Operational Challenges at CQML: A Management Analysis Report

This report examines the operational challenges faced by CQuest Marine Laboratory (CQML), a floating platform on the Great Barrier Reef. The analysis focuses on how the operational manager utilizes various models to address problems in delivering services. The report explores the application of the Gap model of service quality, supply chain management (SCM), demand management, climate operational models, and inventory models to identify and resolve issues related to customer expectations, service delivery, and financial performance. Key problems discussed include shortcomings in accommodation, food quality, transportation, and the impact of climate change on tourist demand. The report also highlights the importance of managing cash flow, inventory, and end-to-end tourist experiences to enhance profitability and service quality. Ultimately, the report emphasizes the need for CQML to adapt and improve its operations to meet the needs of its guests and maintain a competitive edge in the tourism industry.

C Quest Marine Laboratory

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
Models used by the manager to analyse the problems in delivering services.............................3
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................7
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................8

INTRODUCTION
Operation management act as tonic for the organisation as it assist them in establishing
systematic control and direction in order to convert finished goods and services for consumers.
Further the report will analyse the various operational problems faced by CQuest Marine
Laboratory (CQML) which is floating platform at coral cay of Great Barrier Reef. Besides the
report will examine several problems faced by the business in delivering services to its clients.
Hence, the operational manager of the firm evaluates the problem by using different models,
principles and theories of operations management.
Models used by the manager to analyse the problems in delivering services.
According to O’Neil, Soha and Teng 2016 Operational manager of CQML understands
the importance of operational models therefore the management analysed the problem of service
quality by using the operational management model which is Gap model of service Quality.
Further, this model is termed as 5 gap model which helps the business in analysing the loopholes
in the goods and services. In contrast, Symonds and Breitbart 2015 The operational head uses
this model to analyse the problems in the services in order to provide the best service quality in
order to serve customer satisfaction. Hence, the manager analyses several quality problems by
implementing this model such as:
Psomas and Antony 2015, states that this first stage Gap helps the firm in evaluating the
customer expectation from specific business. The operational manage used this model and
examined that there is problem in delivering services up to the customer expectation like, their
wash room amenities and quality of food are not at all meeting the client's requirement.
Furthermore, in Gap 2, the operation management of the CQML has identified that the hotel
chain has different perception related to the accommodation facilities in comparison to the
customers and there they are unable to deliver the quality living experience to tourists. In
contrary, as per the views of Kim, Kumar and Kumar 2012, the manager of entity stressed over
Gap 3 which help the organisation in collecting the feedback from guests about their experience
which help the firm in evaluating the major issue related to toilet amenities and accommodation
services. Moreover, the operational head of the CQML, hotel chain recognised the problem of
tourist expectation related to facilities which is raised due to communication gap like first raising
the guest expectation and then harming perception as tourist make choices by communicating
with the company or by visualizing the services on the media or internet. Further, as per the

views of Wang Chen and Chen 2012, manager examined the problem by using model and stated
that the issue is not meeting the tourist perception as per their experience. Hence, the operational
head of CQML recognised that the major problem behind declining demand of overseas tourist is
because of lacking bathroom amenities, quality food, comfortable accommodation as per the
visitors needs and wants. Henceforth, the management analysed the need of expansion which
includes adding a second level to the platform to provide overnight accommodation for 10
tourists, and 4 scientific staff which should always be present with the visitors in order to meet
their requirement at middle of the sea.
According to Brindley ed., 2017, the manager of the company uses supply chain
management(SCM) model to analyse problem by applying 3E's in the business which are, flow
of goods and services in order to satisfy customers needs and wants. This comprises storage and
flow of inventory, raw materials, and finished goods till the time it reaches to guests. Besides, it
also states that supply chain process is majorly affected by the organisation and global trading.
Further, using this SCM model the operational head of CQML identified the problem of
traditional tourism chain to source tourist which comprises activities, destinations, attractions,
intermediaries and transportation. As per the view of Kim, Kumar and Kumar 2012, the manager
uses the management model which analyses that the tourism is linked between 3 factors which
supply, customer and demand. Moreover, the models is used by the firm as it focuses on
effective strategy and planning, effective management, and exceptional execution. According to
this model the management head analysed that the major issue is with demand management,
distribution and services. The CQML hotel chain was unable to provide adequate services
according to tourist demands. Further, the entity recognised that there is a need to improve the
tourist overseas destinations in order to attract the maximum number of Visitors. Moreover, the
operational manager examined that the business is lacking transportation system which cause
inconvenient to the travellers because of the which the demand for overseas travelling with the
hotel is decreasing. Henceforth, using this supply chain model the operational manager,
examined that company is not optimising the value of the permits which have been granted.
Further, hotel allows 120 people to visit the platform at any one time which indicates that the
business secure a faster catamaran, and run two tourism rotations every day where one is
morning departure at lunchtime, and the other one is arrival for an afternoon tour when the
morning group depart which directly double the revenue of the CQML.

In contrary, Sale, Mesak and Inman 2017, has stated that the traditional tourism supply is
decreasing because of lack of execution and management within the organisational activities
like, the company is unable to provide the entertainment activities and intermediaries which
attracts the guest towards the specific firm. Further, it concluded that the survey analysed that all
the other overseas hotels organise types of activities to attract the visitors. Hence, as per the
views of Geismar Sriskandarajah and Zhu 2017, hotel management do not provide tourist any
information about the various destinations which decrease the morale of the guest to stay in the
hotel again and affects the demand and supply chain of the business.
According to Sarkar and Mahapatra 2017, seasonality of demand represents holidays in
northern hemisphere which reflects the best time in which the visitor which travel. Therefore, its
is important for the company to maintain the value of its services accordingly. Besides, the
scholar states that the manager analyse the problem of decreasing tourist due to climatic changes
in between the sea life. Further, using the climatic operational models assist the company in
evaluating risk and project management decisions which can lower the risk in the middle of the
sea and will also help them in improving their services. Hence, the company uses the Storm
Water management model (SWMM) to analyse its problem of cyclone, salt water, crocodiles and
marine stingers. In contrast, Sale, Mesak and Inman 2017 has stated that all the issues related to
climate change, fluctuates the demand of tourist as the travellers are updated through various
channels of media. Moreover, the changes in the monsoon of northern and southern hemisphere
is leading to common threat of cyclone. SWMM assist the firm in evaluating the major risk from
flow and quality of water during the simulation period at every step.
Hence, with the use of this model the operational head of the CQML tracks the quantity
and quality of run-off made within each sub catchment which includes all the issues which are,
Kinematic wave and dynamic wave flow routing through which the manager estimated the
problem and time of cyclones, flow of regimes like back water, reverse flow, surface ponding
and surcharging. Manager also analyses that the demand of tourist also decrease when they
analyse the quality of water which is determined by the organisation through drainage network of
unlimited size, surface run-off, groundwater inter flow, sanitary flow and rainfall dependent
infiltration.

In accordance, Geismar Sriskandarajah and Zhu 2017 has stated that the inventory model
of cash assisted the manager in evaluating the issue in payment cycle of CQML, where tourist
agents are paid after 90 days when the tourist pay to the organisation. Further, the retail price of a
tour is 199 Dollar which includes lunch and wine in afternoon tour where the agents retain 40 per
cent of the retail fee as commission. Therefore, the manager identified that because of
commission system the annual turnover of the business is decreasing. Moreover, the operation of
the existing platform juggles the movement of visitors around the cellular layout of the marine
laboratory. In contrast, as per the views of, Sarkar and Mahapatra 2017, implementing inventory
model in the CQML, assisted the management in analysing the loopholes between various cost
such as total cost, opportunity cost, transaction cost. The business examined that managing end-
to-end experience for a tourist which will help the operational head in identifying the loopholes
on regular basis. Moreover, the establishment of inventory model of controlling cash flow helped
the management in recognising the issue of increasing volume through two half-day trips and a
boutique overnight stay every day diminish the scientific authenticity of CQML. Further, the
focus on value-adding activities has always centred the platform and the eco-marine science
interaction and experience for guests. Hence, the manager identifies the issue of under stock and
overstock in the business. It helps in assessing the right amount of inventory which should be
presented in the company according to the needs and wants of the tourist and make this stock
available in the based on it. Moreover, it also helps in identifying the updation in the technology
that can enhance the quality of products and services which are offered to travellers by CQML.
In contrary as per the view of Geismar Sriskandarajah and Zhu 2017 operational head of
the firm was granted a marine park before 5 years to share their eco-marine science venture with
120 tourists per trip. Since that time, they have contracted with a company that operates a
catamaran (licensed to carry 100 people) to transport tourists the 30 nautical miles from Trinity
Inlet in Cairns to the platform. They retain their 15-metre long two-masted schooner as a
‘mother-ship’ to support scientific expeditions away from the platform.
Henceforth, the operational manager believes that managing the end-to-end experience
for a tourist assist the company in considering all the needs of travellers and maximizing profits.
Their focus on value-adding activities has always centred on the platform and the eco-marine
science interaction and experience for tourists (Tsakiris and et.al., 2013). Besides the

management also believes that is a need to implement such models in the business in order to
have smooth functioning of business environment. It is also important for CQML hotel chain to
maintain and manage the risk by studying the coral eco system in order to provide stable and
secure environment to travellers at mid level of sea. In contrary, Sarkar and Mahapatra 2017,
has stated that the organisation should focus on its quality of services which they are offering to
their travellers because it is the only thing which attract the supple of tourist ion the country.
Moreover, the scholar also states that the increasing tourism in the specific country contributes to
the development of the economy. In contrast, implementation of the theories and models of
operational management in any organisation assist the enterprise in managing their business
processes. It is important for all the marine hotel chains to evaluate the shortcomings by using
operational model in order to avoid the risk which can arise due to any kind of natural calamities.
CONCLUSION
The report concluded, the problems analysed by the operational manager of CQML in
order to provide quality services to tourist. Moreover, it examined uses of several operational
management model to identify the loopholes which assist the business in managing the flow of
cask and risk. Besides, the report evaluated the need of improving the quality of services within
the hotel chain of CQML. Hence, the report concluded that the organisation need to manage the
issues in order to satisfy the needs and wants of its guests. The report demonstrates the various
importance of operational management model such as planning, coordination, controlling the
demand and supply of goods and services within the business in order to provide satisfactory
services to travellers.

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Brindley, C. ed., 2017. Supply chain risk. Taylor & Francis.
Geismar, H.N., Sriskandarajah, C. and Zhu, Y., 2017. A Review of Operational Issues in
Managing Physical Currency Supply Chains. Production and Operations Management.
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Kim, D.Y., Kumar, V. and Kumar, U., 2012. Relationship between quality management practices
and innovation. Journal of operations management. 30(4). pp. 295-315.
O’Neill, P., Sohal, A. and Teng, C.W., 2016. Quality management approaches and their impact
on firms׳ financial performance–An Australian study. International Journal of
Production Economics. 171(2). pp. 381-393.
Psomas, E. and Antony, J., 2015. The effectiveness of the ISO 9001 quality management system
and its influential critical factors in Greek manufacturing companies. International
Journal of Production Research. 53(7). pp. 2089-2099.
Sale, R.S., Mesak, H.I. and Inman, R.A., 2017. A dynamic marketing-operations interface model
of new product updates. European Journal of Operational Research. 257(1). pp.233-
242.
Sarkar, B. and Mahapatra, A.S., 2017. Periodic review fuzzy inventory model with variable lead
time and fuzzy demand. International Transactions in Operational Research. 24(5).
pp.1197-1227.
Symonds, E.M. and Breitbart, M., 2015. Affordable Enteric Virus Detection Techniques Are
Needed to Support Changing Paradigms in Water Quality Management. CLEAN–Soil,
Air, Water. 43(1). pp. 8-12.
Tsakiris, G., and et.al., 2013. A system-based paradigm of drought analysis for operational
management. Water resources management. 27(15). pp.5281-5297.
Wang, C.H., Chen, K.Y. and Chen, S.C., 2012. Total quality management, market orientation
and hotel performance: The moderating effects of external environmental factors.
International Journal of Hospitality Management. 31(1). pp. 119-129.