OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT

Operations Management

Introduction2

Different Types of Strategies2

Contribution of Operations Management3

Operations Management of Samsonite4

Quality Improvement Approaches4

Quality Improvement Approaches for Samsonite5

Key Performance Indicators6

Designing New Key Performance Indicators6

Corporate Social Responsibility and Approaches to CSR7

Implications of CSR on Operations Management7

CSR of Samsonite8

Benefits from CSR Activities9

Conclusion9

References10

Operations Management

Introduction

This paper intends to discuss the significance strategic operations management. The company chosen for the discussion in this paper is Samsonite. Samsonite International is one of the most important and reputed companies within the field of luggage manufacturing and retailing. The company not only offers large suit cases but it also showcases small toiletries bags, handbags and briefcases. This paper will revolve around the identification and description of different types of strategies that can be pursued by Samsonite. The operations management strategies and approaches most relevant to the Samsonite will be discussed in this paper. Moving on; the paper will also focus over the different approaches which are available in the market for the improvement of quality for Samsonite's processes and products. The next and most important part of this paper will discuss the importance of corporate social responsibility. Corporate social responsibility has become one of the most important and integral parts of today's business environment. The underlying involvement of Samsonite Company into the activities of corporate social responsibility would be explored in this paper. The purpose of this paper is to make the readers aware about the significance of conducting effective operations management in today's competitive business environment.

Different Types of Strategies

There are different types of strategies which a company needs to make for running the business smoothly and successfully. Any business organization requires developing a complete set of strategies which would work simultaneously to help the company achieve its long term organizational goals and missions. For instance; a company needs to have strategies which include human resource strategy, marketing strategy, production strategy, research and development strategy, financial strategy, operations management strategy and the core business strategy (Kamauff, 2009 Pp. 18-25).

The above mentioned strategies remain the most generic ones which every business seem to have. All these strategies depend upon the type of business and market the company is dealing with. Apart from the mentioned strategies; there are different strategies which companies decide to have in accordance with the challenges the company face. For instance; newly established companies would have different strategies than the already existing and established competitors in the market. The growth strategy, product differentiation strategy, cost leadership strategy and acquisition strategy remains important in this regard (Jones & Robinson, 2012 Pp. 123-130).

The growth strategy basically urges company to constantly remain in a phase of research and development. Adding new features to existing products or offering completely innovative products are the features of growth strategy. On the other hand; the product differentiation strategy tends to utilize offering extremely unique products through which the company can attain the competitive advantage. This strategy is usually witnessed for the companies catering niche markets. The cost leadership strategy urges the companies to become able to produce and ...