CIPD Diploma (Human Resource Practice Course ) Essay

CIPD Diploma (Human Resource Practice Course ) - Essay Example Coaching the line managers is therefore crucial especially when it comes to performance management. Line managers also need the help of HR professionals in dealing with disagreements since the HR are skilled in problem-solving and well versed with organization policies and procedures. Senior managers on the other hand, need HR to be business partners. This requires HR to develop deep understanding of the business and its context. They also need the HR to challenge them where possible so that they can know where they are going wrong when making decisions. The HR/L &D needs to prioritize the needs of service users effectively. When faced with conflicting needs from the different service users, HR needs to know how to handle the situation by applying their knowledge and competencies. The CIPD profession Map is crucial in acquiring such competencies. For example, a senior manager may want a manpower report for last year to present in a meeting in the afternoon, and at the same time an employee has come to complain about harassment by her boss while a line manager has come to complain about performance of a certain employee. How does the HR prioritize such needs? In this case, first HR should look at the urgency and importance of the need. While harassment and employee performance are as important as the manpower report, the HR should prepare the report first due to its urgency. Furthermore, the other two needs can follow laid down rules and procedures. HR should then start investigations on the harassment issue and arrange for a discipl inary committee meeting at a later date where witnesses can produce evidence. While this is ongoing, HR can convene a meeting between line manager and underperforming employee to establish the source of the problem and offer solutions. This will ensure all the needs of the service users are met in a timely manner without favoring one user over the others. Make all users feel they are equally important and that

Operations Strategies at Marks & Spencers Clothing Industry Assignment

Operations Strategies at Marks & Spencers Clothing Industry - Assignment Example Tables of Contents Introduction Operations strategies include all actions that a firm conducts to support the main business strategy. Through development and implementation of such operations strategies firms create strong foundations in their markets thereby outcompeting other competitor firms. Through a particular operations strategy that firm will be able to develop products that win the market by outcompeting products from other companies. To make products succeed in the market, firms set their operations strategies in relation to cost, quality, service, flexibility, and other factors. The situation is similar even in the clothing industry. For instance, Mark’s and Spencer’s use some operations strategies in order to remain successful in the market (Johnson, 2003). This forms the core of this paper. Effects Product design process The product design process is important in developing products that will eventually succeed in the market. The design process must be very innovative (Hsiao, 2004). This process makes products as per the requirements of the customers. In most cases companies use feedback from customers to manufacturer products that meet the needs and requirements of the target customers. Good product designs heavily depend on individual designers (Hemoen, 2013). Marks and Spencer is one of the most successful retailers in the UK due to the numerous competitive advantages the company offers. This attaches to the design process that ensures the company offers good quality products at reasonable prices. The company’s competitive advantage is also because it only sells its own products. The company develops measures to reduce the cost of production through reducing the amount of materials and energy... This essay stresses that the qualifier for the Classic range product its classic and stylish identity, which define most of the classic range products. Another characteristic of the classic range is its good quality. Such order winning characteristics and qualifiers lure the customers into buying these products. The qualifier for Per Una is its high-fashion design trends that make it suitable for teenagers and the young generations full of new expectations. The autograph range display unique designs that are suitable for the design-lovers. All the three clothing ranges at Mark and Spencer relate to some specific operations objectives. These are quality, speed and cost. The classic range manufactures quality products from fabric of very high quality. In terms of speed, the Per Una is an exception since it has to catch up with the changing trends in the clothing industry. This paper makes a conclusion that operations strategies include are important for a firm as it supports the main business strategy of the firm in question. Firms set their operations strategies in relation to cost, quality, service, flexibility, and other factors. The product designing process will affect the operations performance strategies for Mark and Spencer Company. Segmentation is important in the business strategy of M&S because it helps in leading the clothing market. Operations performance objectives for the three clothing ranges at M&S include quality, speed, and cost.