Review of Operations and Project Management at Mark & Spencer

This report examines the application of operations and project management principles within the context of Mark & Spencer. It begins with an introduction to operational and project management, emphasizing their role in enhancing organizational performance. The main body of the report includes a review and critique of operations management principles at Mark & Spencer, focusing on resource utilization, employee coordination, and customer satisfaction. It then presents a continuous improvement plan, leveraging principles like lean production and Six Sigma (DMAIC methodology) to enhance product quality and efficiency. The report further explores the application of the Product Life Cycle (PLC) to a given project, supported by relevant documentation and analysis. Finally, it evaluates the effectiveness of the PLC using appropriate theories, concepts, and models, with a focus on how Mark & Spencer implements these strategies to maintain its market position and achieve its financial goals.

Operations
And
Project Management

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY ..................................................................................................................................3
P1 Make a review and critique of the implementation of operations management principles
within an organisational context.............................................................................................3
P2 Create a continuous improvement plan based on the review and critique of operation
management principles...........................................................................................................3
P3 Utilise each stage of the PLC to a given project ,producing necessary supporting
documentation for completing the project..............................................................................3
P4 Study the effectiveness of the PLC in application to the chosen project using appropriate
theories, concepts and models................................................................................................3
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................3
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................3

INTRODUCTION
Operational management is a concept which helps the organisation to perform its
activities effectively it also helps in transforming input into an out so that productivity of the
organisation can be increased. Project management is a concept which includes different method,
knowledge and skill so that goals of the specific project can be achieved effectively (Atef and
Bristow, 2017).
Mark and Spencer Headquartered in London, England It was developed by Thomas Spencer and
Michael marks in 1884 it provides the best quality products and services to the customers due to
which it has made its profit of over £1 billion. Mark and Spencer has 959 stores including 615
stores of food products it also provide the facility online food services to the customer so that its
demand in the market can be increased. In this report we will observe how operations and project
management helps mark and Spencer to enhance their performance in the market so that profit
can be achieved.
MAIN BODY
P1 Make a review and critique of the implementation of operations management principles
within an organisational context.
Operational management helps the organisation in the proper utilisation of resources so
that goals of the business can be achieved effectively. It also helps in management of human
resources, supply chain and finance so that effective working environment can take place. Mark
and Spencer as a reputative company needs management system so that its productivity in the
market can be increased if the operations managers of the organisation will not fulfil their
responsibilities properly then it can effect the growth of the organisation. Operation managers
should keep in mind various factors while the manufacturing of products like product packaging,
design of the product, proper information of the product etc. so that good quality of product and
services can be provided to the customer which can attract their attention so that sale of the
company can be increased. It also helps in coordinating the employees so that their performance
in the organisation can be improved. Operation management in Mark and Spencer helps in the
proper utilisation of resources so that best production of goods and services can take place.
Operation management has various principles which are:

 Organization: To increase the profit of the organisation proper coordination among the
activities are very important because all the activities in the organisation are
interconnected with its organisational behaviour. So every elements have to be
predictable to achieve the goals of the organisation (Blume, 2020).
 Reality: Operation managers of Mark and Spencer should focus on the performance of
the organisation instead of the techniques which are used so that smooth functioning in
the organisation can take place.
 Success: Mark and Spencer main motive is to satisfy their customer by the quality of
goods which they provide because if the buyer will get satisfied with the services of the
organisation then it can effect its growth in the market. For this organisation should
manufacture its product according to requirement of the customer so that company can
earn increase its profit.
 Accountability: Operation management should be accountable of the work which is
assigned to them they should check the performance of the operations on the regular basis
so that performance of the organisation can be improved they should provide proper
feedback to the employees so that smooth functioning in the organisation can take place
if all the rules and regulation are followed properly then organisation can easily achieve
its target.
 Change: In order to achieve success in the market change in the activities of the
organisation is very important. Mark and Spencer always provide new and innovative
products to the customer so that its demand in the market cannot get affected. If the
company will not follow the new trends which are coming the market in the market then
it can affect the demand in the market because people loose their interest from the old
products and services which the company is providing and will switch to other
organisations which are providing innovative products.
 Collaboration with customers: To achieve success in the market Mark and Spencer needs
to collaborate with there customer so that products and services of the organisation can be
manufactured accordingly because if Mark and Spencer will not develop its products
according to the requirement of the customer then it can affect the productivity of the
company.

 Analysing the competition: Mark and Spencer should analyse their competitors in the
market so that company can plan their strategies accordingly. Because if the company
will not analyse their competition in the market and then organisation can face loss in the
future. To avoid this proper planning is very important.
 Control in the quality: Quality of the product is very important in the organisation
because organisation increases it demand in the market by the quality of product which
they product. If the quality of the products is not matching the expectation of the
customer then it can affect the demand of the organisation in the market. Mark and
Spencer always provide the best quality of product and services to the customer due to
which it is considered among the most successful companies of UK (Brady, 2019).
 Casual behaviour: To achieve the goals of the organisation operation managers should
not behave casually in the organisation they should develop a discipline environment in
the organisation so that goals can be achieved effectively. If the management will not
perform its assigned work properly then it can also provide the negative on the other
employees which can affect the growth of the company.
 Humility: Managers of the operations should not limit to a same work they can take help
of the other person in resolving it so that other activities of the business cannot get
affected because if operation managers will focus on the particular task which is assign to
then the goals of the organisation will not be achieved properly.
 Development of passion: Passion in the individual motivates them to achieve its goals. So
if the organisation wants to achieve success it should develop passion in their employees
so that there performance can be enhanced in organisation. Operation managers can
motivate their employees by appreciating their hard work which they have done for the
organisation which will give the positive energy to the employees. If the work of the
employees will be appreciate them other employees will also get influences which will
improve the performance of the business.
 Variance: It is a concept of developing a creativity in the business activities. It provides
different methods and techniques to the organisation to perform its task if new tools and
techniques will be used in the organisation then employees will also get more interested
in performing their task.
LEAN PRODUCTION METHOD

It helps in maintaining the cost of the organisation by cutting down the waste from the
manufacturing system. Lean production mainly focus on the quality of the product from its
design to the distribution. It helps the organisation to develop its product according to the
requirement of the customer so that their demand in the market cannot be decreased. It also helps
in minimising manufacturing cost of the organisation so that more revenue can be generated.
Operation managers of Mark and Spencer use this method so that their cost of production can be
minimised and more profit can be earned.
There are some principles of Lean production which are given below:
 Mapping the value of production: It helps the organisation in maintaining a record of raw
materials which is used while the manufacturing of products. It will also helps in
eliminating the waste material from the manufacturing system so that quality of the
product can be enhanced .
 Identifying the value of the product from the customers prospective: Mark and Spencer
manufacture its products according to the requirement of the customer in a reasonable
price so that customer can afford the products of their choice easily. To eliminate the cost
of wastage from their production mark and Spencer should keep in mind the various
requirement of the customer so that cost can be minimised easily and sale can be
increased (Chao, 2017).
 Developing flows: It helps in generating the smooth flow of production in the
organisation because it checks the wastage level which has occurred during the
production so that it can eliminated. It is the responsibility of the operation managers to
check the manufacturing process so that proper production can take place in the
organisation.
 Pursue perfection: The main motive of mark and Spencer is to fulfil the needs and
requirement of the customers so that their demand in the market can be increased and
profit can be earned this principle of lean production helps them to improve the quality of
the product by removing the waste from the manufacturing. So that sale of the product
can be increased in the market.
SIX SIGMA
It is a tool that helps the organisation to improve their capacity to perform all
organisational task effectively in defined manner. It facilitate the organisation to increase work

performance and reduce the cost by deducting wastage from the production process. It is
basically a methodology to eliminate defect from every process, from the operation to
transportation and from product of a organisation to its services.
The term six sigma initialise at the procedures that can be defined as the manner of analysation,
controlled and improvement that visually requires the input and output procedures in the
manner of organisation. It concentrates on the reduction process that varies and ensures the
procedure and it promotes the standardization of the task. There are orientated process that
requires both possibilities to enchance the positive outcome in the manner of respective
organisation. This is strategies that improve in the manner of qualitative role that process the
output into the process that determines the opportunities and features in the visual sense of
the statistical aspect. The manufacturing process that explained the sigma in the process to
the standardization as it also covers the main factor for the fractional output as per given
correspondence (Chowdhury, 2020).
DMAIC methodology is used by Mark and Spencer because their main focus is to improve the
quality of product. DMAIC stands for define, measure, analyse, design, verify.
 Define: In this stage Mark and Spencer analyse the needs and requirement of the
buyer before doing any improvement in the product and services so that there
demand of the product cannot get affected in the market.
 Measures: In this stage Mark and Spencer will launch their product in the market
after they measure the demand of the product from the feedback which have
provided to the customer.
 Analysis: It helps Mark and Spencer in analysing the various issues which can
occurred in the product and services after their implementation.
 Improve: In helps Mark and Spencer to improving the quality of the product so
that its demand cannot get affected.
 Control: It helps in controlling and improving the ongoing process of production
in Mark and Spencer .
P2 Create a continuous improvement plan based on the review and critique of operation
management principles
Continuous improvement plan helps the organisation to improve the quality of the
product and services which they are providing to the customer. Operations managers in Mark

and Spencer should use this plan so that their quality can be improved in the market can sale can
be increased so that company can increase its profit. Its also helps the operations managers to
maintain a proper management in the manufacturing system so that problems can be avoided
and work can be performed effectively. It also helps in providing the new quality of products and
services to the customer which will help the organisation to increase its market share (Cook,
2020).
The continuous Improvement plan which Mark and Spencer should use are given below:

Source Principles Results
Eliminating cost
of production
Six Sigma In Mark and Spencer operation mangers
should use this principle so that unnecessary
cost of production can be removed and
effective production process can take place this
principle of six sigma also helps business to
increase its profit by providing the best quality
of product and services (Correa-Florez, 2018).
Quality
management
Lean production Operation mangers of Mark and Spencer
should use this principle so that best quality of
products can be provided without affecting the
financial stability of the business because it
remove the unnecessary cost which occur
while the manufacturing.
Safety measures Fundamentals rules and
regulations
Mark and Spencer should use this principle so
that data and information of the organisation
cannot be misused which can affect the growth
of the company.
P3 Utilise each stage of the PLC to a given project ,producing necessary supporting
documentation for completing the project
Project life cycle helps the organisation to achieve its desire goals in the given period of
time. Cross-rail project uses different factors to develop the estimate cost of survival. Cross-rail
project is started with more than 15000 men and women. It is started to ease the busy street
people of London and develop the economy of the country. PLC also helps in the proper
management so that performance of the organisation can be enhanced. Project life cycle have
different stages which are given below:
Initialisation: this phase helps the managers to observe the requirement the customers so
that production of goods and services can take place accordingly. Project of cross rail is started

to ease the lifestyle of the UK people which will also help in reducing the environmental impact
on the busy street of London.
Planning stage: this is the second stage of project life cycle which is formed after the
initial stage it help the managers of cross-rail to plan their strategies properly. So that goals can
be achieved effectively planning can be formulated by using different project portfolio so that
objective of the project can be achieved successfully.
Execution: this is the third stage of cross rail PLC In this phase cross rail test its process
of automatic train control system which is running so that they can people cannot face any issue
and profit of the business can be increased.
Closure: This is the last stage of PLC it provides the necessary documents to complete
the project cross rail project takes around 10 months to get completed because cross rail is the
large scale production unit it requires proper time to test the rail line which is manufactured so
that risk can be avoided (Fang, 2018).
GANTT CHART

GANTT CHART was developed in 1915 by Henry Gantt. It is used in the organisation to
control the activities which are performed by the team members. It helps the organisation in
improving the quality the project so that positive result can be generated. Giant chart also helps
in reducing the workload of the team members who are involved in the project. Gantt chart in
Cross-rail project help in diversifying the performance according to the time intervals. It shows
the starting date and end project so that company can judge the time period which is used while
making the project.

Project portfolio
It shows different methods, Executive summary, cost, goals which helps in managing the
project so that positive outcome can take place.
Executive summary: This project is made for the accomplishment of rail-line project.
Cross rail is basically famous for the innovative and constructive program. The main aim of this
project is to share the knowledge and insight which will helps in managing the lessons andc
recommendation.
Goals: The main aim of this project is to remove the burden of busy street people of UK
so that lifestyle cannot get effected and also growth of the economy can take place.
Solution: for conducting the proper research market knowledge is very important that
proper production can take place (Jubery, 2018).
Cost: If the organisation wants to complete its project effectively then it has invest a good
amount of capital in the project so that the resources can be utilised properly.
Benefit: If the organisation is launching any new product in the market then it is very
important of the business to analyse its advantages so that chances of loss can be avoided.
Project plan: In this project various aspect is considered.
 Cost: In the cross-rail project high amount of capital is involved like 750 loudspeaker,
200 and above CCTV camera and human cost of £14.8b.
 Scope: with the development of cross-rail project scope of generating revenue is high.
 Risk: effective planning while making the project helps to avoid the risk factor in the
production.