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Service operations management: A case study of Aqau Pura

Table of Content

Table of Content ......................................................................................................................... 1

1 Exclusive summary .............................................................................................................. 2

2 Introduction .......................................................................................................................... 2

3 Analysis................................................................................................................................ 4

3.1 Summary .............................................................................................................................. 4

3.2 Analysis ............................................................................................................................... 6

4 Recommendation ............................................................................................................... 10

5 Conclusion ......................................................................................................................... 13

6 Reference ........................................................................................................................... 13

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1 Exclusive summary

Service operations management is defined as an activity concerning the ways in which services

are delivered and how it is delivered to the customers (Hongyi et al., 2010). According to Schneider

and Bowen (2010), it includes the processes, people and resources, central organization function and

critical to organizational success. Taking the role of a quality consultant, this report analyses the

Aqau Pura case study on the main focus of its service operation management as well as propose

practical recommendations to improve Aqau Pura operations and quality performance. In the first

part, the Foundation Quality Management Business Excellence Model (EFQM) as a TQM

framework is introduced and then, applied to the case study. The overall view of Aqau Pura service

operation is summarized on this basic. The poor operation performance and low effective and

efficient management system is observed at the Aqau Pura from all perspective of service quality and

financial situation. Thus, TQM, Lean Six Sigma and ISO are recommended for the firm to improve

its service operation management.

2 Introduction

Aqau Pura is a UK owned corporation which produces and distributes bottled mineral water

primarily in the United Kingdom. The location of their national head office is on a 1980’s style

industrial domain on the suburbs of Leeds, West Yorkshire in which there is the employment of

several 4,000 factories, office and administration employee. Recently, there has been an increase in

the criticisms from employees and management staffs about the deterioration of the qualities of food

and service. It is as well suggested by the trading accounts that such a poor financial performance is

taking place within the department. Acting as a quality consultant, this investigation aims at

analyzing the corporation and making definite, pragmatic proposals regarding how to improve the

operating procedures and quality performance of the operation. The concentration of the proposals

will be in terms of the productivity and quality and along with an operational and a tactical

concentration for both. So as to accomplish the report objective, this research employs the European

Foundation Quality Management Business Excellence Model (EFQM) as a TQM framework.

While there is the usage of a variety of managerial tools as well as techniques generally employed,

the EFQM Excellence Model offers a complete overview of the company and it might be employed

to decide how such various tactics might work together and balance the other (Kim et al., 2010;

Mohammad et al., 2011). As a result, the model might be employed in addition to any amount of

such tools, dependent on the demands and role of the corporation, taking the role of an overarching

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frame for increasing sustainable excellence. Excellent corporations accomplish and maintain superior

performance rankings which match or even surpass the prospects of the whole stakeholders. In

regards of prior researches such as Yousefie et al. (2011); Gómez et al. (2011), the EFQM

Excellence Model lets it possible for persons to see the consequential connections between what their

company does and which Outcome it accomplishes. Every company tries to succeed, several lose,

several accomplish some victories, yet finally far from view, and some accomplish sustainable

development, obtaining worthy esteem and high opinion. The establishment of the EFQM

Foundation was to create the recognition and promotion for sustainable accomplishment and supply

of guiding instruction to those searching to obtain it. This is recognized via a collection of three

integrated factors that include the EFQM Excellence Model: The Fundamental Concepts of

Excellence; The Model Criteria; and The RADAR Logic.

What are the strengths and weaknesses of the operation, what does it need and what is likely to

prevent them from achieving it?

Is the operation well organised and customer focused?

Are its processes well designed and controlled?

Are the facilities and equipment meeting the needs of the business?

What is the culture of the operation amongst managers and staff? Are these cultures in

harmony with efficiency and quality?

Do they use any quality systems or awards and, if so, what have they achieved?

Financial situation: Clearly this is a critical influence over the performance of the department.

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3 Conclusion

On the basic of developing the critical understanding of quality, quality management and other

disciplines as they relate to the concept of business excellence, this report has employed all this

knowledge to the case study of Aqua Pura to analyze is service operation management as well as to

propose Quality Management Tool for improve its recent poor performance. The EFQM is

introduced and its framework is used in the case of Aqua Pura. The TQM, Lean Six Sigma and ISO

are advised being employed in the case study focusing upon efficiency and quality and take both an

operational and a strategic focus.

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Reference

Gómez, J. G., Costa, M. M., & Lorente, Á. R. M. (2011). A critical evaluation of the EFQM model.

International Journal of Quality & Reliability Management, 28(5), 484-502.

Hoerl, R. W., & Gardner, M. M. (2010). Lean Six Sigma, creativity, and innovation. International

Journal of Lean Six Sigma, 1(1), 30-38.

Hongyi, X., Peng, N., & Yinghong, Z. (2009). Research on Theory Framework of Service Operation

Management [J]. Technology Economics, 2, 010.

Kim, D. Y., Kumar, V., & Murphy, S. A. (2010). European foundation for quality management

business excellence model: an integrative review and research agenda. International Journal of

Quality & Reliability Management, 27(6), 684-701.

Mohammad, M., Mann, R., Grigg, N., & Wagner, J. P. (2011). Business Excellence Model: An

overarching framework for managing and aligning multiple organisational improvement

initiatives. Total Quality Management & Business Excellence, 22(11), 1213-1236.

Schneider, B., & Bowen, D. E. (2010). Winning the service game (pp. 31-59). Springer US.

Talib, F., & Rahman, Z. (2010). Studying the impact of total quality management in service

industries. International Journal of Productivity and Quality Management, 6(2), 249-268.

Yousefie, S., Mohammadi, M., & Monfared, J. H. (2011). Selection effective management tools on

setting European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM) model by a quality function

deployment (QFD) approach. Expert Systems with Applications, 38(8), 9633-9647.