Performance Management, Australian Barley Board Company Analysis - Case Study Example

?Topic of the Operation management is a science. It provides framework and system how an organization or a company should be managed using standard practices and motivations for organizational governance. Generally, the company’s performance management is inspired by organization’s vision, mission, and goals. The organization structure is also fitted with how operational performances are undertaken by the company to achieve their goals. This paper is divided into two themes: (a) annotated bibliography and (b) a company analysis on its operational performance. Introduction An organization could only be considered dynamic if it’s operational and it’s performing. The quality of the operation will influence its competitiveness and express its influence in the market to leverage. Part of 1 of this paper is some annotated bibliography on performance management and the second part is a company analysis. Theme 1. Annotated Bibliography Arnason, R., (2009). Fisheries management and operations research, European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 193(3), pages 741-751. Author is a scholar specializing his study on the aquatic reserves and who was challenged to evaluate the fishery industry anent to some deep-rooted problem on economic inefficiency e.g. blaming on inappropriate social institutions which control fishing management and common property development. Author argued the needs to replace the existing institutions that can provide appropriate leadership and management attune to the ideal social objectives of fisheries. While author recognized the singular objective of fishing industry which is to maximize the present value and benefits from fisheries but empirical realities on the ground showed variegated, conflicting and interests of groups within the industry. Arnason contended that it’s more appropriate to embrace a multi-objective programming system with such management regime that is inclusive of (1) fisheries management system, (2) enforcement and (3) fisheries policies. This system, for him, should be correlated to the cost required in fisheries management and its value of harvest. Author further acknowledged that there ought to be a balance in fisheries management with cost efficiency amid multidisciplinary issues to ensure that managers are able to perform the necessary tasks necessary to have effective produce. Holsapple, C. W. & Lee-Post, A. (2010). Behavior-based analysis of knowledge dissemination channels in operations management, Omega, Elsevier, vol. 38(3-4), pages 167-178. Authors are scholars taking serious interests on analyzing the behaviors about how knowledge is disseminated in operation management. Both contended that the significance if this discipline is vital for knowledge dissemination through journals, magazines, books, and other online sources for information that are supportive or are exploring more about the significance of operational management, which may include surveys, analyses. Though the study was quite limited by scope and resources utilized to fit the needs of the researcher, however, the examination of behaviors as explicated in the resources used was able to explicate the three metrics for rating publications for operational management studies. Researchers believed that the metric can be utilized by those who are working to determine which OM journals or books uphold substantial relevance. Galindo, G. & Batta, R. (2013). Review of recent developments in OR/MS research in disaster operations management, European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 230(2), pages 201-211. Researchers are scholars who have serious interests in reviewing the developments in OR/MS studies focused on disaster operation management. They affirmed that as disaster impacts to large number of populace and create serious environmental damages, the devastating effects inspire interests on scrutinizing the disaster operations management are undertaken using the studies of Nezih Altay and Walter Green undertaken in 2006. Their findings affirmed that there is no drastic changes in DOM albeit the general and common assumptions extolled by this previous study. Humanitarian interventions are first and foremost coped with disaster preparedness and mitigation efforts. Interventions via responses and recovery came later when disaster strikes. In mitigating, preparedness, responding and recovering, humanitarian actions should be designed with operational management which must be inclusive of DOM knowledge, model development, theory development, and application development (Altay & Green, 2006). Researchers acceded that more studies should be conducted to improve the operational management theory and system as future directions. Wacker, J.G. (1998). A definition of theory: research guidelines for different-theory building research methods in operations management, Journal of Operations Management, vol. 16, issue 4, pp. 361-385. Researcher is a scholar of Iowa State University who took interest on exploring the theoretical definition and implications in building research on operational management. Technically, theories are composed of concepts, domain, building relation, and assumptions. Building theory is essential because this will direct the framework of analysis and directs the development and applications of real world problems. Often, these constituents theories on values, virtues, distinction, parsimony, conservation, generalization, consistency of data and information, level of risk, and abstraction which are often utilized as criteria in validating , which apply to all research methods. Theory-building research seeks to find similarities across many different domains to increase its abstraction level and its importance. The procedure for good theory-building research follows the definition of theory: it defines the variables, specifies the domain, builds internally consistent relationships, and makes specific predictions. If operations management theory is to become integrative, the procedure for good theory-building research should have similar research procedures, regardless of the research methodology used. The empirical results from a study of operations management over the last 5 years (1991–1995) indicate imbalances in research methodologies for theory-building. The analytical mathematical research methodology is by far the most popular methodology and appears to be over-researched. On the other hand, the integrative research areas of analytical statistical and the establishment of causal relationships are under-researched. This leads to the conclusion that theory-building in operations management is not developing evenly across all methodologies. Last, this study offers specific guidelines for theory-builders to increase the theory's level of abstraction and the theory's significance for operations managers. Selladurai, R. S., (2004). Mass customization in operations management: oxymoron or reality?, Omega, Elsevier, vol. 32(4), pages 295-300. Author is a scholar of US and was interested in exploring the mass customization in production and operations management from the varied experiences of information technology-based companies and vehicles. The researcher argued that operation management in Dell, Motorola, Hewlett-Packard, General Motors, Ford, Chrysler, Toyota, Proctor and Gamble and of similar nature used mass customization in production and operation as part of standardizing products engineering design and adherence to corporate principles. The process is developed to enhance branding and massive production for trading. The research however , is impervious to the condition of some workers in these companies that suffer poor wages and conditions. The labor issues however, though part of operational management was not the core aspect of the study. Theme 2. Company analysis ABB is an Australian agribusiness established in 1939 and still continually exists although the management changed in 2009 when it was Viterra assumed the role in managing the company. The company is basically into marketing and production of grain and related products e.g. grain storing to produce malt and fertilizers. The company was originally managed by Australian Barley Board and had the opportunity to evolve into ABB Grain in 1999 until it merged with South Australian Ausbulk and United Grower Holdings. The company’s operation expanded into warehousing or storage handling and logistics, which include silos and shipping terminals, in partnership with Australian Bulk alliance and Sumitomo, a Japanese company. In 2007, the company started providing services of agrichemical, livestocks and wool, as well as protein in 2009 (Vinterra, 2013). The latter became possible when company was acquired by Viterra. The acquisition resulted to the expansion of market base since it inspired the company to venture offshore for wheat, canola and barley. Viterra is prominent to be a leading grain and oilseed market provider that also partner with Canada and United States of America in offshore venture (Vinterra, 2013). Most of its human resource is grain specialist but have expertise too in a supply chain venture in handling, processing, distribution, transportation and warehousing (Vinterra, 2013). It claimed to have distinction and competence in marketing, leverage in business competition, accountability and contractual executions (Vinterra, 2013). Company also claimed to have practiced business intelligence with global market forecast and commitment for customer satisfaction (Vinterra, 2013). The company professed to have capacity for risk management of products, market research, market-driven pricing and technology. The company is a subsidiary of Glencore Xtrata that also produces 90 products with 90 offices serving 50 countries. The mother company claim to be employing about 190,000 workers for its global operation (Vinterra, 2013). As gleaned from information, the company’s operation and the management decision to merge and partner with varied offshore companies for an expanded service means that they are able to balance its fiscal management and that the core of its business operation was considered significant key for historical evolution of its operation management. It also proved that products delivered and services offered expanded or evolved supply chain functionality. If understood from the vantage of performance management, the company was able to maximize the tools designed for organizational capacity enhancement contextualized on tactical and strategic causes. It also showed that company is able to develop strategies for market demands and was able to attain productive organizational culture. These mechanisms are essential for the organization to attain corporate objectives and competitive leverage. Considering how the company used partnership and merging for leveraging the market, the company has therefore imbibed such organizational culture which encourages multiple approaches for best combinations of people for the job. Key principles are therefore maximized in a paradigmatic system for organizational survival based on contextualized environmental conditions. Organizational managers must therefore create an environment that permits teammates to use their knowledge or logical inferences to learn more from the complex nature of the market. It’s also wise for identical opportunities. The wide number of human resources claimed by the company could be practicing interdependence in the performance of their services but it’s not well articulated if these have strengthened collaboration and coordination or are excellently practicing regular performance evaluations. Experts posit that successful company operates in team to have positive discourse on problems, issues, solutions, rights, privileges, and those matters that are directly or indirectly affecting them (Maciejovsky, et al, 2010, p. 4). Such may inspire their participation too in decision-makings within the chain or structure of the organization. Such will help clarify their relation too with the organization including those factors that may impact on desired outcome of services (Stankiewicz, 2010, p. 14). It is hoped that by doing so, they are able to maximize strategic, tactical and operational aims and targets. Of course, this could only be done with the assembly of owners, shareholders, and supervisory managers. Contemporary management require that human resources and managers should be adaptive to diverse and complex situation to enable them to cope the demands of developments and to let them participate in change management. Performance management correlates with organizational culture. An organization interested in nurturing best corporate practices are able to demonstrate their cultural ethos, and values to uphold transparency, participation, and organizational democracy. Open communication is therefore essential in corporate affairs to maintain a transparent system and to promote a culture where there is open coordination of initiatives or endeavors. Conclusion Organizational and performance management is intertwined. It requires such leadership with core competence, creative, skilled and has the ability for managing emergency conditions. These values are essential to manage the value chain operation of a company in accordance to standard of global business operations. Business thrives well when situations, both internal and external to the organization, bear such functional competence to effectively and proficiently deliver customer or market-centered services. Managers made themselves responsible, accountable, responsive, culturally-sensitive, and innovative in their approaches. Such strategic approach will allow a dynamic system where its human resources too will be able to harmonize its performance too in a holistic system albeit pressing corporate demands, so that they will be permeated to enjoy the actualization of their mandates, attain harmony in their performance, and avail inter-professional development (Hernez-Broom & Hughes, 2013, p.24-31). Of course this dynamism is possible only when company, like ABB have their clear policies for governance and how the relation s of the subsidiary to their parents company is defined. The latter is significant because it will bear crucial points in decision-making, resource-use, and in the nature of responsibilities inherent in the corporate relations. It is not however clear to me if the company has its disaster management and resiliency program amid challenges of climate change and natural calamities that may affect their agribusiness and business operation. The devastation of typhoon Haiyan in Philippines and its neighboring countries in Southeast Asia call for corporations to have disaster management plans and adoption of policies that could help mitigate the impact of climate change. Many companies are already assessing their carbon footprint contribution to the environment and are working all means to possibly limit their carbon emission and use of energy. The company, being visible online, simply means that they are using information technology too to command their presence in the market, albeit very limited data were scoured to unravel how it manage its finances, production, investments and trade flows. Nonetheless, the fact that the company remained registered in the security exchange showed that it is required to meet proficient corporate standards for its operation. Further, noting that the company sailed its existence through decades, is a sign that it has maintained a corporate status that is pliant to its internal and external challenges. However, citing few online document and accessible reports online about ABB company, the researcher speculate the need for management to adhere to transparent of its corporate transactions and how they provide benefits to the communities within there are of operations as part of their avowed social responsibility. Referencing Arnason, R., (2009). Fisheries management and operations research, European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 193(3), pages 741-751. Holsapple, C. W. & Lee-Post, A. (2010). Behavior-based analysis of knowledge dissemination channels in operations management, Omega, Elsevier, vol. 38(3-4), pages 167-178. Galindo, G. & Batta, R. (2013). Review of recent developments in OR/MS research in disaster operations management, European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 230(2), pages 201-211. Selladurai, R. S., (2004). Mass customization in operations management: oxymoron or reality?, Omega, Elsevier, vol. 32(4), pages 295-300. Wacker, J.G. (1998). A definition of theory: research guidelines for different-theory building research methods in operations management, Journal of Operations Management, vol. 16, issue 4, pp. 361-385. Thompson, P. (2009). ABB merger with Viterra gets go ahead, Stock Journal, p. 1. Viterra (2013). Operations. Canada: Web, http://www.viterra.com/portal/wps/portal/canada/ca/careers_ca/operations/!ut/p/c5/04_SB8K8xLLM9MSSzPy8xBz9CP0os3hLSw8LQycTA0uLIEMzA08jP1_3AC9_Qw8_c_1wkA68KgqysxUBKa3R2w!!/ p. 1, Accessed: 19 Nov. 2013. Read More