Starbucks - Research Paper Example

? Assignment 3 - Starbucks Starbucks Statistical Technique Statistics provide a tool for the identification and evaluation of the defects in a particular production process or operation. In order to measure and maintain the quality of a product or service it is important to devise a method of control. In terms of statistics, it is called Statistical Quality Control (SQC) which consists of a set of tools and procedures that allow the evaluation of quality. SQC is divided into descriptive statistics, Statistical Process Control (SPC), and acceptance sampling (Reid & Sanders 2011). In the case of Starbucks the most appropriate statistical method is SPC which is used to determine whether an operation or a process is running as it should or not. The quality characteristics of the service will be monitored by SPC so as to determine any discrepancies in the processes that will impact the quality of the service. Also, it will measure the present quality of the service. The process involves the setting up of an upper and lower control limits and the inspection of a random sample. The sample is then measured for the specific characteristics. A process is said to be “out of control” if its average value of the characteristic is greater than the upper limit or smaller than the lower limit. The identification of variations by SPC allows the determination of causes due to which the processes is not functioning as required. These variations are not built-in but are caused due to various circumstances. Some variations might include turnaround time, cycle time, takt time, the taste and aroma of coffee, declination in sales of a particular product and so on. The identification allows individuals to remove the abnormalities from the process. For instance since the making of coffee involves labor, Starbucks might consider employing more labor thereby reducing the turnaround time. It could also develop strategies to test the turnaround time for more complicated drinks. Other statistical techniques for quality measurement include hypothesis testing, regression analysis, and experiments. All these allow the testing of a particular variable that reflects the quality of a product or service. Feasibility in the Job Design Job design refers to the integration of various tasks to form a complete job. Keeping the changing demands of the environment, the available technology, and the skills and abilities of the workers in consideration, jobs should be designed such that it enhances employee motivation (Robbins & Coulter 2012). Starbucks’ operation involves diverse job characteristics. Its employees play a significant role in the completion of tasks and are therefore the most important resource for the organization. The process of a Starbucks coffee starts from the farmers who grow the beans. Next, the bean selection is done carefully to keep consistency in taste and quality. Then these beans are transferred to roasters where these beans are roasted to enhance its flavor. Finally the coffee arrives at the counter where the barista serves coffee to its customers. The tasks at each stage involve a wide skill variety and task identity. Its retail jobs include a regional manager, after which comes district manager, then a store manager, assistant store manager, shift supervisors, and baristas. Employees are able to gain knowledge as a result of feedback provided about their performance which provides a way to evaluate their performance. One feature of a Starbucks barista is that they are trained to prepare the different beverages that are sold. This allows Starbucks to get an economical advantage as it allows it to sell the coffees at a lower price. However, the choice of drinks may be limited. The 24 hour service provided by Starbucks outlets also provide them with an advantage as customers might want to drink coffee at anytime. Its work design has enabled it to manage numerous stores at various locations thereby allowing market dominance in the sector. However, competitors are emerging which is why Starbucks needs to develop strategies to maintain its competitive advantage. One of them is “mobilizing the connection” which implies the use of technology to improve customer relationship. Another main strategy is to “savor and elevate” which refers to focusing on its central product i.e. coffee (Huggins 2013). This is why the employees are trained so as to acquire experience so that there is never a compromise on its taste and quality. Due to its work design, Starbucks continues to dominate the coffeehouse market as its sales rise and it continues to expand to new locations. It has very loyal customers and it has a soaring popularity. For this reason, it is critical for Starbucks to maintain its quality and consistency so as to maintain its competitive advantage. PERT Network The following is a table that shows the Events and Activities involved in designing creative themes for promotional campaign at Starbucks: Event Description Preceding Event A Theme selection None B Concept Development A C Approval B D Delivery C According to Design Council, the estimated time for the whole project cycle ranges from a few weeks to 72 weeks from Concept Development to Delivery (n.d.). The PERT network for the creative designing is as follows: The path (critical path A-B-C) takes between a few weeks to 72 weeks for completion. References Huggins, C. (2013, May 6). How will Starbucks maintain its competitive advantage?. DesMoinesRegister.com. Retrieved September 6, 2013, from blogs.desmoinesregister.com/dmr/index.php/2013/05/06/how-will-starbucks-maintain-its-competitive-advantage/article?nclick_check=1 Reid, D.R. & Sanders, N.R. (2011). Operations Management: An Integrated Approach, 4th Edition International Student Version. USA: Wiley. Robbins, S.P. & Coulter, M. (2012). Management, 11th Edition. New Jersey: Pearson Education. The Starbucks design process. (n.d.). Design Council. Retrieved September 6, 2013, from http://www.designcouncil.org.uk/case-studies/starbucks/the-starbucks-design-process/ Read More