Operations Strategy and Management: A Case Study of X-Mini Company

This report presents a comprehensive case study on X-Mini, a Singapore-based technology company, focusing on its operations management strategies. The report begins with an overview of X-Mini, its products, and international presence. It then delves into the company's current operational strategies, including the Hill framework, which links corporate objectives to market and operational strategies. The report examines various process management techniques, including Business Process Reengineering (BPR), Business Process Simulation (BPS), and Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) implementation, highlighting both manual and ERP-based procurement methods. Agile operations, lean management principles, and project management approaches are also discussed, emphasizing their role in meeting customer demands and achieving competitive advantages. Furthermore, the report explores network analysis techniques, such as CPM and PERT, to optimize operational workflows. The conclusion summarizes the importance of these strategies for X-Mini's continued growth and innovation.

Running head: OPERATIONS
OPERATIONS: A Case Study of X-Mini
Name of the Student:
Name of the University:
Author Note:

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Table of Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................2
Overview of the organization:.........................................................................................................2
Current Operations Strategy of Xmi................................................................................................3
Hill Framework............................................................................................................................3
Business Process Reengineering (BPR)..........................................................................................4
Business Process Simulation (BPS).................................................................................................5
Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP)...............................................................................................5
Manual Procurement Method......................................................................................................5
ERP Procurement Method...........................................................................................................6
Agile Operations..............................................................................................................................6
Project Management........................................................................................................................7
Network Analysis............................................................................................................................7
Conclusion.......................................................................................................................................8

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Introduction
The operations management is the sector of an organization which deals with the
handling and designing the method of the production as well as helps in redesigning the business
operation for the better production of the goods or services. It plays an important role for an
organization and helps the organization to develop and achieve the business goal within some
period of time. It ensures a business with efficient business operation. It helps to meet the
customer requirements and also allow the business to develop. The primary focus of the
operation management is to plan, supervise and organize with respect to the manufacturing,
provision and production of the services. The selected organization for this report is the leading
manufacturing company of Singapore namely, X-mi private limited which operates
internationally. The report directly focuses on the current operation management strategy of the
X-mini and the impacts of the operation strategy management on the Xmi. The report showcase
the importance or the processes involved in the operation management of the X–mini
organization. The report describes the overview of the company and then the current operation
strategy of Xmi which includes Business Process Reengineering, Business Process Stimulation,
Agile Operations, Enterprise Resource Planning and Network analysis.
Overview of the organization:
Xmi Private Limited is a technological company of Singapore established by two
brothers namely, Reuben Lee and Ryan Lee. It was founded in 2006. It deals with manufacturing
of various multimedia products using the trending technologies (X-mini™ 2019). The latest
product of Xmi is the capsule speakers which contain inbuilt rechargeable charge storage. The
products are sold across many countries like Asia Pacific, Latin America, North America,

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Middle East, Europe and Australia. The multimedia company comprises of many planning,
organizing and execution of the business strategy. Thus, the operation management is helpful
tool for Xmi to develop the business and also help the organization to achieve the business goal
or business objective (Burke 2013).
Current Operations Strategy of X-mini
Hill Framework
There are many ways to develop operation strategies in an organization. In this way X-
mini also use certain strategies. One of the procedure that is mentioned here is Hill framework. A
framework is provided which link all the corporate objectives, this provides the direction of X-
mini, the strategy of the market (Love et al. 2014). All this defines the way organization will
compete in the market that is chosen. Also the strategy of operation that will help to compete in
the market.
There are five steps for this framework (Walker et al. 2014):
1. Defining of the corporate objective.
2. The marketing strategies must be determined in case to meet the objectives.
3. The way different types of product win against the competitors must be assessed.
4. The appropriate mode must be established in case to deliver all the product sets.
5. The required infrastructure must be provided in case to support all the operations.
Step 1 Corporate Objectives
This involves the establishment of corporate objective which provides a direction in X-mini
Step 2 Marketing Strategy

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This includes the identification of the target markets and the way to compete in the market.
Step 3 Gaining orders of the products in the market
This is one of the important step of the Hill methodology where if any mismatch occurs among
the requirements of all the strategies of X-mini and the capability of the operation which are
revealed.
Step 4 the choice of delivery system and
Step 5 the choice of infrastructure
Both the above steps of Hill’s methodology puts the processes and all the resources that helps in
providing the performance which us required which can be defined as the objective of the
performance (Kastalland Van Looy 2013). Also decision areas of operation are categorized into
the choice of delivery system and into the choice of infrastructure.

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Process Management
The X-mini focuses on the process design of the operation strategy to get the operation,
arrangement and look of something which to be produced. It is done by locating the product by
its volume as well as the product characteristics, process details are analyzed by the process
analyst such that the process design is implement in an effective way. The process design of X-
mini deals with some objectives:
 The organization guarantees that the process design is made in such a way that the
mission or the motive of the product is met.
 The process design of the organization is divided in various layers and structures and
some countermeasures are also prepared for in case any vulnerable attack is faced by the
organization.
 The interest have focused on the fundamental problems.
Manufacturing Operations
The manufacturing operations of X-mini encourage the manuscript publication, which
significantly develop the operations of production of the organization. Different issues regarding
the operations of X-mini are production scheduling and planning, inventory management,
procurement practices, quality development, design of the structure and equipment selection. The
primary motive of X-mini with respect to the operations of manufacturing are Demand for the
forecasting methods for the manufactured goods, Lot Sizing as well as coordinated
replenishment problems for the manufactured goods, Quality and flexibility control, Capacity
management, Productivity measurement, Resource Planning, Contract manufacturing, Supplier
management, Push and pull roll management, Hierarchical production planning, Group

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technology with focused manufacturing, Integrated risk management and Shop floor
management.
Business Process Reengineering (BPR)
It deals with the radical and rethinking or the business methods to get developments in
the critical, contemporary cases of the organization’s performance like service quality, cost and
so on. The operations in this process should be conducted in the layered manner by the Xmi Ltd
to achieve successful operational management in the organization (Feldmann 2013). The steps in
this process are as follows:
1. Identify and document the method operations: Current process design can be examined
by data collection method which includes researching the previous data, surveys,
examinations or interviews. The framework to implement the business method in Xmi
can be prepared by using various techniques like service blueprinting and process
mapping (Chang 2016).
2. Identify the method for the development of Xmi business: The determination of the
appropriate business process development should be conducted by the scoring system.
This scoring system scores Xmi on the basis of the customer satisfaction and the business
performance.
3. Evaluate the process design alternatives: There are numerous methods to design the
business method such that it help Xmi to achieve the business goal. Xmi should
implement three approaches to create innovative ideas: creating innovating designs by
brainstorming technique, Modify the existing Xmi business method and last approach is
to use an established bench mark design (Jeston 2014).

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Business Process Simulation (BPS)
It is utilized to incorporate the time independent factors of the operating systems by
finding the alternative business process designs. The two factors of the dynamic system are
variability and independence (Laguna and Marklund 2013). The business system of the Xmi
comprises of variability in both demand and duration of the organization. Many system or the
layer of Xmi comprises of numerous decision points which impact the total business
performance of the Xmi (Zur Muehlen and Shapiro 2015).
Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP)
Xmi should implement ERP in the organization such that it can provide various facilities
to the Xmi like providing cross functional method view, building a process blueprint, storing the
information in the centralized database and so on (Leon 2014).
Manual Procurement Method
 Create Order: check the stock levels and achieve the forms by previous procurements and
potential suppliers (Masterman and Masterman 2013)
 Get the Quotes: Create the forms which request for price and availability status of a
product
 Approve the order: Transfer requisition data for purchasing the orders as well as sending
to the specified suppliers
 Receive Services and Products: Match the ordered list and the delivered product.
 Transaction Process: Take the amount from the clients and gather feedback from the
clients for further development in the whole process (World Health Organization 2013).

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ERP Procurement Method
 Support the evaluation of the method: Documentation process is quick and easy method
for the Xmi organization.
 Take and store the data
 Monitor the business performance of Xmi (Mital, Pani and Ramesh 2014)
Capacity management
X-mini also look after the capacity management of the Organization for every business
operations. The capacity management also helps the organization to meet the long term goal.
This is done by various steps like:
 Considering the demand and translate them on the form of capacity
 Determining the capacity that is available in process.
 Implementation should at the best level.
 Preparing alternatives for any of case of mismatch.
Agile Operations
It focuses on responding to the market demand to maintain the customer retention factor
and allow the business of Xmi to provide quality service to their clients. The Xmi sell their
products across the world and thus the business process should ensure that the customer need are
met within their budget. The Agile operations should be employed or implemented or used as the
operational strategy of Xmi to take quick and efficient decision (Heizer, Render and Munson
2017). It also helps Xmi to achieve a competitive advantage over its competitors. The agile

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supply chains is another operation strategy step that should be taken by Xmi as it provides
numerous benefits to Xmi like Visibility, Speed, Flexibility, Scalability and Predictability.
Lean Management
The main motive of the organization is to provide huge customer satisfaction by utilizing
low resources. The main objective of the lean operation management of the X-mini organization
is to create value for the clients and exclude all the wastes from the company. The lean principles
of the X-mini are establish pull, Continuous development, determine the value, Map value
stream and generate the flow.
Project Management
Innovative ideas of the Xmi can help the organization to develop and design various
products using the latest technology. The organization prepares various projects. The operation
strategy of the organization helps the Xmi to develop new projects. The project management tool
is an effective operation strategy that can be used by the Xmi to develop the revenue and
business of the organization. The projects of Xmi are executed by the following elements project
definition and scope, preparation of the project team and plan, estimate as well as control the
project activities. In the project definition section the purpose of the project is displayed
(Morschett, Schramm-Klein and Zentes 2015). Then the project is prepared using various
techniques like Functional structure, Matrix structure and project structure. The budget of the
project is estimated and the project plan is discussed among the team members and all
clarifications are understood and cleared.

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Network Analysis
It refers to the network architecture of the Xmi. The operation strategy of the network
analysis comprises of two techniques CPM (Critical path method) and PERT (Programme
evaluation and review technique).
In CPM the critical diagrams are analyzed to display operations conducted during the
project. The operational strategy of the Xmi should determine the effective critical path of the
network such that all operations are smooth and traffic free (Agyei 2015). This can be
determined by four steps:
 Estimate Earliest Start / End time (known as forward pass)
 Estimate latest start / end time (known as backward pass)
 Evaluate slack / float times
 Determine the critical Path
Conclusion
Therefore from the above report we can conclude that the operation strategy management
play an important role for the Xmi. The report displays the current international operation
management of Xmi. The steps or the structure of the operation strategy management should be
implemented by the Xmi to develop and generate new devices for their clients. The first priority
of the Xmi is their customers or clients. Thus, the operation strategy management will be a
beneficial strategy for the organization as it will help the organization to increase the level of
customer satisfaction and customer retention. The operation strategies mentioned in this report
should be critically analyzed and all responsibilities and activities should be understood by the

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officials of Xmi such that they can operate their business operations smoothly and also allow
their stakeholders to be motivated and stay happy with the organization.

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