University Management Report: P-Bicycle Process Mapping and Analysis

This report focuses on the development and analysis of business processes at P-Bicycle, a bicycle manufacturing company. The report begins with an executive summary outlining the core of the analysis: the relationship and cross-functional maps. The report proceeds to define and illustrate the application of relationship maps and cross-functional maps, which are used to visualize the interactions between suppliers, the company, and customers. The analysis involves mapping P-Bicycle's processes, from order placement to product delivery, highlighting key steps and interactions. The relationship map shows the interaction between the supplier and the customers while the cross-functional map shows the process flow within the company. The report concludes with recommendations for process improvement, suggesting ways to streamline operations and enhance customer satisfaction based on the process maps. The report emphasizes the importance of these models in understanding and improving business operations at P-Bicycle.

Running head: MANAGEMENT
Management
Name of Student
Name of University
Author Note

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Executive Summary
The report is on the development of a business process that can help in understanding the
relationship that exists between the suppliers and the customers. The report is based on an
interview conducted with the owner of P-Bicycle about the process that is followed by the
company while selling and manufacturing bicycles for the satisfaction of the customers. It
can be seen that for the successful implementation of the process, P-Bicycle manages to
implement both the relationship model as well as the cross-functional model so that it can
provide an idea about its business process to the customers. This can help in the development
of the company and ensure that the application of these two models help P-Bicycle maintain a
significant relationship between the suppliers and the customers. The report provides a
pictorial representation of the models and helps to understand the benefits of the use of the
models.

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Table of Contents
Introduction................................................................................................................................3
Process mapping.........................................................................................................................3
Relationship map....................................................................................................................3
Cross-functional map..............................................................................................................4
Process analysis..........................................................................................................................5
Relationship map....................................................................................................................5
Cross-functional map..............................................................................................................6
Conclusion and recommendation...............................................................................................7
Bibliography...............................................................................................................................9

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Introduction
In various businesses, there needs to be decisions regarding process designing as well
as resource provision and allocation. This can help in improving the factors that are essential
for the development of the business process. According to Laguna and Marklund (2018),
these include understanding the process performance along with the process and product
quality. The customer satisfaction and resource allocation is also considered as essential
factors that help in the development of business.
As observed by Hammer (2015) in the modern world, process development and
evaluation tools help to adopt the best and appropriate business process. For this assignment,
focus is on the development of a relationship map and cross-functional map for a business
organisation. The business organisation that is in focus is that of P-Bicycle. The critical
measurement points of the map are identified along with the recommendations for controlling
measurement. The maps are discussed in detail by highlighting the essential components and
factors that are required for the success of the business.
Process mapping
Relationship map
A relationship map is a visual diagram that provides opportunities to witness broad
views between connections of one more business entity. A relationship map helps in
illustrating a role in the business analysis and operations in the market. It also helps in
gaining an understanding about the roles that can be used for interaction and the reasons
behind the interaction. As stated by Chang (2016) the relationship map helps to identify the
functions that are involved in an interactive process and based on the identification a chain
between the supplier and customer is formed.

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Hence, it can be said that the relationship map provides a simplified and pictorial
analysis of the processes that follow so that every stakeholder in a business can identify the
strength and weakness of the business. According to Rosemann and vom Brocke (2015), the
purpose is to highlight the key entities in the business process so that a depiction can be made
between the relationships that exist in the market. The usefulness of relationship maps can be
attributed to the fact that it makes complex operations easier to understand and thus helps in
maintaining communication with the stakeholders.
At the same time, Alles et al. (2018) is of the opinion that better decisions are made
after making consultation with affected entities so that it can reduce the chances of risk
within a system. The application of relationship map can be done to understand the scope of a
particular project.
Cross-functional map
The cross functional map can be considered as a process mapping. Process mapping
consists of three different parts one of them being cross-functional map. Metzger et al. (2015)
stated that the application of the cross-functional map helps in analysing the various
departments that exist in each step along with the input and output of every step. The
advantage of a cross-functional map over a relationship map is the fact that it provides more
details about the manner in which relationship between the customers and suppliers are made.
Zur Muehlen and Shapiro (2015) stated that the cross-functional mapping can be used
to identify the work done within each function and hence, it can be said that the usefulness of
the map is more vigorous than the relationship mapping. Cross-functional map helps to make
a sequence of the activities that are to be followed while creating a service process and thus
makes it easier for the service people to continue with the development of a proper
relationship with the customers (Harmon, 2019).

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Other applications of cross-functional map can be that it is used to evaluate or
establish alternative ways by which people can be organised to get the work done. At the
same time, it can help in speeding up the process about the activities undertaken by a team or
group and helps the rest of the organisation. Along with this, it helps to identify opportunities
for improvement and ensure that it can strengthen the performance measures.
Process analysis
Relationship map
The relationship map of P-Bicycle can be attributed to the manner in which supplier
and customers interact with one another after a particular order has been placed. According to
Van Der, La Rosa and Santoro (2016), the omission of the relationship map accounts for the
development of any chain of command that may exist between the parties.
Figure 1: Relationship map
(Source: Created by author)
MnaufacturebicyclesasperclientdemandCustomerapprovesworkorderMakeconverstaionwiththecustomersVerifytheorderwiththecustomerndtheengineerRaiseinvoiceandreceivepaymentInformthecustomerabouttheproductDelivertheproduct

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From the analysis of the relationship map it can be said that for P-Bicycle follows a
simple mapping process that provides every customer with an opportunity to confirm the
products. It can be seen that the company manufactures bicycles as per the order given by the
customers. The specifications of the customers are paid attention either by collective survey
or by individual ordering. After gaining confirmation from the customers along with the
engineers’ approval is given to the customers by asking for sending invoice. During the
process, regular communication is maintained with the customers in order to know about the
updates as well as any changes that are required.
After the receipt of the payment, the customers are required to wait and based on the
waiting process the sales team maintains customer relationship profile. Information is
provided to the customers once the product is complete after which the customers are able to
purchase the product with prove about the invoice made earlier. Therefore, it can be said that
for P-Bicycle the relationship mapping with the customers can be considered as simple and
professional.
Cross-functional map
The cross-functional map of P-Bicycle can be used to measure those different levels
of departments that need to be undertaken by the company. The omission in this case can be
the small steps that are undertaken for the development of the major activities within the
business.

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Customer
Manufacturing
process
Service
Provide
the order
Confirm
order with
engineer
Deliver
the
product
Confirm the
order to the
customer
Gain
feedback
Gain invoice
and receipt
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Figure 2: Cross-functional map
(Source: Created by author)
The figure shows that the cross-functional map of P-Bicycle is lengthy and at times
can be complicated. It can be seen from the diagram that the orders provided by the
customers are confirmed with the engineers as well as the customers. After the confirmation
is made, the manufacturing process begins and based on this receipt from the customers are
asked. The services of the manufacturing process can be attributed with the fact that
delivering of the product is done after the conformation of the order and at the same time the
delivery of the products are done based on the customer satisfaction level. Hence, it can be
said that the cross-functional map of P-Bicycle can be attributed to the fact that it provides a
detailed analysis of the process that takes place once a placement of the order is provided.

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Conclusion and recommendation
Despite the success and simplicity of the relationship model, opportunities for
improvement can be made so that the model can be used for the development of the process.
One of the recommendations that can be made for the development of the relationship model
is the fact that more steps can be involved and at the same time link between various
activities can be made. For example, from the analysis of the model provided it can be said
that the fact that communication is maintained with the customers at a regular level need to
be mentioned in each step so that the length of waiting time of the customers from the point
of payment till the receipt of the product can be measured. However, the time may vary
depending upon the specifications provided by the customers.
The analysis of the cross-functional diagram also show that certain recommendations
can be made in the form of making the diagram less complicated. One such recommendation
that can be provided is the fact that the cross-functional diagram can be made less
complicated by eliminating the little details such as the confirmation that is obtained from the
engineers. This is mainly because most of the products manufactured by the company are
premeditated and the engineers are compelled to remain innovative while creating the
product. Therefore, it can be said that the development of the cross-functional process map
require the assistance of the relationship map in trying to provide small details about the
process obtained at P-Bicycle.
Therefore, conclusion can be made about the effectiveness of the two models than
some other flow diagrams used for determining the level of relationship between the
suppliers and the customers. One such conclusion that can be drawn from the analysis is the
fact that the relationship diagram with its simple approach and the cross-functional diagram
with its detailed approach can help stakeholders to understand the business process at P-
Bicycle. The stakeholders can take the approach of the business into consideration and thus,

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the use of the process can be verified. Hence, it can be beneficial for P-Bicycle if they
manage to continue with the development of these processes for the success of the company.

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Bibliography
Alles, M., Brennan, G., Kogan, A., & Vasarhelyi, M. A. (2018). Continuous monitoring of
business process controls: A pilot implementation of a continuous auditing system at
Siemens. In Continuous Auditing: Theory and Application (pp. 219-246). Emerald
Publishing Limited.
Chang, J. F. (2016). Business process management systems: strategy and implementation.
Auerbach Publications.
Elgammal, A., Turetken, O., van den Heuvel, W. J., & Papazoglou, M. (2016). Formalizing
and appling compliance patterns for business process compliance. Software &
Systems Modeling, 15(1), 119-146.
Hammer, M. (2015). What is business process management?.Business process management
1 (pp. 3-16). Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg.
Harmon, P. (2019). Business process change: a business process management guide for
managers and process professionals. Morgan Kaufmann.
Laguna, M., & Marklund, J. (2018). Business process modeling, simulation and design.
Chapman and Hall/CRC.
Metzger, A., Leitner, P., Ivanović, D., Schmieders, E., Franklin, R., Carro, M., ... & Pohl, K.
(2015). Comparing and combining predictive business process monitoring
techniques. IEEE transactions on systems, man, and cybernetics: systems, 45(2), 276-
290.

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Rosemann, M., & vom Brocke, J. (2015). The six core elements of business process
management. On business process management 1 (pp. 105-122). Springer, Berlin,
Heidelberg.
Tarhan, A., Turetken, O., & Reijers, H. A. (2016). Business process maturity models: A
systematic literature review. Information and Software Technology, 75, 122-134.
Van Der Aalst, W. M., La Rosa, M., & Santoro, F. M. (2016). Business process management.
Vom Brocke, J., Petry, M., & Gonser, T. (2016). Business process management. IBusiness
Transformation Management Methodology (pp. 137-172). Routledge.
Zur Muehlen, M., & Shapiro, R. (2015). Business process analytics. On Business Process
Management 2(pp. 243-263). Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg.