British Airways Logistics and Operations Management - Assignment Example

? British Airways Logistics and operations Management Introduction British Airways is a global airline that offersboth passenger and cargo services in its global travel destinations. The British airway successfully controls and manages logistics throughout all the branches. Despite numerous challenges in logistic and operations management, the company has successfully implemented measures to deal with the challenges. However, for the success of an operation, British airways have considered several aspects of management including staffing and crew personnel to increasing the customer’s satisfaction. Some of the respective areas where the organization has ventured include investing in latest modern technology that has since brought considerable improvement in terms of flexibility, dependability, quality and cost (Greasley 2013). Thesis statement: British Airways has implemented innovative approaches in its logistics and operations management. Communication and coordination technology According to Greasley, (2013), for an effective and efficient coordination, an airline company must consider reliable communication systems, which are made available at the control towers or throughout other respective departments. The British airways has invested heavily in technological personnel and the expatriates responsible for the management for the flight operations, dispatch of cargo to and from the airport, ground maintenance staff and members who assist the passengers with the reservation amongst other issues. Firstly, the organization has put in place integrations of information systems to the center of control that facilitates coordination and effective communication throughout all the branches. For instance, the automation improves dissemination of information relevant both at the internal operations and to external operations. Consider personnel such as air traffic controller, the pilot on board and the rest of the colleagues who are actively involved with maintenance at the hangers. The use of information systems allows them to have faster exchange of data or any other relevant information more rapidly and efficiently. Through the integration of the information systems, British Airways has succeeded in reduction of miscommunication either from the center to the centers of controls or, the employees of the other departments since the information is available in real time to almost all the relevant bodies concerned. Moreover, automation has also led to economical advantages such as conservation of fuel, proper usage of time and appropriate time management through effective planning of cargo handling. This process of operations has successfully led to the total improvement of returns based on reception of new cargo on transit and those under dispatch (Slack et al 2011). Automated flight dispatch British Airways has an automated flying dispatch intercepted through special tracking device systems in almost all its active flights. The flight dispatch systems have enabled efficient conservation of flight fuel through the modern planning mechanisms. The use of this technology helps in the moderation of navigation of planes automatically. Moreover, such systems are interconnected to the flight management system on board a craft and are capable of calculating the flight speed based on the weight of the plane and the current atmospheric pressure thorough cost indexing. In addition, through the vertical integrations of the minima, the system is able to locate fuel-efficient routes of the planes. In this case, the automated flight dispatch help in economizing fuels by avoiding extended duration of waiting before a plane is dispatched. The use of global positioning systems has also helped in the control of winds and turbulence associated with international flights (Christopher 2011). Resource management system The British airline has implemented a resource management system that incorporates intelligent technologies to enable all people involved in this organization to access and coordinate activities in all the airports. For instance, an effective control and coordination of all activities at the airport management systems offers the best potential for an appropriate decision making with a clear vision. Additionally, the British airways resource management system is equipped to several modules such as simulation and statistical analysis and report systems that intercepts several forms of data from international systems and further send impulses to the airport operator. As such, it enhances the decision making process. The system above has led to the increase in economies of scale and competitive edge in the industry (Christopher 2011). Transaction cost From the British airways annual reports, there is enough evidence that transaction cost has ultimately reduced to the minimum. This is a result of squeezing of the global distribution system especially in the Great Britain. For instance, British airways has made it a strategy of paying commission to their affiliate credit card suppliers such as the American express and others. This has since seen the organization use their credit card facilities for their clients. The use of card has so far assisted clients to use British Airways services like reservation and payments before check in on-board (Blow 2005). Facilitation of business intelligence British Airways has a large scope of operations and requires an intelligence system to determine security, theft and fraud at all cost. For this reason, British Airways has implemented information system intelligence both to the aircraft on- board and in all its areas of operations. For instance, the organization is equipped with an updated warehouse that stores all the relevant client data, billing details and all the other security details that may be considered to be of value to the organization as a whole. The organization has even gone ahead to implement real-time systems that consistently edit freight charges based on the demands. Furthermore, the information systems intelligence provides customers details to the handheld tablets Processors possessed by access authorities to allow for any asistence to the clients especially for those connecting flights destined to different regions. Ultimately, the intelligence system can display information concerning late flights on a dashboard consistently for a period of time so that a customer can simply be able to connect by himself and locate the baggage. This consideration has helped in improving the economies of scale and information reliability especially on the part of the customer because information is a vital aspect in maintain customers’ organization relationship (Blow 2005). British airway also uses intelligence systems as a card agent responsible for the reception of payments and cancelation of flights. The cancelation process however, requires additional information to be attached in an encrypted format to the billing department to allow for legitimization of this process. This visualized as a secure and most reliable way ending transaction at British airways without availing oneself physically. The intelligence system also allows for the rating of the organizations airlines based on attributes such as cleanliness, security, food supplies and comfort. This is an attempt by the airline in assisting the clients in distinguishing the services based on their financial status. Besides, it helps in the reduction of backlog of duties to the agents especially by reducing unnecessary consultation and the result, this leads to time conservation (Blow 2005). Efficient distribution systems In every organization, distribution systems facilitate the integration of business proceses in order to ensure efficiency in operations. Considering the art of flexibility, British Airways embraces differentiation in the handling and management of clients. In this case, the organization has been able to sustain its customer base by setting up an appropriate network in areas perceived to be of high potential. The success of this strategy is facilitated by relevant information and communication facilities and enhanced physical distribution of personnel. Additionally, British Airways believes in the theory of globalization as a factor of sustainable economic integration. Since the flow mode of both the customers is considered very significant in every business enterprise, British Airways has an autonomous value when it comes to the dissemination of their services at almost all the networks that are found in different parts of the country. The integration of online systems has made service delivery to be timely and available in almost all the respective branches in real time. Moreover, the use of time mitigation has also in all the significantly helped in management of flight in all the respective networks of the organization (Johnson 1998). Network structure of freight distribution Since the success of an organizational operation is based on the dimensions of flows, nodes and reliable network, a transport mechanism has been developed by the company with an interest in time bound cargo handling mechanism and reliable logistic distribution. In order to avoid the delays associated by issue of buffers during cargo transport, the company has implemented a mechanism of oriented distribution with supportive flow of information through the systems to ensure that the rest of the processing are accomplished at destination areas. Moreover, the information systems has helped control both short and long haul flights as the need for the harmonization of aerospace navigation takes place. The organization has also implemented onboard telephony that is considered as an essential gadget when it comes to the relaying of information to passengers on board concerning issues of safety when the planes are taking off or landing. Besides, the telephony systems facilitates in conveying of information relating to cargo handling especially those one that require faster shipment. All these systems implementation has led to considerable reduction in the regulatory complexity with maximum returns in logistic transport (Johnson 1998). Information enhance emergency controls British Airway has modern air traffic control systems that helps in the detection and aids the control of international emergencies in case something happens to the flight or to the passengers on board. For instance, in case of sudden attacks such as an act of terrorism, the systems will automatically send signals to the traffic within a specific radius of airspace. This would therefore enable the planes that have not airlifted to cancel the flights while those on air are routed to alternative safer grounds. Moreover, since the signals are available to all the concerned personnel, it becomes easier to respond positively to security threats especially without waiting to be informed (Mantas 2012). New planes go to the sky each day, this means that there is a need for environmental concern and for such a reason, British Airways has developed sophisticated technology that is capable of facilitating the surveillance enabling the organization to do the forensic check on a plane before it is declared safe to land at the airport. Moreover, the organization uses automated analysis tools necessary in ensuring the resource levels are optimized. With respect to this, the organization has implemented specific guidelines to the staff members with flexibility of allowing them to operate at different intervals. This strategy of allocating different and flexible working schedule helps in the ensuring that the organization’s clients need are met both timely and effectively (CIPS 2013). Conclusion Successful airline must seek for an efficient and effective automated system that addresses the problems associated with inappropriate operations in order to gain effective competitive advantage and ensure customer safety. This is why British Airways has invested in sophisticated technological systems and human personnel in order to ensure flexibility, safety and efficiency of logistics and operations management processes. Bibliography: Blow, C. (2005).Transport Terminals and Modal Interchanges. Routledge - Architecture. Chattered institute of purchase and supply retrieved on 24th august 2013.Cips.org. Christopher, M., 2011.Logistics and Supply Chain Management, 4th, Prentice Hall . Berlin: Springer Berlin. Greasley, A. 2013. Operations Management. Los Angeles: SAGE Publications. Johnson, P. (1998). Designing effective and usable multimedia systems: .Boston [u.a.] Kluwer Academic Publishers. Mantas, J. (2012). Quality of life through quality of information: proceedings of MIE2012. Amsterdam: IOS Press. Slack, N., Brandon-Jones, A., Johnston, R., 2011. Essentials of Operations Management 1st. Harlow, England; New York: Financial Times Prentice Hall Read More