Business Operations Report: Best Practices at Unilever (BA6001GN)

This report offers a comprehensive analysis of Unilever's business operations. It begins by exploring best practice techniques such as lean manufacturing, highlighting its principles and application within the company. The report then delves into analytical frameworks like benchmarking and setting standards, demonstrating their role in enhancing business effectiveness. Furthermore, it examines quality management approaches, including total quality management, reward and recognition systems, and the use of standards, rules, and regulations. The study recommends the 'just in time' approach as a key best practice for Unilever, emphasizing its potential to improve production efficiency and on-time delivery. The report concludes by underscoring the importance of these practices in maintaining a competitive edge in the global market and achieving operational excellence. The report is based on the assignment brief for the Business Operations module (BA6001GN).

BUSINES OPERATIONS
(GHE ST 1)

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................3
Demonstration of best practice technique and analytical frameworks used in company.......3
Two analytical frameworks used by company for enhancing business effectiveness............4
Approaches of quality management and quality techniques which are applied in for
improvement...........................................................................................................................5
Example of best practice and analytical technique to be recommended to the company......7
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................8
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................9

INTRODUCTION
Business operation is defined as the management of the working of the company for the
successful running of the business so that all the objectives of the business are being
accomplished (Choi, Chan and Yue, 2016). The proper management of operation of business
leads to success and growth of the company. the present study is based on company Unilever.
This is a consumer good company headquartered in London and founded in the year 1929.
The present report will start by discussing about the different best practice techniques
used in by operation of the company and the analytical framework used by the company. Further
two different analytical framework which will be used by company will be demonstrated. Next
the different approaches of quality management and different quality techniques which can be
used by the company for improving the performance. In the end the example of best practice and
the analytical technique will be discussed.
MAIN BODY
Demonstration of best practice technique and analytical frameworks used in company
The operation of the business is the most crucial department of the company. This is
because of the fact that if the operation within the manufacturing company is not good and
efficient then the resulting output will not be good. This is majorly due to the reason that
operation department in the manufacturing company deals with the production of the goods in
which the company deals. Thus, it is the duty of the business operation of Unilever to oversee
that whether the production of the company is up to the mark or not. If not, then what corrective
actions can be taken by the company to improve it. Thus, for this Unilever uses some of the best
practice and some analytical framework to manage the operations of the business.
Best practice- the best practice is an approach or technique which is being used by the
company because this practice is superior to all the alternate strategies or approaches of the
operation management. Thus, it is very necessary for Unilever to use the best practices so that
the operation of the business is managed in effective and efficient manner. For managing the
operation of Unilever, the best practice used is discussed in the following points connected
below-
Lean manufacturing- this is the best practice which is being used in by Unilever for
manufacturing the product with minimum or no wastages (Scott-Jackson and Michie, 2017). The
reduction of waste is very necessary because of the fact that the raw materials are very scarce

and it is of utmost importance to use these resources optimally and with full care. The main of
lean manufacturing is to minimize the waste and to maximize the productivity (Grayson and
Hodges, 2017). If the waste is not made in the manufacturing process then automatically it will
increase the productivity as all the resources will be optimally used. This is treated as a best
practice because of the following five principles which are used under lean by Unilever. These
principles are discussed in the following points connected below-
Identification of value form consumer’s perspective- this is very necessary to identify
that what the consumer is expecting from the product of Unilever. This is necessary because if
the consumer is not getting value then they will not buy the products. Thus, to reduce the
wastage it is necessary for Unilever to analyse the value or importance of the product for the
consumer.
Map the value stream- after the value is identified by the company then it records and
analyses the value. Further after that the company analyses that whether the product of the
company is meeting those values or not.
Create flow- under this method the company tries to eliminate the barriers and try to
make the products as per the requirement of the consumers. This is necessary because of the fact
that after eliminating the barrier or the wastages again the product will be modified. Thus, the
product will again be produced with more reduction in the waste materials.
Analytical framework- this is defined as the model which aims at guiding and facilitating
the understanding and application of any of the model. Thus, the analytical framework of lean
manufacturing is the review of the process of lean manufacturing. This is very necessary for
Unilever to time- to- time review the process of manufacturing and checking and ensuring that
there is no other substance being used and no waste is being carried on in the process.
Two analytical frameworks used by company for enhancing business effectiveness
The analytical tools are the techniques which are being used by the company in order to
make sure that the best practice which are being used in by Unilever are effectively used. These
analytical frame works are the tools which assess the fact that whether the best practice has
accomplished the aim of the project or not (Chatzoudes, Chatzoglou and Vraimaki, 2015). If not
then what are the corrective actions which can be taken by the company to resolve this issue is
also identified with help of these analytical framework. These analytical tools help the company
in analysing that whether the practice used is able to meet the objectives of company or not. The

major analytical framework used by Unilever are discussed in the following points connected
below-
Benchmarking- this is a tool in which the company compares its elements of the business
with the other competitors in the same industry (Choi and Li, 2015). This is a good analytical
framework used by Unilever for the enhancing the effectiveness and efficiency of the business. It
is majorly due to the fact that when Unilever compares its production and way of manufacturing
with the other competitors then the company comes to know about the actual position of the
company. This will highlight the position of Unilever in the competitive market.
Now if the position of the company is not that good then this will be known by this
comparison. Thus, this benchmarking will outline all the weak points of the company and this
will help the company in deciding for some measures of improvement. These improvements are
also highlighted with the help of the comparison only. It is so because if some points will be
lacking then it can be corrected by seeing what the competitor is doing in that position.
Setting standard- this is yet another analytical framework which helps Unilever in
analysing the whether the business is performing in the positive and intended manner or not. If
not then some measures are taken to bring the company back to the thought position. Under this
framework, Unilever first set some standard of work which needs to be achieved in actual when
the work is being done. Further, when the actual work is performed then it is compared with the
standards for getting deviations if any. On comparison if the deviation is found then the it means
that the practice applied for operation is not up to mark and the objective of operation has not
been achieved. If the standards have not been achieved then corrective actions are to be taken so
that this can be overcome and success can be attained.
Approaches of quality management and quality techniques which are applied in for
improvement
The competition within the market is very high and intense because of the fact that the
business is being carried on in the global market. Thus, this has increased the competition within
the external business environment. Therefore, for getting a competitive advantage over the
competitors it is very necessary for the company to maintain the quality (Drake, Hammond and
Preble, 2015). The quality is defined as the distinctive characteristic or attribute which is
possessed by the product or service of the company. This superior quality is a very attractive

point for the consumers. It is mainly because of the fact that there re many companies which are
dealing in the same products.
Thus, the only differentiating point for the consumers is the quality of the products
(Trinh, 2018). This is majorly due to the fact that if the quality will not be good then the
consumers will not use the product and will go for the substitute goods. As a result of this the
sales and revenue of the company will decrease and also the operational efficiency. Thus, for this
it is very necessary for Unilever to pay more attention towards the quality of the goods and
services of the company. for this Unilever can use the following discussed techniques and quality
management tools for the good function of the company-
Total Quality Management- this is the most important tool for managing the quality of
the goods and services being provided by Unilever. The total quality management is defined as a
tool which is customer oriented and mainly focuses on continuous improvement in the business
operations. This tool of quality management ensures that the all the business activities are allied
in the same direction that is the achievement of group goals of improving the quality of the
product and the service of Unilever. The major reason for the use of total quality management as
the tool of managing the quality is beneficial for the company.
This is majorly because of the reason that this increases the awareness of the employees
for maintaining the quality and this increases the team work within the company. The team work
is increased because of the reason that the main aim of the company is to improve the quality and
for this all the employees work as a team and this increases the efficiency of the team. Also, this
increases the commitment of the employees towards continuous improvement. It is majorly due
to the fact that in business environment there are continuous changes taking place. Thus, it is the
responsibility of the employees of Unilever to ensure that all the standards of the quality are
being used and abided at time of manufacturing of the goods and services.
Reward and recognition- this is yet another tool or technique of maintaining the quality
within the company. This is an effective tool because this encourages the employees with more
effectiveness and efficiency (Qureshi, Ahsan and Azid, 2017). This is a technique of improving
the quality because if the employees perform with good quality then they are provided with
different type of rewards and recognition. Thus, this rewards and recognition motivates and
influences the employees to work with more efficiency and effectiveness.

Standards rules and regulations- this is another technique of maintenance of quality. It
is so because of the fact that if some rules and regulation are being set by Unilever then the
employees will have to work in accordance with those standards (Li and Coates, 2016). Thus,
this will increase the quality of the work because of the fact that these standards are already set
high. These standards are set more than the actual standard required. This is done with the
motive that for achieving the standard the actual standard is automatically achieved. hence, the
quality is automatically achieved.
Example of best practice and analytical technique to be recommended to the company
One of the most important recommended best practice for Unilever is the just in time
approach. This is an approach of production and manufacturing system which is used to get the
production of the goods and services on time or before time. This is a technique designed in
order to get the production done with quality, with reduced cost and to deliver the goods and
services on time to the end users. The main aim of this type of operation technique is to finish the
work on or before the actual time. This is only possible if the raw materials are being provided
on time and also with good quality. Thus, this approach focuses on both the on-time production
and that to with the top quality. Also, this approach is being used in because of the reason that
this promotes smooth flow of the production. It is pertaining to the fact that all the materials are
readily available and that to before time, thus, this promotes the production in a flow and on time
(Li and Wu, 2016).
The analytical frame work which is being recommended to Unilever is the use of
technique of PDCA that is Plan, Do, Check and Act. This is an important framework to ensure
that the practices which are being used in the operations of the company are accurately applied.
This framework starts by planning for the work to be done under this model. The proper
planning will outline all the possible things which can be done or which can happen by the
implementation of the thought practice of operations. The next stage of the PDCA frame work is
to do the planned work. This is very necessary to do the work because if the work will not be
done then how it will be checked that whether the work is in accordance with the planned work
or not. The next step is of check wherein all the possible outcomes of the approach are being
checked and analysed (Gökmen and Dinç, 2016). This is done in order to find any loop hole
within the implementation of the approach. The last stage of this frame work is to act that is after
checking the done work if there is any of the changes then they need to be applied to that

process. Thus, the last stage ensures that all the loop holes identified in the checking phase are
implemented in the act stage. This is done in order to check that the changes are being
appropriately handled and implemented (Braithwaite and Christopher, 2015).
CONCLUSION
From the study and evaluation of the above report it has been concluded that managing
the operations of the business is the most important and crucial task for the company. It is
majorly because of the fact that the whole success of the company depends only upon the goods
and services which are being produced by the company. Thus, it is very necessary for the
company to manage the operations with more efficiency and effectiveness.
The present study started by the discussion on the best practice and analytical frame work
to be used to manage the operations of the company. With this it was found that lean
manufacturing is the best practice applied by the business. Further two different analytical frame
work was outlined which was bench marking and setting standards. These analytical framework
help in overseeing that the implemented best practice is working properly or not. Next the
different quality tools and management techniques were highlighted like total quality
management, rewards and recognition and many other. In the end the example of a best practice
and the analytical framework was recommended that was just in time and PDCA cycle.

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
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