In the business world there are many things that need to be assessed to increase productivity and growth. The operation techniques that Starbucks’ adopted with having their employees constantly busy doing a function rather than waiting on the coffee was a very proactive approach to business strategy. This type of production would be considered as a process since there is a continuous flow of products being produced (Fundamentals of Management Essential Concepts and Application Chapter 5).
This type of operation creates goods and services to meet the customers needs and wants. They are continuously producing more coffee and products for their customers providing great customer service and convenient availability. With the Starbucks’ company there are always uncertainties that may unravel as time passes. With the value chain management there are problems that may arise especially since Starbucks’ has several locations that they need to manage and supply.
They may run into problems where there is a shortage of hard working employees that are willing and able to perform the functions effective and efficiently. This is one problem that if Starbucks’ is faced with they will be able to over come with an open mind and proper training programs. As long as they are able to motivate the employees to learn their job functions they can train them to perform the work properly. This may however lead them into financial difficulties that they may want to address as needed.
With a value chain it is very important to maintain understandable communication. This is one obstacle that is popular for companies in this situation however, with this in mind Starbucks’ should be able to over come this issue with understanding and a certain amount of trust. Too much trust can lead to hardships in the company or it could substantially assist with the success of an organization. If companies can work together and share information they can learn from past mistakes and current success stories creating a stable working environment.
Sharing information can be a large obstacle for an organization as there are fears that are associated with this type of business strategy. Some may feel that by sharing their company secrets that it may cause them to loose their business over all as competitors may use this against their organization. A well organized and structured company will be able to over come these fears and see how it may benefit their business in the future. There are a few things that Starbucks’ is currently involved in to assist with their company goals.
They have been implementing a climate change strategy since 2004, focusing on renewable energy, energy conservation and collaboration and advocacy (Tackling Climate Change Starbucks website). This will not only assist in the salvation of the land and environment but will also assist with the availability of land to grow coffee beans. It will create an environment where they may be able to receive a larger amount of product at a better quality for their customers. This will assist with customer satisfaction and will set them apart from their competitors.
With this involvement that the company has been proactively dedicated to, they are also continuously looking at expanding to new ideas. With this continuous growth of environmental awareness it will not only assist the future expansion of the organization but will also give them a substantial reputation with the public. The high quality of their products along with providing excellent customer service will allow for a broad rand of customers and increase their sales. In the business industry it is helpful to look at different ways that certain functions can be completed.
The concept of lean manufacturing is the processes, techniques, strategies and initiatives that are being implemented by companies around the world. This idea is utilized to reduce unnecessary and unproductive tasks, activities and behaviors in the work environment (The Advantages of Lean Manufacturing, Ezine Articles). There are multiple advantages to this that will would be very beneficial to Starbucks’ in present and future company growth. The manufacturing engineering philosophy perfectly blends the fundamentals of minimizing costs and maximizing profit.
These fundamentals are man (labor), material and machines (equipment) also known as the 3Ms of manufacturing (Thinking of Lean Manufacturing System. SAE International). The Startbucks’ company could accomplish this by acknowledging that there is always room to improve, keep their organizational structure simple while still maintaining protocols and continuously improving their manufacturing system (Thinking of Lean Manufacturing System. SAE International). With a streamline productivity strategy, companies are able to increase their revenue along with create longevity in their organization.
Starbucks’ is a well developed business that has great potential to overcome the obstacles that they may be faced with in the future. They are very passionate about what they do and statistics have shown a great development in the past years (Starbucks website). They hold themselves as well as others to a very high standard of diversity and seek out partners who are as diverse as the communities (Starbucks website). Their mission stated to inspire and nurture the human spirit-on person, one cup, and one neighborhood at a time shows their strength and dedication to serving the public (Starbucks website).
References Dave Grooms. The Advantages of Lean Manufacturing. Ezine Articles. Retrieved at http://ezinearticles. com/? The-Advantages-of-Lean-Manufacturing&id=784987 Akin O. Akiniaon. Thinking of Lean Manufacturing Systems. SAE International Magazine. Retrieved at http://www. sae. org/manufacturing/lean/column/leandec01. htm Fundamentals of Management Essential Concepts and Applications. Case Application: Stirring Things Up. Retrieved on page 397. Starbucks Website. Retrieved at www. startbucks. com
