Task 1- Role of operation management

In the hardcore competitive environment, running the internal functionality of a firm in a systematic manner is the key of attaining success from business. There lies the significance of operation management, which can have a firm impact on ensuring consistency in business process. Hill (2017) commented that operation management, in its simplest form, is considered as the procedure of planning, aligning and organizing all the necessary resources and thereby produce high quality of products and services as per the requirements of customers. As the customers are becoming more and more demanding, the intensity of competition is also increasing in a rapid manner. Thus, the corporate entities should implement effective strategy in terms of managing their internal functionality in a comprehensive manner.

As discussed by Hill, Jones & Schilling (2014) with the assistance of effective operation management strategy, the firms can be able to amplify their production procedure. Present paper will focus on the notion of maintaining strategy quality, which is the key of attaining competitive advantage. Grand Millennium Hotel Kuala Lumpur has been chosen as the organization. The significance of quality and operation management in order to attain competitive advantage will be discussed. As the uncertainty in the business environment is increasing in a rapid manner, a comprehensive plan for initiating strategic change will also be highlighted. This paper will also shade light on final execution of the plan for modifying the strategic quality.

Operation management is one of the most significant factors in terms of strengthening value of business by ensuring quality of product. This is the way, through which the organizational objectives can be accomplished which is very much needed in order to strengthen the position of a company in the market. According to Doz (2017) as the competition in the hospitality industry is increasing in a rapid manner, Grand Millennium Hotel Kuala Lumpur is putting ample stress on managing their internal functionality effectively, which is the key of offering the customers with high quality of services and thereby generating attention among the customers. This is one of most popular hotels in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, with the most convenient location in the entire city. The fundamental aim of this hotel is to keep the customers attracted by providing high quality of service to them (Millenniumhotels.com. 2018). Extremely proficient staffs are the key assets of the hotels, through which they are becoming able to retain a potential base of customers.

a) Explaining the importance of quality and operations management in achieving organizational objectives

Ensuring quality of products is the major objectives of the firm. Thus, the management of Grand Millennium Hotel Kuala Lumpur has implemented effective operation management strategy in order to run their internal functionality in a consistent manner. With the assistance of quality management strategy, Grand Millennium Hotel Kuala Lumpur is becoming able to meet the standard of services and thereby generate satisfaction among the customers. Meyer, Neck & Meeks (2017) explored that in the hotel industry, the rate of profit margin is entirely determined by the quality of service. Thus, quality management is serving Grand Millennium Hotel Kuala Lumpur with the ability to increase their rate of profitability. It is worth to mention in this context is that increased uncertainty in the hospitality industry is acting as a driving force behind Grand Millennium Hotel Kuala Lumpur to align ample human resources along with high-end technology. This is the way, through which they are becoming able to respond to the changing demand of the customers. Rothaermel (2015) stressed on the ground that with the rapid development of technology, it has become a trend among the customers to access internet in order to evaluate a product or service before forming their purchasing decision. In order to respond to this trend, “Booking engine” has been implemented by Grand Millennium Hotel Kuala Lumpur. This is the way, through which they have strengthened the quality of services by enabling the customers to book the rooms through online (Businesswire.com. 2018).    

Controlling and managing innovation is one of the most significant aspects of Grand Millennium Hotel Kuala Lumpur. The higher authority of the organization is becoming able to run their internal functionality with utmost efficiency. In order to manage the quality of their service, the management of Grand Millennium Hotel Kuala Lumpur is highly committed towards hiring efficient staff, equipped with skill and competency. Bettis et al., (2015) showed the fact that through this way, the firm tries to give best services to the customers as per their requirements. The customers are becoming more demanding in recent times. This is also driving Grand Millennium Hotel Kuala Lumpur to evaluate the expectations of the customers before introducing a new service. They give feedback form which is to be filled by customers before checking out. Through this way, they assess the perception of customers. In addition to that, by this feedback form, the management of Grand Millennium Hotel Kuala Lumpur also explores the area of improvement and take action accordingly to deal with the same. As technology is developing in a rapid manner, automated check-ins and check-outs approach has been implemented by the hotel, which can pave the way for the customers to book the hotels from the smart phones and tablets. At the same time, Facebook Hotel Booking System has also been launched by Grand Millennium Hotel Kuala Lumpur in order to allow the customers to book the hotels from its official face book page (Businesswire.com. 2018).   

b) Evaluating the success of existing quality and operations management processes in meeting the company’s overall strategic management objectives

As per the discussion of Lasserre (2017) the hospitality industry of Malaysia is becoming extremely uncertain over the past few years due to the existence of wide range of hotels. This is the reason, for which, demand of the customers is also changing in a rapid manner. Evidences are showing that, the rate of Ringgit of Malaysia is also lowering rapidly, which is making it difficult for the local customers to frame their purchasing decision. At the same time, the demand of good accommodation is also very high, which is leading the organizations like Grand Millennium Hotel Kuala Lumpur to face intense competition.

Improper marketing effort is also a major problem for Grand Millennium Hotel Kuala Lumpur, which is creating barrier for them to attract a potential base of customers.  In addition to that, improper marketing effort is also affecting brand recognition of Grand Millennium Hotel Kuala Lumpur. Michael, Storey & Thomas (2017) highlighted the fact that lack of satisfaction among the customer is also a critical challenge towards promoting sustainable growth in hotel business.

As Grand Millennium Hotel Kuala Lumpur is one of the famous hotels in Malaysia, it is imperative for them for its management to make effective planning, in terms of mitigating the issues and thus ensure sustainability in their business process. The plan, which Grand Millennium Hotel Kuala Lumpur can follow in order to amplify the quality of services and strengthened the value of business is as follows:

                                                                         Table 1: Plan for strategic change

                                                                          (Source: As created by author)

Morschett, Schramm-Klein & Zentes (2015) opined that in the hospitality industry, the success of business is entirely dependent on the quality of services, being served to the staffs. Thus, it is the prime responsibility of the management of Grand Millennium Hotel Kuala Lumpur to align all the necessary resources, which is very much needed in order to change the strategic quality of the hotel and thereby keep the customers happy and satisfied. Assessment of new system is one of the most significant ways, through which the accountability of strategic quality can be analyzed. This is the way, through which authority of the hotel can also significant business related decision.

Morden (2016) shaded light on the ideology that feedback from the customers is being considered as one of the most important tools, through which the quality of a business. In the case of hospitality industry, customer feedback helps in exploring the extent to which, the customers are satisfied or not. Thus, the management of Grand Millennium Hotel Kuala Lumpur to implement effective approach for the sake of getting feedback from the customers. They can launch an additional box in their official webpage, in which the customers can put their valuable comment. Bettis et al., (2014) opined that now, the management of Grand Millennium Hotel Kuala Lumpur should evaluate the feedback of individual customers, which can serve them with the ability to assess the accountability of services. As the staffs in an organization play an important role in running the internal functionality of a firm in a systematic manner, the management of Grand Millennium Hotel Kuala Lumpur should align all the staffs within a platform, in order to offer services among the customers as per their requirements (Jones, Hillier & Comfort, 2016).   

Task 2- Plan of strategic change

Positive perception among the customers is one of the major ways, through which the quality of a business cab be accelerated. Generating sense of responsibility among the customers is one of the major ways, through which a responsive and competent team can be developed, which is very much needed to provide high quality of services among the customers. In addition to that, responsible staffs will also show positive attitude towards initiating the process of change. Molina-Azorín et al., (2015) observed that reinforcement of sense of urgency among the staffs is the great way of aligning them with that of the organizational goals and objectives. As providing high quality of services and promoting the value of business is the fundamental aim of Grand Millennium Hotel Kuala Lumpur, strong sense of urgency can help the hotel to modify their services by the hand of extremely skilled staffs.    

In order to integrate positive attitude among the staffs, a strong and comprehensive vision of change needs to be aligned among them. Through this way, the staffs can satisfy desired standard of practices, which is very much needed for the sake of keeping the customers happy and loyal. At the same time, Nieves & Segarra-Ciprés (2015) commented that with the assistance of effective standard of practices, Grand Millennium Hotel Kuala Lumpur can also be able to strengthen their position in the highly volatile hospitality industry of Malaysia.

A culture of leadership should be implemented in Grand Millennium Hotel Kuala Lumpur. The management of this hotel can use powerful guiding instruction as the tool in terms of leading the staffs to have knowledge regarding their roles and responsibilities in the change process. Singal (2015 ) stressed on the ground that training must also be provided among the staffs in order to improve their skill and competency level and thereby enable them to offer super hospitality among the guests.       

Radojevic, Stanisic & Stanic (2015) stated that creation of quality culture is very much needed in order to generate a collaborative working environment. This is the way, through which a strong pool of talent aligned with that of organizational goals and objectives. In order to build quality culture inside Grand Millennium Hotel Kuala Lumpur, it is imperative to hire right candidates. Kandampully, Zhang & Bilgihan (2015) showed that the HR department of Grand Millennium Hotel Kuala Lumpur must implement strong recruitment and selection procedure for hiring highly proficient staffs, who can help in accomplishing organizational goals and objectives. Strong interview strategy needs to be implemented to assess quality of a candidate from various aspects.

a) Identify the degree of change necessary and create a plan for a strategic quality change to improve organizational performance

Motivation plays a very important role in the way of operating the internal functionality of a company with utmost efficiency. As showed by J. Harrington et al., (2014) thus, the higher authority of Grand Millennium Hotel Kuala Lumpur must show encouraging attitude among to the staffs, which can act as a motivational factor and thereby lead them to provide excellent service to the staffs. The mission and vision of Grand Millennium Hotel Kuala Lumpur must be share with the staffs, which can help in generating sense of responsibility among them. At the same time, knowledge regarding mission and vision can pave the way for the staffs to accomplish organizational goals and objectives.

Engaging the staffs in decision making process is also a major way of creating a quality culture inside the hotel. Rahimi & Kozak (2017) highlighted that so, the higher authority of Grand Millennium Hotel Kuala Lumpur must conduct periodic team meeting in order to share strategic goals with that of the staffs. Through the meeting session, the staffs can also share their valuable feedback, based on which, the management of Grand Millennium Hotel Kuala Lumpur can make effective decision in accordance with the latest trend in hospitality industry. Prebensen, Chen & Uysal (2018) commented that workplace flexibility is one of the major way of creating quality culture. This can help the employees to make a balance in between their personal and professional life. As the hotels requires 24*7 services, the management of Grand Millennium Hotel Kuala Lumpur must be committed towards designing rotational shift of working for the staffs. This can help them to raise positive attitude among the staffs by enabling the staffs to take off and thus manage their personal life as per the requirement (Singal, 2014).       

In order to monitor the change, it is important to set target among the staffs. This is the key of enabling them to perform their assigned task in a timely and cost effective manner. Evans (2015) showed that clear understanding regarding the organizational goals and objectives can help the staffs to implement the process of change. Reviewing the skills among the staffs is one of the most important ways, through which the durability of new process can be analyzed. As training and development is also a major part of strategic quality of plan, in-depth assessment about the expertise level can help the management of Grand Millennium Hotel Kuala Lumpur to explore the extent to which the staffs are aligned with that of the organizational goals and objectives (Chathoth et al., 2016). Measuring the perception among customers is also a great way, through which the accountability of changed business process can be monitored. In order to monitor the changed business process, Grand Millennium Hotel Kuala Lumpur gives feedback form to individual customers. This is the way, through which, they measure the satisfaction level of the customers.  

b) Define the necessary resources, tools and monitoring system to support the business processes in the strategic quality change

With the assistance of strategic quality change, Grand Millennium Hotel Kuala Lumpur has become able to improve their quality of staffs by strengthening the competency among the human respects. Sharing mission and vision with the staffs has helped them to reinforce positive attitude among the staffs, which is the key of improving quality of services. However, excessive cost of the rooms is a greatest issue of Grand Millennium Hotel Kuala Lumpur, which is creating barrier for the customers to frame their purchasing decision. In addition to that, lowering rate of ringgit is also making it difficult for the local customers to choose this hotel (Benavides-Velasco, Quintana-García & Marchante-Lara, 2014).

Thus, it is recommended for Grand Millennium Hotel Kuala Lumpur to introduce a competitive pricing to catch the attention of the customers and thereby increase statistics of profit. As the rate of ringgit is lowering in a rapid manner, Grand Millennium Hotel Kuala Lumpur should introduce different pricing strategy for local and international customer. This can help in promoting sustainable growth of business by dragging a potential pool of customers.           

Conclusion:

Based on the discussion, it can be concluded by saying that, quality of services is one of the most significant factors behind determining success of hospitality industry. Intense competition in the global market is leading the hotels to perceive the quality of hotels and take strong action in terms of improving the same. Hiring extremely skilled and competent staffs the most important way, by which the quality of service can be improved, which is very much needed in terms of keeping the customers and loyal and satisfied. A comprehensive plan needs to be implemented to accelerate quality of services, which key of coping up with high level of uncertainty in the hospitality industry. Effective training is to be provided to the staffs to satisfy changing demand of the customers. The employees must also be engaged in decision making process in order to enable them to give their valuable feedback. In the hotel industry, satisfaction level among the customers play a very important role in defining its success. Thus, experience of the customers is to be assessed. This is the mode of measuring the accountability of services and take necessary action to improve the same.          

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c) Evaluate the wider implications of the change to the organisation focusing on how it can achieve total quality management

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