Task 1

Instructions for student

This is an individual assessment. You are required to answer a series of questions using Microsoft Word. You must answer all of the questions below, and include examples where appropriate. Please ensure that you have answered each question with an appropriate level of detail. If you need help understanding any questions, ask your assessor to explain.

To be deemed competent you will need to successfully demonstrate the following:

You must complete and successfully answer all questions.

Question 1
Describe what quality system is and its role in maintaining continuous improvement.

Question 2
Explain how knowledge management systems can assist an organisation in its continuous improvement processes.

Question 3
What are the benefits of analysing performance measures on a regular basis?

Question 4
Provide a brief description of the Six Sigma continuous improvement model.

Question 5
Explain why it is essential that an organisation captures information on continuous improvement processes and incorporates them into its knowledge management system

Question 6
Explain the importance of analytical and lateral thinking when planning for organisational improvements.

Question 7
When considering areas that have been identified for further improvement, explain how continuous improvement systems relate to other systems in an organisation.

Question 8

Read the case study, then answer the questions that follow

Case study

Quality Stock Enterprises is a furniture manufacturer supplying indoor and outdoor furniture products at the premium end of the market. The organisation currently employs more than 600 staff. In the Iasi 12 months sales have dropped by 25 per cent causing great alarm amongst management and staff alike.

A competitor has appeared in the market and offers similar products at lower prices. An analysis of the business identified a range of weaknesses that included too narrow a product range; existing products being aimed at the upper end of their niche market with corresponding prices; the nature of their furniture means that they need highly skilled workers who are paid premium wages. All this has impacted on the company at the same time as a global downturn in the economy, with many customers unwilling to pay top prices. They know they need to make some changes to improve their situation.

Senior management are considering a number of options including:
- taking manufacturing offshore
- laying off staff across all areas of the business
- diversifying their product range to include middle and low-range priced goods.

This company will do anything to curtail the current decline in sales so long as the costs of the proposed changes are not excessive.

1. Explain how you would utilise participation techniques with the employees in this organisation to explore the advantages and disadvantages of each of the options presented in the case study. Based on this approach identify the option that you believe is most viable.

2. Explain how you would initiate continuous improvement activities related to this option. How would you communicate these initiatives to relevant stakeholders?

3. Provide a proposal to senior management of this organisation outlining how mentoring and coaching could be used to improve current circumstances.

4. In what ways could sustainability practices help the company reduce its costs and maintain a competitive advantage?

5. What knowledge management systems should be utilised to capture the options suggested and to explore them more thoroughly?

Task 2

Instruction for the student

This is an individual assessment. You will demonstrate your skills and knowledge by completing a scenano-based project. You will need to access the following BizOps Enterprises documents, policies and procedures:

- Vision, mission and values
- Company business plan
- Continuous improvement procedures
- Organisational charts
- Sustainability environmental policy
- Professional development policy

Complete the following tasks to facilitate this continuous improvement process. Each task should be completed in a separate document.

Scenario

You receive an email from Sayo Yoshida, Managing Director: Human Resources.

Subject: Continuous improvement project

The BizOps Enterprises vision, mission and values statement highlights the crux of what our business about. We have set some challenging goals and objectives in the business plan for the next five years and now it is time to implement some improvements to help us achieve these outcomes.

One of the goals in the business plan is to focus on having the right people in the organisation. One identified strategy for supporting this goal is to 'provide the financial, physical, human and time resources to support an annual professional development program for all BizOps employees'.

Senior managers have discussed how this could be achieved and have decided that it is would be best managed through a continuous process improvement (CPI).

As the Human Resources Manager, you are the most suitable person to manage this because you are already managing professional development for the organisation.

Please refer to the list of tasks (Procedure) that senior managers wish you to complete for this project.

Regards,
Sayo Yoshida
Managing Director: Human Resources

Procedure

1. Access and read the vision, mission and values statement and the company business plan. Using the information from these documents, prepare a two-page information document that can be used across the organisation to promote what this continuous process improvement (CPI) project is attempting to achieve. The document should address the following:

a. Encourage staff to exercise initiative and participate in the decision-making processes of this CPI project as it is clearly targeting all employees.

b. Explain what CPI means and why this method is appropriate for achieving the company business plan. You may need to refer to and use extracts from the continuous improvement procedures.

2. Using the continuous improvement procedures as a framework, prepare a detailed implementation plan for this CPI project.

a. Address all dot-points under each of the major headings (Define, Measure, Analyse, Improve, Control).

b. Establish a project team that includes managers from across the organisation and a representation of team leaders. The project team will report to Sayo Yoshida. You may need to refer to the organisational charts.

c. Identify the tools that will be used at each stage of the project and what information they will contribute towards the objectives of each stage.

d. Address suitability requirements. In particular, senior managers are keen to see that a majority of professional development programs that emerge from this project are conducted via e-learning. This would also reduce the amount of travel that staff undertake in attending professional development programs. You may need to access the sustainability environmental policy and the professional development policy.

e. Outline the relevant legislative requirements that may exist. As this project is about human resources, ensure that it addresses equal opportunity guidelines.

f. Outline how mentoring, coaching and other support will be used to enable people across the organisation to participate effectively in this CPI project.

Provide a framework for capturing and communicating information on the progress, outcomes, insights and experiences from the CPI project. This framework should outline what information is to be captured and how it is to be presented.

h. Develop key performance indicators (KPIs) that can be used to measure the achievements of the CPI project. For each KPI, provide an outline and samples of the records to be collected and explain how these support the measurement of the KPIs that have been set.

To be deemed competent you will need to successfully demonstrate the following: You must submit:
- A two-page information document about the CPI project
- A detailed implementation plan for the CPI project