Operations management and organizational improvement - Assignment Example

Tesco initially began as a food and drink store, but it now offers a wide range of products through its diversified operations including, but not limited to, clothing and consumer electronics, as well as services such as telecoms, health, internet, in addition to, insurance and financial services. In addition to the conventional physical stores, Tesco operates online stores that provide, among other things, groceries, home retailing, and music downloads. The operating processes at Tesco have undergone massive transformations since its inception to date (Kelly, 2000); for instance, the firm’s operating processes are centered on the customers, the suppliers, the employees, the community, as well as the shareholders.

The customers are highly valued by Tesco, as the only people that bring revenue to the organization, the suppliers ensure the success of the firm’s operations; Tesco is interested in attracting employees with the relevant skills to carry out the firm’s operations to achieve its goals and objectives (Chubb, 2007). The firm has adopted a customer centered business approach that aims to enhance value creation by focusing on providing products and services that adequately satisfy the particular needs of their customers at affordable costs and convenience accordingly.

Tesco is currently exploring new spaces, reaching over to non-food retail services (Tesco Corporation SWOT Analysis, 2012), extending existing stores, as well as, adopting a multi-format approach, and it heavily relies on its ICT infrastructure to deliver consistent and profitable business operations. Operating through group skill is a great part of Tesco’s operation processes as the firm constantly tries to identify the best practice in each market to improve its offerings for the group as seen in the US’s Fresh and Easy models, which have also been introduced in the UK and China (Tesco PLC, 2012).

Nevertheless, it should not be assumed that the firm believes in the “one size fits them all” strategy, because it also recognizes that customer tastes and lifestyles are not uniform, and it focuses on contextualizing the customer experiences. Tesco adeptly creates value for its customers by developing its people because it is great service that can enhance customers’ satisfaction; Tesco’s success is built on its people’s commitment to their core values of ‘No one tries harder for customers’ and ‘Treat people how we like to be treated’ (Marr, 2009).

In return, the people side of Tesco operations ensures they are awarded great job and career opportunities through training, to enhance their engagement, motivation, and commitment to value creation and quality performance. Tesco prides in the best-located and best-designed stores, which in international markets are mostly whole malls that are anchored by a Tesco hypermarket; this makes the firm one of the greatest mall operators in the world. The company is keen on enhancing its sustainability by operating responsibly by bringing real benefits to the communities in which it operates through good, affordable, quality and safe products to the customers, as well as, responsible