Operational Plan Essay Development And Implementation.

Activity 1. For this activity, you will develop and implement an operational plan using a variety of information sources and consultation.

Activity 2. For this activity, you are required to communicate effectively with relevant stakeholders to explain the plan and supporting information, seek approvals, negotiate variations and engage work teams.

Activity 3. For this activity, you will write a report to develop and implement strategies to achieve the operational plan within the organisation’s policies, practices and procedures including: recruiting, inducting and developing personnel, acquiring physical resources and services, protecting intellectual property, making variations to the plan and monitoring and documenting performance.

1. Describe models and methods for operational plans

2. Explain the role of an operational plan in achieving the organisation’s objectives

3. Explain budgeting processes

4. List alternative approaches to developing key performance indicators to meet business objectives

5. Outline the legislative and regulatory context relevant to the operational plan of the organisation

6. Outline the organisation’s policies, practices and procedures that directly relate to the operational plan.

Activity 1, 2, and 3

Certain procedures and systems are required in the management of a firm at a strategic or initial level. These procedures and the systematic steps followed one after the other needs development and implementation for facilitating the organisation's plan that is referred to as operational. This very unit is mainly applied to the individuals or personnel who are there to manage the work that is allotted to others and the operation within the boundaries of the strategic or initial plan of business which has a broader concept. The management of operations can significantly contribute to the achievements of the company by making use of the resources that are available for effective production of the goods and services in a manner that intends to satisfy the needs and wants of the customers the most. The documentation of the firm is made legally with the mandatory elements and the documents which are required by the policies mentioned under the company's judiciary, documents which are suggested by the best practices of human resources, informal as well as formal record keeping of the events meant for the employees. The management of the operational plan helps the organisation to effectively compete within a market or an industry where there is an exchange of information or services between them along with external stakeholders.   

The operational plan of BBQfun is done maintaining certain procedures of labelling, researches conducted and by delivery of services that are personalised, establishing the products which have a certain level of quality and also providing the consumers or customers with quality service to them. They are pretty reputed in this matter. According to Klettner et al. (2014, p. 145), through their continuous training and the management of performances by the support staff, increasing revenue in sales and by the reduction of operating costs which include both direct and indirect. These are certain ways that are followed by the BBQfun industry for maintaining its operational plan.

The board of directors and the CEO of the BBQfun industry have decided on how to implement the operational plan within the industry. In the pathway of achieving success in business, they have a clear regulatory and legislative background, which appropriately complies with the rules so that there is no hamper caused to the business. To understand the market, the investigation regarding the customers comprises of research on what the customers are and to which population do they belong. They have certain privacy regulations that are implemented by the company heads and makes sure that are the available resources to the firm are being effectively used, handling the customer relationships properly so that the enterprise can create a future that is promising.

Objectives:	A measure of performance:	Tasks to be performed:
1. Engagement with the customers through researches, personalised services and marketing	Completing the market research Completing the surveys concerned with the customers Completion of the identification of the reports regarding marketing opportunities	Conduction of surveys on a quarterly basis regarding the satisfaction of the customers Evaluating the market and the data acquired for determining the opportunities in the market
2. Reputation building by providing the customers with quality goods and services	Determining the percentage of customers with positive reviews, response towards the organisation, a response on the quality, safety, ethics and innovation Sorting out the percentage of brand recognition after customer surveys at regular intervals Considering the number of complaints from the customers Times of delivery to the customers Track of the number of items that are returned by the customers	Auditing the quality of the supplier Connection at regular intervals with the supplier Investigation of the resourcing needs which includes the people and the products Fulfilling the distribution and resourcing needs following the procedures and policies that are laid down Maintaining the resource management of the enterprise, point of sales and the systems related to the management of customer relationships
3. Reducing direct and indirect operations of cost	A measure of the wages, salaries, consultancy fees along with the wastage and expenses associated with the firm	Researching new suppliers who are having a potential Renegotiating with the different suppliers Researching about very new possibilities of distribution Focussing better on the restraint of budget for managing the diverse activities and projects Managing the inventory for avoiding the risk of overstocking and issues related to the storage of goods
4. Training regarding management of performances for better support to the personnel and increasing sales revenue	Identifying the number of injuries and absentees Completion of plans related to the performance in percentage Identifying the number of coaching sessions and training programs related to the operations completed Complaints regarding anti-discrimination	Engaging the workers with goals and aims of the enterprise to support a development professionally Analysing the needs of training and granting it to the employees Finding out the effectiveness of the research regarding the incentives for achieving a safe working environment and a lifestyle that is healthy

Table 1: Operational Plan

(Source: Kuei and Lu, 2013, p. 62)

According to Cameron and Green (2015), the models of operational planning are comprised of these five following:

1. Model One- Conventional Strategic planning:

• Developing and updating the vision, mission and the statement of values
• Looking inside-out of the organisation precisely
• Selection of strategies for usage in multiple years
• Identification of the plans that are associated with the above criteria.

2. Model Two-Strategic planning based on issues

• Identification of five to six current issues
• The suggestion of action plans to deal with the issues identified
• Including the information derived in the planning

3. Model Three-Strategic planning that is organic

• Gathering people for working towards a specified goal
• Regular meetings for reporting the actions
• The inclusion of lists in the strategic planning regarding the accomplished visions and intentions

4. Model Four-Strategic planning in real time

• Articulation of the mission including the values and visions
• Assigning of planners to examine the outside environment
• Suggesting the lust of strength and weaknesses
• Presenting the list to the board of directors and other members associated with the organisation

The Management of Operations

5. Model Five-Strategic planning with an aligning model

• Establishing an overall goal-directed towards the alignment
• Analysing the operations within which are aligned much directly
• Establishment of goals which are rightly aligned with the operations for the fulfilling of the goal laid down for the organisation as a whole

The roles played by the operational plan drawn out are as follows:

• Effectively planning for the business and the scheduling is very crucial and important for improving and maximising the utilisation of the resources that are quite expensive such as the tracks and the crews.
• Analysing the operations which are internal have an alignment that is direct with the achievements of the goals and objectives of the firm with better utilisation of the available resources which includes material, man and power. 
• Efficient planning for a reduction in the cost related to the operations and providing of timely service to the consumers.
• Scheduling of techniques and the tools for the management of the projects.
• Ensuring the plans which adhere to the regulations, procedures and policies of the organisation along with developing the indicators of performances.
• Researching for the requirement of resources for the implementation of the strategy related to e-commerce
• Arranging with the accessors for participating in consultation regarding the resources
• Developing a proposal for resourcing that is to be presented to the general manager which includes the cost breakdowns, benefits towards the organisation, an outline of the risks that are identified, a list comprised of different approaches for the development of the indicators of performance etc.

The management of operations can significantly contribute to the achievements of the business by making use of the resources that are available for effective production of the goods and services in a manner that intends to satisfy the needs and wants of the customers the most. The documentation of the firm is made legally with the mandatory elements and the documents which are required by the policies mentioned under the company's judiciary, documents which are suggested by the best practices of human resources, informal as well as formal record keeping of the events meant for the employees (Part, 2018).

The board of directors and the CEO of BBQfun decoded for the implementation of a strategy related to the e-commerce for maintaining or increasing the revenue and shares in the market for satisfying the needs of the customers with the directions that are strategic with their company. According to Wang et al. (2016, p.146), under this very strategy, the company was willing to offer all its products in an online store where the stocks were to be stored at no extra costs in the stores that were existing and the customers were supposed to cover the costs of delivery.  Right now, BBQfun has a website which lacks the functionality of e-commerce. There is redeveloping of this website required along with some assets like new staff’s recruitment and delivery vehicles for better facilitation to the customers.

The CEO of BBQfun, Pat Mifsud is responsible for working with the board of directors to oversee the business, setting out the strategic directions, managing the risks and the authorisation of the large transactions related to the finances. The chief financial officer Riz Mehra is responsible for the overall budgeting. Various other heads are associated with the different aspects of the organisation and contribute towards the propelling and expansion of the firm. 

There is a requirement of approximately five million dollars as the working capital for proper sustaining and ensuring the meetings of the business. Although the company experiences a unit of financial pressure during the low sales period, they manage to cope up and maintain their positive cash flows with the help of their long-term strategies and business opportunities.

Sales and marketing policy-The basic purpose of this policy is to make sure that the sales, advertising and marketing of BBQfun are ethical and being done accurately. They also aim at ensuring that the activities are taking place to adhere to the standards, code of conduct laid down and the legislature. The guidelines and the procedures on the use of materials of marketing require an adhering to the legislative measures and codes.

BBQfun privacy policy-This body of the organisation commits protection of the privacy of their customers. They are bounded by the principles of national privacy contained in the Privacy Act of 1988. BBQfun is liable to handle the personal information of the customers with following the legislative relevancy.

The Operational Plan of BBQfun

Anti-discrimination policy-The basic purpose of this policy is to make sure that the transactions which are taking place with the tenants, clients and the employees concerned are being handled with enough transparency and fairly which is having following the legal and organisational requirements. No discrimination should take place from gender, parental status, relationship status, sexuality, race, impairment, religious belief or activity etc.

Advertising policy for the recruitment-The main purpose of this policy is establishing the guidelines for the vacancies in advertising under the selection process and recruitment of employees. The basic aim of this policy is to bring out the best of results after the advertising is aired for the recruitment and when jobs are being advertised professionally and continuously. 

According to Council (2008), equal opportunities, affirmative actions and guidelines are to be followed for this purpose.

Induction policy and procedures-this policy has been formulated for establishing the guidelines that are to be followed by the new employees. The main aim of BBQfun is attracting and employing the most suitable candidates for the positions who are going to support the values of the organisation, goals of the firm and follow the culture for the attainment of the strategic directions. Inducting new employees will help in complying with the legal requirements, and with equal opportunities that are relevant, positive actions and the principles related to the management of human resources. Also, the organisational guidelines and opportunities.

Performance management policy and procedures-This policy aims at ensuring that the management of the performances is being carried out with accurate consistency, visible transparency and with fair practices which are being accordingly managed to keep the objectives and requirements of the organisation under consideration.

According to Stringer and Hourani (2013, p. 149), BBQfun actively works towards the recruitment of workforce and the developments of the personnel through their training and developmental programs, completion of plans related to the performance in percentage along with identifying the number of coaching sessions and training programs related to the operations completed. They also exercise their control over acquiring physical resources and services and makes modifications to the plans and procedures often, for better progression of the organisation.

1. According to Cameron and Green (2015), the various models and methods of the operational plan include:

1. Model One- Conventional Strategic planning.

• Developing and updating the vision, mission and the statement of values.
• Looking inside-out of the organisation precisely
• Selection of strategies for usage in multiple years.
• Identification of the plans that are associated with the above criteria.

2. Model Two-Strategic planning based on issues.

• Identification of five to six current issues
• The suggestion of action plans to deal with the problems identified
• Including the information derived in the planning

3. Model Three-Strategic preparation that is organic

• Gathering people for working towards a specified goal
• Regular meetings for reporting the actions
• The inclusion of lists in the strategic planning regarding the accomplished visions and intentions

4. Model Four-Strategic planning in real time

• Assigning of planners to examine the outside environment
• Articulation of the mission including the values and visions
• Presenting the list to the board of directors and other members associated with the organisation
• Suggesting the list of strength and weaknesses

5. Model Five-Strategic planning with an aligning model

• Analysing the operations within which are aligned much directly
• Establishment of goals which are rightly aligned with the activities for the fulfilling of the objective laid down for the organisation as a whole
• Establishing an overall goal-directed towards the alignment

2. According to Klettner et al. (2014, p. 145), the various roles that are performed by the operational plan for fulfilling the objectives of the organisation include:

• They check the consistency in feedback from the consumers and relevant guiding and counselling of the employees or personnel engaged in the firm.
• They take necessary actions saving the valuable time and money aiming towards the correction of underperformance.
• They encourage the employees for improved performance.
• They play a clear and compelling role keeping in due consideration the necessary facts and work towards improving the engagements of the workforce with the firm.
• They try to pay full attention and concentration towards the surveys that are conducted for drawing out the processes to be followed that will benefit the consumers of the organisation.
• They are engaged in numerous activities like evaluations, subsequent visual analyses, participative monitoring, a building of the models and testing the scenarios, administrative techniques and formulation of different strategies and procedures
• They work for the betterment of the consumers and expanding the global reach through their activities
• They ensure the plans which adhere to the regulations, procedures and policies of the organisation along with developing the indicators of performances
• They develop the proposal for resourcing that is to be presented to the general manager which includes the cost breakdowns, benefits towards the organisation, an outline of the risks that are identified, a list comprised of different approaches for the development of the indicators of performance etc.
• They arrange with the accessors for participating in consultation regarding the resources.

3. According to Kuei and Lu (2013, p. 62), the process of budgeting is a way of generating and developing a plan on how to spend the money on the various activities of the firm as well as spending sums on the personnel that are engaged with the organisation. This very different plan of spending the money is known as the process of budgeting. When a firm creates this plan on how to spend the funds that are available it allows them to determine whether there will be enough sum of money available to work out the things that are required or whatever the firm would like to initiate for the achievement of the goals and objectives set down. In brief, budgeting is the process of balancing the number of expenses and the incomes that are earned from the operations of the firm. The gross profit derived by BBQ fun in their budgeting process amounts to a figure of 6,677,000 dollars and their net income before tax is 1,672,286 dollars.

4. According to Stringer and Hourani (2013, p. 149), the alternative approaches to developing key performance indicators for meeting with the business objectives are:

• Preparing the proposal for resourcing
• Management of the cost breakdowns.
• Jotting down the necessary actions required that provide benefits and profits towards the organisation with the available amount of money and resources.
• Outlining the risks that are identified internally as well as externally.
• Scheduling of techniques and the tools for the management of the projects.
• Arranging with the accessors for participating in the process of consultation regarding the resources that are available and the ones which are to be brought for efficient and smooth manufacturing and distribution of goods and services to the consumers of the firm. Making greater efforts towards understanding the demands of the consumers and fulfilling them, to the most satiating level.

5. According to Council (2008), the management of operations can significantly contribute to the achievements of the business by making use of the resources that are available for adequate production of the goods and services in a manner that intends to satisfy the needs and wants of the customers the most. The documentation of the firm is made legally with the mandatory elements and the documents which are required by the policies mentioned under the company's judiciary, materials which are suggested by the best practices of human resources, informal as well as formal record keeping of the events meant for the employees.

6. The different policies, practices and procedures of the organisation that relate to the operational plan are:

• Sales and marketing policy-The essential purpose of this policy is to make sure that the sales, advertising and marketing of BBQfun are ethical and being done accurately. They also aim at ensuring that the activities are taking place to adhere to the standards, the code of conduct laid down and the legislature (Part, 2018).
• Performance management policy and procedures-This policy aims at ensuring that the management of the performances is being carried out with perfect consistency, visible transparency and with fair practices which are being accordingly managed to keep the objectives and requirements of the organisation under consideration (Part, 2018).
• Anti-discrimination policy-The essential purpose of this policy is to make sure that the transactions which are taking place with the tenants, clients and the employees concerned are being handled with enough transparency and reasonably which is having following the legal and organisational requirements. No discrimination should take place from gender, parental status, relationship status, sexuality, race, impairment, religious belief or activity etc. (Part, 2018).
• Induction policy and procedures-this policy has been formulated for establishing the guidelines that are to be followed by the new employees. The main aim of BBQfun is attracting and employing the most suitable candidates for the positions who are going to support the values of the organisation, goals of the firm and follow the culture for the attainment of the strategic directions. Inducting new employees will help in complying with the legal requirements, and with equal opportunities that are relevant, decisive actions and the principles related to the management of human resources. Also, the organisational guidelines and opportunities (Part, 2018).
• Advertising policy for the recruitment-The main purpose of this policy is establishing the guidelines for the vacancies in advertising under the selection process and recruitment of employees. The fundamental aim of this policy is to bring out the best of results after the advertising is aired for the recruitment and when jobs are being advertised professionally and continuously (Part, 2018).
• Equal opportunities, affirmative actions and guidelines are to be followed for this purpose (Part, 2018).

These are some of the critical policies and procedures of the organisation which are directly related to the operational plan of the firm and acts towards enhancement and overall growth for earning more profits over time.

Conclusion:

Therefore, it is concluded that BBQfun manages their operational play quite efficiently and makes an effort towards the setting of organisational goals with consistency in feedback from the consumers and relevant guiding and counselling of the employees or personnel engaged in the firm. They take necessary actions saving the valuable time and money aiming towards the correction of underperformance, encouraging the employees for improved performance, improving the engagements of the workforce with the firm etc. They also have effective responses towards surveys conducted for evaluations, sequential visual analyses, participative monitoring, the building of the models and testing the scenarios, administrative techniques and formulation of different strategies and procedures for the betterment of the consumers and expanding the global reach through their activities. 

References:

Baumgartner, R.J., 2014. Managing corporate sustainability and CSR: A conceptual framework combining values, strategies and instruments contributing to sustainable development. Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, 21(5), pp.258-271.

Cameron, E. and Green, M., 2015. Making sense of change management: A complete guide to the models, tools and techniques of organisational change. Kogan Page Publishers.

Council, W.B., 2008. Beat the BBQ Bugs.

Klettner, A., Clarke, T. and Boersma, M., 2014. The governance of corporate sustainability: Empirical insights into the development, leadership and implementation of the responsible business strategy. Journal of Business Ethics, 122(1), pp.145-165.

Kuei, C.H. and Lu, M.H., 2013. Integrating quality management principles into sustainability management. Total Quality Management & Business Excellence, 24(1-2), pp.62-78.

Part, A., Human Resourcing At BBQ Fun.

Stringer, P. and Hourani, R.B., 2013. Homeschool relationships: a school management perspective. Educational Research for Policy and Practice, 12(2), pp.149-174.

Wang, G., Gunasekaran, A., Ngai, E.W. and Papadopoulos, T., 2016. Big data analytics in logistics and supply chain management: Certain investigations for research and applications. International Journal of Production Economics, 176, pp.98-110.