How can an operations strategy be put together?
- There are many different procedures which are used by companies, consultancies and academics to formulate operations strategies. Although differing in the stages that they recommend, many of these models have similarities.
- Central to the idea of strategy formulation is the concept of trade-off. Trade-offs are the extent to which improvements in one performance objective can be achieved by sacrificing performance in others. The 'efficient frontier' concept is a useful approach to articulating trade-offs and distinguishes between repositioning performance on the efficient frontier and improving performance by overcoming trade-offs.
- If an operation uses the trade-off concept to concentrate on a very narrow set of performance objectives, it is known as “operations focus'. Focus can also be applied to parts of an operation. This is sometimes called the operation-within-an-operation or plant-within-a-plant concept.
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Case study:
Long Ridge Gliding Club by
Shirley Johnston |
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Long
Ridge Gliding Club is based at an old military airfield on the crest of a
ridge about 400 metres above sea level. The facilities are simple but
comfortable. A bar and basic catering services are provided, and inexpensive
bunkrooms are available for course members and club members wishing to stay
overnight. The club has a current membership of nearly 300 pilots, who range
in ability from novice to expert. The club has essentially two different
types of customers: club members and casual flyers who come for one-off trial
flights, holiday courses and corporate events. |
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The
club has six paid employees: a full-time flying manager, a club steward, two
part-time office secretaries, a part-time mechanic and a cleaner. In the
summer months the club employs a winch driver (for launching the gliders)
and two flying instructors. Throughout the whole year, essential tasks such
as getting the club gliders out of the hangar, staffing the winches, bringing
back gliders and providing look-out cover are undertaken on a voluntary basis
by club members. It takes a minimum of five experienced people (club members)
to be able to launch one glider. The club's five qualified instructors, two
of whom are paid during the summer, provide instruction in two- seater
gliders for club members and casual flyers. When
club members fly, they are expected to arrive by 9.30 am and be prepared to
stay all day helping other club members and any casual flyers get airborne,
whilst they wait their turn to fly. On a typical summer's day there might be
ten club members and four casual flyers. Club members would each expect to
have three flights during a normal day, with durations of around 2-40 minutes
per flight depending on conditions. But they are quite understanding when
weather conditions change and they do not get a flight. When
the more experienced pilots take to the air, using their own gliders, they
can cover some considerable distance, about 300 kilometres, landing back at the
club's grass airstrip some three or four hours later. Club members are
charged a £5 winch fee each time they take to the air, plus 35p per minute
they are in the air if they are using one of the club's six gliders. The
club's brochure encourages members of the public to: 'Experience the friendly
atmosphere and excellent facilities and enjoy the thrill of soaring above
Long Ridge's dramatic scenery. For just £28 you could soon be in the air.
Phone now or just turn up and our knowledgeable staff will be happy to advise
you. We have a team of professional instructors dedicated to make this a
really memorable experience.' The
club offers trial flights, which are popular as birth day or Christmas
presents, evening courses which include a light meal at the club's bar and
one-day flying courses, although any length of course can be arranged to suit
the needs of individuals or groups. Income from casual flyers is small
compared with membership income and the club views casual flying as a 'loss
leader' to generate club memberships, which are £200 per annum. Members
of the public are encouraged to book trial flights in advance during the
week, although at weekends they can just turn up and fly on a first-come,
first-served basis. Trial flights and courses are dealt with by the club's administration,
which is run from a cabin close to the car park and is staffed most weekday mornings from 9 am to 1
pm. An answer phone takes messages at other times. The launch point is out of
sight, 1.5 kilometres from the cabin although
club members can let themselves onto converted into club memberships. the airfield
and drive there. At the launch point the casual flyers might have to stand and
wait for some time until a club member has time to find out what they want. Even
when a flight has been pre-booked, casual flyers may then be kept waiting on
an exposed and winding airfield for up to two hours before their flight,
depending on how many club members are present. Occasionally they will turn up
for a pre-booked trail flight and be turned away because there are not enough
club members present to get a glider into the air. The casual flyers are encouraged to help
out with the routine tasks but often, they served seem reluctant to do so.
After their flight they are left to find their own way back to their cars. The club chairman is under some pressure from members to end trial flights. Although they provide a useful source of income for the hard-pressed club (over 700 were sold in the previous year). Questions: Post your answers via comment link below
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