Operations Management Assignment Part 2: Operational Strategies Operational Problem Solving

Table of Contents

Introduction 3

Problem analysis 3

Supply chain management 3

Quality management gap analysis 5

Quality management cause and effect diagram 7

Possible Solutions 8

Possible timescale of solutions implementation 9

Conclusion 10

References 11

Research Log 11

Introduction

The second part of the report will concentrate on the analysis of the operational problem that has been observed in the Surbiton branch of Sainsbury’s which will finally allow to suggest how the problems should be dealt with and possibly solved.

Problem analysis

It was observed in the Surbiton branch of Sainsbury’s that certain goods were out of stock which caused discomfort customers. This outage of stock has a direct effect on the sales of Sainsbury’s. Firstly it stops the sale of the one particular missing item. Secondly it affects the perception of customers which leads decreased, weekly or monthly purchases of unsatisfied customers. The final cause of this is decreased sales or complete loss of sales from the customers. This problem reaches its peak in holiday season when the demand is much higher for particular products. This problem points to inefficient management of supply chain management and quality management.

Supply chain management

Companies need resources to make and buy products and services that they can provide to their customers that they want, when they want it and as often they want it for reasonable prices, however they rarely ever own them therefore they need to use suppliers in order to provide the customers with their needs, (Hill and Hill, 2011). Supply chains are the bones and muscles of operations. Supply chains are supposed to get the right products to the right ...

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...e assignment.

Second interview with the store manager of Surbiton’s Sainsbury’s. 13/03/14 Was able gain some insight about the operational problem that I observed.

Information about the supply chain structure and strategies were explained to me.

Went into the Sainsbury’s of Kingston to see a difference of customers buying behavior.

Questioned them about their experience in Sainsbury’s so far.

24/03/14 I observed that the good not available in the Surbiton branch of Sainsbury’s were available in the Kingston branch. Customers were quit friendly when I questioned them. I was told that many of them had go to Surbiton and then come to Kingston because the required item was not there. This caused multiple times wasted journeys, however some stopped going into Surbiton to Sainsbury’s and ended up going to Kingston’s Sainsbury’s more often.