Operations & Process Management Assignment Sample

Introduction of Operations & Process Management Assignment

Background of the company and selected improvement process

Unilever Plc. is a multinational company that deals with consumer goods that are situated in London, England the company were founded in 1929 by the lever brothers it deals with personal care, nutrition, and hygiene products to create a major brand for beauty and well-being. Along with that, the British multinational company has focused on different product ranges to innovate new products for sustainable corporate operations (Unilever.com, 2021). The operations management process of Unilever creates high productivity to engage in the activities of consumer goods businesses. Based on that, the company wants to achieve higher performance to indulge in strategic decisions as the financial performance has addressed productivity level.

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The major purpose of Unilever is to consider a sustainable living commonplace to deal with long-term business growth. The design of goods and services focuses on Unilever's marketing mix to address continuous innovation and develop the operation management process. The company applies "Robotics and automation" to maximize the production process and control wastage. Supporting the automation the inconsistency in quality has addressed the home care products range to manage seasonal and special occasion demands (Unilever.com, 2022). The layout design and strategy consider computing technologies to access the pertinent data of operation and address the inventory operation for effective distribution facilities of consumer goods.

Importance of the operations to enhance the firm’s capabilities and achieve a competitive advantage

The company strategy helps to enhance the firm's capabilities for competitive advantage to satisfy consumer needs and preferences. The major prioritization for intensive growth organization shifts the condition of the consumer goods market to deal with competitive strategy the continuing success of global operation brings broad differentiation. Along with that, producing personal care products helps to attract and retain customers to design the products (Hbr.org, 2020). The analysis of the generic strategy supporting global sustainability focuses to increase vitality. Based on that, the organization stands out in the competition to develop growth opportunities for effective financial performance in the consumer goods market.

Important and intensive strategies involve market penetration, market development, product development, and diversification. As per the analysis of the operation and process management the major firm's capabilities to deal with competition thus the primary strategy is to increase sales volume. Therefore the corresponding business growth in home cares products thus the company develop differentiation in the product (Unilever.com, 2022). Along with that, the product development of the new version of the organization's care products to manage or increase the market share. Therefore the competitive advantage has to be focused on product development to bring continuous product innovation for an effective product mix.

After that, the diversification operation also supports the strategy as the acquisition of the company with “Sara Lee Corporation in 2009-2010” the intensive growth strategy to differentiate the product for strengthens the consumer goods industry. Dealing with the market development process the analysis of intensive growth strategy the new market entry has focused on different market segments chance the business operation of the company is processed for the marketing strategy of infant care needs (Unilever.com, 2021). The universal business operation considers the potential benefits to implement marketing campaigns for achieving competitive advantage and stand out the product in the range of competitors such as “GSK, ITC, Johnson & Johnson, Mars, Nestle, and P&G”.

Setting the scene

The research has considered the major prospects of the operation and process management strategies of Unilever to deal with intensive growth strategy and expand the market through the company's improvement process to enhance capabilities for effective competitive advantage. Based on addressing the issues and improvements to solve the issue in business operations helps analyse customer demand (Unilever.com, 2022). Thus, the production planning process and its scheduling analyze quality management operations for effective product delivery. Along with that, the external and internal customers' waiting line issues consider the staffing decisions to evaluate the global capabilities of the company to serve the market.

Main Body

Detailed process flow chart including process inputs, process outputs, activities, activity times, processing and labour requirements

Figure 1: Flow chart of the process diagram

(Source: Self-developed)

The above flow chart has represent the different processes of activities such as input, output, activities processing, times and labour requirement of the company. The Unilever company operation management has been focused on the input and output process, activity timer, labour requirement, activities and processing. It is the responsibility of the operational management for keeping better productivity across the worldwide organization of customer good services (Zhang et al. 2020). The company operation managers have been developing processes and procedures to support the company in achieving effective and higher performance in the strategic decisions about productivity and operation. The operational performance of the company has been directly supported by the performance of financial that has been beneficial for the company's productivity.

Capacity analysis of the process, including the strategies used to address expected customer demand.

The critical analysis of the effective process has been associated with the company Unilever's strategy that has been helping to meet the customer's demands effectively. The company has used supportive well-being and creative inclusivity for identifying and understanding the potential barriers and issues faced by the customers. The company has been providing a better environment for their employees to deal with the customers effectively with integrity, responsibility, respect and value (Prado Perez, 2020). It has been helping to build effective or better relationships with the customers and helps to address the different problems of the customers effectively. There are different problems has been faced by customers such as long hold times, payment issues, and product and service-related issues. Also, other issues associated with the customers have been including disinterested customer service and even not fulfilling the expectations of customers.

The company Unilever has been using an effective marketing strategy that has been helping to fulfil the demands of the customers without any disturbance (Prado Perez, 2020).The company uses an advanced technology strategy to address the expected consumer demands. This helps to address the problems of the customers that have been associated with repair damage, delivery issues, overcharging, replacement, repair, refund, unsafe products and misleading prices. However, the company follows the critical analysis process to deal with poor customer service such as lack of training and employee engagement, misunderstanding of customer expectations, and employee burnout.

Metrics used to measure the process, and effectiveness of the change process to improve

House of Quality and QFD matrix has been helping to measure the process and effectiveness of the change process for enhancing consumer’s process and demands capacity relationship, product delivery and quality management. It has been observed that the QFD matrix has been used in the company to analyze the application of manufacturing, product design, research and development, engineering, testing, regulatory, production information technology and other phases in hardware (Adinyira et al. 2018). Also, it has been helpful to determine the application of system organization and software services in the company. The house of quality has been combining the different kinds of aspects of the development of the product that helps different departments collaboratively and collectively develop the effective matrix.

The quality function deployment matrix has one kind of formal articulation that helps the company to analyze the relationship between the customer's requirement and the new product design characteristics effectively. There are different use of the QFD or HOQ matrix including scoring and identifying the consumer requirements, and product characteristics, and also determining and analyzing the relationship between the technical measures and product characteristics (Xie et al. 2020). Along with that, it helps to determine the relationship between the product characteristics and customer requirements, the importance of relationship and also competitive evaluation.

Address other relevant issues

Customer demand and process capacity relationships

Figure 2: Strategy development approaches

(Source: Course Materials)

The above-depicted figures have considered that the “Strategy development approaches” have notified on the multiple kinds of aspects related to capabilities, experienced modules, day-to-day operations and implementations of strategies. It has also created a wider range of changes by developing cultures of quality, flexibility, dependability, speed, and costs [Refer to course materials].Thus, the respective retailing industry has been getting successful to provide the best services among consumers by reducing the ultimate ranges of cost structures. The customers can also be getting better ranges of products in affordable ranges of pricing structures.

The value-based procurement of the company approaches the choice of customers as a "Supplier relationship management programme" considering the branding and positioning process. Customer demand and delivery consistency create a major issue as maintaining prices and margins of FMCG create difficulty. As shifting pricing strategy leads to creating a rising cost of the commodity thus the pricing strategy has to be modified (Craft.co, 2021). As per the analysis of disruption directly to customers, the threat of marketing overblown creates marketing competition. Therefore FMCG dominance considers the marketing scheme as the capacity of relationships and considers consumer demand.

The major threat of former beauty loss is considered by the company dominance for greater uncertainty to rivalling the promotion of dynamic young marketer brand reputation (Visentini, 2019). The customer demand has fluctuated thus to meet the expectation of process capacity as the relationship with customers is important as the high competition creates issues to shift the customers immediately.

Operation Management has created a positive framework by developing the cultures of multiple kinds of strategic attributes related to transformations resources have been considered one of them. The maintenance of effective ranges of processes related to “Direct, Deliver, Develop and Design” has been also sustainably conducted by generating the outputs and improving the cultures of production facilities. The constant development rates of two ranges of attributes related to capacity management and planning structures have been sustainably improved in the respective retailing sector related to Unilever [Refer to course materials]. For instance, “Lean Operations” have also created a specific understanding by improving the cultures of time management, increasing the rate of quality modules based on services and products, and reducing the ultimate ranges of cost structures.

Hence the organization has focused on diversification and innovation strategy to operate a business effectively thus the diversification in market demands hampered the production planning (Tien, 2019). Therefore it has to be said that the input cost environment focuses on the impact of underlying sales growth as to focus on customer demand it is important to measure the effectiveness of the production planning process. The operation management function has created major challenges for the wastage of the product as in case of facing a challenge to analyze the demand of the market. Due to increasing competition, the customers shift to other brands' product thus production planning and scheduling creates a major issue for the organization.

Quality Management issues

Dealing with the “Safety & Environmental Assurance Centre (SEAC)" helps to consider the quality of the product as to be competitive in the market and satisfy customers for repeated buying it is important to maintain the quality of the product. The developments of production rates and rates of involvement have also generated flexibility by addressing the ultimate ranges of risk factors. The issues regarding the quality of the products have been also effectively resolved by providing a training facility for the workers [Refer to course materials]. Thus, the rates of wastage chances have also been sustainably developed by the maintenance of efficiency and addressing the ultimate ranges of risk opportunities of Unilever.

Product delivery issues

Delivering consistency is also important as customers easily shift to the other brand's products thus it is important to manage the product delivery issue. Timely delivery of the product is important to fulfil the market demand it is important to research the product demand then production planning has to be undertaken in order to deal with the excess and shortage of the products (Unilever.com, 2020). Focuses on the e-commerce platforms and the challenges mainly faced to deal with B2B market demand to fulfil the delivery of food products based on “Unilever Food Solutions (UFS)”. The products to cut preparation and focus the time of pandemic to consider reducing food waste and finding a use for the surplus stock has also created product delivery issues.

The interfaces of the process with external and internal customers

The company's major interfaces process the internal as well as external customers to analyze the product of Unilever the contribution towards satisfaction of customers has focused on the strategic plan for long-term strategy (Laursen and Andersen, 2023). Along with that, the management of both customers faces major concerns regarding the workforce's direct and indirect impact on the production process. Based on that, the supplier issue regarding the material supply also creates difficulty to produce products hence the stakeholder influence on investment in R&D creates a major problem. Therefore dealing with the practices of government interventions the obligation and transparency register focuses on advocacy issues.

Waiting line issues and related staffing decisions

Due to a large number of applications company has not effectively focused on every candidate's profile thus the waiting line issues create challenges to take decisions based on staffing (Elekidis et al. 2019). For instance, Value Chain has also created an effective performance for delivering valuable products by notifying the sources and increasing the rates of competitive advantages. The strategy related to the “5R’s of Procurements or Logistics” have been notified on the five kinds of strategic attributes related to “Right costs, Right Time, Right Quality, Right Quantity, and Right Place”. However, inventory management has also been making an accumulation that has collected reliable information and improved the cultures of networking systems [Refer to course materials]. Thus, the rates of economic growth and working flexibility have also sustainably developed by accessing reliable information and improving the cultures of operational integrations. It has been focused on the multiple ranges of attributes related to "Placing orders, Stock Out, Security, Climate, and Working capital, Penalties, Storage and Discounts”.

Other applicable process issues or concerns

The other issues faced by the company have been analyzed to prioritize the human rights impact of the operation to extend the supply chain has also focused. Based on that, the positive impact has considered the measure of negative impacts hence the UN guiding principles create issues to manage business relationships. along with that, the salient human rights faced by the company to consider fair wages, working hours, freedom of association, harassment and other work environment issues create a major issue for the company to develop the product in the market (Unilever.com, 2021). Thus, to manage customer demand and expansion of market share, it is important to consider the major issues faced regarding production, workers and other product-related issues.

Conclusion

The research report concluded the operation and process management of Unilever through dealing with the improvement process the major capability of the organization to achieve competitive advantage. Effectively analyzing the problem-solving tools has evaluated the major techniques to consider the labour requirement. Along with that, analyzing the strategies to address customer demand helps to consider the metrics of changing process. Based on the evaluation of different metrics to measure the effectiveness of diversification the organization has also evaluated the capacity relationship to deal with the process of consumer demand. The major analysis of production planning of Unilever to evaluate the customer demand based on considering the production schedules.

As per the analysis of quality management issues the evaluation of the production of FMCG products due to large units of protection. Thus, the organization has also focused on product delivery problems due to the customer's shift to the other brand's products thus the interfaces of internal and external customers analyze the market demand and expansion of market share. The waiting line issues have also created major problems for staffing decisions as recruiting the right person for the organization that is suitable for the delegated post is also a major challenge. Hence, through this report the analysis of operational and process management functions in Unilever to evaluate whether the business has effectively managed the demand of the market.

The above flow chart has demonstrated the prices of activities, input, output, activities processing, times and labour requirement of the company. Unilever has been using an effective marketing strategy that has been helping to fulfil the demands of the customers. Along with that, the company has been addressing the different issues and challenges of the consumers through the use of an advantage technology strategy and innovative ideas. It has been observed that the use of the QFD or HOQ matrix helps to identify the consumer requirements, product characteristics, acceleration speed, dimensions, expected lifetime, cost of production and weight. It helps to score and identify the requirement of customer voice related to safety, cheapness, reliability, speed and low fuel consumption.

Recommendations

The problems of recommendation have been based on the Unilever operation and process management that helps to deal with the different problems such as employee and customer related. Performance management has been one kind of continuous process of evaluating and measuring the actual results and comparing similar outcomes of planning (Canepari, 2017). It has been focused on the requirements of continuous improvisation through maintaining an effective communication network between the subordinates and managerial personnel. It has been observed that performance management systems have been focused on the relationship between organizational strategies and individualbehaviours.

The company Unilever has been focused on effective training and education programs that help to improve the knowledge and awareness among the employees regarding the roles and responsibilities of the company. It has been noticed that it has been the duty of the company to improve the sense of harmony and team spirit among the employers and staff (Sivakumar, 2021). It is essential to improve the proper coordination and collaboration of the employee operations at different levels of the department that has been essential to facilitate smooth and effective sailing of the company operations. It has been observed that there is a need to enhance individual commitment for effective team performance reading the organizational goals, personal dislike, and lack of communication, lack of coordination among the employee.

It has been creating hindrances in the way of attaining the goals of the organization. Hence, it has been notified that such kind of bottlenecks has been identified and eliminated as possible as quickly. It has been considered that for this purpose the company has been improving the coordination, communication and collaboration among the team members through the use of training and education programs. Thecompany has conducted different training and development programs for the employees that helped to improve their awareness, knowledge and skills of employees (Albert, 2019).Along with that, the effective training and development program has been helping to shape the attitude and behaviour of the employee and developing the positive attitude and behaviour towards the team members and company.

It has been observed that by using advanced technology techniques for satellite imaging and use AI to monitor land conversion and deforestation, the Green Token project of the company Unilever has been helping create a new effort to address the different supply chain issues of the company (Wilson and Daugherty, 2018). It has been noticed that the use of broad differentiation is an effective strategy that has been beneficial for the company to create a competitive advantage in the market. The major emphasis this strategy has it's focusing on the characteristics and features that build the company's products and services stand out against the different competitors in the market.

The use of a machine learning algorithm has been examining the customers after listening to the customers answer the questions after 30 minutes and also helps to determine the good fits by the body language analysis and natural language progressing. The automated screening system has an effective program that has been looking for cues reading the customer's behaviour that has been demonstrating resilience, business acumen and systemic thinking (Black and van Esch, 2020). It has been considered that the company Unilever has used this kind of proprietary technology for feedback deliver to applicants through a detailed list. However, the use of AI has been beneficial for the company helping to improve operational efficiencies and increasing productivity.

Along with that, it has saved money and time by optimizing and automating routine tasks and processes. Also, it helps to make faster business decisions that have been based on the outputs from the cognitive effective technologies (Raisch and Krakowski, 2021). The use of AI and advanced technology has been beneficial for the company associated with company process automation, real-time analytics, predictive analytics and improved customer experience and cutting costs.

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