This is a research proposal focusing on the Arab Centre for Engineering Studies reviewing and analysing the existing methods of operations management as well as the opportunity for their development and possible improvement. Arab Centre for Engineering Studies is a company that is private operating is areas for a duration greater than 38 years. This organization has branches in every country that are within Gulf Cooperation Council and possess more than 2000 staff who are operating is similar activates fields. The Arab Centre for Engineering Studies is listed as the second largest company in the area a single system in the field of material testing and soil investigation.
ACES is currently suffering from serious economic situations such as competition in market, therefore, there is need of some significant improvements in the company for it at the top of other companies operating in the soil testing field, there is need of coming up with ways of reducing the production cost by incorporating the current ways of managing operations effectively and efficiently without the quality being affected. Some of the current methods that can be incorporated into the ACES when running their operations include the implementation of modern technology in the production and management process. The modern technologies that are currently being incorporated are the use of computers for documentation, communication, teleconferencing, and data storage (Army, 2012).
This proposal paper focuses on the methods that can be used in attaining this goal. Some of the subtopics discussed in this research paper is to evaluate the roles and responsibilities of operation manager in production, impacts of intervention of departments in production, potential of the company in terms of equipment and human resource, validity of machines and equipment used in production as well as their efficiency, importance of integrating resources and spreading the benefits to branches in a single region, and inventory of resources in the warehouses and stores as well as the likelihoods of their usage.
Materials testing ensure that organizational materials are fit for the current purpose which is a challenge to the person developing the material, manufacturing and operation the material across numerous companies worldwide. Soil investigation is also one of the activities performed by the Arab centre for Engineering Studies. Soil investigations are done by the engineering geologist who is employed by the ACES to acquire information on the physical properties of rock or soil within a site for foundation and earthwork designs for structures proposed (Bellgran, 2014).
The factors which can majorly improve the efficiency of the production process of ACES Company include promoting open communication, setting up the department of research and development, promoting the integration of resources, using management software, technological upgrade of the systems, and setting energy and resource management program. Other factors which are considered to be minor but can play an important role in improving the efficiency of a production process include allowing open opinion, setting achievable goals, embracing feedback, and identifying key productivity and performance factors of the company.
The total number of employees of ACES is more than 2000 in all the branches in Gulf Cooperation Council countries. Just like in any other company, there are five categories of employees in this company who are working the fields of soil investigation and material testing. The full-time employees perform their duties at a minimum duration provided by the management of the company of the heads of department. The allowable working duration for the full-time employees is normally 36 hours for a week. The full-time employees are given salaries which is a fixed amount of money for the amount of per hour. Full-time employees are normally given benefits such as paid time off and healthcare which are not affordable to any other working class (Biazzo, 2011).
Part-time employees carry out their duties at fewer hours than full-time employees. The approximate duration of working for this category of employees is less than 36 hours. They are normally more have a schedule that is more flexible. Temporary employees are employed for a given duration. They may work full-time or part-time hour, however, they normally are not entitled to get benefits of employees. Many temporary employees are employed through agencies of temporary employment while others are hired as temporary to permanent. The responsibilities and roles of the operation manager in production are explained below (Group, 2013).
ACES is suffering from the serious economic state, for the continuation of the company so as to top the companies operating in the soil testing field, there is need of coming up with ways of reducing the production cost by incorporating the current ways of managing operations effectively and efficiently without the quality being affected. The Arab Centre for Engineering Studies is currently suffering from serious economic situations, hence there is need of analysing and reviewing the current methods of operations management and opportunity for their possible improvement and development. This research proposal focuses on the ways of reducing the production cost through the introduction of current methods of managing operations effectively and efficiently without interfering with the quality.
Analyse and review the current methods of operations management and opportunity for their possible improvement and development.
The research questions motivated towards analysing and reviewing the current methods of managing operations and the chance for their development and possible improvements of the Arab Centre for Engineering Studies will be directed towards the company employees, government ministries, local communities, CEO of the to, and environmental experts. The following are the research questions that will be used when collecting data:
The research seeks to obtain the following objectives:
The Arab Centre for Engineering Studies is listed as the second largest company in the area operating in the field of material testing and investigation of soil (Sauzeat, 2015). The process of material testing and soil investigation are majorly done with an aim of improving the status of soil in a region. The soil investigation performed by the ACES involves subsurface exploration and surface exploration of the site in question. Geotechnical investigation is a term that is also used when referring to soli investigation which represents a technique of determining the physical properties of soil at a site of construction. This technique is performed with the intention of establishing if the soil is solid and safe for construction (Blecker, 2012).
Majority of the employees employed by the Arab Centre for Engineering Studies in the field of material testing and soil investigation are majorly technocrats who have specific educational backgrounds in the particular sections of the production process that they are currently working in. The soil investigation and material testing are two different departments in the company with each of them having different specialization of employees but sharing the same management. The employees of the ACES working in the field of material testing and soil investigation include operation manager, laboratory technicians, soil engineers, accountants, heads of departments, human resource managers, CEOs, branch managers and other nontechnical staffs. This information is important when analysing on the ways in which the efficiency of the production process in the company can be improved since these employees will play a critical role in achieving the required efficiency (Blecker, 2012).
There are two different types of operation manager in all the Gulf Cooperation Council countries and each of the operating manager managing the field of material testing and soil investigation. The roles of operation managers vary depending on the industry, however, the majority of the requirements of the position are constant (Pawlewski, 2013). Some of the roles of the operation manager that are similar include communication, controlling resources, and planning and scheduling. However, the variation of the roles of the operation manager vary depending on the types of resources and employees that the operation manager is controlling or communicating to (Biazzo, 2011). Operations managers are responsible for maintaining the profitable and smooth running of the soil investigation and material testing fields. The following are some of the roles and responsibilities of operation managers in the fields of soil investigation and material testing which can be used to improve the efficiency of the production process:
Communication: Effective communication can be an important factor which can be used to improve the efficiency of the company. This can be achieved when the operation manager communicates with other management professionals within the company to maintain the smooth running of the company as well as consists of other organizations and companies which the ACES does business with. The management professionals in the ACES can be categorized into soil investigation and material testing, where the soil investigation is a technique of determining the physical properties of soil at a site of construction and material testing ensures that important materials are fit for the current purpose which is a challenge to the person developing the material, manufacturing and operation the material across numerous companies worldwide (Look, 2016). Efficient and effective communication by the operation manager to the employees or other companies can improve the efficiency of the production process.
The operation manager can also frequently compile the financial statements and reports which are important for other to managerial employees of the company such as the CEOs. Some of the reports which can be compiled by the operation manager in both fields of soil investigation and material testing include the results of soil testing of a particular region, details of the materials tested, reports on payments made, and details of employees. Since every branch of ACES has its own operation manager, communication between the operation managers of different branches can improve the efficiency of production since they are likely to share information concerning their individual operations and research findings which will help other branches in improving their production as well as efficiency (Group, 2013).
Controlling Resources: Effective control of resources by the operation manager can improve the efficiency of the production process of the company. The operation manager can imorve the efficiency of production process by efficiently carrying out duties such as supervising the implementation of the payroll procedures and policies, details of the capital spent, allocation of funds for benefits packages, and payment of employees so as to maintain the smooth running of the company on the daily basis. The operation manager should frequently review the financial statements to make sure that the company is functioning as profitably and efficiently as possible. The operation manager is also involved in purchasing and disposing of new or outdated machines and equipment after consultation with the research and development department as well as the management of the branch. Effective resource control can improve the efficiency of the production process of the company.
Planning and Scheduling: The operations manager should ensure proper planning of numerous activities and operations of the company for the efficiency of the production process to be achieved. The operations manager should determine the services and products offered by the fields of soil investigation and material testing, the market targeted by the services offered, and also the prices of the various services in by the company. The operations manager should also assist in coordinating and planning activities between the two fields such as determining the types of promotions of sales that will be used by the company (Koda, 2015). Effective and efficient planning and scheduling by the operation manager can improve the production process of the company.
Formulating Policy and Administration Responsibilities: Effective formulation of policy is one of the major roles of the operation manager can also be a way through which efficiency of the production process can be improved. The two fields of ACES should effectively function and operate on the daily basis of the guidelines that are prescribed. These guidelines are normally put in place by the operations manager. These may involve diverse departments within the organization cooperate and communicate with each other. The policies can also entail disciplinary actions when the workers break the rules of the company. Proper policy formulation and administration responsibilities by the operation manager can improve the production process of the company.
Some of the departments that are present in the ACES and dealing with material testing and soil investigation include accounting and finance, human resource management, purchasing, and production departments. The other department that has been intervened in the organization include research and development departments. The intervention of departments is likely to impacts production positively or negatively. The research and development department is involved in coming up with innovation activities which will help in the improvement of the products of the companies (Koda, 2015).
The research and development department is staffed by engineers whose work is to come up with new methods of carrying out material testing and soil investigation by using their technological and scientific skills. The methods which they will come up will be implemented after thorough evaluating by the management since there is need of determining the cost of implementation of the new methods of soil investigation and material testing. The research and development department will positively impact on production by promoting better methods of carrying out soil investigation and material testing. However, the company is likely to use extra finances to employ qualified staff to run this department since the majority of the staff will be qualified engineers.
The intervention of sales and customer service departments are likely to affect the effect production positively or negatively. Through lowering the cost of shipping, the majority of customers will realize that they have the ability to open up markets that were initially unachievable to them. This provides the company with a chance to expand their customer base and grow sales. Accounting and finance department is also important since auditing discovering bill and freight bills errors will involve accounting in the supply chain. Managing parcel, negotiations of contracts with carriers, and budgeting involve finance and accounting personnel. Numerous companies struggle allocating accurately the transportation and freight costs to the correct general ledger code, department or locations (Lennon, 2010).
Data/technology department is involved in the harnessing data and technology in the organization. Through tracking incoming products and raw materials together with outgoing sales and shipments, inventory management is a significant driver of expense and profitability control. Proving managers and decision-makers with the ability to observe information they require to make the proper decision is critical currently. The manufacturing and purchasing department is an important department in case the company is involved in the transportation, logistics, and manufacturing of products of any kind. The major processes involved in this department are delivery, scheduling, purchasing, and planning. These processes will need management of extensive planning and inbound freight (Look, 2016).
There is need of building a trusted building a trusted relationship with basic carriers who understand the requirements and needs of the company regarding delivery schedules, lead times, and packaging. By making sure that the vendors are conforming to the transportation and logistics policies and terms of purchase provide the company with better leverage with the carriers hence improving efficiency. The logistics and transportation departments impact numerous departments in the company making it critical for a right person to supervise the processes.
ACES has a collection of numerous equipment which is used for the purposes of soil investigation and material testing. The equipment used for the investigation of soil is different from the equipment used in the process of material testing. The equipment used for soil investigation include auto level consolidometer, bishop pore pressure apparatus, coarse sieves, cone penetrometer, consolidation test apparatus, and digital C.B.R apparatus. The figure below shows one of the equipment used for soil investigation:
Figure 1: Cone Penetrometer
The cone penetrometer above is one of the major equipment used during the process of soil investigation, it consist of a core that is metallic with half angle of 15 inches and 30.50mm cone length. The equipment used for soil investigation; auto level consolidometer, bishop pore pressure apparatus, coarse sieves, cone penetrometer, consolidation test apparatus, and digital C.B.R apparatus were chosen by the ACES due to their high potential since they are characterized by minimum supervision, high degree of efficiency, longer duration of operation, little maintenance, low operation cost, and low initial cost. It is for these characteristics of the equipment used in soil investigation that makes the potential of the company to be high and reliable in terms of equipment (Materials, 2011).
The equipment used for the process of material testing were chosen wisely by both research and development department and also the management of the organization. Examples of this equipment include bitumen testing apparatus, aggregate test equipment, concrete compressive strength testing machines, soil test apparatus, digital compression testing machines, aggregate testing equipment, soil testing equipment, and compressive strength testing equipment. The equipment mentioned above was designed by the research and development departments which is the sector equipped and designated to carry out research of the latest technology to be used in production in the files of soil investigation and material testing. The equipment above were selected after a thorough evaluation of their energy consumption, efficiency, initial cost, lifespan, and maintenance cost (Pawlewski, 2013).
The figure below shows one of the equipment used during the process of material testing:
Figure 2: Bitumen Testing Equipment
Human Resource is the individuals who make up the workforce in the fields of soil investigation and material testing under the organization of ACES. The workforce employed in the fields of soil investigation and material testing are majorly professionals whose areas of specialization is soil science and material testing. Majority of the employees employed by the Arab Centre for Engineering Studies in the field of material testing and soil investigation are majorly technocrats who have specific educational backgrounds in the particular sections of the production process that they are currently working in.
The employees of the ACES working in the field of material testing and soil investigation include operation manager, laboratory technicians, soil engineers, accountants, heads of departments, human resource managers, CEOs, branch managers and other nontechnical staffs. The total number of employees of ACES is more than 2000 in all the branches of Gulf Cooperation Council countries. The human resource of the company is of high potential since the workforce are selected from their academics, work experience, and qualifications (Pawlewski, 2013).
The high ranks in the organization are occupied by those employees who have been promoted from junior ranks to top management and have been working in the company since it began its operations. The top management are employees who have worked in the company for a long duration making them well conversant with all the issues and challenges that are likely to affect the production process in the company. The human resource has also been integrated by the management such that the employees can easily be transferred from one branch of ACES to another to enable sharing of ideas and coming up with new operation methods that are effective (Thollander, 2014).
The machines and equipment used by the company for the purposes of soil investigation and material are specifically meant to be used in these particular areas. The equipment designed by the research and development department are implemented after considering their cost, power consumption, efficiency, cost of installation, effects on production, and validity. The machines and equipment used in the material testing include bitumen testing apparatus, aggregate test equipment, concrete compressive strength testing machines, soil test apparatus, digital compression testing machines, aggregate testing equipment, soil testing equipment, and compressive strength testing equipment.
The machines and equipment used in the process of soil investigation by ACES include auto level consolidometer, bishop pore pressure apparatus, coarse sieves, cone penetrometer, consolidation test apparatus, and digital C.B.R apparatus. These machines and equipment were chosen by the ACES due to their high potential since they are characterized by minimum supervision, a high degree of efficiency, longer duration of operation, little maintenance, low operation cost, and low initial cost. The machines and equipment used in fields of soil investigation and material testing are valid and their efficiency area also high since they are all approved by the department of research and development whose workforce is qualified (Bellgran, 2014).
The research and development department is each branch is equipped with all the machines and equipment are necessary for designing and testing of any equipment that can be used for the purposes of production in the company. Any machine that is bought from other organizations is first tested in this department to ensure that they comply with the system of the company before being implemented. Majority of the machines developed by other companies are not conforming to the system hence there is need of evaluating the machines first when they are brought before being implemented to the system (Biazzo, 2011).
Integration is the process of bringing together components into single systems that work as one. Integration of resources is a process of bringing resources into a single systems so as they perform as one. Integration of resources is normally a difficult process specifically when integrating legacy application that is existing with Web services or new application. The following are some of the basics of integration of resources:
Integration of resources is an important process that will enable effective operation of ACES in the fields of soil investigation and material testing. Integration of resources is effective for the case of this organization since it has branches in all of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries and for efficient operation, all the resources need to be integrated into a single management. The challenges faced by the management during the implementation of resource integration is the inherent difficulties in linking numerous diverse systems that are existing which can be produced by numerous diverse companies. Other challenges of integrating resources are lack of unifying or coherent data structure joining all the different branches of ACES is all the GCC countries, an unwieldy framework of diverse systems and the real information delivery to critical organization units that require it (Blecker, 2012).
The integration of resources is beneficial to the managerial of all the branches of ACES since this process helps in streamlining the sales and marketing processes, updating and organizing customer information with the customer information with the hopes of strengthening the relationships with customers and boosting growth and revenue. The major reason of integrating resources used in the soil investigation and material testing is to prevent manual entry of data which will save employees time by eliminating tedious, unnecessary, or redundant everyday steps. For instance, the organization may integrate its website with its software of marketing automation to convey information concerning the customer directly into the single system. Any action taken on the website by the prospect can be logged and a fresh record created automatically in the system (D’Appolonia, 2015).
The integration of human resource by the company promotes faster recruitment, promotion, suspension, shuffling of employees in all the branches in GCC countries. This is because all the branches will be linked under a single management and all the information concerning the employees will be channelled from the top. The integration of resources will also ensure that all the machines and equipment used in the organization for the purposes of soil investigation and material testing are designed and approved by all the research and development departments which will promote low cost of purchasing machines and equipment since they will be bought in bulk for all the branches in GCC countries (Koda, 2015).
Resources inventory is the periodic assessment of the changing condition and status of the resources in warehouses and stores owned by the ACES. Some of the resources that are stored by this organization in the warehouses and stores to assist in soil investigation include the machines and equipment used in the material testing such as bitumen testing apparatus, aggregate test equipment, concrete compressive strength testing machines, soil test apparatus, digital compression testing machines, aggregate testing equipment, soil testing equipment, and compressive strength testing equipment (Pawlewski, 2013). The examples of resources stored in the warehouses and stores for the purposes of soil investigation by ACES include auto level consolidometer, bishop pore pressure apparatus, coarse sieves, cone penetrometer, consolidation test apparatus, and digital C.B.R apparatus. Other resources that are stored by the organization include samples of materials being tested such as soil samples, polymers, plastics, and composites (Lennon, 2010).
Resources inventory is a complex process, specifically for a company as large as ACES, however, the basics are essentially similar regardless of the type and size of the organization. During the inventory process, machines, equipment and samples being tested are delivered to the receiving area of the warehouse and then put into shelves, stock areas or laboratory for testing. The inventory of resources uses numerous data in keeping track of the machines and equipment as they are kept after being used for their various functions. The types of data used in storing keeping track of the machines, equipment and samples to be tested or investigated include dates received, quality of samples, cost of the machine, serial numbers, and lot numbers. The procedure will usually give the step by step assistance on the way of managing every aspect of warehousing should cover:
Currently, the organization has incorporated an inventory management software system which began as a simple spreadsheet which was used for tracking soil or material samples to be tested on investigated in the warehouse. This system maintains track of soil or materials samples to be tested or investigated as can also track these resources across several locations of warehouses which are situated in other branches in other GCC countries. This software can determine the costs which can be in numerous currencies used by all the GCC countries so that the accounting system always have an accurate assessment of the value of the materials (Look, 2016).
Benefits of Inventory of Resources between Branches
Save on storage cost: Warehousing is normally a variable cost which means that it fluctuates depending on the amount of product that the branches of the organization are storing. When a huge quantity of products are stored at once or end up with products that are difficult to market, the cost of storage is likely to rise. When this is avoided, a lot of cash will be saved.
Improvement of cash flow: Inventory of resources not only save money but also improves the flow of cash in numerous ways. This is because inventory is a product that is likely to be paid for using cash and also is likely to be sold in cash. It is for this reason why the inventory is factored into the cash flow management. Inventory affects both expenses by dictating what the company is buying and sales by dictating how much the company is selling. Both the sales and expenses heavily factor into how much cash the branch will be having on hand.
Avoiding dead stock: Deadstock is a stock which can no longer be sold, however, not because it has expired. Some of the reasons why a stock may become a dead stock is if the product is difficult to sell or when there is difficulty to sell the product (Biazzo, 2011).
Avoiding spoilage: If one of the branches of ACES has a product that may be having an expiry date, there is a real opportunity that is it gets spoilt then it will not be sold on time. The management of solid inventory assists in avoiding spoilage that is unnecessary. Inventory of resources also makes the management keep track on goods that have stayed in the warehouse or store for long. These goods can be disposed of before they could get spoiled or even recycled to prevent wastage and pollution of the environment.
Improving Efficiency and Developments of the Company
The current methods of operation management can be termed as outdated as there is need of improving the operations as well as creating chances for development. One of the developments and improvements that can be made by the ACES is the fields of soil investigation and material testing is the implementation of the research and development department which is involved in coming up with innovation activities which will help in the improvement of the products of the companies. The research and development department is staffed by engineers whose work is to come up with new methods of carrying out material testing and soil investigation by using their technological and scientific skills (Blecker, 2012).
The methods which they will come up will be implemented after thorough evaluating by the management since there is need of determining the cost of implementation of the new methods of soil investigation and material testing. The research and development department will positively impact on production by promoting better methods of carrying out soil investigation and material testing. Integration of resources should be also be done to the level of human resource as a way of improving efficiency and promoting the development of the ACES in the fields of soil investigation and material testing.
Elimination of communication barriers from within the company is also another factor that can be implemented to improve the production process in ACES. There is need of creating a system of the network which enables workers to share and store information from the central hub. This will encourage an open-door culture where employees are not afraid to give feedback and suggestions to their co-workers and management. Better communication improves the company’s efficiency by making sure that every relevant party have access to the data they require to work effectively. Communication between the branch operational managers to enable sharing of information are well as their research findings to improve the efficiency of both the branches (Thollander, 2014).
Another way of improving the efficiency of the production process is the implementation of an inventory management software system. The inventory management software system began as a simple spreadsheet which was used for tracking soil or material samples to be tested on investigated in the warehouse. This system maintains track of soil or materials samples to be tested or investigated as can also track these resources across several locations of warehouses which are situated in other branches in other GCC countries. This software can determine the costs which can be in numerous currencies used by all the GCC countries so that the accounting system always have an accurate assessment of the value of the materials (Pawlewski, 2013).
The organization can also integrate its website with its software of marketing automation to convey information concerning the customer directly into the single system. Any action taken on the website by the prospect can be logged and a fresh record created automatically in the system. The integration of human resource by the company promotes faster recruitment, promotion, suspension, shuffling of employees in all the branches in GCC countries. This is because all the branches will be linked to a single management and all the information concerning the employees will be channelled from the top. However, marketing automation software requires being constantly updated for it to perform optimally. The software is also prone to attack by viruses which can be prevented through upgrading and installation of antivirus to protect the software as well as the systems in the organization (Koda, 2015).
The integration of resources will also ensure that all the machines and equipment used in the organization for the purposes of soil investigation and material testing are designed and approved by all the research and development departments which will promote low cost of purchasing machines and equipment since they will be bought in bulk for all the branches in GCC countries. It is also important to analyse the worker’s workspaces for ergonomic standards so as to educate the staff on some important basis. Consulting ergonomic standards is also an important way of improving the efficiency of the production process. This can be done by bringing in a professional and holding a seminar to educate the employees on the standards. The office equipment supplied to the employees should also comply with the ergonomic standards such as keyboards, footrest, and chairs. This should not be considered as an expense but rather an investment which will improve profitability returns and also the productivity of employees (Pawlewski, 2013).
Analysing the employee processes is also an important step in improving the efficiency of production process since this gauge the overall performance of the employees by taking a poll of the current employees. This can be done by having direct supervisors spending a few hours with every department to evaluate how every team handles individual tasks. Then later meeting can be organized with the supervisor to compare notes and discuss if they are efficient or faster in performing their duties. This method can greatly be enabled by increasing the practices of communication. When this collaboration is enhanced, extra work can be completed leading to improvement in the production process (Pawlewski, 2013).
It is also important to analyse the worker’s workspaces for ergonomic standards so as to educate the staff on some important basis. Consulting ergonomic standards is also an important way of improving the efficiency of the production process. This can be done by bringing in a professional and holding a seminar to educate the employees on the standards. The office equipment supplied to the employees should also comply with the ergonomic standards such as keyboards, footrest, and chairs. This should not be considered as an expense but rather an investment which will improve profitability returns and also the productivity of employees (Bellgran, 2014).
There is also a need for identifying key productivity and performance factors for the company. These factors include customer satisfaction and production stock. Goals that are achievable should be set in those cases and make a number of employees to be accountable for attaining those goals. Results should be evaluated and measured periodically for confirmation. To make sure that the goals are attained, the stock could be regularly monitored satisfaction of the customers measured by a survey given to each client. The management should use the information gathered to measure and monitor the performance of the employees assigned to attain these goals. The information gotten can also be used in promotion of employees or demotion so as hard work and dedication are encouraged at all time (Army, 2012).
The tools of the research work would be greatly directed towards pragmatism approach where questionnaires would be forwarded to the employees in the line of products including top management and sites staffs. It would be both qualitative and quantitative based on questionnaires sent through emails as well as face to face interviews. A stratified sampling method will best suit the purpose of research work and collect answers from numerous grades of newly appointed employees. The research would be conducted using the qualitative research method.
The methodology is the composed system within which a research is conducted or the theories upon which the research is conducted. The chapter in addition to outlining the research strategy also explains the choice of the researcher to advance his studies by explanatory case study. It is also to find out among others by interviewing and observing the way in which the efficiency of the ACES can be improved by improving the current methods of operations. By this, the researcher seeks to unravel evidence as a complement to theory-based practice. The case study is intended to explain the real-life situations which in itself can provide leads to further theories (Group, 2013).
The chapter further outlines the research strategy, method, and the approach and data collection techniques. These are explained in detail throughout the study. It is also noted that their benefits and advantages taking into account their applicability to the research. While conducting this research, the writer, that only a few researchers are focusing on improving the efficiency of the production process in ACES. This is on account of the fact that the writer finds it difficult to gather recent materials on the production process of ACES. Therefore, the work is in the form of new research interviews were but consideration is given to the existing literature. It is therefore relevant to delve into the literature to find out what discoveries other researchers have made about the subject (Lennon, 2010).
The key feature of the qualitative study is that it is suitable for minor illustrations. The results cannot be measured but can be quantified. The quantities of qualitative research borders on knowledge, skills as well as capabilities of researchers. The results may be personal because of the assumption that the outcomes are basically coming from the researcher’s judgements and personal interpretations. Indeed, this judgement is more appropriate for a small sample as used in this research (Paleologos, 2014).
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Quantitative Research |
Qualitative Research |
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The aim is to arrange according to groups, count and construct statistical models. This is to explain in detail observation made |
The aim is complete and detailed. |
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The researcher knows in advance clearly what is at stake. |
The researcher may not have sufficient knowledge in advance what is at stake |
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Suggestions during latter stages of researcher projects |
Suggestions during previous stages of investigation activities |
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All features of the training are meticulously planned before facts are collected. |
The result arises as the training progresses |
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Researcher uses instruments such as set of questions |
Researcher uses the data collection information |
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Materials are in the form of statistics and numbers. |
Materials are in the form of pictures, objects and words. |
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Measurable materials are, more reliable and able to test the hypothesis about may not be able to meet detail (Bellgran, 2014) |
Qualitative materials are more quality time to consume and difficult to be generalised (Koda, 2015) |
The participants who were issued with questionnaire included company employees, government ministries, local communities, CEO of the organization, and environmental experts. The participants will, however, respond to an online questionnaire. Participants are made to be aware that the research was purely academic and that results would only be for academic publication. Further, the respondents would remain anonymous. Only some demographic information such as sex, age and education may be exposed. Convinced with the introduction, all participants participated freely. For the purposes of this research, in-depth personal interviews were used (Thollander, 2014).
The interview was purely based on personal observations and structured questions. The aim is to uncover the participant’s emotions, feelings and their personal impression of those employees working in ACES under the fields of soil investigation and material testing. Data would also through conversations, group discussions and in-text observations. Personal interviews and discussion afford the opportunity for the interviewer and the interviewee to interact and establish contacts directly. This situation invariably eliminates low response rates. Perhaps the interviewer may have to develop the necessary skills to successfully achieve targets (Army, 2012).
The participants of this research represent the total member of people by way of a complete headcount and everything the research seeks to uncover. The survey will be administered to a total of 50 participants. The participants included company employees, government ministries, local communities, CEO of the organization, and environmental experts. Participants will complete a survey that provides demographic information about them to ensure confidentiality. The respondents will be referred to by the letters A, B, C, D, etc. Ages of the participants will range from 21 to 70, with the majority of participants in their late forties. Majority of the managerial staff have worked in the company for long and it’s for this reason why they have been promoted to their current ranks (Army, 2012). Educational levels will vary as well from those with little education through middle school to graduate level. Respondents will also too in English or any of the native languages they are conversant in. Participants will be the people who have had actual exposure or have been employed in ACES under the fields of soil investigation and material testing engaged in within the last 3 years.
Inductive approach in research is where the information is expected to be generated from a new theory which is emerging from the data. This approach is associated with qualitative research and uses research question in generating the new theory. Deductive approach is aimed at testing theory with the major focus being on quantitative research. This research on the ways of improving efficiency of the production process in ACES, both the inductive and deductive approaches we used in gathering the information on the ways in which the company can improve its efficiency.
This approach uses questionnaires and research questions in gathering information on ways of improving efficiency of the production process in the industry. These inductive approaches are discussed below:
The research questions motivated towards analysing and reviewing the current methods of managing operations and a chance for their development and possible improvements of the Arab Centre for Engineering Studies will be directed towards the company workers, heads of department, government ministries, local communities, CEO of the organization, and environmental experts. The following are the research questions that will be used when collecting data:
Q1: What are the roles of operation manager?
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Q2: What are some of the responsibilities of an operation manager in production?
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Q3: Which are some of the departments that intervene during the production process?
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Q4: What are some of the impacts of the intervention of these departments in production?
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Q5: What are the potential of the company in terms of equipment and human resource?
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Q6: Which are some of the equipment and machines that are used in the production?
Q7: What are the efficiency of these machines and equipment used in production?
Highly satisfactory
Satisfactory
Neutral
Unsatisfactory
Highly satisfactory
Q8: Which are some of the resources in the company that have been integrated?
Q9: Are there benefits in integrating resources and spreading the benefits to branches in one region?
Yes No
The researcher adopted a semi-structured interview format. This formed the basis of primary data collection strategy of this research. It is also identified as a suitable method of qualitative research as it allowed for vivid descriptions of ways of improving the efficiency of the production process in ACES. The issues regarding interview address each participant’s understanding of issues involved. This places both the researcher and the respondent on the same level. Interviews are viewed as a basic discussion which the researcher must structure to ensure the continuous cordial relationship throughout the interview session. The interview session was timed during the day which provided a maximum amount of time. Interviews lasted between 20 to 40 minutes which also allowed digressions to other topical but important issues (Bellgran, 2014).
The following are some of the questions that the selected individuals were asked during the interview:
Company employees; during the visit to the ACES, the research team should interview the company employees who are involved in the active operation of soil investigation and material analysis. The company employees who are targeted for the interview include directors, section head, diversity officers, director, as well as ordinary workers who are the lowest in the ranking. The following are the questions which the company employees will be required to answer: How valid are the equipment and machines used in production? What are some of the benefits of integrating resources? What are some of the benefits of keeping an inventory of resources? How can current methods of operation be improved? How can the efficiency of your department be improved? (Pawlewski, 2013)
Heads of departments: The heads of department were also targeted for the interview since they are directly involved in the normal operations in the fields of soil investigation and material testing. The departmental heads directly deal with the employees within the specific departments. The heads of department are involved in the recruitment, promotion, and demotion of employees. They have authority to motivate the employees who are working with them through giving them time off or even weekend pass. The heads of department sometimes implement new methods of operation within their areas of jurisdiction which may affect the overall production of the company either negatively or positively. The following are the questions which the heads of departments will be required to answer; how valid and efficient are the machines and equipment used in your department? What is the impact of the intervention of your department on production? How can the efficiency of your department be improved? How can current methods of operation be improved? (Pawlewski, 2013)
Operation manager; the operation manager is responsible for maintaining the profitable and smooth running of the soil investigation and material testing fields. Each branch of ACES has its own operation manager that ensures that the company is functioning well and productivity is realized. The following are the questions which the operation manager will be asked: What are your roles and responsibilities as an operation manager? What is the potential of the company in terms of equipment and human resource? What is the validity and efficiency of the machines and equipment used in production? How can current methods of operation be improved? What are the benefits of integrating resources? What are some of the ways of increasing the production? (Look, 2016)
Management and CEO of the company; the management of each branch of ACES are involved in the general management of the organization. The management approves the major decisions made by heads of department and operation managers of each branch of ACES. There are usually general meetings where the management of different branches of the company are expected to attend and share information on ways of improving the efficiency of the production process. The following are some of the questions that the management will be asked: What is the potential of the company in terms of equipment and human resource? How can current methods of operation be improved? What is the potential of the company in terms of equipment and human resource? What are the benefits of integrating resources? What are some of the ways of increasing the production? (Koda, 2015)
Government Ministry; each of the GCC countries is being regulated by the various governments of the countries which the ACES is located. The government’s rules and regulations affect the development of industries directly. The regulation also protects the rights of employees such as limiting the duration through which the employees can be at their places of work or the minimum amount of salaries that they are expected to earn. The following are some of the questions that the government ministries will be required to answer: How can current methods of company operation be improved in this country? What are the benefits of integrating resources into companies? What are the benefits of integrating resources into the companies? (Koda, 2015)
ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS
Like other studies, the current research was subjected to certain ethical issues. The ACES Company is operating under difficult economic times, therefore, there is a perception that the company is not ready to in-cooperate new methods of improving efficiency of the production process. For this reason, all participants were requested to sign a written acceptance to participate, through a signed consent briefing letter. Respondents are further requested to sign a questioning and removal letter. The goal of all letters is to guarantee contributors that their sections were not under duress and that they can withdraw at any stage. Also, the researcher is much aware that sharing information about respondents with others other than the purpose for which the research is conducted is unethical (Look, 2016).
During the course of the research, the researcher was conscious that should some information be shared to advance the course of the research, it was done anonymously. The researcher was also aware that it will be unethical to be negligent in not protecting the confidentiality of useful information gathered from respondents. Further the participants received enough briefings regarding the objectives of their study and that their responses were treated as confidential. Apart from the above, the participants were not subjected to any form of abuse or ridicule in any way. The researcher ensured that the interviews were conducted in a calm and friendly atmosphere. In this direction, the researcher remained focused and acted fairly towards the respondents (Blecker, 2012).
The research questions motivated towards analysing and reviewing the current methods of managing operations and the chance for their development and possible improvements of the Arab Centre for Engineering Studies will be directed towards the company workers, heads of department, government ministries, local communities, CEO of the organization, and environmental experts. The total number of participants were fifty in number. The table below shows the data gotten from the research:
|
Possible way of improving efficiency of production process in ACES |
No of participants |
% of participants complying |
Comment |
|
Promoting open communication |
50 |
81 |
The promotion of open communication is a major factor in improving the efficiency of the production process. |
|
Setting up the department of research and development |
50 |
82 |
Setting up the department of research and development is a major factor in improving the efficiency of the production process of the company. |
|
Promoting integration of resources |
50 |
87 |
The promotion of integration of resources is a major factor in improving efficiency of production process of ACES company |
|
Using management software |
50 |
94 |
The use of management software is a major factor in improving the efficiency of the production process of the company |
|
Setting achievable goals |
50 |
58 |
Setting up of achievable goals is a minor factor of improving the efficiency of the production process of the company |
|
Technological upgrade of the systems |
50 |
91 |
Technological upgrade of the systems is a major factor of improving the efficiency of the production process of the company |
|
Embracing feedback |
50 |
68 |
Embracing feedback is a minor factor in improving efficiency of the production process |
|
Allowing open opinion |
50 |
51 |
Allowing an open opinion is a minor factor in improving the efficiency of production process of the company |
|
Consulting ergonomic standards |
50 |
65 |
Consultation with the ergonomic standards is a minor factor of improving the efficiency of the production process of ACES company |
|
Setting energy and resource management program |
50 |
75 |
Setting energy and resource management program is a major factor in improving the efficiency of production process of ACES company |
|
Identifying key productivity and performance factors of the company |
50 |
63 |
Identification of key productivity and performance factors of the company is a minor factor in improving the efficiency of the production process of ACES. |
From the results gotten from the respondents, the factors which majorly improves the efficiency of the production process of ACES Company include promoting open communication, setting up the department of research and development, promoting the integration of resources, using management software, technological upgrade of the systems, and setting energy and resource management program. The minor factors that are likely to improve the efficiency of the production process in the company of ACES include allowing open opinion, setting achievable goals, embracing feedback, and identifying key productivity and performance factors of the company.
Other factors which improve the efficiency of the production process in the ACES Company which were mentioned less by the respondents include encouraging employees to chat face-to-face, limiting interruptions, sticking with established process, use task management software, streamlining social media marketing efforts, and analysing employee processes. Setting achievable goals help the employees see a future and a reason to maintain what they are working on. If the set goals are easily attainable, they employees will not be motivated to work extra hard hence they will become bored making the efficiency to go down. When the gaols are too far to an extent that they cannot be attained by the employees, the workers will become downtrodden by their hard work and ultimately stop trying. It is wise to set goals that are achievable that can easily be attained by the employees when they work extra hard (Blecker, 2012).
Elimination of communication barriers from within the company is also another factor that can be implemented to improve the production process in ACES. There is need of creating a system of the network which enables workers to share and store information from the central hub. This will encourage an open-door culture where employees are not afraid to give feedback and suggestions to their co-workers and management. Better communication improves the company’s efficiency by making sure that every relevant party have access to the data they require to work effectively. Communication between the branch operational managers to enable sharing of information are well as their research findings to improve the efficiency of both the branches.
Embracing feedback is also an important factor that is believed to be a way of improving the efficiency of the production process since even the employees normally have their own opinions. It is critical for the management to embrace feedback, both negative and positive through creating an outlet for the feedback. This can be done by designating a general hub in the company for the employees to make suggestions and communicate concerning any issue affecting them. Numerous employees can also do this through particular website centred on the issues of human resource (Look, 2016).
It is also important to analyse the worker’s workspaces for ergonomic standards so as to educate the staff on some important basis. Consulting ergonomic standards is also an important way of improving the efficiency of the production process. This can be done by bringing in a professional and holding a seminar to educate the employees on the standards. The office equipment supplied to the employees should also comply with the ergonomic standards such as keyboards, footrest, and chairs. This should not be considered as an expense but rather an investment which will improve profitability returns and also the productivity of employees (Materials, 2011).
Analysing the employee processes is also an important step in improving the efficiency of production process since this gauge the overall performance of the employees by taking a poll of the current employees. This can be done by having direct supervisors spending a few hours with every department to evaluate how every team handles individual tasks. Then later meeting can be organized with the supervisor to compare notes and discuss if they are efficient or faster in performing their duties. This method can greatly be enabled by increasing the practices of communication. When this collaboration is enhanced, extra work can be completed leading to improvement in the production process (Pawlewski, 2013).
There is also a need for identifying key productivity and performance factors for the company. These factors include customer satisfaction and production stock. Goals that are achievable should be set in those cases and make a number of employees to be accountable for attaining those goals. Results should be evaluated and measured periodically for confirmation. To make sure that the goals are attained, the stock could be regularly monitored satisfaction of the customers measured by a survey given to each client. The management should use the information gathered to measure and monitor the performance of the employees assigned to attain these goals.
The research and development department is one of the major factors that can improve the efficiency of the production process. It is involved in coming up with innovation activities which will help in the improvement of the products of the companies. The research and development department is staffed by engineers whose work is to come up with new methods of carrying out material testing and soil investigation by using their technological and scientific skills. The methods which they will come up will be implemented after thorough evaluating by the management since there is need of determining the cost of implementation of the new methods of soil investigation and material testing (Thollander, 2014).
The research and development department will positively impact on production by promoting better methods of carrying out soil investigation and material testing. However, the company is likely to use extra finances to employ qualified staff to run this department since the majority of the staff will be qualified engineers. The organization can also integrate its website with its software of marketing automation to convey information concerning the customer directly into the single system. Any action taken on the website by the prospect can be logged and a fresh record created automatically in the system. The integration of human resource by the company promotes faster recruitment, promotion, suspension, shuffling of employees in all the branches in GCC countries. This is because all the branches will be linked to a single management and all the information concerning the employees will be channelled from the top (Koda, 2015).
The integration of resources will also ensure that all the machines and equipment used in the organization for the purposes of soil investigation and material testing are designed and approved by all the research and development departments which will promote low cost of purchasing machines and equipment since they will be bought in bulk for all the branches in GCC countries. Another way of improving the efficiency of the production process is the implementation of an inventory management software system. The inventory management software system began as a simple spreadsheet which was used for tracking soil or material samples to be tested on investigated in the warehouse.
This system maintains track of soil or materials samples to be tested or investigated as can also track these resources across several locations of warehouses which are situated in other branches in other GCC countries. This software can determine the costs which can be in numerous currencies used by all the GCC countries so that the accounting system always have an accurate assessment of the value of the materials (Koda, 2015).
The researcher adopts qualitative content analysis method. The content analysis is an objective technique employed by drawing systematic conclusions about a project. Indeed, most researchers regard content analysis as an adaptable form of analysing data. This development encourages the researcher to assemble data in a more sensible and reliable manner thereby making meaningful to the users of the research. Describing the issues involved, classifying data as well as making connections. This framework served as a yardstick to guide the researcher in analysing the case study observation and interview before drawing the conclusion. In order to understand help, the researcher needed a systematic coding system.
When using measurement for an opinion as part of data collection, validity and reliability tests are paramount. Therefore, the writer is aware that for research to be credible and reliable, it should be acceptable to the ACES Company in which it is conducted. Further, it should be acceptable to the academic society and practitioners at large. It is beings the above that the writer adopted tried and tested research strategies and data collection techniques which provide ample credibility to the research methods. Further, the researcher has painstakingly paid attention to details during the interview and data collection sessions. This enhances the dependability and conformability of the research.
Indeed, the writer is aware that using the right data collecting techniques such as group discussions, interviews and questionnaires are sufficient to build a case for credibility. It is in view of the above that the writer adopted the above methods to make his research valid. The writer used the right research approach and techniques suitable for the project bearing in mind that reliability of the research depends upon the analytical ability of the researcher and the quality of data collected. Flowing from the above, the researcher seeks to employ the following measures to ensure credibility of the research: The writer selected the appropriate time scale considering the availability of the respondents; The appropriate methodology has to be chosen to help unravel the motivation for choosing the type of trade; Much fairer method of sampling has to be selected to ensure accuracy; The respondents must not be influenced in any way to select specific choice of answer sets. It is, therefore, significant to ensure that the threat of research reliability is minimized as much as possible.
The subject of bias may also impact positively or negatively on the research; therefore, the researcher remained neutral during the course of the techniques employed in data collection to avoid contaminating results. Noting further that bias may result from using randomly sample size data. Also, missing data from the dependent variable of an analysis may be also the cause of research bias. On the part of the researcher, there may be self-selection of the sample size of individuals who may be interviewed. This may be subjective therefore researcher bias may render the research conclusion to be unreliable. To avoid the effect of the above the writer employed “intact” observation method to review data. Although it is difficult for biases can be eliminated completely especially so when the interviewees seek to please the interviewer, awareness, firmness and total self-control of the process did the trick.
Like every study, the researcher encountered the following disadvantages: The sample size was moderately small – 50 contributors. A larger size of the sample would perhaps have been more reliable. In many cases, the participants refused to speak against their organisation. The qualitative research method did not allow full measurement of the examined problems. There is the problem of social desirability which means interviewees give the most acceptable reply socially to a question instead of the absolute truth, and also the need for training examiners and the required time to carry out the interviews was a financial disadvantage. There were a few challenges relating to translation as some interviewees spoke in native languages and certain expressions and words had to be interpreted differently in English. The researcher could not verify if the translations were according to the exact words and important information may have been lost in translation. Further, privacy and freedom from distraction were a problem during interviews. Household interviews were constantly interrupted by children and adults. Also, there were distractions from telephones and television sets. Interviewing in public was noisy and uncomfortable.
Potential Value of Research
The financial cost of the research that was carried out to determine ways of improving the efficiency of the production process in the Arab Center for Engineering Studies can be estimated to be 10,000 Dollar. The following table provides the breakdown of the different expenses that will be incurred by the research team:
|
Expense |
Cost (Dollars) |
|
Accommodation |
2500 |
|
Transportation |
1800 |
|
Cost of equipment |
3700 |
|
Allowances for the research team |
2000 |
Various data for the research were collected between Dec 22nd and Jan, 2nd 2018. The next chapter represents the outcome of the primary research findings and in-depth analysis. This gives the strengths, opportunities and shortcomings of the research findings while drawing the relevant conclusions and recommendations that will guide future research on the subject matter.
Conclusion
This is a research proposal focusing on the Arab Centre for Engineering Studies reviewing and analysing the existing methods of operations management as well as an opportunity for their development and possible improvement. Just like any other company, ACES is suffering from serious economic state, for the continuation of the company so as to top the companies operating in the soil testing field, there is need of coming up with ways of reducing the production cost by incorporating the current ways of managing operations effectively and efficiently without the quality being affected. Materials testing ensure that important materials are fit for the current purpose which is a challenge to the person developing the material, manufacturing and operation the material across numerous companies worldwide.
Soil investigation is also one of the activities performed by the Arab centre for Engineering Studies. Soil investigations are done by the engineering geologist who is employed by the ACES to acquire information on the physical properties of rock or soil within a site for foundation and earthwork designs for structures proposed. Majority of the employees employed by the Arab Centre for Engineering Studies in the field of material testing and soil investigation are majorly technocrats who have specific educational backgrounds in the particular sections of the production process that they are currently working in. Some of the departments that are present in the ACES and dealing with material testing and soil investigation include accounting and finance, human resource management, purchasing, and production departments.
The equipment used for soil investigation include auto level consolidometer, bishop pore pressure apparatus, coarse sieves, cone penetrometer, consolidation test apparatus, and digital C.B.R apparatus. The employees of the ACES working in the field of material testing and soil investigation include operation manager, laboratory technicians, soil engineers, accountants, heads of departments, human resource managers, CEOs, branch managers and other nontechnical staffs. From the results gotten from the respondents, the factors which majorly improves the efficiency of the production process of ACES Company include promoting open communication, setting up the department of research and development, promoting the integration of resources, using management software, technological upgrade of the systems, and setting energy and resource management program.
From the research done to determine the ways through which the efficiency of the production process can be improved in the ACES Company, the factors that can be implemented to realize an improvement in the efficiency in production include technological upgrade of the systems, setting energy and resource management program, promoting open communication, setting up the department of research and development, promoting integration of resources, and using management software. The research and development department is involved in coming up with innovation activities which will help in the improvement of the products of the companies. The research and development department will positively impact on production by promoting better methods of carrying out soil investigation and material testing.
There is also a need for integration of human resource together with other resources. The integration of human resource by the company will promote faster recruitment, promotion, suspension, shuffling of employees in all the branches in GCC countries. This is because all the branches will be linked to a single management and all the information concerning the employees will be channelled from the top. The organization can also incorporate an inventory management software system which began as a simple spreadsheet which was used for tracking soil or material samples to be tested on investigated in the warehouse.
This system maintains track of soil or materials samples to be tested or investigated as can also track these resources across several locations of warehouses which are situated in other branches in other GCC countries. The integration of resources should also be implemented by the ACES. This will also ensure that all the machines and equipment used in the organization for the purposes of soil investigation and material testing are designed and approved by all the research and development departments which will promote low cost of purchasing machines and equipment since they will be bought in bulk for all the branches in GCC countries.
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