Analyzing Lean Manufacturing's Effect on ASDA's Retail Performance

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of lean manufacturing within the retail industry, using ASDA Plc as a case study. The research aims to investigate the importance of promoting lean manufacturing in retail. The objectives include understanding lean manufacturing processes and assessing its benefits. The literature review covers the concept of lean manufacturing in the retail industry, emphasizing customer loyalty and the Six Sigma approach. The benefits of lean manufacturing are discussed, highlighting process improvements and the reduction of inefficiencies. The methodology section details the research approach, including access to data, sampling techniques (random sampling of 30 participants), primary data collection through surveys, data administration, and thematic data analysis. Ethical considerations, such as privacy and cost management, are also addressed. The conclusion summarizes the need for lean manufacturing in retail, emphasizing its role in achieving goals and maintaining efficient operations. The report concludes with examples of lean retail processes implemented by ASDA, such as improvements in timesheets and report usability.

Research Project

Table of Contents
TITLE:.............................................................................................................................................1
Research aims.........................................................................................................................1
Research objectives................................................................................................................1
Literature review..............................................................................................................................1
Methodology Explanation................................................................................................................3
Conclusion.......................................................................................................................................5
References........................................................................................................................................6
Appendix..........................................................................................................................................7

TITLE:
To know how lean manufacturing is helping retail industry performance. A case study on
ASDA Plc.
Research aims
To investigate the need of promoting equality and diversity in an organisational context. A case
study on ASDA Plc.
Research objectives
 To understand the concept of lean manufacturing process
 To assess the benefits that retail industry has acquired by using lean manufacturing
Research questions
 What do you mean by the concept of lean manufacturing process? Explain benefits that retail industry has acquired by using lean manufacturing?
Over view of the Research
The present study is aimed at exploring the need for an association to encourage lean
manufacturing. In this the ASDA Plc research is chosen and it is a supermarket firm that is
obsessed with ensuring successful performance by using lean manufacturing.
Literature review
The concept of lean manufacturing in retail industry.
On top of providing a complete quality service, businesses are under constant pressure to have
full customer loyalty. The Six Sigma approach and its instruments are essentially focused on
continuous enhancement of corporate operations, error reduction and consumer and/or product
and service emphasis. The world's leading supermarket firms recognise the value of being
focused on consumers. Consumer-centric firms are 60 percent more profitable relative to those
that do not rely on developing customer partnerships, according to analysis by multinational
consultancy company Deloitte & Touche. Consumers are more cautious in their brand decisions
as capital becomes scarce, and profitable brands can seek to forge customer partnerships focused
on respect, consistency and competent customer support.
The benefits that retail industry has acquired by using lean manufacturing
It is not appropriate to ignore the possible effect that process improvements may have on clients.
In certain ways when it comes to physical improvements, shops are required to render them after
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hours and out of reach in order to avoid adversely impacting the consumer experience. Typically,
this problem slows or restricts the improvements a store will easily introduce.
Store managers are actively adjusting working hours to decrease labour costs in an attempt to
maintain profitability. This persistent constraint makes it impossible for employees to function
without compromising other store functions on process changes. It can be daunting to see the
sheer amount of everyday or weekly processes in retail stores, so process development is always
moved to the back of the priority list. Lean working is a methodology that uses a combination of
techniques and instruments to reduce duplication, maximise productivity, satisfy consumers and,
eventually, prosper. Getting a better understanding of clients will have a greater effect on
improving the possibility of improving retail efficiency. Companies can encounter problems
with defects, overproduction, underproduction, dead stock, empty space or even stock in the
wrong place or at the wrong time within the retail sector. In the retail sector, keeping an action
plan in place to make productivity changes is increasingly necessary, with a need for shorter
product life cycles and regular new innovations to satisfy consumer needs and demands.
Methodology Explanation
This is perhaps the most important element of an inquiry because it allows the detective to carry
out the main examination in a positive place to accomplish the potential result. In specific, this
chapter is focused on presenting sufficient guidance for the application of adequate sources and
resources to obtain credible and accurate evidence that could contribute to future outcomes
(Ocloo and Matthews, 2016). This portion is focused largely on the execution of the primary
inquiry, as sufficient attention is required for the effective execution of secondary documents. In
order to achieve progress, primary research is effective in evaluating the need to foster lean
manufacturing in an organization's workplace.
Access: Access is the primary goal of an investigator to carry out a study in the proper manner.
In the current investigation report, ASDA is carried out and access to the compilation of
information from the employees' opinion review is required. Access was obtained in this
investigation through the protective order of the research and the administration of the
corporation, as the business organization granted the researcher permission to obtain details from
their workforce, as the employees are more useful in supplying authentic and real information.
There is also no need for a form of consent as the researcher has fair or reciprocal ties with the
company's management. This may enable the companies in collecting sufficient data (Ellemers
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and et. al., 2012). The approval questionnaire is distributed through the email facility after
receiving the approval question and the application relevant to the selected subject region is
submitted to participants who have relevant id.
Sampling: The most critical aspect of an inquiry is sampling as it is successful in assessing the
accuracy of the result. Sampling is stressed over preferring individuals. Population, thus is the
accumulation of aspects that usually have certain or other characteristics. The sample largely
replicates the original population and is focused predominantly on probabilistic and non-
probabilistic methods of sampling. Job sampling has been chosen by random sampling in the
current investigation as in this randomly people are identified from the group in whom people
have a knowledge of the same field of analysis. Random sample 30 was taken and the
respondents are individuals who are knowledgeable of the subject area selected and workers and
team members of the company, as persons with high expertise are largely responsible for
supplying input on the study of the need to encourage equity and diversity in the sense of
business expansion.
Primary data collection: This is also an important field of inquiry as it relates to a generic
concept applied by the researcher as the most suitable measuring method. Primary analysis is
defined as the method of collecting knowledge from original elements as opposed to gathering
evidence from other experiments that others are already doing. Primary analysis is useful at
presenting real evidence on the issue of assessing the need to encourage inclusion and diversity
in an enterprise (Gay, 2013). Multiple sources such as self-administration, interview, survey,
field observation, and experiments may collect primary knowledge. In the current field of work,
information is obtained by conducting a survey through the creation of a questionnaire covering
the research's priorities and objectives.
Administration of data collection: This is also a significant role that the prosecutor has to
undertake in order to ensure the authenticity and management of records. In the existing
investigative area, interviews are conducted and questions are asked to the person who, after
doing a personal interview, has supportive information about the subject area. The researcher
must correctly handle the questionnaires and the details and interpret them in order to produce
the potential result. In this administration, after receiving a questionnaire by email, appropriate
management was achieved by receiving views of the chosen individuals from the ASDA team
member via the exponential assistance of the survey. Therefore, data obtained from the survey is
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stored in the form of a word document and is done as a research section by assisting the job in
the correct direction.
Approach to data analysis: Data analysis refers to the practise of evaluating information
through the use of analytical or mathematical methods in order to obtain relevant data and to
facilitate operational decision-making. This aspect of the investigative methodology plays a
crucial role in assessing the information obtained in order to supply the investigation field with
acceptable findings (Valls and Kyriakides, 2013). Data is analysed with the assistance of
thematic analysis in the current research area, as these topics are prepared with the help of a
questionnaire on the questions presented in the survey and also cover the purpose and objectives
of the report. Thematic interpretation is the most relevant technique that supports the job in the
right direction and delivers the main goal successfully.
Ethical problems related to the research: The primary concern of the researcher in carrying
out an inquiry is to observe the research ethics in order to carry out the work in the right way.
Research ethics must be practised in a viable way by the researcher for the purpose of carrying
out investigating actions. Research wants to ensure that participants are attentive to the privacy
and protection of individual records as they have the problem with improper use of their
confidential data. The primary responsibility of the researcher is not to ask any kind of questions
relevant to the respondents' personal feelings (Carr and et. al., 2015).
The other challenge facing the researcher is the project's time and cost, because the dissertation is
a complex intellectual construct that needs to be done successfully over a long period of time.
Therefore in the prescribed period for completion of a dissertation, investigators primarily face a
challenge, because the time allowed is less and it is not feasible for an investigator to finish the
study within the given time. To solve this dilemma, however, researchers need to create a
suitable time scale in which all tasks are separated with a fixed time period in which the task
needs to be solved. The easiest way to handle testing activities is this. In addition, the researcher
often has to control expenditures and money, since few research operations are cost-consuming
and it is necessary for the investigator to manage funds and resources in order to complete the
study in a prudent manner.
Conclusion
From the above discussion, it is concluded that there is need of having lean manufacturing
process within retail organisations. This helps the management and administration to attain goals
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in less time. This also helps in maintaining the functioning and working of the companies in
proper manner. There is need to have effective way of working so that business activities are
done in proper manner. Implementation examples of Lean Retail Processes Process Change
More than 200 non-technology process upgrades were introduced by ASDA. Examples:
Examples:
Improved consistency of Retail Store Timesheet-Timesheet mistakes created missed time for
store employees. On Mondays, pharmacists contacted HR to check their overtime for the
weekend. Long waiting periods meant that there were unemployed pharmacists. Extra processing
was done by HR. And pharmacy clients were waiting. 95 percent of timesheet mistakes were
removed by three lean, non-technology changes.
Report Usability Testing-Unclear words and acronyms have been used in current, text-heavy
operating records. Information were inadequate for employee and team-level success monitoring.
The retail industry has built simpler, slim "Daily Dashboards" and tested their usability with the
pilot. Supporting "drill down" pages allowed individual employee productivity to be scrutinised.
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