Operations and Project Management in The Black Penny

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Operation and project
management

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
LO1..................................................................................................................................................2
P1. Review of various operations management principles in The Black Penny....................2
M1 Review and critique the implementation of operations management in relation to Six
Sigma......................................................................................................................................3
methodology and Lean principles..........................................................................................3
LO2..................................................................................................................................................5
P2 Developing a continuous improvement plan.....................................................................5
M2 Analyse the effectiveness of a continuous improvement plan using appropriate theories,
................................................................................................................................................6
concepts and/or models..........................................................................................................6
LO3..................................................................................................................................................8
P3 Application of project life cycle (PLC) in business operations of The Black Penny........8
M3 Analyse the rationale for the project methodologies, tools and leadership within the PLC
for the given project................................................................................................................9
LO4................................................................................................................................................10
P4 Application of project life cycle on The Black Penny....................................................10
M4 Critically analyse how the use of appropriate theories, concepts and models in the PLC
will........................................................................................................................................11
differentiate between large and small-scale projects............................................................11
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................12
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................13

INTRODUCTION
Operation management is considered as a term that involves a variety of processes and methods
that can help a business to grow at a much rapid rate by analysing the most of its efficiencies.
The production of hard work and products in a way that the results and goods delivered are
effective enough that they are fulfilling the requirement of the customer’s acts as an efficient step
of operations and project management (Haniff and Caldwell, 2019). It is because the labour
should convert in useful services and materials. The concept of operations management is
important because it can ensure bringing effectiveness in different operations of the company
such as delivering outputs on time and that too in an affordable range so that the customers can
afford. The project is about discussing the different aspects of operation management in The
Black Penny.
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LO1
P1. Review of various operations management principles in The Black Penny
Operations management is a combination of three basic steps which include to plan, to arrange
and to supervise whether things are working effectively or not. There are some principles of
operations management as well which includes humility, success, actuality and many more. It
means that The Black Penny should consider on the root causes of the problem instead of
involving any techniques and strategies. Although such methods can be used to eliminate the
issue but the important fact is to remove the roots only so that no such issue can occur in the
future. Another important factor is the customer’s interest. The Black Penny can ensure taking
feedbacks from the customer so that on that basis only, can make modifications and
developments in the operations (Tonchia, Tonchia and Mahagaonkar, 2018). It is because by this
way, it can be easier for The Black Penny to attract and satisfy customers.
Agile manufacturing can also be used a basic principle of operations management. It is basically
used where the firm has all the features, resources, employees ready enough so that with the
involvement of some processes, agile manufacturing can be further used to speed up the rate of
operations going. Also, another important factor of the same is that along with increasing the rate
of the operations, cost and quality for the same remains maintained. Similarly, lean principles
etc. can also be used as these are considered as basic principles of operations management that
help in delivering the customers better experience while managing quality as well.
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M1 Review and critique the implementation of operations management in relation to Six Sigma
methodology and Lean principles
It is essential for the Black Penny to have effective operations management of the business so
that production as well employee’s efficiency can be enhanced for accomplishing the business
gaol. There are different types of approaches and methods of the operations management such as
lean principles approach and six sigma approach that can be applied and use in the Black Penny
for ensuring effective operations and management of the business organization. It is essential for
the Black Penny to convert the raw materials and efforts or work into quality products or services
as much as possible for the maximization of the profitability of business (S. Reosekar and D.
Pohekar, 2014).
These approaches or methods to the operations management will be useful for the Black Penny
to minimize or eliminate the wastage in the production process and efforts of employees so that
organization can produce quality output with minimum cost and hence enhance the productivity
and profitability of the business organization. Following are given below brief explanation of the
six-sigma and lean principles approaches that can be implemented in the Black Penny for
ensuring effective operations management:
Lean approach: It is essential for the Black Penny organization to minimize the wastage in the
production and efforts of employees so that it can deliver quality products or services to
customers for satisfying their needs and maximizing the business profitability. By applying and
following the lean approach, the Black Penny mainly needs to develop appropriate plan and
strategies for understanding and then needs to concentrate on enhancing and creating the
customer value (Jasti and Kodali, 2015). The Black Penny can work on improving the quality of
the products or services and needs to deliver products as per taste and preferences of customers
for satisfying needs of customers, creating their value and hence enhancing the profitability of
the business. The Black Penny can reduce the wastage of products and efforts of employees
without sacrificing or decreasing the productivity of the business that will be more beneficial and
profitable for the organization.
Six-sigma approach: It is also essential for the Black Penny to identify measure and analyze
various defects and problems in processes, products and services that are impacting the customer
service and sales of the business. the Six-sigma approach includes the five stages such as define,
measure, analyze, improve and control that can be applied and followed in the Black Penny for
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defining, measuring and analyzing problems or defects so that required improvement action can
be taken within full control to overcome the problems. It is essential for the Black Penny to
identify, define, measure and analyze defects in the products or services quality and employees
performance that is decreasing the customer service, sales and profitability of the business (S.
Reosekar and D. Pohekar, 2014). the Black Penny needs to focus towards eliminating wastage
and delivering quality products to customers as per their taste and preferences and also needs to
improve the performance of employees by providing them training and motivation so that they
will serve customers efficiently and hence enhance the customer satisfaction, productivity and
profitability of the business.
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LO2
P2 Developing a continuous improvement plan
For making improvements in the operations and processes, The Black Penny can ensure
involving various ways that can help them in maintaining the effectiveness of the functions. A
very common example of this can be considered as the involvement of lean principles, including
supply chain management, new product development etc. Although every single feature is
effective enough that along with the fact of maintaining the quality and that too at the same
reduced costs, but new product development (NPD) can help The Black Penny the most in
attaining customer satisfaction.
New product development is considered as a process in which The Black Penny can ensure to
analyse first that what is the current requirement and taste of the consumers. On that basis, the
firm can decide what needs to be included. For this, proper feedbacks can be taken from the
customers about their taste, what they like (Eyers and Naim, 2019). It can be about being sweet,
sour, choices of flavours or anything, proper feedbacks can be taken from them so that the hard
work of The Black Penny doesn’t gets waste. When the firm will implement any new factor
according to the requirement of customer only, there are major chances that the customer will
like it. Therefore, new product development can be considered as an effective step in bringing
continuous improvements in the processes and business operations of The Black Penny, thus
helping the firm in attaining major objectives and goals in the market place. It will also help The
Black Penny in maintaining leading position in the market place. Customer relationship
management also plays a very important role because it involves the way of managing resources
along with maintaining relationships with employees and with stakeholders as well. So, CRM
can also be considered as an effective tool for handling the efficiency of the business operations
in The Black Penny.
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M2 Analyse the effectiveness of a continuous improvement plan using appropriate theories,
concepts and/or models.
It is essential for the Black Penny to ensure and make continuous improvements in the products
or services quality, employee’s performance and business processes so that so that sustainable
business growth can be achieved. In the present time, taste and preferences of customers are
changing with changes in the technological, economical and social environment so the Black
Penny needs to have continuous improvements in the products or services to satisfy customers ad
meet their needs (Backlund et.al, 2015). The Black Penny needs to develop effective continuous
improvement plan for implementing improvement in the products or services consistently as per
needs of customers.
An effective model and concept like PDCA Cycle can be used and applied for supporting and
enabling the continuous improvements in the processes, products and services of the business
organization. This model or concept can be applied in the Black Penny for effectively managing
changes and resolving various defects and problems in employees’ performance, products and
services. PDCA Cycle to support the continuous improvements involves components and stages
that can applied in the workplace in the Black Penny for eliminating various problems in the
processes, products and services quality.
Plan: There will be need to make plan for identifying and defining the main cause behind the
poor quality of products or services and employees performance that is reducing the customer’s
satisfaction, sales and profitability of the business. It is essential to identify defects in the
products or services so that appropriate strategies can be developed and actions can be taken to
overcome the defects.
Do: After identification of the root cause behind the poor quality of products or services and
employees performance, it essential for the Black Penny to develop appropriate strategies and
take actions for improving the employees performance by providing them training and
motivation and also needs to improve the quality of the products or services as per customer taste
and preferences (Jagusiak-Kocik, 2017).
Check: there will also needs to check or measure the effectiveness and usefulness of the solution
in improving employee’s performance and quality of the products or services. The Black Penny
needs to check that training to employees has helped in improving their performance and using
quality raw products has improved product quality or not.
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Act: After the implementation of the appropriate plan and strategies for improving the employees
performance and products or services quality it is identified that developed strategies has
successfully ensure overall improvement in the business performance. Then these strategies can
be further used for future difficulties and problems.
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LO3
P3 Application of project life cycle (PLC) in business operations of The Black Penny
The project life cycle is a combination of four phases that throws a major impact on the whole
operation procedure of a company. The basic four concepts that are included in PLC includes to
begin, plan, execute and then close. This means that it is necessary for The Black Penny to first
understand what is actually required in the firm, what are the weak areas that are hampering the
business of the company etc. it can be considered very important because if it will be clear
enough that what is in the company, that needs to be changed, then it can help in making the rest
of the path clear for The Black Penny. After understanding the odd elements or the ones that
actually requires some sort of improvement, a proper planning can be done accordingly. Step by
step planning can also help The Black Penny as might be it is quite time consuming but can help
them very effectively. After planning as well, a complete procedure and a set of strategies are
required for an effective execution of the same. Therefore, it can help in a successful execution
of the same. When all the three stages, starting, planning and execution is done, giving a proper
closure to the process is equally important because it helps them to focus on any further process
or operation they can include for the betterment for the company. Therefore, all the stages of
PLC can prove very beneficial for the company in achieving basic objectives in the market place.
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M3 Analyse the rationale for the project methodologies, tools and leadership within the PLC for
the given project
The project manager in the Black Penny needs to use appropriate approaches, methodologies and
tools for executing and performing the project systematically so that project objectives can meet
on-time efficiently. For ensuring the effective operations and management of the project, the
project manager in the Black Penny can use methods and tools such as Gantt charts, milestones,
and work breakdown structure for performing the project efficiently and effectively to ensure it
success within the estimated time schedules. The project manager the estimate the time duration
of the project by preparing the Gantt charts as per which different activities and task during the
project will be performed (Vom Brocke and Rosemann, 2014). Also, different roles and
responsibilities and tasks of the project can be allocated equally and efficiently as per their skills
and abilities by preparing the work breakdown structure.
Also the project manager of the Black Penny needs to follow the project lifecycle (PLC) for
executing, performing and accomplishing the project more successfully and efficiently. The
project manager needs to go through different phases such as initiation, project planning, project
execution and project closure for executing and performing the project successfully to ensure its
success. It is also essential for the project manager to have good leadership skills and use
appropriate leadership style or approach so that project can be executed and performed in right
direction to accomplish successfully (Kerzner and Kerzner, 2017). The project manager needs to
use appropriate leadership style such as democratic leadership for leading, motivating and
enabling members in a project team to perform their assigned task more efficiently and
effectively. The democratic leadership style of project manager will encourage maximum
employee’s involvement in the decision making for giving valuable suggestions and ideas for
improving the business performance and ensuring effective operations and management of the
business.
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LO4
P4 Application of project life cycle on The Black Penny
As discussed earlier there are four phases of the PLC that can be involved by The Black Penny.
Out of the four phases, planning and execution holds the maximum importance because after
deciding the weak areas and the ones that requires some modification, planning in a way that the
strategies would actually help the firm is very important because if the strategies are not strong
enough, then it can throw a major impact on the complete performance and hard work (Slack and
Brandon - Jones, 2018). Therefore, planning the activities properly and then making its execution
implement is an important phase. It is because if the planning has been done by consuming a
much amount of time, it is very necessary to implement the same properly because execution
holds an essential place. Therefore, by such ways, The Black Penny can successfully implement
the applications of the project life cycle. A proper documentation of the plan is equally important
because it should be in a way that it completed the forte as of managing the standard quality but
at an affordable range so that the motto of delivering the customers better can get successful.
Therefore analysing the plan of the project, checking the evaluation of the cost analysis and
dividing work according to that only holds an important role. Therefore, The Black Penny can
arrange some sessions where all the employees can have a conversation with each other and can
decide properly whether it will be able to fulfil the goals or not. Arranging such sessions can
prove beneficial because by this way, employees can also be able to put their thoughts what they
think should be included. By this way, it can help The Black Penny in achieving various positive
benefits across the market place.
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