Operations Case Studies by topic

All organisations are faced with periods of evolution and revolution. As they prepare for a period of change, there will undoubtedly be immense upheaval....

The steel manufacturing company Corus focuses on meeting the needs of its worldwide customers and providing innovative solutions. It manufactures, processes and distributes steel...

Some business improvements involve a giant leap forward. An example of this would be the development of a revolutionary new product such as the...

The reputation of a business may be affected by what its customers think and say about its products or services. This is driven by...

Changing customers expectations The 1980s were marked by a growth in consumer spending and a housing boom. Easy access to credit made it possible for...

Customer satisfaction depends upon a product’s performance in relation to a buyer’s expectations. If the product’s performance falls short of expectations, the customer will...

In recent years, many UK manufacturing and service industries have transformed their production methods and processes. Businesses that have been at the leading edge...

When you run a large organisation, you are likely to have a large number of employees. The Singapore Airlines Group has more than 29,000...

Everyone has the right to be in a safe and healthy workplace. This is a basic human right as most people spend a large...

Just like pretty much anywhere else, it is probable that sooner or later an accident happens at your workplace. The important thing to keep...

Living is a risky business. Taking risks begins in childhood, and continues throughout our lives and into old age, when many accidents are associated...

Throughout the 20th century, the pace of technological advancement has increased dramatically. The digital revolution, now upon us, will see further massive steps forward....

For any business, becoming and staying the market leader is a huge task, even for household names such as McDonald's. Keeping ahead involves continuous...

The Burton Group is one of the largest fashion retailers in the UK, operating nearly 1,500 outlets and 92 department stores in high streets...

This case study focuses on the way in which Jaguar, one of the world’s most prestigious car manufacturers, has employed lean manufacturing processes. This...

The background to Jaguar provides a good example of entrepreneurship - identifying opportunities, creating a winning formula and responding to consumer needs to build...

Portakabin is an international company. It produces some of the most advanced building systems available. The company is part of the £700 million turnover Shepherd...

This case study describes the relocation in 1994 of the Marks & Spencer store in Kendal. The situation presented is a relatively unusual example...

Gala Clubs The core business of Gala Clubs is bingo. Bass PLC originally owned it, but in 1997 it became a private limited company following...

Cement was invented in England in 1824 and is a key ingredient in concrete. Every year the average family uses one tonne of cement...

As a newly-formed rail operating company, Great North Eastern Railway Ltd (GNER) took over one of the new rail franchises to run train services...

Customers are not simply looking for good products. Rather, they seek good products which address their individual needs and buying requirements. The result is...

With the changing expectations of customers, organisations constantly need to adapt to remain competitive. When faced with such pressures for change, managers may look...

This case study focuses on how Cadbury Schweppes acquired the American-based company Dr Pepper/Seven-Up. Of particular interest is the thinking and purpose behind the...

Good design is an important attribute of a successful product. A well designed product will stand out from rivals, win customer loyalty and sometimes...

“Roy, the first shipment has just arrived, I thought you might like to see one.” Gary Maughan passed Roy Doughty a handset across the...

It's a colourful world! Akzo Nobel’s products are among the most looked at in the world. Its business is colour. It is a company literally...

Today we live in a digital world in which information can be communicated rapidly and efficiently, and in which images, sound and text are...

Information technology is causing fundamental change in almost every organisation and market-place. The effective application of such technologies has become a key resource central...

The challenge facing the world economy today is to provide sustainable approaches to economic growth. Industrial processes have the potential to provide better living...

Consumers’ buying habits reflect their personality, income, age, lifestyle and aspirations. What people want to buy changes over the years. Many consumers constantly seek...

“IF YOU CAN INVENT A BETTER MOUSETRAP THE WORLD WILL BEAT A PATH TO YOUR DOOR!” Many of the best business lessons are based on...

The Chiefs of Air Staff of Germany, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom signed an agreement to develop a new European fighter aircraft in...

Intelligent businesses in the 21st century operate with an awareness of their responsibilities to all of their stakeholders, not just responsibilities to directors and...

A quality material, product, process, service or system is one that meets the needs of customers. Today, customers, including consumers, know what they want...

Imagine a world in which consumers cannot tell how reliable a product or service is and have no knowledge about the suitability of things...

Zurich Insurance Group provides insurance and other financial services to both individuals and businesses. The group has more than 130 years experience and is...

The origins of Sheffield Forgemasters can be traced back to 1805. In that year, Edward Vickers, a traditional miller, made the largest steel ingot...

Syngenta is one of the world”s largest plant science companies. It is a leader in crop protection - developing products to control weeds, pests...

Using a laptop computer, Smartphone or iPad has become an essential part of everyday life for many people. Few, however, will be aware of...

Today many of the products that we consume have been brought to us through globally integrated distribution systems. Striking examples are the fruit and...

primary - gifts of nature such as extracting or developing natural resources including farming, forestry, mining or fishingsecondary – manufacturing and the construction industries...

As consumers, we expect our favourite brands to be available wherever we want to buy them and to be of the highest quality. For...