Operations Management Analysis at Waterford Institute of Technology

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of operations management at Waterford Institute of Technology (WIT). It begins with a brief history and background of WIT, followed by an examination of its customers and clients, and a proposed job description for an operations manager. The report then details the input-transformation-output process for students at WIT, comparing it to the processes in secondary education. Furthermore, it compares the operations and supply chain models of Marks & Spencer and Aldi, highlighting the similarities and differences. The report concludes by discussing the advantages of the supply chain model for both customers and organizations, emphasizing efficiency, communication, and the benefits of economies of scale. The analysis integrates course theory, frameworks, and concepts, drawing from the WIT Strategic Plan and Annual Reports.

OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT
By Name
Course
Instructor
Institution
Location
Date

Operations Management
1.0 History and Background of WIT
Waterford Institute of Technology (WIT) is a University located South East Ireland and
has more than 10,000 students and staff. The campus was established in 1970 and by then it was
a Regional Technical College. It was the first to be awarded the status of Institute of Technology
in 1998. This enabled the institution to offer its own certificates and diplomas. The institute
currently offers certificate courses up to PhD level. It is monitored by the Higher Education and
Training Awards Council. Waterford has the highest student numbers in the Institute of
Technology industry located outside Dublin (WIT 2018). The institution offers a wide range of
academic courses like Health and Nursing, Science, Engineering and Humanities.
2.0 Operations Management at WIT
2.1 Customers and Clients
The customers of Waterford Institute of Technology are the students that enroll for
various programmes. The institution therefore makes sure that it offers the best in each area so
that its customers are satisfied. The other customers are the research and postgraduate
community (WIT 2018). The institution offers excellent facilities for research hence receives
many researchers who want to use their facilities.
The institution has also partnered with other universities for exchange programmers and
research partnerships. In this case, these universities are WIT’s customers (WIT 2018). The
company also has customers in the form of various entrepreneurial organizations that source for
employees from the Waterford Institute of Technology.

2.2 Job Description of Operations Manager
WATERFORD INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
OPERATIONS MANAGER JOB DESCRIPTION
Summary:
To enable WIT be effective when it comes to recruitment and enrolment of
students.
Responsibilities:
 Overseeing and managing all office operations for WIT
 Ensure all admission applications are processed in a timely manner
 Managing University data and reporting the same
 Tracking and managing of any student scholarships awarded
 Ensuring team collaboration between admission and other departments
Skills Required:
 Bachelors degree in Business Administration
 Experience of 5 years in Operations Management
 Proficiency in Microsoft Office and excellent computer skills
 Ability to carry out research and analysis
 Excellent interpersonal skills
 Student-Centred Ethic
 Must have a strong customer-care focus
 Passionate about operations management (Total Jobs 2018)

2.3 Input-Output Transformation
The above diagram is a depiction of the input-transformation-output process at the
Waterford Institute of Technology for students who have just left school to the time they
graduate. The inputs for the process include admission forms as the student has to fill in forms
and secure admission (Jacobs, Chase & Lummus 2014, pp.70). Once this occurs the other inputs
are lecturers who will impart knowledge, study halls where learning takes place and the library
where research and reading is done. Other inputs include assessments and exams that the student
will be given, internships they will attend and the research proposals that they will write.
Once the inputs have been identified, the next stage is the transformation process which
involves the student attending classes to gain knowledge. Necessary facilities needed to support
the learning are provided, for example a laboratory for experiments if the students are taking a
course related to healthcare. The student then does exams and assessments and this helps the
INPUTS
 Admission Forms
 Lecturers
 Study Halls
 Library
 Assignments
 Hostels
 Work Study
 Learning Material
 Exams
 Internships
 Equipment
 Research Proposals
TRANSFORMATION PROCESS
 Student applies and gets
accepted
 Student enrols for class and
attends lectures –Knowledge
gain
 Necessary study facilities
provided
 Student tested with exams
 Student carries out relevant
research
 Student goes for internship
 Student finishes coursework
and applies to graduate
OUTPUT
Graduated
Students

lecturer to know if they are ready or not. The student also does research relevant to the field of
study. Coursework is then finished and student applies for graduation (Howleg et al. 2018,
pp.67). Once all this is done, the final output is a graduated student.
2.4 Typology of WIT Processes
The input-transformation-output process in my second level school was slightly different
to that of WTI. This is because the University graduation process involves more inputs unlike the
high school one. In the second level studies, the inputs are quite similar since there are learning
materials, teachers and assessments as the major factors. The process then involves the student
studying in class and finalizing (Gass 2015, pp.187). The difference between this in WIT is that
in second level there is no research project carried out and students have not yet reached the level
of going for internship.
In terms of general operations, the difference is that for second-level it is the parent who
applies on behalf of the pupil and takes them to a particular school but for WIT the student
personally applies (Collentine & Collentine 205, p.273). The admission process is also different
since in WIT students register each semester for courses under the programs they are pursuing
while in second level the classes are similar for same levels. The type of teaching is also different
as in WIT student attend lectures while in second level learning students are taught by teachers in
the classes. The similarity for both is that once the student is through with their studies they get a
certificate showing that they have completed the course. Library research by the students is also
involved in both cases
2.5 Stores Comparison- Marks & Spencer and Aldi
Aldi Stores mainly deal with food and healthy living while Marks & Spencer deals with
fashion, furniture and wine (ALDI 208). The inputs for these stores are very different before the

consumer gets the final product. The inputs for Marks & Spencer are the manufacturers,
materials used and transport for the clothing and furniture. The transformation process involves
the manufacturers sewing clothes or making the furniture and then transporting them to the
various stores owned by the company (Marks and Spencer 2018). The final output is the clothes
or furniture that is bought by customers. The input for wine is machinery, grapes and water. The
transformation process involves turning the ingredients into wine and transporting them to the
Marks & Spencer store from where they are purchased by the consumer.
In the Aldi store, the inputs are different ingredients, equipment for cooking food and
packaging material. The transformation process involves cooking and packaging. The output is
ready food that can be purchased by the consumer (Stadtler 2015, pp. 15). The similarities with
the processes of the two stores are the customer ordering for whatever goods they may want.
Both stores have online platforms where consumers are able to go to the system, order whatever
they want, pay through online methods and get the goods delivered to them by the company
(Christopher 2016, pp.55). Another similarity may be the supply process to the consumer since
once orders are made, logistics have to be made to deliver the goods to the customer and this
involves transport and door to door delivery wherever the customer may want.
2.6 Advantages of Supply Chain Model for Customer and Organization
As demonstrated by the above companies, the supply chain model is very vital for both
the customer and the organization. In the case of the customer, an efficient supply chain process
enables the customer to receive their goods on time and in an efficient manner. Customers are
able to contact the company in case of any issue and they will be sorted out immediately due to
the efficiency of the process (Hugos 2018, pp.33). An efficient supply chain also ensures that the
customer gets the best since the inputs are geared towards having an excellent output. This can

be demonstrated by the case of WIT, Marks and Spencer and Adli. The customers are able to get
quality services due to the processes established. In the case of Adli and Marks and Spencer,
customers have an option of ordering online or visiting the stores of these companies. This
provides flexibility as the customer is able to choose the process that is most convenient for
them.
The company also benefits from an efficient supply chain process. There is constant
communication with suppliers hence ensuring that inputs are delivered to the company on time.
It also means that the company is able to settle on the type of quality that will be favourable for
customers. Having a process that is defined can also be advantageous as due to bulk purchase,
the company can greatly benefit from the economies of scale (Srinivasan & Swink 2015,pp.830).
This leads to cheaper inputs and quality products that are fairly priced for the customer. Efficient
processes also lead to the company attracting more customers since customers like places where
they are served well. This can lead to free word of mouth marketing for the company since
customers will refer their friends and relatives to experience the company’s processes. Having an
efficient process leads to high productivity for the company since processes are well defined and
different departments are in touch with each other. This enables the company to focus on
production rather than other issues that may occur in the supply chain.

3.0 References
ALDI (2018). Grocery and Home. [Online] Available at: https://www.aldi.us/ [Accessed 15
March 2018]
Christopher, M., 2016. Logistics & supply chain management. Pearson UK.
Collentine, J. and Collentine, K., 2015. Input and output grammar instruction in tutorial CALL
with a complex grammatical structure. CALICO Journal, 32(2), p.273.
Gass, S.M., 2015. Comprehensible input and output in classroom interaction. The handbook of
classroom discourse and interaction, pp.182-197.
Holweg, M., Davies, J., De Meyer, A. and Schmenner, R., 2018. Process Theory: The Principles
of Operations Management. Oxford University Press.
Hugos, M.H., 2018. Essentials of supply chain management. John Wiley & Sons.
Jacobs, F.R., Chase, R.B. and Lummus, R.R., 2014. Operations and supply chain
management (pp. 533-535). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill/Irwin.
Marks and Spencer (2018). The Best of The Sale. [Online] Available at:
http://www.marksandspencer.com/ [Accessed 15 March 2018]
Srinivasan, R. and Swink, M., 2015. Leveraging supply chain integration through planning
comprehensiveness: An organizational information processing theory perspective. Decision
Sciences, 46(5), pp.823-861.
Stadtler, H., 2015. Supply chain management: An overview. In Supply chain management and
advanced planning (pp. 3-28). Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg.

Total Jobs (2018). Operations Manager Job Description. Available at:
https://www.totaljobs.com/careers-advice/job-profile/executive-jobs/operations-manager-job-
description [Accessed 15 March 2018]
WIT (2018). About WIT. [Online]. Available at:
https://www.wit.ie/about_wit/at_a_glance/about_wit2#tab=panel-1 [Accessed 15 March 2018]