Operations Management
Mission and Core Values
Sapona Manufacturing Company is located at Cedar Falls, NC and provides its clients with a wide range of products mainly manufacturing stretch yarns. Such stretch yarns are made from textured nylon into conventional covered spandex. Consequently, the conventional covered spandex is inclusive of developments of innovative new fiber such as Tactel iluminae. Generally, Sapona’s establishment was based on the pursuit of the firm’s mission premised on value development on cosumers, employees and partners. Similarly, Sapona’s endeavors in provision of plastic injection molding, and quality assembled products or delivered services. In order to achieve the targeted mission, Sapona has a vision to fully satisfy their clients and apply continues improvement processes through many innovative practices. Similarly, for the mission to be achieved, the operations management ensures availability of well trained employees who are knowledgeable. Also, for the staff to achieve the targeted goals and objectives, the OM ensures application of teamwork approach. Such an approach is essential in ensuring well systematic ways bale to bring about change and quick response to service delivery (Slack & Lewis 2003).
Similarly, Sapona’s OM has been aware that successful performance cannot be attained without setting up strategic values that will provide direction of the company’s operations. Therefore, the OM has ensured company’s values are highly upheld. To begin with, leadership and teamwork aspects are the main values within Sapona’s operations. Also, OM procedures has ensured other values such as integrity, honesty, compliance to company procedures, innovative values, ingenuity, proper planning, productivity and continuous improvement. In addition, OM has invoked values in product quality, client satisfaction, reasonable risk taking, timeliness, growth, resource conservation and personal satisfaction among the staff (Greasley, 2007).
In order to achieve successful performance, Sapona has embarked on a strategic approach whereby all their services are customer driven. In this case, Sapona ensures customers’ needs are met satisfactorily. To meet clients’ needs, Sapona’s management has ensured molding of quality custom injection or assembly service. Similarly, the company has ensured continuous innovative solutions to client problems plus value added services, as well as creativity in product design. Also, the company has ensured lip balm containers are availed in variety of colors. Additionally, buckets made by Sapona Company are made of good quality material inclusive of heavy duty plastic ranging from 4Qt to 18Qt (Slack & Lewis 2003). The company also provides varieties of cleaning brushes, grill plus patio protector mats under special designs. Under Sapona’s OM the performance is competitive, reliable and fast. At the same time, deliveries of services to customers are made on time and the management ensures proper communications criteria are adopted. Additionally, the company has ensured established competitive marketing strategies enabling them to secure a strong customer base in different markets. Notably, an operations manager oversees procedures operation from production to the time the products are delivered to the clients. Quality issues can be compromised in the event where the OM does not supervise the quality of the raw material used in the manufacturing. Also, employee supervision is very crucial in ensuring proper quality manufacturing and coordination of the operations. For this reason, OM can improvise team leaders for every work group in facilitating effective coordination as well as resource utilization (Slack & Lewis 2003).
CSC is renowned service oriented located in Wilmington, Delaware U.S.A is a privately owned company that provides innovative services for various companies, financial institutions and law firms. The company avails assistance to skilled legal professionals in guiding the world largest companies.CSC mission is based on striving to become a great, enduring and profitable company by availing superior products/services in a bid to exceed clients’ desires. Additionally, the company aims at having quality workplace environment where individuals or companies can better their future. In facilitation of successful service provision, CSC has established some core values to provide procedures which can direct the company’s operations (Greasley, 2007). CSC is dedicated in ensuring energetic, committed and enthusiastic employees who can deliver exceptional service to the client. Secondly, CSC accords individuals responsibilities to their employees while at the same time ensuring that they have authority and freedom to make decisions. Also, CSC core values states establishments of clear expectations which the company believe that people can exceed those expectations. Employees are also enabled to set goals which will stretch individual capacity for development and growth.
Additionally, the companies values allows for creativity and innovation by subordinates. Under this aspect, CSC expects every individual to innovate their own ways of performing their work, remaining non-risk-averse, encounter challenges and learn from the mistakes they make. Lastly, CSC values also allow participation in the company’s operations while engaging every individual in management procedures under open-door-policy. Staff freedom availed by CSC in making decisions enables them to be productive and participate fully in facilitate the company’s successful performance. Also participations approach employed by CSC is also a good strategy for the company’s high productivity (Barnes, 2008). However, service quality to the client can be compromised if operations are done on short of participation of both the clients and employees. Every individual decision, innovativeness and creativity is essential in ensuring quality services. In such circumstances, the OM is engaged to coordinate the employees, facilitate communication both within and without the company, to their clients. This ensures all company partners are updated on the current company operations issues and progress. Nevertheless, the OM is in-charge of the whole operations process.
Part II: CSC and Sapona OM issues
Sapona Plastics has several issues or matters that relate to the operations management. The OM is responsible for ensuring proper flow of manufacturing of the plastics products up-to the time they are delivered to the customers. First, the OM is engaged in ensuring customer satisfaction and timely delivery. In doing this, Sapona’s OM ensures customers get what thy need and when they need it. For this reason, Sapona must therefore manufacture relevant products, according to the market needs or segment. Relevant products must be manufactured at the right time to avoid material wastage or accumulation of losses. This is because when the company produces less needed products in the market, the supply will be higher and the demand low, hence creating surplus in the market. Such an occurrence will result into reduction of prices leading to losses (Slack & Lewis 2003)
Secondly, Sapona’s OM must ensure products quality is improved from time to time productivity and/ or veracity level improved. By a constant quality and productivity improvement, the customer base is enhanced and new client are won. Thirdly, staff morale in successful performance of Sapona is very crucial. This is because they are the core and central part of the manufacturing process and without them manufacturing process will not take place. OM must facilitate wealthy interrelationship among all the co-partners involved in the production or even delivery process. On the other hand, OM services will be required in the service delivery (Barnes, 2008). The OM facilitates proper coordination of the employees and services provided. While doing this, the OM is responsible for quality service delivery and therefore must ensure firm’s staffs serve various clients in the best way possible. CSC staff must therefore be supervised keenly to ensure customers leave the service premises satisfied.
Secondly, the OM is responsible for handling complex clients’ issues. Whenever clients are served by the staff and they are not satisfied, they approach the OM. Nevertheless, the customers can also be referred to the Operations Manger by a particular staff in circumstance where the staff is incapable of handling the case. Thirdly, the operations management is involved in CTQ (i.e. Critical-To-Quality) factors communication and coordination among the stakeholders. OM must facilitate proper internal and external communication to clients and staff team as well. Such communication may involve a new innovation or updates on the current company progress. Generally, the OM is entirely responsible for facilitating a complete quality-service flow procedure from the company to the client by receiving clients’ feedback or complaints (Greasley, 2007).
Part III: Tactical plans & Strategic plans for Sapona & CSC
TQM Factors
In order for CSC to facilitate TQM in their services to their clients, the company has ensured full confidentiality of their client data. CSC has therefore adhered to full privacy of their clients’ data by not trading clients personal information to 3rd parties for own gains. CSC ensures full security of clients’ data by employing strict security standards or safeguards with an aim to protect individual information and also prevent frauds. Moreover, the protection is made on a continuous basis both for existing and former clients (Slack & Lewis 2003). Formulation of quality service delivery models has been part of the firm’s TQM culture.
On the other hand, Sapona is also striving to attain TQM for their clients. Actually, Sapona’s operations are customer driven. Sapona’s actions are immediate particularly on special orders specifically aimed at customer needs. Products are produced in varieties via use of high quality material to facilitate standard quality products which are also durable. Similarly, Sapona’s operations employ modern, versatile and reliable equipment, which is durable as well. In addition, the manufacturing process involves high technological applications and skills in producing quality products. Sapona also has a wide range of employees, approximately 200staff members who are highly skilled and knowledgeable (Greasley, 2007).
Process Flow Charts Descriptions
In the manufacturing process of Sapona Plastics, plastics are cut into required shapes using a jig saw. All the waste plastics are placed in a recycle bin. Some individuals are required here, and the procedures may take some minutes. Secondly, some people will smoothen the face edges using a sand disc followed by polishing machine smoothening. An inspector thereby inspects to verify quality and accuracy. Thirdly, plastic centre is drilled to allow for the fitting of the spindle facilitated by 1person using about 10 minutes. Another accuracy inspection is carried out (Slack & Lewis 2003). However, if the quality fails, the product is taken back to the recycle bin. Progressively, the mechanism is then set-up while attaching the hands and fixing them in the right position. This activity is done by one person with approximately 2minutes.Lastly, a quality control check is done and the products are then ready for sale. CSC on the other hand starts its process by initially contacting the consumer. Secondly, the OM connects the clients with the CSC services and customers’ needs are considered. Thirdly, the company schedules an appointment intake. Lastly, CSC develops a service plan whereby the provider team meets the clients.
Aggregate plan to maintain a competitive advantage
CSC plans to strengthen a continuous positive relationship with their clients to secure their confidence on the company’s services. In striving for this, CSC has been improving on services quality and effective timeliness on monitoring CSC’s trademark services. By availing consistent services to their clients, CSC has provided strong back-up to their customers. Additionally, the company has created innovative solutions which provide qualitative information or industry expertise under TQM considerations (Barnes, 2008). With such expertise, proper strategic decisions are made by CSC on ways of protecting and branding their services within an online channel. Such advancements will allow CSC to attain competitive advantages over its counterparts, hence secure a larger customer base.
Marilyn Allred, the Quality Control Supervisor of Sapona has been working extra hard to ensure quality of products manufactured. However, full technological application is essential in ensuring quick response to their clients, proper recording and innovativeness. Sapona should align itself with the current technological advancements to ensure products manufacturing are up-to-date and innovation of new more efficient products is made possible (Slack & Lewis 2003).
A method to design, produces, and delivers a product or service to clients
RED method could be a recommendable technique to be applied by Sapona and CSC. The method is effective for automotive, entertainment, financial services and retail services among others. RED facilitates innovation processes through pushing product design towards new levels. Similarly, the method delivers products rapidly trough a unique creative program. In addition, the RED ensures clients confidence is built, empowers collaboration and also strengthens teamwork.
Part IV: Similarities and differences between Sapona and CSC
First, the two companies differ in the products they avail to their client. Sapona mainly manufacture products which are plastic in nature and deliver them to their clients. However, CSC mainly specializes in delivery of services and not tangible products. Secondly, whenever clients come for services to CSC, they are free to approach the management incase they are not satisfied with the staff services. At the same time, they can also contact the quality assurance team for complex issues which cannot be sorted by an ordinary staff. CSC client cannot directly approach the OM if they are dissatisfied. Sapona Company has been observed to employ team work approach heavily to achieve successful performance while CSC operations are individualized. Additionally, CSC is highly engaging its clients and staff in company decision making, the employees enjoy great freedom in decision making and innovations. Sapona on the other hand does not involve staff or client in decision making. However, both companies have TQM procedures in maintaining high-quality standards as well as professionalism in product/service provision. Secondly, both highly regard the staff contribution and invest heavily in their motivations and morale development in attaining quality mark (Cousins et al, 2001).
Quality Assurance
More often the two are seen to maintain continuous quality monitoring as well as improvement procedures for competitive reasons. In order for CSC and Sapona clients to gain confidence on the products and services availed by the two companies, it’s important for the concerned firms to maintain consistent and a standardized service or product value. In this case, Sapona should ensure the quality of the products produced will never be compromised, ensure timeliness on products delivery upon order by clients as well as maintain use of quality and trusted raw material .On the other hand, CSC must maintain clients trust through offering quality, and satisfactory services. CSC staff must undergo frequent trainings on the necessity of client data confidentiality so that customer’s private data are not revealed to a third party (Greasley, 2007). Nevertheless, such actions should be constant and TQM practices such as critical-to-success considerations must ensure client trust to firm’s services is safeguarded. Consistency of services and products manufactured will assure clients of the company’s reliability on quality and safe service or product delivery. With such assurances, the CSC and Sapona will secure large customer base, enhance client retention and also attract potenatil clienteles across cultures.
Part V: Conclusion and Recommendation
From the above discussion, it’s evident that operations management is very crucial both for service and manufacturing companies in sustaining quality product procedures. OM services are essential right from production of a product or a service and the company’s mission and as such maintenance of the company’s value under the influence of the OM activities. However, for successful performances, the OM must ensure a consistent and quality proper staff management, timely service/product delivery, and effective supervision processes. All operations of the company must be clients driven to facilitate efficient customer service. At the same time, involvement and participation of both clients and staff in decision making of the company is very recommendable for successful performance (Slack & Lewis 2003).
References
Slack, N. & Lewis, M. (2003).Operations Management: Critical Perspectives on Business and Management. New York, U.S.A: Routledge publishers.
Greasley, A. (2007). Operations Management. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE publishers
Cousins, P., Brown, S. & Blackmon, K. (2001). Operations management: policy, practice and performance improvement. Oxford, UK: Butterworth-Heinemann publishers.
Barnes, D. (2008). Operations management: an international perspective. Bedford Row, London: Cengage Learning publishers.