Quality Management Assignment Sample

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Introduction - BM563 Operations and Service Management

The company specialises in clothes as well as home and food goods sales. Since its inception until 2019, it has been part of the FTSE 100 Index, where it was listed on the "London Stock Exchange". After 129 years as a single market stall, M&S is now a multi-channel multinational business. Almost 82,000 individuals are employed by the company, which is currently present in more than 50 countries across the globe (Daradkeh and Moh'd Al-Dwairi, 2018). They work diligently to keep their offer current to their clients while staying faithful to the company's fundamental principles of Quality, Value, Service, Innovation, and Trust.

By increasing the number of shop locations, distribution methods, and product lines, the company is minimising its reliance on the United Kingdom while simultaneously expanding its worldwide reach. The Marks & Spencer Group Plc sells clothing, food, and housewares at its stores. Via the UK and International geographies, it does business (Stevens, 2018). The UK retail business and the franchise operations make up the UK sector. Marks & Spencer-owned companies in Europe and Asia, as well as overseas franchise operations, are included in the International category.

Identification of One Operation Management Practice within the Organisation

In order to significantly operate the organisational business, M&S significantly has put its focus on the quality management standards and systems within its organisational culture. Marks and Spencer's "Quality Control and Quality Assurance" "Quality Assurance" (QA) and "Quality Control" (QC) may sound the same, but they're not. Original definition of quality assurance: inspection, measuring, and evaluating the item at different stages in the manufacturing process to ensure that the requirements are being met. Quality assurance, on the other hand, is holding everyone accountable for the product's quality and creating it from the ground up to be a high-quality one (Wreathall, 2017). Quality assurance methods come in a variety of shapes and sizes, depending on the company. "Total Quality Management" (TQM) is a company culture dedicated to continuously enhancing quality in all functions and departments across the company. It's expected that everyone in the firm strives to do better job and provide better products.

As a result, the client's needs are prioritised in these organisations, and this includes things like putting processes in place to deliver excellent consumer service and doing research to determine what characteristics the general public wants. Using the EPOS technology at Marks & Spencer's, they can see what sizes are accessible and offer products to customers. There are acceptable and functioning quality assurance processes in place at M&S; however, further approaches might be added along with the present systems to build on them (Ali and Haseeb, 2019). In addition to saving costs, these measures would decrease the amount of issues in completed automobiles and benefit employees by immersing them more in the organisational operations. By employing quality management processes, the company will also be able to discover any flaws in its goods or production process.

Critical Analysis of How the Operation Management Practice Impact the Organisation in regards to its Efficiency

The organisational operations strategy is implemented via its activities. All of Marks & Spencer's items are of the highest quality, and all of the company's stores are positioned in the most accessible areas for customers thanks to the company's operational administration. Marks & Spencer, for example, has a business model based on keeping things approachable from the top-down. Marks & Spencer's top-down approach is to make it the most environmentally friendly retailer in the globe. Moral and ecological principles greatly impact the company's corporate practices (Hussinki et al., 2017). Another goal of the company is becoming an international store with many distribution channels that can serve clients from all around the world. This product was created in collaboration with Marks & Spencer's suppliers and is now found in almost every store. These quality assurance systems are strengthened by numerous on-site inspections and product tests.

Marks & Spencer assures a wide variety of quality, security, ecological, and social goals when interacting with its suppliers. Marks & Spencer is a renowned brand when it comes to high-quality products and cutting-edge design. A big reason, customers like the brand is because it offers exceptional value for their money. Consumers expect Marks & Spencer items to be of high quality, however the company has lately come under fire for offering apparel of questionable quality at an accessible price. Some of Marks & Spencer's own consumers, as well as fashion professionals and competitors, pressed the corporation to stop the trend (Prange and Pinho, 2017). A rival advised M&S to focus on building a premium brand rather than attempting to undercut the competition on price. Long-term goals must be the concentration of the company, and everyday activities must be planned around those goals. The objective of the firm is to make high-quality items affordable to the general population.

Evaluation of How Technology could be Embedded in the Process and Evaluation of How this has Already been Achieved

Evaluation of How Technology Embed the Organisational Operational Process

Marks and Spencer (M&S) in the United Kingdom has chosen supply chain automation provider Zetes to assist change transparency and execution throughout its fresh food distribution network. The supermarket will get accessibility to real completion performance information throughout its fresh food distribution network due to the "ZetesOlympus" track and trace technology. Using real-time notifications from the platform, M&S will be able to anticipate any potential availability problems and take quick corrective measures to sustain its fresh food delivery requirements. It will also foster better cooperation throughout the supply chain by connecting M&S with all of its logistic suppliers (Felipe et al., 2020). There was also a new five-year strategy for changing the logistics network published by the store in January of this year as it moves toward that single-tier Clothing & Home logistics system. In Hertfordshire, preparations include for converting a 46,000-square-foot (former Tesco) facility into an automated "Clothing & Home Distribution Centre" (DC) that will serve 150 retail locations in the southeast of England.

Over 500 employees will work at the DC, which will be run by a third-party logistics provider. As a result, "M&S will stop operating at its North London supply chain in Neasden and shift its activities to other M&S locations. In order to effectively serve our consumers, M&S is evolving. They are revamping its shops and supply chain." The new Welham location will allow us to provide greater service and availability to its clients while also improving overall speed, agility, and cost effectiveness as a business. To speed up study into human-machine cooperation, Marks & Spencer will join the construction of an autonomous logistics system with its leading technology collaborators (Barnes, 2019). As part of its £25 million digitalisation effort, the High Street store confirmed its collaboration with "Tata Consultancy Services" and "JDA Software's" collaborative technology development. So-called intellectual logistics services will use AI and machine learning in new human-machine activities to handle requests, stock, and product delivery.

If firms can accomplish outcome-based distribution network reforms, they will be able to make more precise business choices and provide greater consumer service. TCS and JDA can help us achieve total distribution network transparency and make successful business choices by transitioning to a self-sufficient distribution network that works hand in hand with both organisations. In light of shifting customer buying habits, the news coincides with M&S speeding up its digitalisation initiative, which aims to refocus the High Street business towards a technology first strategy (Heavin and Power, 2018). Ocado has reportedly been in negotiations with the store about a possible tie-up to develop the shop's specialised online food division since last month. An additional 17 shops will be closed as part of M&S's digital transformation initiative, which aims to close 100 locations by 2022. Its digitalisation approach has so far featured joint ventures with tech businesses for services like in-store purchasing, contact centre efficiency, and picture search driven by artificial intelligence (AI).

Evaluation and Implementation of range of Techniques within the Organisational Operation Management of Marks and Spencer

1. Idea Development: New product creation and strategies to make current goods more useful are also part of the idea development process.
2. Editing and Selection: The product development group assesses which concepts have the best chance of succeeding in the market throughout the choosing phase.

• Prototype Creation: Prototypes or draught versions of the suggested product should be created after a concept has been chosen (Bernon et al., 2017). To find out whether the product works as expected and resonates to their target market, utilise these prototypes.

1. Analysis: The firm conducts market research and assesses the product's potential difficulties throughout the assessment phase of product development.
2. Product Creation: The final product may be built when prototype comments from the analysis are included.
3. Market Testing: Products are frequently presented first to a select marketplace or focus group before being made available to the general public (Bernon et al., 2017). Customers' input and the success of the product's advertisements are both evaluated during the competitor evaluation stage.

• Commercialisation: The last step of product development involves market testing and releasing the completed product to the general public.

In this way, Marks and Spencer will be able to significantly fetch extensive development within the organisational product manufacturing system in order to deliver high quality product to the end consumers. Development of new products in current markets is a development technique known as product development (Parsons, 2021). To gain market share, the company must create new items and introduce them to its present customer base. New product development for new markets is aided by diversity. To grow their business in new areas, the company has to provide new items for existing customers.

This is a critical growth strategy since it requires the organisation to learn about the preferences of new clients and then develop items to take market share in that new market. In addition to this, Product Development Strategy is used by M&S in the home goods, food, and apparel industries. M&S has updated the wrapping in the food industry to meet the demands of consumers who purchase in bulk as well as in small amounts (Ng and Yee, 2020). To entice people to their clothes company, clothing lines provide new collections based on the latest fashion trends. The company's major business is housewares, and it releases new goods periodically to stay ahead of the competition in the UK.

Identification and Discussion of What Supporting Functions are Connected to this Operation Management Practice and Evaluation of How can they Assist with Ensuring Organisational Success

Identification of the Supporting Functions

1. Planning: This includes deciding on a company site and setting up a production schedule. The success of a company is closely correlated to its location. This is true for new businesses starting out, as well as established companies extending into new markets (Silva et al., 2018). Closeness to raw materials marketplaces, labour availability, and transportation infrastructure are all important considerations.
2. Scheduling: Operations include determining the start and finish timings of various stages in the manufacturing procedure (Li et al., 2019). In order for manufacturing to run properly, it requires foresight and monitoring of the usage of people, equipment, and materials. When it comes to producing autos, books, or dry-cleaning shirts, scheduling guarantees that work is completed on time.

• Organising: IS the acts that set up a hierarchy of responsibilities and power inside a company. Responsibilities and data flows inside the operations system are defined by operations managers (Seeliger et al., 2021). Those in charge identify the tasks that must be completed in order to meet the objectives, and they delegate power and responsibility for those tasks.

1. Purchasing: A firm requires raw resources to make its products or provide its services in order to function. It also needs machines, office materials, and whatever else it could need. The buying function of the manufacturing procedure entails securing the greatest deal for the organisation when it comes to acquiring raw materials, machinery, and suppliers (Li et al., 2019). Consumers who bought items for a company must make choices about what to acquire, who to buy it from, and how much to pay.
2. Controlling: Is the process of ensuring that the intended performance is met in the real world (Seeliger et al., 2021). The operations manager of Marks and Spencer should exert management through assessing current outcomes and contrasting them to anticipated operations management in order to verify that the objectives for the operations subsystem are fulfilled. Keeping tabs on things like expenses, quality, and deadlines are all crucial in this job.
3. Quality Control: Quality control is the process of ensuring that the products are of the highest possible standard. Among other things, it entails checking on product quality or freshness, durability or practicability, craftsmanship or design, safety, and compliance with government or industry requirements (Silva et al., 2018). Evaluating the repetition maximum item manufactured or examining each commodity when it is completed may be used in quality control systems.

• Inventory Control: Stockpiling supplies used in manufacturing or providing a service is a requirement for almost all organisations, including producers and laundromat. Completed items are also kept in stock for sale by Marks and Spencer, although inventories are expensive. When a company has a large amount of inventory, it has less money available for other uses (Silva et al., 2018). When selecting how much stock to maintain on hand, stock controllers must also take other expenses into consideration when making their decision. In anticipation of an increase in the value of a raw resources, a company may decide to store more to reduce future expenditures. Large purchases may be eligible for a discount from a distributor. Keeping a big inventory may be more cost-effective for certain firms than not having one at all.

Evaluation of How can the Supporting Functions Assist with Assuring Organisational Success

One of Marks & Spencer's most important tactics is Operations Management. Every part of the company may be planned, from capability management to efficiency assessment and development to quality assurance thanks to operations management. Hence the effect on how organisations may increase productivity and its economic end result of operations management is enormous.

Work Standardisation

It's advisable to establish a procedure with reasonable phases in advance and start automating the work procedures in order to achieve overall effectiveness (Fountaine, McCarthy and Saleh, 2019). The effectiveness of every mechanism depends on how effectively it was designed in advance. Imagining constructing a structure with all of the raw materials available, however no one understands what to start with or who is responsible for what.

Continuous Improvement

Operations management data may support decisions like lowering the number of items they offer and focusing on those with the best performance. Consumer review may also be used to determine the fundamental causes of issues that customers are having with a product (Fountaine, McCarthy and Saleh, 2019). Operations management technologies may be used to do this sort of analysis, making Marks and Spencer more efficient and attentive to consumers.

Planning

The operations manager's main responsibility is to make sure that all divisions are working together to achieve the organisational objectives (Fountaine, McCarthy and Saleh, 2019). Thus, the operational issue is avoided and Marks and Spencer may run smoothly.

Direction

When objectives are not being reached or carried out in accordance with business policy, the operations manager may have to intervene.

Conclusion

As a result of Marks & Spencer's operations management, there is an increase in competitiveness among enterprises. Both domestic and international competitors are vying for the organization's business. Growing rivalry necessitates that Marks & Spencer employ innovation in their operational activities. Enhanced effectiveness and the creation of high-quality products and services may be achieved via the deployment of technology-based processes in a company. To maintain the seamless operation of the firm, cooperation is required between the many departments. Organizational businesses should ensure that their technological systems do not interfere with any of their operations.

References

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Daradkeh, M. and Moh'd Al-Dwairi, R., 2018. Self-service business intelligence adoption in business enterprises: the effects of information quality, system quality, and analysis quality. In Operations and Service Management: Concepts, Methodologies, Tools, and Applications (pp. 1096-1118). IGI Global.

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Heavin, C. and Power, D.J., 2018. Challenges for digital transformation–towards a conceptual decision support guide for managers. Journal of Decision Systems, 27(sup1), pp.38-45.

Hussinki, H., Ritala, P., Vanhala, M. and Kianto, A., 2017. Intellectual capital, knowledge management practices and firm performance. Journal of intellectual capital.

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