Watson Engineering Tooling Case Study: Operations Improvement Strategy

Operation management is pivotal in every organisation globally. It is a crucial part in almost every firm since it deals with the control of the resources in the production and delivery of good and services (Bracciotti, 2017, p. 1). Watson engineering tooling company, through the operation management correlation, produces high technology goods and service. The main aim of developing high technology products and services focuses on achieving customer satisfaction and realisation of the excellent financial performance (Watson Engineering Inc., 2017). The firm intends to improve on its long operation improvement strategy, which will increase its productivity and maintain its competitive advantage. The company has been on the forefront to keep a good relationship with its customers, to command the global market. Consequently, the company’s image and world product range recognition will continue to boom. It is important to note that, the company will execute its operation improve strategy through diverse perspectives which include an overlook on the manufacturing operations, supply chain, designing processes, quality management among others. Following the execution perceptions, the firm will be able to achieve both its short-term and long-term objectives and goals. Moreover, the customer’s loyalty and trust to deliver their full range of products at any given time are intended to increase.

Additionally, Watson Engineering Tooling Company is envisioned to improve its operations through an overlook at the four V’s (variation, volume, variety, and visibility) that comprehend operation management (Bracciotti, 2017, p. 4). The four concepts will enable the customers to have a substantial overlook on the firm’s range of products and services, and make a compelling choice depending on their preferences and taste. Despite the operation management being responsible for the production and service delivery of goods and services, it requires support from other organisation areas. The most functional areas include marketing, finance, and operations (Brown, 2008, p. 3). The finance involves the allocation of resources to various areas concerning the production. On the other hand, marketing encompasses all aspects that ensure the products and services reach their destined consumers. Lastly, operations include managing the resources to certify the production and transfer of goods and services. This paper will focus on diverse aspects that the company intends to use to improve its operation strategies.

Watson Tooling Company Quality Management

In quality management, the excellence of the products and service is highly valued through the various techniques and control process to ensure consistency (Kim-Soon, 2012, p. 4). In enhancing steadiness in the operation services, the company made significant, substantial changes which have enormous effects on its service processes. At first, the firm used to produce engineers’ rules, engineering callipers, scribes. It then expanded its items production through the incorporation of micrometres and some specialist items. The professional pieces require high skilled workforce and quality material that could prospect the production of high-quality products. The changes occasioned the incorporation of the highly skilled workforce to enhance the quality and effectiveness of output (Watson Engineering Inc., 2017). As a result, the company range of products was consistent through their quality assurance.

Further, through the decline of engineering in North East England, the product ensured the firm maintained its competitive advantage (Watson Engineering Inc., 2017). Diversity usually depends on the quality; hence, customers are intolerant of poor products (Thi, 2012, p. 6). The company focused on high-quality products for their customer to enhance their satisfaction and fostering good customer reputation. The corporation has achieved most of its goals as well as the market position through diverse strategies of growth, enabling the company to have some competitive advantage. The company has a corporate plan that it intends to adopt to enhance profitability and productivity. The procedures involve quality production, through product innovation with the advancement of technology. The company will align some experts in their respective areas to enhance the efficiency of more specialist items and increase the purchasing power. The firm can deal with any quality problem that may arise in the process of production such as product design and testing. Additionally, it will focus on the market segment to determine the market fluctuation depending on the quality offered in the market. Through the market fragment, the company will set a competent team to diagnose variations in the market price and makes proper changes to effect to the changes.

Manufacturing Operations

Manufacturing operations processes to some extent determine the market prices. The higher the operations, the more the increase in output. The processes act as the primary backbone of nearly all organisation in the determination of its productivity. Manufacturing operations will involve a precise analysis of the end-to-end processes of production and efficiency optimisation (Littlefield, 2012). The firm with a loyal workforce of 400 employees between Detroit and Atlanta, has foreseen the continuation of the manufacturing operations (Watson Engineering Inc., 2017). Notably, the manufacturing process to some extent determines the productivity of the firm through its products and services (Littlefield, 2012). The output of the firm is outstanding in the global market with the company having greater outputs in engineering callipers, scribes among others (Watson Engineering Inc., 2017). Competent workforce employed by the staff, have ensured greater returns for the company, despite the global competition and organisation challenges. Watson engineering tooling company has to improve the standards of its employees through the provision of incentives, which can help increase their productivity, thus, achievement of the firm’s goals and objectives. The company can set aside some operation experts to foresee the production process from the start to the end, and make the effective adjustments. The firm ought to control its production processes to stay competitive and meet its customers’ demands. Exhibit 1 shows the flow can help in the precise analysis of the production processes follow-up.

Lean Operations

Following the manufacturing operations, lean processes are essential in an organisation, since they eliminate processes that are insignificant to the firm’s production operations (James, 2011, p. 13). The processes aim at increasing efficiency in firms, which will proliferate productivity especially in manufacturing companies (Carlborg et al., 2013, p 295). Processes that contribute to additional costs are eliminated, while the customer’s value is maintained (Carlborg et al., 2013, p 295). As a result, the firm will majorly focus on attaining consumers demand, through quality production and analysis of its products. Moreover, significant firms hire employees having multiple skills on almost all the levels of the organisation and the use of automated machines to cut on cost (Taylor and Brunt, 2002, p. 4). Watson engineering tooling company intends to reduce the workforce and various departments that do not attribute to the production process. By doing so, the firm management can major on the production of high-quality micrometres, specialist items among others, that ensure their competitive advantage in the global market stands. Costs incurred in transportation and delivery of products can also be reduced to ensure maximisation of profits. For instance, the firm can purchase bigger trucks having a larger carrying capacity than using smaller vans, which will foresee a reduction in the fuel costs incurred.

Project Management Operations

Project management process has been pivotal in almost every organisation when dealing with new and advanced projects to maximise profits. The development of the concept of managing projects, products, and systems has been instrumental in enhancing the success of high technology goods and services. Realistically, the management of the project is executed in five significant phases namely, organisational initiation, project planning, project execution, monitoring and control, and project closure (Hornstein, 2015, p 292). The project development revolves around the relevant board for productive discussion and deliberation. Next, planning is conducted to determine all the requirement that the project will require for implementation. In the execution, the relevant bodies outline the expected according to the plan and budget of the project.

Most importantly, monitoring and control are done to ensure that the implementation as per the ideology. Lastly, the project management process is executed through two main perspectives, which are sustainable management practices and innovations (Hornstein, 2015, p 292). Watson Company intends to have a skilled team that will follow-up the project management operation to ensure the schemes achieve their intended purpose. More so, monitoring and control will be conducted effectively to determine worthwhile of the projects.

Supply Chain Management Operations

Operations and supply chain are intrinsically linked together and forms the primary basis of any business organisation. The supply chain will involve facilities and activities that are included in the production and delivery of goods and services to the respective consumers (Mentzer et al., 2011, p 2).  Exhibit 2, shows the supply chain process in a firm. The process starts with the suppliers and ends with the consumers, with the facilities being warehouses, offices among others, used in the production process (Mentzer et al., 2011, p 2). The supply chain process encompasses some activities such as procuring, record management, delivery, and consumer services among others. (Mentzer et al., 2011, p 2).  Through the activities, marketing of the products becomes more leisurely. The essence of marketing is trying to communicate information to the consumers in the most engaging manner. The dynamic nature of business environments has presided over the rapid changes witnessed in many business organisations and globalisation. For businesses to operate and successfully maintain their market command, there is the need for them to adjust accordingly to the changing times. Watson Engineering Tooling Company intends to overlook at its significant suppliers and determine their capability and reliability. More resources can be allocated by the company to publicise their full range of products to increase its revenue through increased purchasing power globally. Additionally, following the supply chain management, the firm can conduct some strategic planning through the SWOT analysis. The scrutiny will define the position of the business in the market, more so, it will outline both the strengths and weaknesses as well as the opportunities and threats that a company encounters in the course of its operations.

Watson Engineering Company Management Operations

The management operations of the firm will involve its leadership. Considering the ever-increasing competition and continually changing business environment, innovative and creative behaviours are viewed by many organisations as essential capabilities and relevant measures of success (O’riordan, 2017, p 2). Leaders are in a better position to encourage and promote innovation because they act as the pillars of the organisations. Moreover, through management to create a workforce that tends to develop the well-being of the people working in the organisation (O’riordan, 2017, p 3). For instance, Human resource management plays a very critical role in determining the achievement of organisation goals. The human resource being one of the primary sources of production contributes immensely to the efficiency boom of most of the human resources usage (Abduli, 2013). Therefore, for an organisation to be profitable in the market, it must be in a position to control and manage its human resource effectively. The whole process is valid and must align with the strategic plans of the organisation. Business priorities are also the human resource priorities since for an organisation to be successful it depends significantly on the human resource to comprehend useful recommendations that can propel the organisation to greater heights in the achievement of its goals (Abduli, 2013). Exhibit 3, shows the relevance of human resources in a firm. As a result, business executives rely much on the department regarding business priorities, since they have to prioritise the most profitable to the least valuable. Watson engineering tooling company intends to focus majorly on its vital department (human resource management), to ensure that competent employees are employed. Consultations ought to be apprehended by the department, to impact significantly on significant projects to that will be prioritised. Furthermore, vivid deliberation will ensure the achievement of the firm goals and objective achieved. Trying to develop a robust innovation culture without involving leaders is like trying to build a house without foundation. Stable leadership is critical to a successful innovation output and should be considered carefully if any organisation anticipates maximising successes. Various leadership theories such as behaviour theory of administration may be applied to promote innovation culture. It’s the role of the leaders to support and fosters innovation (O’riordan, 2017, p 2).

Perspectives on Operation Strategies

Operation strategies impact significantly towards the firm’s short-term or long-term decision making. For instance, a company’s project processes and operations will enable the relevant bodies to make a significant decision on whether the continuation of the project is worthwhile or not. The operation strategies revolve around the 5P’s of management which includes; plan, process, people, possessions, and profits (Ahmed, 2014, p. 2). Planning will involve the setting of realistic goals, which can be achieved within a specified period (Ahmed, 2014, p. 2).

Most importantly, business activities aligned according to the revenue prospects of the firm. Processes will involve operational and business progressions that ensure the firm achieves its primary objectives and goals. On the other hand, the people, which include; employees, stakeholders, suppliers, and customers, will form the critical aspect since they determine the firm’s profit development (Ahmed, 2014, p. 2). Watson Company will embark on the above elements, through making adequate plans to achieve significant long-term and short-term goals. Consequently, the firm can major on specific attributions that can maintain their customer’s loyalty through the provision of quality products and services. More so, the suppliers can be vetted to ensure their supply is of high quality and reliable. Noteworthy, through the human resource department, competent employees ought to be obtained to increase the productivity of the firm. Lastly, the management can adopt essential processes that can generate immense long-term profits.

Designing Processes

Watson Engineering Company relies majorly on the design processes in the production of its products. The development of technological innovations and inventions has been instrumental in the integration of technical skills in the engineering sector as a whole. There has been significant progress in the harnessing of technology in making high-quality professional items that meet the demands of the consumers. Watson Engineering Tooling Company, through its workforce, training can be conducted on various design departments to familiarise them with the technology used in the production of their products. Most importantly, the firm can assign a specific team to gather information from their consumers regarding the workability of their products. As a result, the firm can make distinct improvement and implementation of new ideologies concerning the technological advancement to meet their demands.

Conclusion

Watson engineering tooling company intends to have its wide range of products to command the global market. Following globalisation, competitiveness amongst rivalry companies has increased, forcing the firm to implement some operation improvement strategies. The approaches are intended to enable the firm to maintain its competitive advantage globally through its full range of products. Through its newly appointed operations manager, the firm has made some extensive range operations improvement policies. The strategies include significant implementations conducted on various operation processes. In the quality management process, the firm will diagnose its quality problems and focus on the market segments to overlook the market prices fluctuations. In the manufacturing process, the firm will allocate some experts that can follow-up on the production process and provide necessary feedback on the adjustments that are implementable. Through the lean operations, the firm will eliminate the irrelevant department that insignificantly contributes to the production process.

Moreover, the firm intends to cut on the cost incurred in the transportation process by purchasing higher carrying capacity automobiles. The project management will involve making effective planning, execution, monitoring and control to ensure attainment of its intended purpose. The supply chain operations will encompass an overlook on the reliability of significant suppliers and advertisement to familiarise their full range of products to their consumers. Following the management operations, the firm will focus on its major department (human resource) in employing competent employees having multiple skills on various levels of the organisation and prioritisation of the critical projects in production. Lastly, through the designing process, the firm will conduct training to familiarise their employees on the machines used in production as well as the technology.  Following the implementation of the operation processes, the company will increase its productivity and achieve its primary objectives and goals. Moreover, it will contribute to its competitive advantage in the global market.

Recommendation

Watson engineering tooling company ought to make various changes to maintain its competitive advantage. First, the company should have a focused team to superintend at their consumer’s feedback regarding their full range of products. The consumers are the major pillars of the company concerning profitability. Henceforth, they should consider them in any decision making to ensure the production of high-quality products that oblige the consumers to their satisfaction. Secondly, the firm adopts the lean principles that will contribute significantly to cutting on the production cost. For instance, insignificant offices in the production process of the company should be eliminated. Lastly, since the company deals with specialist items, a team should be assigned to oversee the progressiveness in technology. As a result, the firm’s product will serve their consumers in the best way possible regarding technology advancements.

Appendix

Exhibit 1: Production process management follow-up

Exhibit 2: Supply chain process

 Exhibit 3: Relevance of the human resource in a firm

Reference List

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