we would be communicating it to the management
and employees.
Assessor: Have you conducted the outcome analysis of this adoption?
CIC: Yes, I am working on it.
Assessor: You need to take spontaneous action on these aspects. However, strategic
approach would be beneficial for averting the risks. Along with this, I think transparency is
also needed in the plans and communications.
CIC: I think social media marketing would be effective for gaining feedbacks from the
stakeholders and shareholders

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Assessor: It would be productive if you maintain consistency in tracking the comments
posted by the clients and the customers. This consistency would, further, help in embracing
change and innovation into the inventory operations. Evaluation of the proposed plans and
policies would help you to detect the arenas in which modifications are needed for
improvising on the standards and quality of the operations.
CIC: Yes, you have correctly pointed out.
Assessor: What are the objectives, which you intend to achieve through this plan?
CIC: I think the plan would be an effective step for attaining sustainable development
through the means of quality improvement.
Assessor: Ok, now tell me something about the communication plans.
CIC: The main essence of communicating the plans to the stakeholders is to expand the
customer base and diversify the workplace culture of Australian hardware.
Assessor: The components of the plan are flexible towards accomplishing the objectives.
CIC: What makes you think that, sir?
Assessor: The intended audience of senior management, suppliers and working teams are
the essential contributors towards expanding the triple bottom line approach. I think emails
and conferences would be effective option for accomplishing the identified goals and
objectives.
CIC: One of the other dimension of the plan is customer satisfaction.
Assessor: I was searching for this aspect.
CIC: The product portfolios would be prepared according to the requirements and
demands.
Assessor: How do you intend to do this?
CIC: Product categories would be developed for aligning the requirements with the
objectives. This would be followed by assessing the revenue per customer satisfaction and

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delivery time leads.
Assessor: That’s indeed a systematic approach.
CIC: After the implementation of the policies and six sigma, a draft would be circulated
among the management for gaining their approval.
Assessor: Ok, I got it.
CIC: Thank you for your valuable feedbacks and opinions
Part 2- Follow up communications
To: Head of the Department of Sales and marketing team, Australian Hardware
From: Continuous Improvement Consultant
Date: 2nd January 2020
Subject: Increasing customer base and cultural diversity for achieving sustainable
development
This is in reference to the issue of developing flexible marketing policies that we have
decided to implement six sigma model in the business operations. The objectives of the
plan is to increase the customer base and cultural diversity through the adoption of social
media marketing. Conference would be conducted for discussing the feasibility of the plans
in the current ambience of the business scenario. At the initial stage, outcome analysis of
continuous improvement plans would be conducted with due consideration to the identified
targets. Performance records of the previous financial years would be referred for revising
the standards. Based on the modifications, training and practical tests would be organized.
One of the important activities of the session would be to formulate the monitoring
strategies regarding increasing the revenue by 10%. In this context, legal parameters would
be revised for increasing compliance to the laws and policies. One of the other parameters
of the conference would be developing the key performance indicators for improving the

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focus of the business. The reports regarding the roles and responsibilities would be
presented for simplification of the work break down structure. Action plans would also be
presented, for which the time is 1 year. The departmental heads would be trained about
technological usage of cloud computing and big data.
Recording mechanisms would be effective for enhancing the awareness of the
departmental heads regarding monitoring the performance of the employees. Sessions
would be effective for clarifying the doubts regarding performing the monitoring activities
in an efficient and effective manner. Weekly basis approach can be effective for exposing
systematic progression towards analysing the outcomes. Taking assistance from the
statutory bodies of law would help in enhancing the awareness about the latest version of
the regulatory mechanisms. Training would be provided to the managers regarding the
application of the rules and regulations. Practical training tests would be conducted for
ensuring the capability of the managers regarding application of the learnt skills on the
execution of the allocated duties and responsibilities.
After the formulation of the policies, sessions would be conducted for generating
feedbacks on the exposed performance. For this, the means of social media marketing
would be considered, as it would be a direct form of B2B marketing towards expanding the
customer base and cultural diversity. Monitoring mechanisms would also be effective for
gaining an insight into the specific needs, demands and requirements of the stakeholders
and shareholders.
The conference would be conducted for 3 three days, that is, 4th, 5th and 6th January 2020.
The audience are required to take their seats sharp by 10 AM. The volunteers are required
for check the passes before letting the guests into the auditorium. For further details,
contacts can be established at the head office or on the website.
Regards

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Continuous Improvement Consultant
Part 3- Reflection
I think that the continuous improvement plan is a productive one, as it comprises of
the components of objectives, intended audience and outcomes. This plan would suffice the
need for catering to the diversified customer segments. I feel that communicating through the
means of social media is an effective means for improvising the relationship with the clients
and customers. Along with this, emails and conferences are the means, which would be
effective for improving the stability in the professional relationships in the workplace of
Australian Hardware. Within this, I can state that continuous improvement strategies and
plans would be effective for retaining the prospective customers.
According to me, discounts, offers and schemes would be one of an efficient ways of
luring new customers. I can relate the aspect with the issue of revenue per customer
satisfaction to maintain the balance between the demand and supply. As the interactions are
low, I think communication plans and sessions would be effective for improvising on the
stability in the professional relationships. I feel that six sigma model would be a productive
one in terms of upgrading the standards and quality of the operations. This model would help
in achieving deeper understanding about the supply chain network for expanding the triple
bottom line approach. I also feel that 3c model would be effective for mapping the internal
and the external environment of Australian Hardware. I think that development of flexible
policies would help in ensuring that the orders are delivered within the stipulated time.
Feedback mechanisms would develop transparency in the operation process, which would
invoke trust, loyalty and dependence in the minds of the clients and the customers.
I also feel that plans are needed for revising the budgets, so that latest technologies
can be acquired at low cost. This approach needs to be strategic in terms of communication,

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which would be effective for reducing the operational costs. In this context, I can make
mention of scientific management theory by Frederick Taylor, which would require high
labour productivity in the inventory management. Practical tests can be beneficial in terms of
assessing the capability of the management in terms of accomplishing the identified and
specified goals. I can relate the aspect of short and long term goals, which the team members
need to focus upon for adding focus into the activities for the attainment of sustainable
development. In case of the managers of Australian Hardware, developing goals would act
assistance in increasing the parameters of sales revenue according to the needs of the
customers.
Group discussions and forums would also be effective for enhancing unity and
coordination. I think that meetings on the action plans and strategies and policies would
suffice the need for achieving conformation regarding the understanding of the staffs
regarding the purpose of the change and revision. Theoretical models would act assistance in
terms of achieving deeper understanding of the logistics and its flexibility towards improving
the standards and quality of the operations. In the social media sites, use of security cookies
and policies would be effective for luring large number of clients and customers. Along with
this, trust, loyalty and dependence would be achieved, which would expand the customer
base.
Quality assurance and controls for the products and services would stabilize and add
flexibility into the operations. For adding diversification into the products, product
differentiation and diversification can be introduced for penetrating into the foreign markets.
I think that information about the continuous improvement plans, strategies and models can
be would be advertised on the social networking sites for increasing the trafficking of the
audience towards the brand image. This is not all, seminars, TED talks and lectures would be
an integral part of the campaigning program of the company, catering to the needs, demands

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and requirements of the non-members. This approach would reflect the initiatives to expand
the scope and arena of the corporate social responsibility. According to my observation, this
approach woud enhance the reputation of the brand image of Australian Hardware.

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