Operational Management Strategies for Holloware Ltd: A Case Study

This report presents a case study on Holloware Ltd, a company facing operational challenges related to quality assurance, costing, and customer turnover. The introduction highlights the significance of operational management in business and sets the stage for examining Holloware's issues. The main body delves into the company's problems, including high product costing and declining customer satisfaction due to quality concerns. It explores the role of Paul Stone, the quality assurance manager, in identifying and addressing these issues through corrective action plans. The report analyzes the impact of handmade production, the importance of quality control, and the need for technological advancements. It also includes a reflection section, discussing lessons learned and the development of skills such as interpersonal, technological, and managerial abilities. The report concludes with a summary of the key findings and recommendations for improving Holloware's operational efficiency and customer satisfaction. The report also mentions key references used to compile the case study and analysis.

Operational
Managemenet

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
Main Body.......................................................................................................................................1
CONCLUSION ...............................................................................................................................4
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................5

INTRODUCTION
Quality is the most crucial element to carry any business forward. This report is based on
operation management. It is the most important part in an organisation. It is responsible to take
care of day to day activities in the organisation. In this present file, Holloware Ltd company will
come into consideration. It will explain some key issues of Holloware which is related to the
quality assurance, costing, customers turnover etc. Due to this issue, company faces problem and
earn less profit ratio. Apart from that, it will explain the key factors through which company
minimize their drawbacks and implement corrective action plan.
Main Body
Holloware Ltd is the leading company but currently, the management faces issues in the
company like in recent time, they face costing of products to be 12000 each month(Bloom, et.al,
2015). On the other side, due to heavy costing company cannot give enough quality of services
to the customers. This may result negatively in customer attraction and sales of the company. To
take corrective action, Paul Stone is the person who is responsible for quality assurance in
Holloware Ltd(Goetsch and Davis, 2014). They ask the employees to make report by the end of
July so that they can analyse the situation and try to find the corrective action plans. Quality of
product is very important to make product effective. Without having prime quality, customer
won’t spend money on it(Hazen, et.al, 2014). Generally, quality had always been importance for
this company. Holloware Ltd provides Silver Plated Georgian tea sets. Silver plated candelabra,
giftware, and tea set made by pewter and stainless steel etc. The special quality of Holloware is
that they deal with handmade products. It is founded in 1948 in Birmingham. Handmade product
is unique and different(Heizer, 2016). In Holloware company, they only face problem regarding
the quality, from this reason they lose their prime customers. But in the other side in 2002, it is
among the leading UK suppliers. It gives attractive table ware pots to the companies or shops.
Turnover in 2001 exceeded 18 million; on the other side, they disappoint the company in pre-tax
profits(Laudon and Laudon, 2016). On this scenario Chairman report of the year had sought the
problem of this poor situation. On the basis of report, it was concluded that the issue is mainly
due to inefficiency during the time of transferring craft to batch production. According to the
chairman report, it will give assurance that new methods of technologies will give more quality
of products and level of profitability(Oakland, 2014). According to Paul Stone, Manager of
quality assurance decided that this issue will be solved by two ways, first is to solve the problem
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in existing level(Sallis, 2014). And secondly, through hiring people who were directly
concerned with quality(Slack, 2015). Quality is the purpose to buy the product, customer wants
quality of services which is durable and long lasting. Product image helps to grow the business
upwards and also increase the profit revenue. On the basis of this report, the weak point is during
the production and due to inefficiency. Production process should be done according to the plans
otherwise, it gives high cost to the company(Smart, et.al, 2017). According to the quality control
at executive level. This department main task is to assure the quality of product weather it is
good or not. Otherwise, at the end of process customer will be dissatisfied with the goods.
Internal quality assurance done on a batch sampling basis. Quality manager is responsible to
check the whole process and take control on things. This helps to make better quality of
products. Apart from that, quality manager of Hollowware needs to check time to time and get
quality problems and find ways to remove those issues. In case of making teapots, quality
manager needs to check the surface and polish of those teapots. It gives flexibility and good
customer response. Besides this, according to Paul Stone quality survey, it was found that for the
last 12 months, on every 100 teapots sold around five or six teapots got returned from the
retailers due to low quality of goods. Retailers also complaint about their scratching, bruising,
slightly misshapenness pots etc. Paul Stone checked all teapots and found that most of the pots
were broken and under finished. Then Paul decided to take random survey of tea pots and then
find the issues. Still, he found that many pots were scratched and hurt. After measuring the
situation of goods, Paul decided to discuss it with the employees and take corrective action plan.
Controlling power is very important to minimize the uncertain risk. On the basis of this scenario,
it was concluded that Follow is the important task to be performed by the Quality manager. This
helps to take corrective action and remove those issues. Paul Stone is the person who is
responsible to assure that quality is good or not. For that, they need to make report and strategies
to improve the quality level. In Holloware, it seems to be serious problem, from which customer
turnover is decreasing. From this matter, Paul decides to meet with Andrew Keegan, the new
production Director. The views of Andrew on this matter was, they think that this problem is
very serious and should be removed as soon as possible they suggest Paul to have word with
Dyer, he is the senior Foreman When they go deep in the study, Jim Said, the problem is arisen
due to Some irresponsible things these things happen. Furthermore, Paul decides to take his
suggestion and work on it. On the basis of observation, it was concluded that this problem should
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need some strategies and plans through which employees work effectively. According to Paul’s
survey, they give assurance that new batch of goods will be perfect and durable. This increases
the sales revenue of the company. Holloware needs to measure the quality on the basis of
production process. Besides this, Paul Stone needs to make proper planning and implementing
process(Zurich, 2017). Along with that, they need to check process regularly. Furthermore,
company needs to adopt some new technologies and plans so that they give more quality of
products to the customers.
REFLECTION:
On the basis of above case study, I have learnt different aspects of operation
management. From the above scenario, I need to learn some more aspects regarding the product
quality, so that I will get to know the measure requirement of quality in the company. This report
helped me to develop interpersonal skill, technological skills and other managerial skills from
Paul Stone. In addition, this report helped me as a guide for my further studies. I also aim to
improve my research skills. This assisted me to collect more information and facts. Besides, I
have learnt communication skill, which aided me to make new planning and strategies. Apart
from this, I can include more data and facts regarding this data, from which I learnt things.
Furthermore, I need to enhance my researching skills, so that I will find some more connected
data to accomplish my task. This report guides my lot of things regarding, product and services
and their key features which is important to be measure. It also helped me to explain the key
factors in the organisation, which helps company to accomplish the overall goals. Moreover,
from this report I analysed important key aspects of the organisation, which helps to attract the
customers. Apart from this, it benefited me to enhance my numeracy power, through which I can
make my short-term goals to achieve long term goals. Along with that, I have learnt problem
solving approach from Paul Stone, like how they manage the quality assurance and give best
results to the company. Problem solving skills is very important to make things smoothly. During
the survey, I have learnt that how to work with others and in group. It makes new relation with
others which support working in flexible environment. Outcomes from this report is very helpful
for me to enhance my overall skill development. From this report, I will get to know that
organisation works together for same motive and give standard of goods and services to the
customers. Moreover, it is well known fact that to survive in the market, company need to
perform well, and give quality of services to the customers. This report enhanced my
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technological skills, which will help me to perform better in my next research. Overall, I have
learnt some uncertain risk which harms company badly due to lack of control on quality. Apart
from this, I have learned time management skill, through which I will manage my work in more
effective way.
CONCLUSION
From the above assessment, the role of operation management in the company was
discussed. This report is based on Holloware company, it is a well reputed company which gives
tableware, tea-sets and many other goods which is handmade. Overall, it has been analysed that
Holloware needs to adopt some new technologies and action plans through which they give
quality of services to the customers and earn profit revenue. This process also helps to reduce
customer turnover.
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REFERENCES
Books and journals
Bloom, N., et.al, 2015. The impact of competition on management quality: evidence from
public hospitals. The Review of Economic Studies. 82(2). pp.457-489.
Goetsch, D. L. and Davis, S. B., 2014. Quality management for organizational excellence.
Upper Saddle River, NJ: pearson.
Hazen, B. T., et.al, 2014. Data quality for data science, predictive analytics, and big data in
supply chain management: An introduction to the problem and suggestions for research and
applications. International Journal of Production Economics. 154. pp.72-80.
Heizer, J., 2016. Operations Management, 11/e. Pearson Education India.
Laudon, K. C. and Laudon, J. P., 2016. Management information system. Pearson
Education India.
Oakland, J. S., 2014. Total quality management and operational excellence: text with
cases. Routledge.
Sallis, E., 2014. Total quality management in education. Routledge.
Slack, N., 2015. Operations strategy. John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Smart, R. E., et.al, 2017. Canopy management to improve grape yield and wine quality-
principles and practices. South African Journal of Enology and Viticulture. 11(1). pp.3-17.
Zurich, L. B., 2017. Service Operations and Management.
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