Management Task Analysis - Research Paper Example

? Management Task Analysis AFFILIATION: Management Task Analysis Introduction to the Automobile Industry The globalization and continuous changes in the demands of the customers have created a new hype in the market and the organizations are undergoing drastic transformations to incorporate the changing dynamics of the environment (Andreas, Gassman, & Eisret, 2007; Koneig, 2010; Sturgeon, 2006). In order to survive in today’s competitive environment, the organizations need to ensure that they are proactive in every aspect and Gereffi, Humphrey and Sturgeon (2005) suggested that the companies need to continuously monitor the events happening in their surroundings. Although all the industries need to remain alert all the time so that they can keep their customers satisfied and attracted to their products and services. In case of manufacturing businesses, the processes of operations are the most crucial areas of emphasis and the organizations have to make sure that the end product is produced in compliance with the set standards (Zacharatos et al., 2007). In case of automobile companies, the complete operation process is important and every step which starts from the raw material selection to the final product production is vital that needs adequate attention by the management staff (Stanton, 2005). In order to make sure that the cars are produced in the best possible manner, the complete production process needs to be given utmost consideration by the management team. To understand the types of production processes employed in various forms of automobile companies, three companies are being considered, i.e., Ferrari, Rolls-Royce and Toyota. Ferrari Ferrari is the leading name in case of the car racing companies; the company is well-known for the best range of cars that it manufactures for the racing events. In recent times, the company like other automobile companies has made sure that their operation system is flexible so that the engines can be modified according to the customers’ requirements. Crystal and Ellington (2004) stated that the automobile companies need to make sure that they implement those production processes that will help them in increasing their output processes. In case of Ferrari, the market comprises niche target market that values the performance of the engine along with the quality of the car and they are insensitive to its price. The company designs the products for the customers who want to participate in the racing events. For the customers of Ferrari, the most important factor is the smooth running of the cars and they will be paying any price for it. The management tasks for the company, as stated by Gray and Leonard (2009), can be divided as order selection, scheduling of the orders, batch size, inventory management and process improvement. The tasks will have to be carefully monitored by the management team to ensure that the end product has the best quality. The operation systems need to be flexible so that they can be modified according to the customers’ preferences. In the case of Ferrari, the operation process will be a continuous process and line process cannot be implemented as in most of the cases the end product will not be the same. In case of Ferrari, the most important management tasks comprise assessing the staff needs for capacity utilization, long-term planning and inventory requirements along with addressing long-term planning issues such as location issues (Mashilo, 2010) and technological advances that happen constantly (Embrey, 2002). Vertical integration with the suppliers becomes important and adequate inventory needs to be maintained so that the demands are adequately addressed; the labors need to be skilled in handling all the operative measures (Hertzum & Jacobsen, 2003; KPMG, 2005). Rolls-Royce Rolls-Royce is the leading name in the luxury car assembly plant and it is important for the management team to make sure that the operation procedures are properly designed. In order to make sure that the organization is able to manufacture the best luxurious cars, the tasks need to be adequately designed. For the customers of Rolls-Royce, three things are most important, i.e., quality of the cars, performance of the machines and price of the vehicles (Medina, Sherry, & Feary, 2010). According to Gray and Leonard (2009), the process for the luxury car manufacturing companies needs to implement a continuous process and line process cannot be applied. The main management tasks for the company will comprise appropriate inventory management along with quality inspection in between the process to ensure that the output will meet the standards as identified by the quality department. KPMG (2005) stated that the automobile companies ensure that the quality of the cars is superb and for that the management needs to do vertical integration with the suppliers. The number of sales of the cars can be predicted so the inventory level needs to be properly maintained. The management will have to do long-range planning as well so that it has understanding about the labor skills requirement. The control mechanisms need to be properly implanted so that quality can be checked on frequent basis. Toyota Toyota is targeting both luxury car demands and modern automobiles that produce mid-priced family car. In this case, the mid-priced family car is considered and it has the reputation of producing most reliable and durable cars in the market. According to Hoegl and Parboteeah (2007) and Zacharatos et al. (2007), the automobile manufacturers have to ensure that they produce the best quality cars at affordable rates. The operation processes should be designed in the best possible manner that will make sure that the raw materials and other inputs are adequately selected and the output is the best range of cars for the market. In case of Toyota, the line process is used and the standardized system can be implemented easily. Since the process is linear, Gray and Leonard (2009), Koenig (2010) and Sturgeon (2006) have stated that the process requires the management tasks need to be properly divided and it should comprise long-term planning, inventory and raw materials management, quality controls need to be properly managed, information flow must be appropriately planned, and the labor control needs to be properly done as the discretion power is low. The customers are price sensitive and they are looking for quality products at an affordable price range. Hence, in the case of medium-sized family cars, the management tasks will have to be properly defined and the process operations should be adequately planned out. In this scenario, the capacity utilization will be the most appropriate option and, therefore, the company will be able to compete with its competitors by following the appropriate strategy. Conclusion The competitive priorities for Ferrari is to focus on designing the best performing engines that run smoothly on racing tracks, quality of raw materials should be critically administered so that the final product is free from any defect, the prices of the cars should take into account all the cost as it is produced with utmost care and, finally, the customers should be given the option of getting their cars made according to customization. Hence, the management needs to ensure that there is no loophole in the production process and the customers are satisfied with the car’s performance. The competitive priority for Rolls-Royce is to provide the cars that are made from the top ranked raw materials without compromising on the quality. The management will have to create a differentiating factor by reinforcing the quality, look and durability of the car; the customers want to make a status statement with their cars so it should enhance the exclusivity of the cars. The competitive priorities for Toyota for its specific target market is to provide the customers with average quality cars within their affordable range, engine’s performance should be smooth so that the customers can have an enjoyable ride, maintenance of the cars should be easily done and there should be no shortage of the cars in the market. References Andreas, H., Gassmann, O., & Eisert, U. (2007). An empirical study of the antecedents for radical product innovations and capabilities for transformation. Journal of Engineering, and Technology Management, 24(1-2), 92-120. doi:10.1016/j.jengtecman.2007.01.006 Crystal, A., & Ellington, B. (2004). Task analysis and human-computer interaction: approaches, techniques, and levels of analysis. Retrieved from http://www.ils.unc.edu/~acrystal/AMCIS04_crystal_ellington_final.pdf Embrey, D. (2002). Task Analysis Techniques. Retrieved from http://www.cwsvt.com/Conference/Functional%20Assessment/Task%20Analysis%20Techniques.pdf Gereffi, G., Humphrey, J., & Sturgeon, T. (2005). The Governance of Global Value Chains. Review of International Political Economy, 12(1), 78-104. Gray, A. E., & Leonard. J. (2009, September 8). Process Fundamentals. Harvard Business Review, 1-18. Hertzum, M., & Jacobsen, N. E. (2003). The evaluator effect: a chilling fact about usability evaluation methods. 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Modular Production’s Impact on Japan’s Electronics Industry. Retrieved July 16, 2012 from http://web.mit.edu/ipc/publications/pdf/06-001.pdf Zacharatos, A., Hershcovis, M. S., Turner, N., & Barling, J. (2007). Human resource management in the North American automotive industry: A meta-analytic review. Personnel Review, 36(2), 231-254. doi: 10.1108/00483480710726127 Read More