TOP 10656 Understanding Operations, Logistics and Supply Chain Management

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Overview of organisation

Jaguar Land Rover AutomotiveLimited is one of the leading automotive firm of Britain. It is a subsidiary of Tata Motors which is an Indian automotive company . The company was  established around 11 years ago in year 2008 in Whitley, UK. The primary operations of business includes designing, development, production and sales of vehicles the bearing the marques of Land Rover and Jaguar.

Selected issues

The operational  areas which are selected in  Jaguar Land Rover AutomotiveLimited are New product development and process and Logistic Mix that includes networks, transportation,  channels, capacity and managing inventory (Banks and Stanton, 2016).

Review of theories

There are some theories of operations management that requires to review as these helps company in managing its operations, supply chain and logistics activities effectively. Some of the theories that firm can employ are mentioned below: 

Just in time: This is the management approach that aligns orders of raw material from suppliers straight away with manufacturing schedules. This strategy is applied by business entity to maximize its efficiency and declines the  waste by ordering raw materials only when they are  required in the process of production, thus reduces cost of inventory (Ziebart and Rover, 2014). For proper application of Just  in  time  approach, managers of company requires to predict the demand of car accurately.

In context of Manufacturing Automobile, It works largely on the principles of manufacturing cars considering their requirement. This process begins one the order is placed by consumer to the business. Later keeping in mind the demand, raw materials and input are procured and manufacturing is done. This process will be helpful in fulfilling demands of the consumers and simultaneously avoiding wastage.

Lean manufacturing: It is the method utilize by company to eliminate the waste in systematic way from manufacturing process. Application of lean production approach helps company in determining those activities that do  not add any value in the Geology Topics process so that those can be  eliminated. This approach is efficient to customer relationship as  it  attempts to meet the needs and requirements of customers (Christopher, 2012).

Total Quality management: This  is  the method which is used by company in detecting and eliminating errors that occurs in manufacturing process, streamlining administration of supply chain and enhancing the experience of  customers. This approach  focuses of improving the quality of product by making constant improvements in practices. It is a customer oriented approach as it a ensures manufacturing  of high  quality  products to ensure satisfaction of needs  and desires of customers (What Is Total Quality Management (TQM)?, 2019).

Critical discussion and solutions to operations management

New product development is referred to a concept which revolves around conceiving and  and designing a product that will help an organisation in the market. Companies are required to engage in this procedure as the  preferences of consumers are changing constantly and the technological advancements and increasing market competition makes it necessary for an organisation to remain engage in the NPD process in order to maintain its sustainability in market (Christopher, 2016). By launching a new product in market, firm can gain acceptability and maintain its strong position in industry. For developing a new product, Jaguar Land Rover AutomotiveLimited requires to maintain the areas of its operations, supply chain and logistics. While manufacturing new car, company may face various issues associated with technology, pricing, sustainability etc. The  organisation is launching a car in which high end technology is used and is equipped with security feature the access could be provided to other person by fingerprint scanner or connecting to mobile phones. The benefit of this high technological feature is that  if the car is locked once, then an unauthorised person can  not open it (Clegg and et. al., 2013). To develop this car, product development toolkit model is use by company. Highly innovative features are added in this car which reduces the chances of its theft. The model involves some phases which are mentioned below:

In planning about the car and its characteristics, quality function deployment tool is  used.  The company is performing market and  competition analysis so as to determine the trends of market and preferences of customers (Ellram and Cooper, 2014). In the new car,  Jaguar Land Rover AutomotiveLimited is adding high security feature in car by using  sensors and technology. This feature provides security to customers from the theft  of  car as no unauthorized person can access it  without the permission of its owner.

By considering the situations of market, company develops target  costing  strategy and set  the price of car in such a manner the desired volume of sales can be attain. While setting the price of product, company may face the issue related to cost as if the cost of production is  high then it ultimately impacts on the pricing of product.  As the company is dealing in luxury and sports utility vehicles and has good market position, it sets a fixed price  for the product. The selected target group for this car is high class people who are  able to afford this car. After considering Assignment Help the various factors like quality, security and other features, the cost of product is decided. Apart from this, managers develops a  cost sheet when designing the car and developing it. Various  costs are taken into consideration like manufacturing, material, fixed costs etc. Principles like design for assembly is considered so that company can manufacture in more quantity. Application of such  principle helps in minimising the car manufacturing cost and other costs including  assembly and fabrication (Earley, 2015). As the car is equipped  with high security feature, business entity makes sure that a fixed place is use to assemble parts of car. This helps in minimizing the transportation cost that incur in movement of parts from one place to another. Change in legal, social, environmental and political factors pose threat for the company that put pressure on it to create new ways of designing and  developing cars. A software is use by  company for assembly of parts in car.

In order to determine and analyse the probable problem or issues associated with product development cycle's reliability, FEMA (failure modes and effect analysis) approach is used so that appropriate measures can be taken on time to address the issues effectively. At the time of developing car, this tool is use by  Jaguar Land Rover AutomotiveLimited. High end technology and artificial intelligence is use by company for adding security feature in it. By FEMA analysis, firm enables to determine failure modes and the measures that required to be taken for  minimising the probability of failure when launching the car in market. A control plan is developed that includes set of activities which are crucial in the development process to make sure that all the  activities are on track and output is in control. This plan is develop to ensure that  product can satisfy the needs and desires of customers (Ganescu, 2012).

Logistics can be referred as the process of planning and implementing product's transportation and storage in an efficient way from the origin point to final point. This process aims to meet the needs of consumer in timely and  cost effective way. In supply chain management, logistic mix is one of the crucial  element that includes production planning, forecasting demand, inventory management, material handling, customer services, storage, transportation, packaging, after sales activities and distribution. For manufacturing new car with high security feature, Best Geology Research Topics the assembly parts are procure from such suppliers who a provides parts with high quality. The distribution system use by company is direct  distributors who come in contact with consumers directly. They communicate the features of car directly to the customers in order to convince them to buy the car launched by Jaguar Land Rover AutomotiveLimited. For ensuring the reach of car to market, various transportation modes are used by firm such as roads, air and  sea (Jacobs, Chase and Lummus, 2014). For managing inventory in appropriate way, operations management approaches like lean production and just in  time is use by company. In order to reduce the time lag between procurement of assembly parts and  implementing final production, Just in time strategy is use by firm. This supports in reducing the time of raw material sourcing.

Moreover, for minimising the overall production cost, company utilize lean production approach.  This aids in eliminating wastage that incur in production process and ensure that high quality car can be manufactured. Application of this approach helps Jaguar Land Rover AutomotiveLimited to make optimum utilization of resources without compromising with the quality of car (Mangan, Lalwani and Lalwani, 2016). By utilizing the  Lean production approach, company eliminates the activities that are not adding any value to production process. Company mainly  emphasize on determining the customer's needs and developing products that satisfy them.

At the time of managing supply chain and carrying out production process, numerous issues are face by company including location, cost, overstocked inventories.  Apart from these issues, some ethical and environmental concerns are also requires to consider by company. The issue of overstocked inventory is associated with keeping more stocked than required. Sometimes, firm keeps more  stock than its actual need due to which the problem of overstocked inventory is arise. For reducing this issue, company needs to keep well stocked inventory, instead of overstocked. Firm  needs to manufacture cars  when  there is demand for it (Rebolledo-Mendez and et. al., 2014).

The another issue associated with cost and location, firm requires to analyse all the costs associated with the production process and eliminate those which are unnecessary. It also needs to ensure that all the resources are utilize optimally so that wastage can be minimised. The cost requires to be ascertain in such a manner  that majority of people can afford the car. Moreover, in order to resolve the  location issue, the  alternatives like relocation, setting up factory at such location where transportation cost is incur less etc. can be consider by  company (Thai, 2012).

Recommendations

It is essential for a business to deal with its issues/challenges so that sustainability in the market could be ensured. Considering the issues which are faced by Jaguar Land Rover AutomotiveLimited while managing its operations, logistics and supply chain. Managers are  require to consider those issues when introducing new product so that appropriate measures can  be taken on time and improvements can be made in the process of new product development. In order to resolving the issues of production and supply chain, it is recommended to company that it should employ total quality management approach in its processes as it helps it in maintaining quality of its car and ensuring that the operations are performed effectively. Apart from this, in order to  maintain sustainability in market for longer duration, company should adopt the ethical and sustainable practices while conducting its manufacturing and selling operations. These  practices involves waste reduction, carbon footprints, waste recycling, sustainable development etc. Application of all these practices can help  company in ensuring  that its manufacturing operations will not harm the environment. Moreover, manager of human resource department of Jaguar Land Rover AutomotiveLimited skilled and  competent professionals who are able to manage the complex issues or challenges effectively takes business to greater heights. Firm needs to ensure that raw materials should be ordered only when it is required. In addition to these, the managers must ensure that all the activities and  operation are  performed as the  laws and set standards. This can supports in running operations smoothly and ensuring long term sustainability in market.

In order to bring enhancements in process of new product development, six sigma approach should be  adopted by company. Application of this approach assists company in  reducing the  cycle time of production and managing its supply chain in more effective way. The dimensions of triple bottom line should be considered by Jaguar Land Rover AutomotiveLimited in order to ensure sustainability in practices of business. Values, traditions, attitudes, lifestyle, norms, behaviours of customers are involved in social factors. While developing and  launching product, these  factors needs to be  consider by company. The economic factors like customer's purchasing power, inflation and interest rates etc. should also taken into consideration by company while setting price of product. These are the measures that can be taken by business  entity for effectively addressing the issue associated with operations, supply chain and logistics management.

CONCLUSION

As per the above mentioned report, it has been concluded that logistics and new product development are the two areas of issues that are face by firm. These issues needs to be address timely so that long term sustainability can be gain in market. Moreover, in order to  reducing the waste and improving quality of product, company requires  to adopt operations management approaches like six sigma, lean production, total quality management etc.  all these will assist organisation in maintaining quality of its products and ensuring sustainability in market. Managers are  also requires to consider the dimensions of triple bottom line which includes  social, environmental and economic aspects to make sure sustainability in its business practices. The  attitudes, behaviours, traditions and values needs to be consider by organisation in order  to run its business successfully and attain success in market. Apart from this, company requires to offer products to customers as per their needs and preferences in order to satisfy  them. The second aspect of triple bottom line is economic factor that highly impacts the purchasing behaviour of customers. Company needs to consider this factor and set prices of products accordingly. The environmental factor is the most crucial one as customers are more concerned towards environment and companies requires to perform their operations in such a manner that it will not harm the environment.

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