Operations and Project Management Analysis of Vax UK Ltd.

This report provides an analysis of operations and project management principles, focusing on Vax UK Ltd., an electrical products company, and includes a case study of Cadbury. It reviews the implementation of operations management principles, including organization, variance, causality, and change, and assesses their effectiveness in meeting organizational requirements. The report also explores continuous improvement as a philosophy, detailing Lean Principles such as value defining, value stream mapping, creating flow, pull establishment, and pursuing perfection. A continuous improvement plan is proposed based on a critique of current operations management practices. Furthermore, the report examines the project life cycle (PLC) stages in the context of Cadbury's on-site catering facilities project, evaluating the effectiveness of the PLC and offering recommendations for improvements. Methodologies in small and large-scale projects are compared, and the report concludes with recommendations to enhance operations functions at Vax UK Ltd.

OPERATIONS AND
PROJECT
MANAGEMENT
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Table of Contents
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................3
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................3
Company overview.................................................................................................................3
Operations v/s Operations Management................................................................................3
Review and critique implementation of operations management principles..........................4
Extent to which operations management meets the requirements of organisation................5
Continuous improvement as philosophy and Lean Principles...............................................5
Continuous improvement plan based on the review and critique of operations management
principles................................................................................................................................6
Recommendations which could improve the operations functions........................................7
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................8
Overview of the case study.....................................................................................................8
An explanation of each stage of the PLC that applies to your selected project, including
supporting documentation for each stage...............................................................................8
Review and critically evaluate the effectiveness of the PLC in application to given project
using appropriate theories, models and concepts.................................................................12
Different applications of methodologies in small and large-scale projects..........................13
Evaluation of PLC through practical and theoretical exploration of its effectiveness and
recommendations for improvements....................................................................................15
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................15
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................16
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INTRODUCTION
Operation management is defined as practices that develop efficiency stages within a
company. It is related with organising, supervising and controlling commodities with the aim of
accomplishing organisational objectives of a company (Daniel and Daniel, 2018). Project
management is defined as type of method where emphasis is paid on management and
completion of specific projects. This activity plays very essential role in gaining assurance of
successful achievement of several operations. The following report is based on Vax UK Ltd.
which deals in electrical products and its tools are produced in China. TTI Co. Ltd. are the
owners of the respective company which is situated in Hong Kong. The report also covers
principles of operations management. Furthermore, it also contains continuous improvement plan
of PLC along with evaluating effectiveness of PLC by utilising several techniques and theories.
MAIN BODY
TASK 1
Company overview
Vax UK Ltd. deals in air treatments and floor-care as well as manufacture electrical
commodities along with cleaning items. The organisation was established by Alan Brazier, who
possess an experience in sector of industrial carpet cleaning. The respective company has around
400 employees across its Droitwich and Birmingham area in the UK and its facilities as well as
warehoused are situated in Hampton Lovett near Droitwich, Worcestershire. Brazier introduced
an “orange tub” which is a multi-tasking floor care machine along with providing door-to-door
facilities. But currently, organisation faces some quality problems such as suction of products is
also not good.
Operations v/s Operations Management
Operation is defined as type of business activity where organisation transfer its raw
materials into final commodities along with delivering them into market or to customers. It could
be said that operations are associated with production or management. On the other hand,
operation management involves supervising, controlling, designing and organising products to
manufacture certain commodities (Petrillo and et. al., 2021). It involves several problems such as
evaluating size of plants, various approaches and execution of structure. Operation management
make sure that overall resources are being utilised completely and effectively.
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Review and critique implementation of operations management principles
Operation management is defined as execution and planning of several organisational
process about manufacture and other activities of an organisation. In case of Vax UK Ltd., it has
executed several principles in order to strengthen its business function. There are several
principles which are explained below in detail:
Organisation: Every organisation should focus on their operations functions because they
are interconnected in production section and will assist them in enhancing profitability and
growth. It is based on the principles of prediction so that profitable results could be
accomplished in future. In case of selected organisation, it has managed operational
activities different from other organisation such as it focuses on their manufacturing
department in order to organise its production but it do not pay attention on its logistics
section and due to this its quality get impacted (Essila, 2019).
Variance: This factor is associated with differences in the needed commodities offered by
organisation and real results of company. Operation department must focus on the issues
related to budget or cost rather than techniques because no single tool would be able to
resolve current global solutions. In order to reduce gap for better performance, the
organisation could implement principle. In case of Vax UK Ltd., it focuses on its tools and
machines along with regularly introducing new products in the market without monitoring
income status of consumers. Because of this its manufacture increases but its budget gets
impacted. Moreover, the respective organisation is also required to focus on its cost
functions rather than tools.
Causality: In concern with safety, the main goal of the organisation is to execute security
measures according to requirement of several departments in order to gain maximum
profitability. To overcome issues, the organisation is required to remove causes. In terms of
selected organisation this principle allows it to ensure maximum improvement in its
procedure by eliminating issues that are responsible for redundancies and further increases
cost. The respective provides safety measure only to manufacturing department and ignore
production division (Santos and Frederico, 2018). The organisation is required to implement
some safety measures for the production division also.
Change: If a company wants to improve its production it is very important for them to
increase their capabilities and operational requirements in order to accomplish organisational
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objectives effectively. In terms of the selected organisation, it is very crucial to launch new
models and theories in order to make its management department work properly in terms of
supply chain and manufacturing (The Best Vax Vacuum Cleaners Are Serious Winners.
2019). To execute this, the organisation is required to execute fastest approach to deliver the
commodities which enhance the overall cost of manufacturing.
Extent to which operations management meets the requirements of organisation
When companies are underperforming they are required to rethink their approaches and
need to adopt correct strategies to accomplish organisational objectives. Companies try to
implement principles of operational management in order to meet requirements which are
important and could be found easily (Dewa, Van Der Merwe and Matope, 2018). The
explanation about above principles are discussed below:
 Organisation is required to enhance its delivery by paying attention on logistics
area because they are manufacture and it is required to focus on delivery. The
organisation is required to minimise production process and focus on profits.
 Organisation must also reduce its cost of commodities because it is needed to
focus on how to minimise overall cost by which profit could be achieved. It also
has to reduce regular introduction of commodities in the market. For instance, if
company adopt variances principle than are need to bring large number of
products that could directly impact the organisation.
 It is also important for organisation to manage their supply chain as well as
logistics and for this it must implement effective principle (Rowe, 2020).
Therefore, it is essential for the company to meet all requirements in order to
enhance quality.
 Furthermore, it is also essential for the organisation to implement safety measures
in its several departments in order to improve production and manufacturing
process.
Continuous improvement as philosophy and Lean Principles
Continues improvement is defined as ongoing procedure where companies are required to
focus on improve quality of products by implementing maximum efforts. Vax UK Ltd.
could implement continuous improvement plan in order to improve performance of
company.
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Lean Principles:
These principles mainly focus on reducing wastage without compromising with
productivity. Performance of every resources is taken deliberation and overall aim of these
principles is to derive the maximum value in manufacturing procedure. In terms of the Vax UK
Ltd. the application of lean principles is explained below:
Value defining: This principle is considered with buyer value. Value is defined as
amount which customers are ready to pay for offered products or services. In terms of selected
organisation, is has to evaluate present trends and immediate market requirements for its floor-
care commodities.
Mapping of value stream: This principle is associated with determining the value
stream. The main aim of this principle is to utilise value of customers and determine activities
that contributes to these values (Asef-Vaziri and Moghaddam, 2021). The selected company is
required to consider customers value as essential factor and identify overall operations that meet
these values.
Creating Flow: Overall resources, labour and materials are aligned at this stage in order
to evaluate workflow regarding tasks. The respective company is required to take essential
process are carved along with setting standards in production levels which contributes in
development of stream.
Pull establishment: Production systems is evaluated effectively which is important for
organisation to reduce the work in process resources. This phase is essential for selected
company so that whole development of floor-care commodities within particular period of time.
Pursuing perfection: This principle is based on ensuring the perfect standard for each
aspect of development of performance of workers and floor-care items. The selected organisation
is required to focus on improving delivering services.
Continuous improvement plan based on the review and critique of operations management
principles
Basis Current methodologies Proposed Methodologies
Cost Principles of variance is
executed for various products
for Vax UK Ltd. that organise
the present operations instead
It is possible to reduce the
business variance between
standard and real outcomes.
Organisation could also
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managing cost of company. minimize cost, organise its
logistics that can reduce
labour cost.
Quality To increase the quality of
floor-care commodities and
procedure. The selected
organisation to fulfil the needs
and enhance the quality.
To perform better, it is very
important for the selected
company to ensure it is
capable to organise all interior
tasks along with proper
supplier relations.
Delivery The selected company is
required to utilise lean
principles which is associated
with buyer value and evaluate
the progress in work (Thrope
and Heinz, 2019).
To improve quality delivery
services to determine the value
stream and evaluate the
present requirements.
Safety To provide safety the selected
organisation need to develop
effective security measures.
For the selected company six
sigma approach is suitable to
accomplish required safety
measures.
Recommendations which could improve the operations functions
 It is important for Vax UK Ltd. to pay its attention in quality of products in order to
develop trust in customers to work effectively rather than focusing on continuous
introduction of products. This will assist the company in gaining benefits in the market.
 If the organisation is able to utilise six sigma approach than it would be helpful for the
company to accomplish safety standards which are important for overall division of an
organisation.
 The organisation could also execute Total Quality Management which can help it in
focusing on manufacturing and enhance its all quality according standards.
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TASK 2
Overview of the case study
The provided case study is about an organization established in Midland and found with
the purpose of acquiring define goals and objectives along with assisting workers by improving
their work life balance. The main purpose of the companies to minimise congestion from general
areas of business during the lunch time. With the purpose of serving healthy diet to workers
working in the company the Cadbury launched an on-site catering facilities within premises of
the firm. The respective projects consist of several effective approaches which was implemented
by the company in order to ensure high efficiency and productivity among employees at their
workplace (Vytlačil, 2018). In depth analysis of methods implemented has also been provided so
that efficiency of project execution could be checked. This allows company to perform their
operations effectively in the particular time period with high efficiency.
An explanation of each stage of the PLC that applies to your selected project, including
supporting documentation for each stage
In a project life cycle there are several stages that allow companies to finish their desirable
projects in productive and efficient manner along with providing them growth as well as assist
them in achieving. In context of Cadbury, its managers executed several stages of project life
cycle show that employees of the organization could enhance their productivity. Through
implementing these levels, the company ensures that task of define projects could be
accomplished in the provided time period with given resources.
Project initiation: This is the first stage of project life cycle under which companies
introduce their new project in the market which states that it is the starting face off a project. In
case of selected company, it could have explored various market opportunities by implementing
innovative products for customers (Reid and Sanders, 2019). Senior authorities of the company
decide what will be the objective of this project which is related to onsite catering services for
employees. The manager of the respective organisation is responsible for supervising overall
progress and activities of the project so that they could avoid any further possibility of failure.
Business case
• Background- For the organization based in Midland island Cadbury evaluated the issue
and came up with multiple solutions in order to provide healthy diets to the employees
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working there during recess time. It provided opportunity to the company to resolve
issues related to non-healthy eating and absence of employees after the lunch hour.
• Goals: The main purpose of the facility provided by Cadbury company which is on site
catering service is to achieve CSR objectives along with decreasing movement of
employees from the premises of company.
• Impact: This project execution by the Cadbury organization facilitate employees a
satisfaction within organization which results in less turnover and more loyalty towards
company.
• Stakeholders: There are several shareholders who are involved with this project so that
they could supervise progress of project and ensure that it is being completed on time
with success (De Boer and Andersen, 2019).
• Scope: This is the most important factor which required to be evaluate in order to finish
define project with success on time. In case of Cadbury organization its managers
evaluate likes and dislikes of workers related to food commodities so that they could
provide services according to their needs.
• Budget: This factor is defined as capital or monetary estimation which are required to
complete the project in effective manner.
• Milestone: In case of Cadbury, the milestone is to promote healthy diet among
employees along with reducing congestion outside the area of organisation.
• Project approval: This is very essential factor which needs to be considered while
execution of a project. This include approval from higher authorities in the company so
that the desired project could be started.
Project planning: Project planning is the second stage switch covers several information related
to desirable task of the project which is represented by managers. In case of the selected
company, it's managers focus on planning strategies which should be implemented in the project
in order to maintain effectiveness and accomplishing final objective in systematic manner. The
effective planning that the organization create includes workers, resources and time.
Work flow document
Gantt Chart
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Gantt chart is referred as project management methodology that involves several actions which
are executed by manager for the purpose of project completion. It makes so that define
operations are being implemented effectively in the provided time frame. There are several tasks
which are presented in the Gantt chart as per according to timeline. In case of Cadbury
organization, Gantt chart is presented below:
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Gathering Resource: There are several materials which are needed to finish this project in the
provided time period which include financial resources that are required to complete activities of
project in effective manner. Catering supplier have to make sure that continuous supply of
catering facilities is being provided at on-site premises of the company. The main aim of
Cadbury is to provide quality and healthy food services to employees by several modes of
organisational transportation.
Estimated Budget
Particulars Calculation Amount
Sales £50*200 £10000
Less: variable cost £3*200 £600
Contribution Sales-variable cost £9400
Less: fixed cost £1500
Less: estimated cost of sales £10*200 £2000
Net profit £5900
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Project execution: This is the third stage where implementation of plant strategies is being
made by the organization. It is execution of important approaches that are chosen in selected
company which represent towards the Removal of maximum efficiency irrespective of work
being manufactured by corporate organization. In case of selected company which is located in
Midlands and is also facing issues related to onsite catering facilities at the premises of
organization.
Project closure: It is related to the project planning of the project life cycle which is important
as various stages are taken into consideration that are associated with efforts of team members in
the selected organization. Members of the team are working co-ordinately in the suitable
workplace environment plays an essential role as it helps managers of the respective company in
completing project successfully and efficiently without any issues.
Review and critically evaluate the effectiveness of the PLC in application to given project using
appropriate theories, models and concepts
Project life cycle is very essential for gaining growth along with achieving desired targets. It
is very broad project level, in this scenario essential projects and techniques are being utilised
search is waterfall model. This model is implemented in order to determine phases of project life
cycle from beginning to completion. The main purpose of completing task of this project
accountability of monitoring activities are being assigned to project officer. The main
responsibilities of project officer appointed in Cadbury organization are being mentioned below:
 Requirement: This stage consist of requirements related to various resources that
include workforce, capital, technologies and many other factors that are needed to
implement the project (Shimonski, 2021). Six Sigma method is very important for
respective organization as it assist in decreasing wastage of resources along with
achieving production. The Implementation of six Sigma approach in the first level assist
in enhancing possibility of rigidity because the approach which is being applied in the
project is also Rigid.
 Design: This stage shows the creation of structure that assist in completion of project in
successful and effective manner. This is considered as planning stage of project Life
cycle that organisation must utilise its techniques in production which could minimize
wastage of resources and managers must select democratic leadership style. At this
phase planning is needed to be precise and accurate that could result in successful
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