Unit 6 Albatross Anchors Assignment
Unit six Written Assignment
Sanaya Cross
MT435 Operations Management
Kaplan University
03/09/2013
Introduction
Albatross Anchors is a family-owned business which was established in 1976, located on twelve acres in a rural suburb of Smalltown in the United States. Albatross Anchor started with four family members, and has essentially grown to one hundred and thirty employees. Their operations started off as manufacturers of bell/mushroom anchors but as of 1989, the owners decided to expand the product line to include fabricated snag hook anchors. The Albatross Anchors only distributes their products to wholesale, through distributors that act as the middleman and OEM customers that purchase anchors in large batches. Their building consists of administrative offices, the foundry, manufacturing and large machine areas, shipping and receiving, as well as raw and finished products area. The building is not in good standards, is need of upgrades and expansions, and must adhere to government guidelines.
Albatross Anchors doesn’t seem to have any complaints from their customers and are doing rather well despite the inefficiencies at hand. We are certain that the organization has the potential to meet the needs of the customers, but we must make some adjustments through an operational management plan. KU consulting is an organization that assists companies in re-structuring their organizations to be able to maximize their profits and bring them in line with their competitors.
Question One
Carefully review the assignment scenario/case study. From the limited information in the scenario/case study, along with your answers to the unit three written assignment, identify at least three direct and specific long-term and three direct and specific short term operations changes that Albatross Anchor must make to gain a clear and sustainable competitive advantage (provide detailed information to validate and support each recommended change)
Long-Term Operational
Sanaya Cross
MT435 Operations Management
Kaplan University
03/09/2013
Introduction
Albatross Anchors is a family-owned business which was established in 1976, located on twelve acres in a rural suburb of Smalltown in the United States. Albatross Anchor started with four family members, and has essentially grown to one hundred and thirty employees. Their operations started off as manufacturers of bell/mushroom anchors but as of 1989, the owners decided to expand the product line to include fabricated snag hook anchors. The Albatross Anchors only distributes their products to wholesale, through distributors that act as the middleman and OEM customers that purchase anchors in large batches. Their building consists of administrative offices, the foundry, manufacturing and large machine areas, shipping and receiving, as well as raw and finished products area. The building is not in good standards, is need of upgrades and expansions, and must adhere to government guidelines.
Albatross Anchors doesn’t seem to have any complaints from their customers and are doing rather well despite the inefficiencies at hand. We are certain that the organization has the potential to meet the needs of the customers, but we must make some adjustments through an operational management plan. KU consulting is an organization that assists companies in re-structuring their organizations to be able to maximize their profits and bring them in line with their competitors.
Question One
Carefully review the assignment scenario/case study. From the limited information in the scenario/case study, along with your answers to the unit three written assignment, identify at least three direct and specific long-term and three direct and specific short term operations changes that Albatross Anchor must make to gain a clear and sustainable competitive advantage (provide detailed information to validate and support each recommended change)
Long-Term Operational
References: Occupational safety and health administration. (2007). Retrieved from http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/ergonomics/ Russell, R., & Taylor, B. (2011). Operations management. (7th ed.,p.233, p. 246). John Wiley & Sons US Environmental Protection Agency. (2011, December 8). Data, Planning and Results. Retrieved December 18, 2011, from US Environmental Protection Agency: http://www.epa.gov/compliance/data/results/annual/index.html Volpe, C. E. (1996). The impact of cross-training on team functioning: An empirical investigation. Retrieved from http://hfs.sagepub.com/content/38/1/87.short Why is job design important? (2012, June 22). Retrieved from http://www.pscapabilities.nsw.gov.au/managers/job-design-description/why-is-job-design-important/