Analysis of Sustainable Operations and Projects at Marks & Spencer

This report analyzes the sustainable operations and project management of Marks & Spencer (M&S). It begins by defining quality standards and supply chain management within M&S, emphasizing the role of ICT, particularly the use of TCS (Tata Consultancy Services) for supply chain optimization. The report then explores how M&S employs diagnostic tools to assess good practices, focusing on customer, organizational, and employee needs, as well as risk management. It evaluates the findings related to quality and supply chain, highlighting the adoption of ISO 26000 to ensure ethical standards and the use of technology for data analysis and supply chain efficiency. The conclusion summarizes the key services and tools used by M&S to maintain product quality, leverage ICT for data management, and foster continuous improvement through diagnostic tools and performance management.

Managing Sustainable
Operations and Projects

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................1
1. Quality standard, supply chain and usage of ICT in M&S......................................................1
2. Demonstration of good practices within the organization using diagnostic tools for
improving the sustainability and performance of business..........................................................2
Evaluation of findings by organisation in quality and supply chain............................................3
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................4
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................5

INTRODUCTION
Sustainable development refers to a stable development within organisation that has been
done in present for securing the future. Present study lay emphases on Marks & Spencer. It is a
British multinational retailer company which was founded by Michael Marks Thomas Spencer in
1884. It has headquartered in Westminster, London. It served the area worldwide. It has
specialisation in clothing, food products and home domestic products. This report will include
the services that are involved in Quality standards and supply chain management. Purpose of
this report is to evaluate the usage of Information communication technology in quality audit and
supply chain management. Different stakeholders present in marks & Spencer like marketers,
financier, It holder, e-commerce which requires different strategies and standards for better
growth. This report will identify the analytical tool that used for accessing data. This report will
evaluate the findings that been used in M&S for indicating good practice operations.
MAIN BODY
1. Quality standard, supply chain and usage of ICT in M&S
Quality standard can be defined as production of goods and services which meets the
requirements, specifications, guidelines and characteristics that can be used consistently to
ensure that material, products, processes and services that fit the main objectives of the
organization (Stanfield And et.al., 2016). Generally quality standards are used to satisfy the
quality requirements of customers such as ensuring the safety and reliability of the products and
services which complies with the legal laws and regulations along with the affordable cost of
products. M&S quietly carry the flag of sustainability as the Marks & Spencer mainly deals with
the large variety of clothing items so company have to heavily relay on its suppliers for the
quality source materials. By introducing ISO 26000 to its largest suppliers in order to ensures the
ethical standards in M&S company. ISO 26000 (International standardization for organization)
guarantees the ethical and social standard. So it ensures the Marks and Spencer to conduct their
business in more transparent and accountable manner (Munce and et.al., 2018). This helps M&S
in setting the sustainability framework of the company which helps in meeting the quality
standards for production of goods and services.
Supply chain management is termed as the flow of goods and services which may
involves the movement and storage of raw material in order to produce finished products. Supply

chain management of M&S mainly helps in managing the operations and supply of the product
from the point of origin to the point of consumption. Marks and Spencer has its outsourcing via
tech supply chain as a part of five year tech overhauls. So the manager of M&S invited the TCS
(Tata Consultancy services) as its principle technology partner for the fresh supply of food items.
Also nthis platform will help M&S in foresee any possible disruptions to availability via real
time alerts so that it allow the company to take fast preventions regarding the food fulfilment
standards.
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ICT refers to Information Communication technology that provides the access to
information through telecommunications, this helps in maintaining the effective relationship
between the staff members and also ICT helps in determining the preferences and requirements
of customer. This encourages the communication of the M&S with customers and thus it helps in
producing the goods and services according to the requirements of consumers (Basu, 2017). TCS
is one of the world's leading technology company which strengthens the supplier base of the firm
via use of technology within Marks and Spencer.
2. Demonstration of good practices within the organization using diagnostic tools for improving
the sustainability and performance of business
Marks and Spencer is a huge enterprise which consist of large number of operations in
various different outlets. So in order to sustain the firm for the longer time, M&S uses various
diagnostic tools which helps in determining the operations and functionalities of all the
departments. So M&S is using diagnostic tool to measure the good practices of the firm using
three different aspects such as:
 Customer needs: Fulfilment of these needs helps in increasing the profitability of the firm
and this helps in improving the efficiency of the processes in Marks and Spencer.
 Organisation needs: in order to adopt the good practice at work place, QSDFC helps in
managing the risk and controlling the value adding process of Retailing industry.
 Employee needs: In order to achieve the good practices at workplace, QSDFC helps in
fulfil the needs of employee through analysing the work processing and improved
performance of the company.
System processes are designed to meet the customer's needs rather than measuring the
bureaucratic needs of Marks & Spencer (Maidment And et.al., 2016). Effective controls such as
teamwork control, planning and development, elimination of non value added activity within the
firm helps in contributing towards the good practice at workplace. Risk management can also be
determined by the diagnostic tool that helps in long term sustainability and growth of the firm.
However, efficient processes requires relevant and effective controls which in turn requires the
effective plans within Marks & Spencer. Inability to meet customer needs ineffective production
and inefficient processes.
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Good practices regarding the quality standards and performance measures of the M&S
helps in sustainable development of the firm. So Diagnostic tool provides QSDFC performance
management tool in order to analyse the business performance in terms of customer needs,
organization needs and employee needs (Terranova and et.al., 2018). This tool help in analysing
the good practices at Marks and Spencer and always continues improvement in the performance
measure of the firm helps in sustainable development of the organization. Continues
improvement and change in the process of operations helps in application of good practices at
work place.
Marks and Spencer uses the diagnostic tools in order to plan for the future operations
according to the appropriate time frames. Moreover, this is mainly concerned with the effo rts of
those who are concerned with the operation control which meets the volume and type of
customer demand.
Evaluation of findings by organisation in quality and supply chain
Marks & Spencer is a British multinational retailer which has specialisation in Clothings,
luxury food and home products. For maintaining quality of cloths, it has been analysed that M&S
follows ISO 26000 standard (Diddi and Niehm 2017). This standard aims to maintain
sustainability in organisation by improving working efficiency and social responsibilities. By
initiating this ISO standard it is expected from suppliers that it would be more responsible in
terms of society and environment. Suppliers feel easier to maintain their business in more
transparent, effective and efficient manner.
It demonstrates a good practice in maintaining quality standard because it helps in
making ownership, reduction in cost, decrease the time which is consumed to present periodic
audits. ISO 26000 helps suppliers to be treated as a partner of M&S by striving a long-term
relationship which will benefits both suppliers and manufacturers. This also ensures confidence
in suppliers and employees of M&S to participate in creative thinking and then implementing the
initiatives for better growth of organisation. ISO 26000 maintains sustainability in organisation
and in this approach, CSR should be always in contact with ethical sourcing department so that
faster and efficient results can be produced (Elvira, 2018).
For supply chain management M&S make TCS as a partner to provide technical solutions
for supply chain services. It helps to make supply chain system innovative, intelligent and
efficient to increase the growth of M&S. It helps to managing the data digitally. TCS helps M&S
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to bring automation technology in supply chain management so that delivery of products from
manufacturer to customer is done qualitatively within specified time and by maintaining quality.
It also helps to make a Cloud-era platform to analyse the data from multiple sources. It has been
analysed that consumer behaviour towards products can be understood easily. It makes the
system smart and efficient for accessing data in less time (Munce and et.al., 2018). It also helps
marketing, e-commerce, financing and IT unit to store big data for long time purpose efficiently.
This digital accessing of data create a smart method for targeting and personalised
communication.
CONCLUSION
This report summarised about the services that are used in Marks & Spencer for
maintaining quality of products to be delivered to customer. Information communication
technology is used in accessing big data in marketing, financing, e-commerce. Marks & Spencer
adopts Cloudera analytical tool for storing data for long time purpose. ISO 26000 was founded
out to maintain quality standard. This standard founds to be more efficient to both suppliers and
producers. TCS has been found to be technological partner of Marks & Spencer to bring efficient
innovations in supply chain management of products like cloths, food products, domestic
products. Operations that are used in M&S for continuous improvement indicated the good
practices. Diagnosis tools are also founded for planning future operations. SDFC performance
management tool is analysed to analyse the business performance in terms of customer needs,
organization needs and employee needs.
REFERENCES
Books and Journals
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Diddi, S. and Niehm, L.S., 2017. Exploring the role of values and norms towards consumers’
intentions to patronize retail apparel brands engaged in corporate social responsibility
(CSR). Fashion and Textiles. 4(1). p.5.
Elvira, S., 2018. VALUE CONCEPTSAND VALUE CREATION MODEL IN INTEGRATED
REPORTING. Review of Business and Economics Studies. (2).
Munce, S.E. and et.al., 2018. Impact of quality improvement strategies on the quality of life of
individuals post-stroke: a systematic review. Disability and rehabilitation. pp.1-7.
Basu, R., 2017. Managing Quality in Projects. Routledge.
Maidment, B.W. And et.al., 2016. Diagnostic Computed Tomography (CT)-Based Preplanning
Coupled With Posttreatment Cone Beam CT Dosimetry Allows for Rapid, Safe, Image
Guided Delivery of Emergent Radiation Therapy. International Journal of Radiation
Oncology• Biology• Physics, 96(2), p.S150.
Terranova, N. and et.al., 2018. The Standard Output: A Tool‐Agnostic Modeling Storage
Format. CPT: pharmacometrics & systems pharmacology, 7(9), pp.543-546.
Stanfield, J.A. And et.al., 2016. ABVR DEVELOPMENT FOR M&S PREDICTIVE IM
TOOL (No. SAND2016-8478C). Sandia National Lab.(SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM
(United States).
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