Operations management assignment on operational efficiency and customer relationships

Question

Task: Part 1: Discuss the impact of the existing process on the company's operational efficiency and customer relationships. What changes could be made to make this process more efficient How could information systems support these changes mentioned in the operations management assignment

Part 2: Identify and analyse three ethical issues surrounding the UBER mobile application. Discuss the ethical issues from an information systems perspective. Apply the ethical analysis process in Laudon and Laudon (2019, P. 161-162) in your operations management assignmentand create a table summarising your findings based on the ethical analysis process.

Answer

Task 1 of the operations management assignment:
1. Introduction
The (fictitious) Computers-Parts firm manufactures computer accessories, and its management has expressed dissatisfaction with production planning. Employees manually enter order projections into the company's production planning system at the end of each month. The analysts then convene for a high-level planning meeting to revise the production and sales goals. As per the facts of the operations management assignmentthe full production planning process takes 19 business days, of which eight are spent entering and validating data. The following days are devoted to defining and reconciling production and sales goals. One of the most significant meetings in the manufacturing business is finalizing the production master schedule.

2. Impact of the existing process on the company’s operational efficiency and customer relationships
If a company is unable to optimize its narrative, it should outsource components or repair appliances, as well as preserve a record of all clients, including recurring and existing consumers, and their computers. CRM as per the operations management assignment is required for a firm to transition from "winging it" to a "well-oiled machine." The ordering process for the essential parts is far too long and cumbersome. A really astute individual can carve out a market niche, while a captivating individual can create a few sales. However, expansion necessitates a thorough understanding of every component of the transaction. A CRM organizes customer information, from leads to repeat customers to vendors, and reminds the firm of the particular activities that must be completed in order to progress an opportunity along the sales cycle while also boosting client loyalty via marketing communication. As per the operations management assignmentthe operations of a firm comprise everything it does to develop products or services, which help to consistently improve the efficacy of the sales process. However, if the company's operations are inefficient, it may be squandering money and effort. Efficient operations save money by minimizing waste and preserving quality and service. ERP establishes a framework for integrating and optimizing a company's internal business operations. Increasing operational efficiency necessitates regular work and a strong commitment to continual learning; nevertheless, it all begins with procedures. The impact of Customer Relationship Management, or CRM, as per the operations management assignmentimproves the entire experience of the customer by allowing companies to better communicate with them, and manage direct interactions ranging from buying to shipping. Some businesses have learned how to deal with customer-introduced unpredictability without jeopardizing their operational conditions or their customers' service. Among productivity components mentioned in the operations management assignment, the impact of CRM on income was the greatest, while the impact of customer relationship enhancement on goods was the second greatest. Customer Relationship Management (CRM) is simply one of the many concepts that businesses must understand in order to optimize their operations and sales processes. However, operational effectiveness and company strategy should not be conflated.

3. Changed to make Production Planning effective
The proper forecasting approach as per the operations management assignmentshould be utilized to produce production planning, which is then focused on effective scheduling and planning in order to save money, simplify processes, and optimize equipment. Production planning ensures that all essential preparation is performed prior to the start of a production cycle, allowing it to function smoothly. The absence of Production Planning causes the entire production cycle to fail. Some of the benefits of an efficient production plan and schedule include lower labor expenses by minimizing wasted time and optimizing process flow. The placement of the facility as per the operations management assignment is the most significant and crucial component of the planning jigsaw. Production planning and control are divided into four stages in the manufacturing industry: routing, scheduling, dispatching, and follow-up. Production planning assists firms in making their manufacturing processes as efficient as feasible. It is largely concerned with the orderly flow of materials, the operation of equipment, the smooth operation of the manufacturing system, and the detection of deviations. As per the findings of the operations management assignmentonce a new manufacturing plant is built, the corporations have made a significant commitment of time, resources, and cash that cannot be reversed for a long time.

Information System supporting Changes to make Production Planning efficient
Production planning assists in managing available time, ensuring that it is well-utilized while avoiding delays. Companies will need to anticipate prospective sales with some accuracy in order to plan efficiently. Plum ERP Production Planning and Scheduling System as per the operations management assignmentensure that a company's production activities run at optimal efficiency and that it has the flexibility it needs. When examining the function of information systems in supporting production planning, the MRP II/ERP, MES, and APS class IT solutions supporting the process of production planning, organization, and control have also been of considerable relevance. Production planning solutions, which are equipped with information systems, focus on reducing WIP inventories and making better use of industrial assets. These solutions save planners time while increasing agility in updating ever-changing priorities. These solutions save planners time while increasing agility in updating constantly changing priorities, manufacturing plans, and inventories. Production planning software as per the operations management assignmentalleviates most of the stress by streamlining and automating inventory control (Sharma, 2019). This might be one of the world's greatest instances of a production planning process, often known as the production management process (PMS).

4. Conclusion
At the conclusion of each month, employees manually enter order forecasts into the company's production planning system. The entire production planning process as per the operations management assignmenttakes 19 business days, eight of which are spent inputting and confirming data. A CRM manages customer information, from leads to repeat customers to vendors, and reminds the company of tasks that must be accomplished in order to advance an opportunity through the sales cycle. Production planning guarantees that all necessary preparations are completed before the commencement of a production cycle. The absence of Production Planning results in the failure of the entire production cycle. Lower labor costs are among the advantages of an effective production plan and timetable. Lowering labor costs and maximizing process flow are two advantages of an effective production plan and schedule. In the manufacturing business as per the operations management assignment, production planning and control are separated into four stages: routing, scheduling, dispatching, and follow-up. Plum ERP Production Planning and Scheduling System guarantee that a company's manufacturing activities operate as efficiently as possible. MRP II/ERP, MES, and APS class IT systems that assist the process of production planning, organization, and control have also been significant. Computers-Parts produces computer accessories, and its management is dissatisfied with production planning. However, working on these challenges mentioned in the operations management assignmentand developing a production plan may be one of the world's finest examples of a production planning process, often known as the production management process (PMS).

Task 2 of the operations management assignment:
Ethical Issues surrounding UBER mobile application.
1. Three ethical issues surrounding the UBER mobile application.
Uber's key selling feature, because neighboring drivers are quickly alerted of your demand for a trip, is also its main disadvantage, at least in terms of safety as per the research in theoperations management assignment. Aside from tax evasion, Uber drivers face extreme danger while operating in cities or countries with high levels of violent crime. Uber mobile is said to use an application, and it has been discovered that the corporation employs very precise and potentially intrusive data analytics. The ride-sharing app's key concerns include technical breaches, unjust pricing, client safety, and unfair treatment of drivers. As per the operations management assignmentthere are no clear stated standards for the prerequisites to become a driver or for the vehicle that drivers utilize. A code of ethics is a collection of principles and guidelines. A code of ethics is a collection of principles and standards that individuals and organizations use to guide their decision-making and differentiate right from wrong. Since the creation of the ride-hailing service, Uber drivers have been considered independent contractors in the United States. Uber is a fantastic firm that offers a wide range of services. The fact that the Uber driver must check in on the app and that the app must be ethical - the app's business model will not allow it.

1.1Ethical Issues surrounding the UBER Mobile Application from an Information Systems Perspective
From the standpoint of information systems in the operations management assignment, there are ethical concerns about the UBER smartphone application. Uber has been accused of using a tracking mechanism to keep track of their consumers. It has been recognised that Uber broke laws, duped police, and secretly lobbied governments. More than 124,000 confidential documents had been leaked. At the same time, executives of Uber were under no illusions regarding the company’s breaking of the law. The cache files had been expanded from a span of 2013 to 2017 that includes more than 83,000 iMessage’s, emails, and WhatsApp messages (theguardian.com., 2022). This fact in the operations management assignmentshows that the company had knowingly broken laws in several countries by misleading people and gone to extreme lengths to avoid justice which is illegal. During its investigation into inappropriate workplace behavior, the corporation says it received 215 complaints, with the biggest number of accusations connected to discrimination and sexual harassment. Information and communication technology (ICT) have brought new ethical considerations concerning personal privacy protection (Bennett and Raab, 2017). An Uber ethical quandary as per the operations management assignmentis concerned with assessing the societal concerns at stake in relation to app-driven services and insecure work. Privacy, injustice, and safety are some of the concerns we face in the age of big data technologies. Uber drivers are frustrated by how little they know about the company. The corporation promised to delete passenger information from its system and limit access to their mobile app to a select few and only for private usage. The issue of ethics in information systems as per the operations management assignmenthas become a significant concern as technology might result in the contamination of individuals' intellectual property rights. Misuse of Personal Information, Misinformation and Deep Fakes, Lack of Oversight and Acceptance of Responsibility, Respect for Employees and Customers, and Autonomous Technology are the five moral elements of these challenges. ICT has brought new ethical problems around the preservation of personal privacy, intellectual property protection, user accountability, appropriate access and use of information, software licenses, and piracy. In an information society mentioned in theoperations management assignment, there are five key moral aspects that connect ethical, social, and political issues: rights and duties, property rights, system quality, quality of life, and responsibility and control.

1.2 Ethical Issues Analysis in the operations management assignment
In operations management assignment, information ethics investigates concerns including ownership, access, privacy, security, and community. It is also concerned with "the link between knowledge and societal benefit." The four key challenges of information ethics for the information era are privacy, accuracy, property, and accessibility. Because they enable rapid social change, information systems bring new ethical concerns for both people and communities. The field of information systems (IS) is obligated to consider the ethical issues that arise from the current creation, deployment, and marketing of IS. Uber discussed in this operations management assignmentand others can follow a person's every step on their platform; they know their ratings, likes, and dislikes, and can forecast certain things about them. Uber is a well-known user of similar techniques. Perspectives are ethical frameworks. Ethical frameworks are perspectives that can be used to determine which course of action will result in the most moral outcome (Herschel and Miori, 2017). According to Ken Laudon in the operations management assignment, there are five distinct, equally valid, and complementary types of ethical analysis: consequentialist, deontological, virtue-based, traditionalist, and intuitive, which include how these values and interests may be threatened or undermined, as well as how they may be advanced or protected.

1.3 Summarising table of Key Findings of the Ethical Analysis
Uber is engaging in unlawful and unethical methods such as hacking, impersonating, scamming, obtaining trade secrets, and eavesdropping on rivals. Uber was built on the simple concept of requesting transport by phone. Originally, as per the operations management assignmentthe plan was to create a timeshare limo service that could also function as a taxi calling app.

• Uber's key selling feature, because neighboring drivers are quickly alerted of your demand for a trip, is also its main disadvantage, at least in terms of safety.
• In addition to tax avoidance, Uber drivers risk considerable danger while working in cities or countries with high levels of violent crime.
• Uber mobile is believed to utilize an app, and it has been uncovered that the company uses very precise and potentially intrusive data analytics.
• Uber mobile is believed to utilize an app, and it has been uncovered that the company uses very precise and potentially intrusive data analytics.
• Privacy, accuracy, property, and accessibility are the four major concerns of information ethics in the digital age.
• Information technologies provide new ethical challenges for both individuals and societies because they enable fast social change.
• As per the reaserch in operations management assignmentthe discipline of information systems (IS) is compelled to evaluate the ethical challenges that occur as a result of contemporary IS creation, deployment, and marketing.

References
Bennett, C.J. and Raab, C.D., 2017. The governance of privacy: Policy instruments in global perspective. Routledge. Chee, F.M., 2018. An Uber ethical dilemma: examining the social issues at stake. Journal of Information, Communication and Ethics in Society.

Fabianova, J., Kacmary, P. and Janekova, J., 2019. Operative production planning utilising quantitative forecasting and Monte Carlo simulations. Open Engineering, 9(1), pp.613-622.
Herschel, R. and Miori, V.M., 2017. Ethics & big data. Technology in Society, 49, pp.31-36.
Isensee, C., Teuteberg, F. and Griese, K.M., 2022. Exploring the use of mobile apps for fostering sustainability-oriented corporate culture: A qualitative analysis. Sustainability, 14(12), p.7380.
Malos, S., Lester, G.V. and Virick, M., 2018. Uber drivers and employment status in the gig economy: Should corporate social responsibility tip the scales. Employee Responsibilities and Rights Journal, 30(4), pp.239-251.
Maravelias, C.T. and Sung, C., 2009. Integration of production planning and scheduling: Overview, challenges and opportunities. Computers & Chemical Engineering, 33(12), pp.1919-1930.
Mousavi, R., Hazarika, B., Chen, K. and Rienzo, T., 2022. The role of dissonance reduction and co-creation strategies in shaping smart service satisfaction–the case of Uber. Behaviour & Information Technology, 41(1), pp.51-71. Sharma, H., 2019. Production planning and control. BookRix.
Silver, E.A., Pyke, D.F. and Peterson, R., 1998. Inventory management and production planning and scheduling (Vol. 3, p. 30). New York: Wiley.

theguardian.com., 2022. The Guardian. Uber broke laws, duped police and secretly lobbied governments, leak reveals. Available at https://www.theguardian.com/news/2022/jul/10/uber-files-leak-reveals-global-lobbying-campaign accessed on 08.09.2022.
Uggla, K. and Eriksson, Y., 2019, July. Visualization of Production Planning. In 2019 23rd International Conference Information Visualisation (IV) (pp. 312-317). IEEE.