Operations Management: Homework 1. Management Case Study

OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT: HOMEWORK 1
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Operations Management: Homework 1
Question 1.
The core functional activities at McDonald’s include food preparation, serving the customers, and product development. The firm is characterized by the high repetition of production and service activities. McDonald’s also employs specialization in the preparation of its menu items, and high systemization of the process of production. It is characterized by moderately high volumes of operations and processes. McDonald’s endeavors to meet customer satisfaction by providing a variety of high-quality products outlined in its fast food and beverage portfolios CITATION Sla16 \l 1033 (Slack, 2016). Consumers can choose from a variety of standardized meat products, salads, and beverages to meet their needs. McDonald’s also offers regular and routine customer services as dictated by its standardized food or product preparation and service operations. Except for the food variety of items in its menu, McDonald’s offers low variety in its operations. The recent expansion into the coffee industry through McCafe showcases the firm’s flexibility. Secondly, the expansion indicates the capacity to change. Thirdly, it also reflects its orientation to market trends and demands CITATION Sla16 \l 1033 (Slack, 2016). McDonald’s is thus considered to have a high variation profile. The standardization of the waiting time for order preparation and service to be within a few seconds upon the placement of an order indicates a short waiting tolerance. According to Jill McDonald, the firm is currently upbeat about safeguarding its reputation for consumer satisfaction. It is thus considered to have high visibility in its operations and processes CITATION Sla16 \l 1033 (Slack, 2016).
Question 2.
McDonald’s success in the fast-food industry thrives on its effective operations and performance management strategies. First and foremost, the fast-food franchise has an effective operations management system. The system functions to create standardized products and services across all its outlets in the United States and around the world. Secondly, the operational process is characteristic of standard methods of food preparation. The method involves a set standard of time in carrying out the same procedures across all outlets. The waiting time between food preparation and collection of the order by consumers, for instance, is set to a few seconds. McDonald’s effort to adapt to the emerging trends in the market by expanding its menu and introducing a variety of meat products showcases its flexibility to change CITATION Sla16 \l 1033 (Slack, 2016). McDonald’s performance objectives can thus be broken down into the five operation’s performance objectives of quality, speed, dependability, flexibility, and cost of production spread across its triple bottom line operations performance strategy. The firm endeavors to remain profitable through sustainable production practices, and accountability to the concerns of the consumers. Among McDonald’s primary objective is maintaining the quality of its products and services across its outlets. The achievement of the quality performance objective forms the basis for the establishment of McDonald’s as a unique brand in the fast-food retail industry. Then there is also the fact that it also uses raw materials such as the Idaho Russets type of potatoes for its French fries CITATION Sla16 \l 1033 (Slack, 2016). The set standards of cleanliness across all the outlets also indicate its commitment to maintaining high-quality services. It is the dedication to minimize the time taken between the preparations of meal orders and serving the same to achieve the objective of speed. Fast preparation and serving of meals at McDonald’s allows it to achieve the performance objective of speed and ability to make timely delivery of meals, which enhances its dependability. The performance objectives of speed and dependability at McDonald’s are achieved through its ability to maintain short waiting or queuing time in its outlets CITATION Sla16 \l 1033 (Slack, 2016). However, McDonald’s conforms to consumer trends and market changes by incorporating new menus and customer service practices, which reflects its performance objective of flexibility. The fact that the firm allows its franchisee to make profits before paying the parent company indicates the cost-effectiveness and productivity of the business. All the objectives are equally important as they form the basis of the triple bottom line operations performance strategy.
Question 3.
The operations strategy at McDonald’s focuses on the achievement of sustainable growth and development of the franchise. McDonald&rsquo...