Critical Review of Operations Management at Tesco & Improvement Plan

This report provides a comprehensive review and critique of operations management principles within Tesco, a leading UK-based retailer. It begins by introducing Tesco and differentiating between operation and operations management, followed by an analysis of how Tesco implements operations management principles, highlighting strengths and limitations. The report assesses the extent to which Tesco's operations management meets organizational requirements, focusing on cost reduction and product quality enhancement. It discusses continuous improvement as a philosophy, detailing Lean principles such as value defining, value stream mapping, creating flow, and pull establishment, alongside methods like Kaizen, Kanban, and Just-in-Time. The report also explores Six Sigma, its principles, and related tools, including quality circles, benchmarking, TQM, SCM, and ERP. A continuous improvement plan is proposed with justified recommendations for improvement, emphasizing the application of theories and strategies for resource monitoring and process analysis. The conclusion underscores the importance of various tools and techniques for improving operations management within business organizations, advocating for the implementation of Just-in-Time or Kanban management for enhanced logistic and inventory management.

ID
Unit Number and Title Unit 187 –
Operations and
Project Management
Title Review and Critique
of Operations
Management (Part
1

Table of Content
Part 1: Business Report
1. An introduction to chosen organization p
2. An explanation of operation vs operations management p
3. A review and critique of the implementation of operations
management principles within the chosen organization p
4. An analysis of the extent to which the operations management of
the organisation in the case study meets the requirements of the
organization p
5. Discussion of continuous improvement as a philosophy and
describe the Lean principles p
6. A continuous improvement plan, including your justified
recommendations for improvement, based on your review and
critique of operations management principles within your
organization p
7. Conclusion p
References p
2

1. An introduction to chosen organization
Operation management refers to field of management which are effective and
may include different activities that can help to design along with control the
production process or procedure about goods along with services that are provided
by any organization. Project management may also include the procedure of leading
along with directing their team which can help to accomplish the goals of the
organization form starting to the end of the whole process like final delivery of the
products. Tesco is the chosen organization that is leading organization within UK
that are generally deal with groceries along with merchandise. Tesco was
established in year 1919 by Jack Cohen. Tesco is one of the leading international
retail supermarket that are able to provide different products to their customer that
are generally used in the daily life. Tesco is the world supermarket which has the
gross revenues and are the ninth largest supermarket retailer within world. Ken
Murphy is the CEO of the Tesco. Company also includes different subsidiaries like
Tesco bank, Tesco Ireland, Tesco mobile along with others. Tesco is getting
extended form about 1990 and having large number of retail shops all over country
and getting also extended globally. Tesco have also operation in different 11
countries within world (Brannen, Mughan and Moore, 2020).
2. An explanation of operation vs operations management
Operations- It can be defining as implementation of some procedure or any process
within uniform sequence that have positive outcomes and have better response
toward the work. It includes working along with functioning of activities in better and
systematic way that can be used through operations methodologies.
Operation management- It refers to the management of different practices that are
performed by any business operation to provide better level of efficiency that are
possible in the organizations. It also includes the responsibility about converting raw
material in finished goods along with services which are effective and have positive
outcomes. This include the production which are offered by the organization that
may include logistic management, inventory management and others.
Applying operation and operation management to Tesco
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Operation along with operation management can include Tesco in the form of
delivery of products along with services to their customers that include different
operation management operation which include the total quality management, time
management and others. They also include in services of credit card along with
financial services that include better operation of services and product portfolio
(Dev, Shankar and Qaiser,2020).
3. A review and critique of the implementation of
operations management principles within the chosen
organization
Operation management processes applying within Tesco
There are different stages which are applied within Tesco within operation
management in organization. This include the first stage that is planning process that
may include feasibility study, second stage used by the organization for preparing
along with organizing entire resources for the process execution. Third stage
includes execution along with supervision processes for effective implementation of
undertaking. Fourth stage include the assessing for necessary improvement within
process for the better and effective profit of organization.
Strength
Operation management principles and their processes includes different
strengths like supporting Taylors theory of scientific management that also include
science, harmony, rule of thumb, not discord, not individualism, cooperation along
with development for every employee with their better prosperity along with
efficiency. Moreover, lean production, flexible specialization, agile manufacturing,
mass customization along with different strength that can help Tesco to maintain and
perform their business operation strategically.
Limitations
Operation management along with their processes and principles have some
limitation which include dependent on their services and production that are applied
in the good production along with services. This can help to develop some new
products or services within industries with better need of operation management.
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This cannot be applied in the readymade industry where no any production or new
serviced are carried out (Dinis-Carvalho, 2021).
4. An analysis of the extent to which the operations
management of the organisation in the case study meets
the requirements of the organization
Objective of firm
Tesco objective is about rendering products along with their services which
include the cost reduction methodology. This can help to avoid any extra expenses
and investment in something productive that can help Tesco in their growth. Another
objective is to enhance the product quality that can be effective and help in getting
better and effective response towards the improvement in the product quality. This
can also help to increase the profit margin along with organizational productivity that
help in reducing the cost and help to enhance the overall quality of beneficiaries.
Tesco meeting the requirement through using operation management
Operation management helps to meet the Tesco requirement through
providing principles of strategic operations management. Tesco workforce is
effective and allow to provide better response towards the better managing the
operation flow from start to the end (Guo, 2021). They also ensure about tracking of
supplied materials along with their customer purchase that can be helpful in effective
recording system along with operation.
5. Discussion of continuous improvement as a philosophy
and describe the Lean principles
Lean principles
These are the principles that are associated with focusing on reducing the
resource wastage while production towards the products or service within
organization. There are some of the principles which are associated with the
followed by Tesco that are going to be discussed further.
Value defining- Tesco provides better quality of products at the reasonable
price which create high value product for their customers. This can help to fulfill
customer needs and their preferences.
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Mapping of value stream- This principle focuses on the better understanding
of the different points along with factors that can boost business value. It can also
enable Tesco to avoid factor which are not useful and help to understand the factors
that can be useful (Helmold and Samara, 2019).
Creating flow- Tesco have the focus towards the use of their resources that
can be effective achieve the organizational goal along with objectives. It can also
enable to manage employee performance along with developing different knowledge
and skills that can be effective to provide an appropriate training.
Pull establishment- This principle have the focus towards the effective
resource management that can be helpful for Tesco production. Tesco have the
focus on the inventory management and ensure that their customer should possess
better quality products (Jabbour and et. al., 2019).
Method of lean production
Kaizen refers to one of the method of lean production that include the
Japanese word and include continuous improvement in the company productivity
towards their methods and process. Kanban is another lean production method
which can be effective and help to eliminate inventory shortage through some visuals
towards the organizational operations along with their improvement. Just in time is
also lean production method which include time efficiency and saving of time method
within operations. Andon is also a lean production method which alert when there is
any problem during operation management.
Which lean production method Tesco apply
Just in time along with Kanban lean production method is applies by Tesco
that help to manage their operations. Both are effective and high positive response
that allow organization in stock control, simultaneous engineering and others. It also
helps in increasing firm productivity more effectively.
Apply six sigma along with its effectiveness
Six sigma refers to the combination of different tools which can be used in the
continuous improvement toward the operation within organization. These are the
tools which may include quality circle which are associated with the tool along with
effectiveness of six sigma that include team worker to perform similar task.
6

Benchmarking can also be effective which include the improvement and provide
positive aspect. TQM is another tool which include the six sigma effectiveness that
render the total quality management of products along with services of the firm. SCM
may also include as the another tool that support management supply chain with
strategic manner. ERP is also a tool with have effectiveness on the six sigma that
may plan and require resources towards the enterprise (Kalmykova and et. al.,
2020).
Principles of six sigma that are going to discussed further.
Focus on customers- Tesco have the objective to fulfill the customer
expectations which include the focus on customers.
Identification of root cause- It refers as an important principle which can be
used to identify the root cause of problem within Tesco to identify appropriate
solution.
Reducing variation- Reducing variation within Tesco can help to reduce or
minimse different challenges or fluctuations.
Teamwork- It is one of the main element within organization to perform any
operation in effective way.
Flexible approach- Tesco have the flexible approach that can help to get the
objective and goal of organization. It also helps to accept the changes.
6. A continuous improvement plan, including your justified
recommendations for improvement, based on your review
and critique of operations management principles within
your organization
Continuous improvement plan
There is different method which can be effective and allow to continue
improve the business operation that are effective and may help in getting better
response towards the operation management like total quality management, Kaizen,
benchmarking, Kanban, Andon and supply chain management that are followed
through enterprise for the resource planning. These tools are effective and may help
in getting better response towards the plan execution that is first stage of the plan
and help to identify opportunity that implement the change within the organization.
7

Second stage is do that help to implement the plan on small scale. Third stage
includes the uses of information or data for examine change management outcomes
to ensure change management. It also enables to determine whether there is
difference or not. Fourth stage is act which that include change plan on the small
scale that are successful and help to implement it on the wider scale (Antony and
Gupta, 2018).
Application of theory
Tesco apply those theories in effective way that help to deliver better and
effective response which are associated with continuous improvement. It can also
enable to compel awareness along with shared goals. Second is strategy may
include following vision or mission that are associated with ensuring about the
resource monitoring. Third is process which are effective and may help in getting
better mapping and analysis process and its integration for the examining the
procedure of operation. Fourth is performance that measures the management
purposes and target business operation performance.
Recommendation for improvement
It is recommended that Tesco should apply another operation management
technique like Just in time or Kanban management. These tools have the own
significance and can provide better output. Implementation of such tools can be
effective and may help in getting better operation management that also help in
logistic management along with inventory management (Lehn, 2020).
7. Conclusion
From the above discussion, it can be concluding that there are different tools
which can be effective and may help the business organization to perform well and
allow to perform their business operation in more effective way. This can help to use
different tools and techniques to improve operation management with the business
organization. There is also discussion about operating and operation management
and implementation of operation management principles within organization. There
is also discussion about the continuous improvement along with lean principles. It
also includes continuous improvement plan with recommendation for better
improvement.
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References
Antony, J. and Gupta, S., 2018. Top ten reasons for process improvement project
failures. International Journal of Lean Six Sigma.
Brannen, M.Y., Mughan, T. and Moore, F., 2020. The creative use of insider ethnography as a means
for organizational self investigation: The “Essence of Tesco” project. In The Routledge
companion to anthropology and business (pp. 132-154). Routledge.
Dev, N.K., Shankar, R. and Qaiser, F.H., 2020. Industry 4.0 and circular economy: Operational
excellence for sustainable reverse supply chain performance. Resources, Conservation and
Recycling, 153, p.104583.
Dinis-Carvalho, J., 2021. The role of lean training in lean implementation. Production Planning &
Control, 32(6), pp.441-442.
Guo, Y., 2021. The implications of international urban rail transit operation project management: a
case study of jerusalem’s light rail project. Archit. Eng. Sci, 2(2).
Helmold, M. and Samara, W., 2019. Progress in performance management: Industry insights and
case studies on principles, application tools, and practice. Springer.
Jabbour, C.J.C., Sarkis, J., de Sousa Jabbour, A.B.L., Renwick, D.W.S., Singh, S.K., Grebinevych, O.,
Kruglianskas, I. and Godinho Filho, M., 2019. Who is in charge? A review and a research
agenda on the ‘human side’of the circular economy. Journal of cleaner production, 222,
pp.793-801.
Kalmykova, Y., Sadagopan, M. and Rosado, L., 2018. Circular economy–From review of theories and
practices to development of implementation tools. Resources, conservation and
recycling, 135, pp.190-201.
Lehn, D.V., 2020. Digitalization as “an Agent of Social Change” in a Supermarket Chain: Applying
Blumer's Theory of Industrialization in Contemporary Society. Symbolic Interaction, 43(4),
pp.637-656.
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Table of Content
Part 2: Project Portfolio
Project Title p
An overview of the case study you have been given p
An explanation of each stage of the PLC that applies to your
selected project, including supporting documentation for each
stage (e.g., business case, the project plan, cost-benefit analysis
and work breakdown structure):
 Project initiation p
 Project planning p
 Project execution p
 Project closure p
Analysis of the project methodologies and tools used p
Review and critically evaluate the effectiveness of the PLC in
application to your project using the appropriate theories models
and concepts p
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Project Title
To develop project which can provide healthy food to their staff through
cooking food in house. Objective include the reducing staff movement during lunch
break in the premises that create the congestion issue within local area. It also helps
to develop healthy lifestyle that include the organizational belief through applying the
corporate social responsibility which can also help in reducing the staff absenteeism
(Javed and et. al., 2021).
An overview of the case study you have been given
Case study is about the onsite catering where it includes the position of
member of Project along with Programme Office that is responsible for the change
program within organization. As a part of induction along with personal development
plan, new line manager has asked about the planning and managing theoretical in-
house project. She believer that it can be helpful for me to get better and effective
understanding about the real term of the organization that translate about the
business objective within the idenitifcation of the specific development within projects
with their planning and completion. There are two different business objective which
include the current financial year that can help to reduce the staff movement from
premises during lunch break that lead to create the congestion issues with local area
that can help staff to develop their healthy lifestyle that are associated with ensuring
about the organizational believe in their CSR that can help to reduce the
absenteeism within staff members. Case includes about project development that
may focus on provide healthy food to their staff members through cooking food in
house for the staff members. These are the case on which all the discussion is
based (GuPta, InanIya and Jhabuawala, 2019).
An explanation of each stage of the PLC that applies to
your selected project, including supporting documentation
for each stage (e.g., business case, the project plan, cost-
benefit analysis and work breakdown structure):
 Project initiation
This is the first stage of project management life cycle which provide the
information about project detail including key participants, business needs along with
stakeholders with scope of project along with objective that are to follow the goals.
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Moreover, budget, milestones, roles along with responsibility which have the success
should be measured. According to scenario, project objective can provide catering
services to their employees which can also include lunch break. This can help to
avoid the moving out of premises and influence them to get their meal with
organization for their better health and safety to their employees. It can support the
corporate social responsibility of company along with employee satisfaction within
company environment. Scope include to motivate employee to retain within
organization and ensure that good talent should not move out of premises. Milestone
includes the current project that include each stage of the life cycle that can help in
improvement or modification. Estimated budget can include 20 lakhs for the
expenses of transport, kitchen, licenses, human resources and others. There is
some budget that can vary from the preferences which include setting up resources
related with catering materials. Time completion can be five to six months that
include employees within organization (Glock and et. al., 2019).
 Project planning
It is second stage within the project management life cycle that include the scope
planning along with preparation of the work breakdown structure that include project
schedule development. This may include the budget planning along with
procurement planning which also include risk management. Work breakdown
structure also includes setting up of the resources that are required to complete the
project. There is also need for the human resource setting with proper training that
can be effective to handle the catering without any difficulty. Raw material suppliers
are also highly responsible for the communicating along with quality planning
towards brainstorming along with idea implementation.
 Project execution
This is the third stage of project management life cycle that includes the information
about the project deliverables along with performance data which include the
documentation and log updates that can lead to change in the documents.
Documentation process includes the changes which are required in the project
execution (Demir, 2019).
 Project closure
This one is the fourth stage of the project management cycle that include details of the
business documentation along with cancelling suppliers contract and releasing staff
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members after the closure of the project. It also includes complete closure of the project that
include raw materials, other stakeholders. This can allow to initiate the post implementation
review for effective maintenance of project and allow for time to time succession of the
project.
Analysis of the project methodologies and tools used
Agile methodologies
This one is project management approach that can target continuous releases
and help to attend customer feedback which are iteration for the project. It also
involves the regular communication with their stakeholders in every phase that can
support in continuous improvement of the project. There are some pros and cons of
the current project which are going to be discussed further (Berenguer and
Shen,2020).
Pros
It is the popular approach used for the management of the project in the
effective manner. Advantage of using the Agile project management is it provides
project execution in the effective manner. As it has been found that the testing is the
integral part of the execution phase where the growth is seen when the final product
quality is optimistic. Here the employers overall involve in the development stages of
the execution and the alteration are begin on the basis of the market demand.
However, it is the reiterative action where the adulteration or the advancement are
carried with the time instance in order to deliver the better quality product. In agile
management action customer satisfaction is one of the benefit. It states that it is the
process which accelerates the customers satisfaction as the interaction of the
customer and the employer is on maximum level so as to benefit the customers
more and decrease the risk associated with it. Here, it is ensure that project
designing or its development is taken by analyzing the customers needs and
demand. In past, the framework were design in the manner where the customers are
involved only in the planning phase which result in less customer satisfaction as they
were not involved in execution action. To alter these action and to raise more
flexibility of customers in decision making these management process is used
(Shaturaevand Bekimbetova, 2021).
There is better control on the project as there is regular feedback form the
customers about the service they are getting. These updates provide the employers
a channel to alter the changes according to the customers demand. It is resulted as
there is transparency while executing the product. In this management system, the
quality is analyzed throughout the instance till which the action continues as to
develop the daily progress report by the individuals. These daily reports are
evaluated through the advance tools or the techniques. It also accelerates the
improved interaction among various stakeholders related to the undertaken project.
Here the stakeholders can be internal which majorly consist of the employs and also
consist of the external employer which primarily comprises of the suppliers or the
traders and the potential customers for which the product is designed. Since the
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work is distributed into the small magnitude of the picks, so the chance of error also
reduce (Rotter and et. al., 2019).
Cons
This management plan sound to be bit expensive or the time consuming, so it
is symbolize that these type of project plans are not effective for the small scale
projects plans. To continue these type of projects there is high demand of resources
which is not feasible for the organization to conduct. Other disfavor associated with
the this project is there is lack of documentation seen during the development or the
execution of the development process. It is seen as it is difficult for the individual to
analyze the minute magnitude of adulteration done in process which result into end
result alteration among theoretical or the practical values. This action might result in
the imprecise point in the documents which creates the development of error in the
planing or the execution process. Lack of feasible or the knowledgeable expertise
can also be the challenge which the agile methodology phase. Need of them is to
minimize the associated risk or the error while performing the process in the effective
manner. Other than it, when the proper planing of the process conduction not done
in the effective manner,it might result in to the costly plan of action. It is seen
because the required resources or the tools might prove into expensive as the huge
resources are collected (Ivanov and et. al., 2021).
This wastage is done as the individuals are unaware about their magnitude of
actual usage. Lack of strength or the intensity at which project should be designed to
provide the effective customer satisfaction to the patient. It is resulted as employers
feels the lack of motivation. Other than this team faces the sidetracked due to the
lack of process faced by them. It is carry out when the planning is done without
framing the clear objective or the goal. Additionally, it is found when the
documentation error is found by the employers. Continuous analyzing the
development process might also lead to missed deadlines or the employers
frustration. However, the agile management reduces the chance of balance or the
security as there is long term process where the individual is not updated or aware
about the amount of resources actually contributes towards the execution of the
project. To carry out the project in faster rate, the employers divide the process into
different fragments so as to accomplished the outcome faster. This action might
result into the fragmented results.
Review and critically evaluate the effectiveness of the PLC
in application to your project using the appropriate
theories models and concepts
Project life cycle has the significant role in providing the project in the effective
quality with the minimal risk in the assigned time frame. To assure that result are
favor in the growth mode, different importance are provided here which primarily
includes the framing of project. It is done by dividing the details project into the
different segments as to understand the structure in the easier manner. It also helps
the employer to regulate the process in effective manner. It also accelerates the
effective communication while planning the project. Project life cycle enhance the
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link between the employers and their management to carry out the actions where the
employers is provided with the instance at which the task is need to be completed
by the management team. Other than this also supports the project planing in having
the effective tracking of the actions taken. It is ensure to them the project is need to
be completed in the provided time instance and the resources only. When the proper
control on the action are regulated by the developers it leads to the cost reduction of
the project while implementing the suitable strategies (Di Vaio and et. al., 2020).
References
Berenguer, G. and Shen, Z.J., 2020. Om forum—challenges and strategies in managing nonprofit
operations: An operations management perspective. Manufacturing & Service Operations
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SHOPPERS'WELLBEING. Asian Academy of Management Journal, 24(1).
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in the sustainable development goals perspective: A systematic literature review. Journal
of Business Research, 121, pp.283-314.
Glock, C.H., Grosse, E.H., Jaber, M.Y. and Smunt, T.L., 2019. Applications of learning curves in
production and operations management: A systematic literature review. Computers &
Industrial Engineering, 131, pp.422-441.
GuPta, M., InanIya, K. and Jhabuawala, M., 2019. Quality in Surgical Pathology-A Story of Continuous
Improvement Over Seven Years at Rural Teaching Hospital in Western India. Journal of
Clinical & Diagnostic Research, 13(9).
Ivanov, D., Tang, C.S., Dolgui, A., Battini, D. and Das, A., 2021. Researchers' perspectives on Industry
4.0: multi-disciplinary analysis and opportunities for operations management. International
Journal of Production Research, 59(7), pp.2055-2078.
Javed, M.S., Ma, T., Jurasz, J. and Amin, M.Y., 2020. Solar and wind power generation systems with
pumped hydro storage: Review and future perspectives. Renewable Energy, 148, pp.176-
192.
Rotter, T., Plishka, C., Lawal, A., Harrison, L., Sari, N., Goodridge, D., Flynn, R., Chan, J., Fiander, M.,
Poksinska, B. and Willoughby, K., 2019. What is lean management in health care?
Development of an operational definition for a Cochrane systematic review. Evaluation &
the health professions, 42(3), pp.366-390.
Shaturaev, J. and Bekimbetova, G., 2021. Transformation of business efficiency with the lean
management. Deutsche Internationale Zeitschrift für zeitgenössische Wissenschaft, (22),
pp.71-73.
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