In this assignment, you will apply what you have learned about key concepts regarding operations management. You are encouraged to leverage your work and instructor feedback on this assignment in your course project, which is due in Module Seven.
You work as the chief supply chain officer at NationaliTeas, a large international corporation that manufacturers and sells tea worldwide. Its mission is to “Make the world more awake through rejuvenating and refreshing beverages and sustainable practices that uplift workers, communities, and souls.” You have recently hired the company’s first project manager and have given them their first project: Revise current workflows related to packaging at one of your tea factories to be more sustainable and more lean. As this is their first project, you will be helping them complete their task.
Read through the
Project Charter for Workflow Improvement Word Document
, then review the
Process Workflow for Tea Production Word Document
graphic. A text-only version is available:
Process Workflow for Tea Production Text-Only Version Word Document
. Based on these documents, recommend removing a total of four steps from the process flowchart that can help make the process more efficient and sustainable. Explain the implications of the proposed changes, and then help the NationaliTeas team address current items in the Issue Log located in the project charter.
Specifically, you must address the following rubric criteria:
Submit this assignment as a 3
0- to 500-word Word document. Sources should be cited according to APA style.
Criteria | Exemplary ( | 10 | Proficient (85%) | Needs Improvement (55%) | Not Evident (0%) | Value | ||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Exceeds proficiency in an exceptionally clear, insightful, sophisticated, or creative manner | Identifies steps in the process flowchart that do not add value based on the principles of lean manufacturing | Shows progress toward proficiency, but with errors or omissions; areas for improvement may include identifying more appropriate steps to remove or change based on lean manufacturing principles and product needs | Does not attempt criterion | 20 | ||||||||||||
Identifies steps from the process flowchart that should be removed or changed to improve environmental sustainability based | Shows progress toward proficiency, but with errors or omissions; areas for improvement may include identifying more appropriate steps to remove or change based on environmentally friendly practices such as reducing waste or conserving water or energy | |||||||||||||||
Explains the implications, both positive and negative, of removing or changing the identified steps from the process flowchart and how they would help alignment to the TBL | Shows progress toward proficiency, but with errors or omissions; areas for improvement may include adding additional relevant details and examples to support the explanations or greater focus on alignment to the TBL | |||||||||||||||
Explains the recommended course of action for each item listed in the Issue Log, noting the impact of the issue on scope, planning communications, and resourcing based on the identified changes to the process flowchart and the project charter | Shows progress toward proficiency, but with errors or omissions; areas for improvement may include applying project management concepts to justify the next steps a project manager should take when facing the issues in the Issue Log | |||||||||||||||
Discusses how operations management techniques, including project management and lean manufacturing, can add value to the organization | Shows progress toward proficiency, but with errors or omissions; areas for improvement may include adding further examples or explanations that support how operational management techniques can support the organization | |||||||||||||||
Clearly conveys meaning with correct grammar, sentence structure, and spelling, demonstrating an understanding of audience and purpose | Shows progress toward proficiency, but with errors in grammar, sentence structure, and spelling, negatively impacting readability | Submission has critical errors in grammar, sentence structure, and spelling, preventing understanding of ideas | ||||||||||||||
Uses citations for ideas requiring attribution, with few or no minor errors | Uses citations for ideas requiring attribution, with consistent minor errors | Uses citations for ideas requiring attribution, with major errors | Does not use citations for ideas requiring attribution | |||||||||||||
Total: | 100% |
Elimination of Waste and Improved Sustainability in Workflow
Executive Summary
Business Objectives
Project Details
Requirements
Deliverables
Estimated Schedule
Estimated Budget
Risks
Completion Criteria
Alternatives
Stakeholders
Project Manager
Project Authorization
Issue Log
Executive Summary
As the company plans to apply for B Corp Certification within the next five years, is important to analyze our production workflow processes to look for reductions in waste and improve sustainability metrics.
Scope Statement
The purpose of this project is to analyze and look for improvements in our tea production workflow process. We primarily want to analyze the workflow processes from a lean manufacturing perspective to look for waste and to focus our processes on improving quality for the end user. We also want to analyze the workflow processes from a sustainability perspective and consider how we can make our production workflow processes friendlier to the planet as a whole.
Analyze workflow processes for improvements to increase the company’s overall sustainability metrics
Analyze workflow processes for ways to reduce waste or unnecessary steps that don’t add value to our product’s end users
Analyze workflow processes to improve chances the organization is approved as a Certified B Corporation
Project Details
Requirements
Simplify the tea production workflow using lean manufacturing principles to increase efficiency
Reduce use processes and materials that are not environmentally friendly
Make process and material changes that cannot increase manufacturing costs
Updated process flowchart
Cost-benefit analysis of changes
Summary of changes that specifically note sustainability measures used
The project should be completed within two months of project kickoff.
Project Milestones or Phases
Project Kickoff
Day 1
Analysis of Current Workflow Process
Day 21
Completion of Research Around Potential Changes
Day 42
Final Recommendations
Day 53
End of Project
A week after the final set of recommendations is created
This project has a limited budget of $30,000. Funds are allocated for travel, research, and the hiring of a third-party contractors to support the analysis.
Removal of critical processes could lead to overall production errors or bottlenecks.
Removal of processes could lead to less safe working environments for employees.
Removal of processes could lead to a lower quality end product and then lower sales and damage to the company brand.
The project is considered complete when a new, streamlined workflow process has been recommended based on analysis and research and has met requirements.
The workflow production process limits waste as much as possible and is as sustainable as possible, or will improve processes by reducing waste and improving sustainability. Improved sustainability will be viewed from the perspective of the application to be a Certified B Corporation.
Alternatives
The main alternatives to the project are not to review or change internal workflow processes or to use a different operations process or philosophy that differs from lean manufacturing, such as total quality management or Six Sigma.
Stakeholders
List all known project stakeholders.
Name
Project Role
Organization
Chief Operations Officer
Project Sponsor
NationaliTeas Corporate Office
Director of Production
Project Team
NationaliTeas Manufacturing Division
Director of Quality Control
Project Team
NationaliTeas Manufacturing Division
Project Manager
Jennifer Smith
Project Authorization
By initialing each page and signing below, the chief operations officer and the project sponsor approve the project described herein and authorize it to begin.
Issue Log
Issues that come up after the charter has been approved should be added below and reviewed for impact on cost, scope, and alignment to the original project requirements. Each issue should be addressed, either through a short explanation of why it does not need to be acted on or an explanation of how it will be resolved.
There is general confusion among stakeholders regarding their level of decision-making power, involvement, and scheduling of major project milestones.
A stakeholder has recommended a change from the existing product packaging to a shiny foil packaging for aesthetic reasons, and they have asked for this be built into the process workflow documents.
The procurement department wants to triple the project budget to allocate more funds to researching, testing, and finding a new supplier for compostable packaging materials.
Project Charter for Workflow Process Improvement Page 1
Process for TeaWorkflow Production
Picking, Processing, and Packaging TPicking, Processing, and Packaging Teaea
FARM
Start
Workers pick
tea leaves
Leaves are put
into 50 kg bags
Bags are
moved to a
processing area
PROCESSING
Bags of tea are
reweighed
Leaves are spread
across pans and
troughs
Leaves are
withered on pans
Leaves
are cooled
Leaves are removed
from pans and
reweighed
Leaves are moved
onto special trays
and rolled
Leaves go
through a first
drying
Leaves are
cooled
Leaves are put
into new trays for
a second drying
Leaves are removed from trays
and reweighed; poor-quality
leaves are thrown away
Leaves are visually
inspected
Poor-quality leaves
are thrown away
Leaves are
moved to an
oxidizing area
Leaves are
oxidized
Leaves get a final
drying to
complete the
oxidation process
Leaves are
cooled
Leaves are sent to
packaging and
shipping
PACKAGING
AND SHIPPING
Leaves are
weighed
Leaves are sorted;
small, misshaped, or
discolored tea leaves
are discarded
Leaves are
weighed
Leaves get a
second sorting
Leaves are put
into paper tea
bags and sealed
Tea bags are
wrapped in
paper packets
Tea bags are
sealed
Wrapped tea bags are
sorted into cardboard
packs of 20
Cardboard packs
are sealed and
wrapped in plastic
Boxes are sorted
into shipping
boxes
Shipping boxes are
wrapped and sealed,
ready to be shipped
End
FARM
Start
PROCESSING
PACKAGING AND SHIPPING
End
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