UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH WALES

Student Name: Chansa Musanshi

Course Module: Strategic Operations Management

Module Code: PS4S26

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CONTENT PAGE
Part A

Introduction 3

Part A: Reflective Analysis on Effective Communication 3

Communication and Productivity 6

Communication and Customer Service 7

Communication and Employee Management 8

Learning Methodology 8

How I Improved 9

Next Steps 10

Conclusion 10

References 11

Part B: Operations Manager Case Study

Introduction 12

Challenges faced by Operations Managers 14

2.1. Globalization 14

2.2. Social and Ethical Responsibility 15

2.3. Environmental Responsibility 16

2.4. Technology 17

2.5. Knowledge Management 18

Recommendations 19

Conclusion 20

References 23

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 1. INTRODUCTION

The Strategic Operations Management module aimed to explore the different

operational processes, techniques, planning and control in order to develop students’
abilities and skills. It focused on operational research, including varied and advanced
analytical methods. During the first week, we were requested to identify one personal
skill that we aimed to develop and improve on during the course of the module and
write a reflective analysis on how this skill was enhanced.

This assignment comprises of two parts. Part A, a reflective analysis, in which I will
detail about what I did to improve the identified skill and how effective my efforts
have been. Secondly, Part B, which aims to use the knowledge gained in the
Operations Management module to explore the operational challenges that a
successful Operation’s Manager would face as well as identify and explain how to
alleviate the issues identified.

2. PART A: REFLECTIVE ANALYSIS ON EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION

In this regard, due to my previous experience working in the legal sector as well as
my current role as an Executive Officer working in the education sector, I require a
high level of communication skills because I interact with clients and colleagues
frequently. In the first week, I undertook the Belbin Self Perception along with Honey
& Mumford Learning Style Questionnaires in order to assess and guide on the
choice of skill that I wish to improve on. According to the results, I discovered that I
needed to focus on enhancing my communication skills as my role relies heavily on
transferring and exchanging quality information. I chose this skill because of my
experience in the legal sector as well as Administration. As an Executive Officer, I
am the first point of contact for clients who come into the office; therefore, I need to
have knowledge on the educational system in Zambia as well as the policies of the
school. I am also the first point of contact for members of staff who have any issues
regarding their pay, issues with their colleagues as well as any Human Resource
(HR) issue. My role also includes recruiting, hiring and managing payroll, maintaining
vital employee records and ensuring the smooth operation of the HR department.

Despite being a Private School based in the town centre, our Organisation attracts
all types of pupils and clients, including parents/guardians who are from rural areas

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and are unable to communicate in English. Some parents send guardians to school
on their behalf that do not have an educational background, making it hard for them
to understand and comprehend information communicated to them by the school.
This often leaves a gap in communication and some of these guardians are left
confused and do not actively participate in their child’s educational needs.

There are multiple challenges in the education sector. Effective communication skills
are critical within contemporary organizations and essential to organisational
success (Crawford et al, 1997, p.163). The authors recognised the need for
educational managers to develop an insight into their own interpersonal capabilities
so as to be able to recognise whether they are able to use those skills effectively
within the organisation. They state that educational managers need to acquire and
develop specialist communication skills and learn how to apply these skills to
particular situations within the organisation (Crawford et al, 1997 p.164).

Multiple changes are taking place in educational institutions; therefore effective

communication is more critical than ever for the organisation to be effective.
Significant changes include an increased complexity, both in structure and
technology, and government education and general regulations, for example;
employment law has brought about so many changes which require careful
communication if misunderstandings are to be avoided and if colleagues are to take
ownership of such developments (Crawford et al, 1997, p.165).

Effective communication is an essential tool in any organisation where two or more

people exist. Communication is defined as ‘the imparting, conveying, or exchange of
ideas, knowledge and information’ in the Oxford Dictionary (OUP, 2021), one can
assume that information, ideas or knowledge is not properly conveyed, this would
have a disadvantageous effect on any organisation.

Louis A, Allen (cited by Venkatesh, no date), defined communication as ‘the sum of

all the things one person does when he wants to create understanding in the mind of
another’. He further states that it involves a continuous process of telling, listening
and understanding.

Some of the negative effects of poor communication include poor working

relationships, information that is not passed on to all employees who need it makes

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some employees feel disadvantaged as they may not be able to do their work
effectively. Additionally, it would also affect the company’s name, for the reason that
if the business gets a reputation for being an inefficient communicator with clients,
this will probably affect its overall image as their clients would be put off from
returning. It would also lead to the loss of business, customers or opportunities. If
clients request information or find that a business is reluctant to communicate with
them effectively, they will look for an alternative (Frater, G, 2003).

As an Executive Officer who often faces clients, children and other professionals on
a daily basis, effective communication is extremely important. My role requires me to
have a good knowledge of Employment Laws in Zambia, any changes to the
education sector as well as good communication skills with parents and children.

After taking the Belbin Test Questionnaire, I found that I needed to improve on my
communication skills in my workplace. According to the results, I am identified as
‘The Plant’. These results imply that I tend to be highly creative and good at solving
any issues in unconventional ways; however, my weakness is that I might ignore
incidentals and may also be too preoccupied to communicate effectively, which I find
to be true.

The bulk of my communication is face to face and through telephone conversations,

which includes negotiating on payment plans for school fees or counselling children
should they have any issues in school. It is extremely vital, therefore, that I
communicate effectively with all people.

I work in a relatively small organisation and I have learned that in order to

communicate better as an individual working for organisation, I need to know that the
company has a common goal and it is important to communicate openly so that
everyone’s ideas are sought after and feedback is provided. It is imperative that
people are on the same page because without this, the organisation will not achieve
their goals. The team will then be disjointed, which is ineffective as a communicator.

Therefore, this paper seeks to provide information from a reflective nature of

effective communication skills in Operation Management. I will explore what I did to
improve my communication skills and how effective my efforts have been.

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 3. COMMUNICATION AND PRODUCTIVITY

My experience in the Legal and Administration sectors has taught me that there are
elements that are of great importance when communicating to clients, which include
active listening and time management. As mentioned above, ineffective
communication can lead to the collapse of any organisation. Internal communication
is just as important as communicating outside of the school. Internal and external
communication can lead to productivity and helps to avoid unnecessary delays in
implementing policies.

With proper communication about services offered at our school, this helps avoid
any unnecessary complications for parents.

When a child is enrolled at the school, they are given an enrolment package which
contains all the information about the school as well as our policies. The
management and staff are also trained to ensure that work is done correctly with any
questions from parents and/or pupils to be answered with confidence.

Because the organization has an open door policy, management is able to learn
about staff problems, client complaints and demands so that they can be managed
with ease. In addition, because of the policies that are implemented at the school,
employee performance is reviewed against the said policies and where problems
identified in employees, processes are re-evaluated and a continuous personal
development is instituted. This has led to a smooth flow of operations, where clients,
employees and management were happy about the school.

Additionally, in the past few weeks, the Zambian Government had closed schools for
a number of fourteen weeks due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. Therefore, because of
the lack of socialization, we had to creative effective and creative ways to
communicate with clients and a way to interact with pupils without personal contact.
Communication was mainly done through text messages, phone calls, emails,
WhatsApp and the School BLOG. In some aspects, communication proved to be a
challenge due to internet issues encountered by clients as well as some parents not
having access to gadgets such as smart phones or laptops.

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 4. COMMUNICATION AND CUSTOMER SERVICE

Accessible means of communication across different stakeholders was determined.

Information needed to be accessible through various platforms where the market is
found, such as the school website and social media platforms. In practice, effective
communicate creates a good image to the company and while promoting the
wellbeing of our clients and pupils. Communication highlights any suggestions clients
may have, any dissatisfaction and misinformation, any difficulties, changes or
concerns in order to help the organization provide good customer service. The
school depends on real time channels of communication to give clients feedback on
any changes to the school and any news on the educational laws. As Administration,
we aim to provide accurate and transparent information so that employees and
clients can have confidence in our services. The organisation follows client focused
relationship management processes, aiming to provide client satisfaction and loyalty
by offering more responsive and customized services to each customer.

When the Zambian Government closed schools for a period of fourteen weeks, we
had to identify tools of communicating with clients and pupils. We now have tools
such as video conferencing, a BLOG on our website and of course communication
through phone calls and text messages. In order to create clear and coherent
statements in our internal communications, our organization has platforms such as
LinkedIn and WhatsApp. I noted that these platforms not only make employees feel
involved in their work and feel like a family at the organization, but technology has
helped reduce and overcome distance by enabling people to share information
without having to meet in the real world.

When the Government of Zambia announced that schools were to close until further
notice, we conducted a meeting with the teachers. They were given a platform to
state their views on how the school could provide a service to parents/guardians
without meeting them physically. Collectively, we decided to conduct e-learning
classes. Parents were pleased with this platform because they felt that the School
was continuing to provide a service online by systematically providing lessons.
Seeing things from a parents’ point of view gave me a sense of accomplishment in
terms of providing solutions to clients’ needs while building a strong client base.

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 5. COMMUNICATION AND EMPLOYEE MANAGEMENT

It is important that employees feel that they are valuable to the organization. They
need a sense of belonging and self-worth and this, as mentioned above, comes from
leaders who listen to their concerns. The more employees know about the company,
the culture, the policies, the goal and objectives, the better job they can do of serving
as ambassadors to the school.

As Administration, we often have a performance appraisal with employees every six

months. This allows us to have a conversation with employees about their goals,
what skills they hope to achieve, any training needs they feel they need, any issues
they may have.

From the employee’s point of view, I found that most of them tend to worry about
their performance appraisals because comments may be negative. Additionally, from
an Administrative point of view, I have learned through observing the Director of the
School that there is an art to getting a point across in an appropriate manner without
discouraging the employee.

6. LEARNING METHODOLOGY

In order to improve on my communication skills, I tried different learning approaches.

Firstly, I attempted to have weekly discussions with my peers via USW’s VLE
Platform and other platforms such as WhatsApp and email. However, talking to my
assigned group was a challenge as they were unresponsive. However, I found one
willing peer, though she was not a group member, who was very helpful and we
exchanged ideas on a weekly basis through voice calls on WhatsApp. I also watched
YouTube tutorials about communication (GreggU, 2018) and I read books which
were insightful. By using the above methods, I was able to apply the learning to my
professional work.

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 7. HOW I IMPROVED

According to Laswell’s (1948) 5 W’s model (cited in Ramjit, D.M, 2015), an essential
element of all communication, getting this right is the first step in the process and is
dependent upon what is required to be communicated at the time.

1. Who should be told?

Barriers can also be identified and overcome
2. When should they be told?
Timing is important. Therefore, if communication covers a wide range of
people, where possible, it is desirable that discussions take place at the same
time to avoid confusion or misunderstanding. In this regard, I noted that I
would send text messages in batches of thirty. Therefore, I came up with a
strategy where…
3. What should be told?
The message should be clear and must be related to the subject or the
problem.
4. Where should the communication take place?
Meetings, press release, BLOG, text messages etc
5. Who should control the communication process?
The most appropriate person, depending on the subject, must communicate.

I identified that majority of our communication was with parents and/or guardians
who were communicated with depending on the message needed. For example,
when Government announced the closure of schools, we endeavoured to
communicate with parents and/or guardians via the BLOG and text messages. They
were told as soon as Government announced the closure of schools. The message
communicated was clear in that the school would be providing e-learning services
due to the closure of schools and that communication process was controlled by me
as the first point of contact.

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 8. NEXT STEPS

In order to improve my communication skills with colleagues and with clients of the
organisation, I realised that I had to work being myself. It is easier said than done,
however, because I am not an open person. But, I found that my colleagues were
able to relate and open up once I became less reserved. I have actively tried to listen
to people and be more empathic to their needs.

9. CONCLUSION

In conclusion, I have learnt that in order to effectively communicate with people,

whether at work or in my personal life, the act itself is a continuous exercise.
Additionally, managing communication and providing support to employees helps
provide quality service to customers. I believe that effective communication skills will
help improve the relationship I have with colleagues as well as clients and other
external partners to successfully help my organization achieve its strategic goals.

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References

Crawford, M., Kydd, L. and Riches, C. (1997), Leadership and Teams in Educational
Management. UK: McGraw-Hill Education.

Frater, G. (2003), Business and Communication Systems. Nelson Thornes.

GreggU (2019), The Communication Process. Available at:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VjL_JnUZ9DM. (Accessed: 4 September, 2021)

GreggU (2018), The Communication Process. Available at:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bGTIj_onEH8. (Accessed: 4 September, 2021)

Oxford University Press (2021), Definition of Communication. Available at:

https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/communication?
q=communication (Accessed: 7 August, 2021).

Ramjit, D.M. (2015) Becoming an Excellent Oral Presenter, Dana-Marie Ramjit

Venkatesh (no date), Communication: Meaning, Elements, Process and Need,

https://www.yourarticlelibrary.com/management/communication/communication-
meaning-elements-process-and-need/53337 (Accessed: 9 September, 2021)

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PART B – OPERATIONS MANAGER CASE STUDY

1. INTRODUCTION

Operations Management is of great importance to organisations. Of course, an

Operations Manager has the prime responsibility for processing inputs into outputs
(Kumar, A. and Suresh, N., 2001). The authors assert that the strategic role of an
Operations Manager is to contribute to the direction and plan of the business in order
to support its long term competitive gain.

Joseph Monks (cited in Kumar, A. and Suresh, N, 2001) identify Operations

Management as a procedure where resources, which flow in a defined system, are
collectively put together and are transformed in a controlled manner in order to add
value to the organisation in compliance with any policies communicated by
administration.

The authors emphasize that in order for Operations Management to be effective,

there must be a plan provided for the operational functions in order to make the best
use of its resources. Resources refer to any material inputs to the production system.
The system must run strategically, in that the arrangements of the components that
are designed to achieve objectives work according to the plan.

Furthermore, the purpose of merging these resources under a controlled

environment is to transform them into goods and services that have a higher value
than the original inputs.

Further, the objective of combining resources under controlled conditions is to

transform them into goods and services having a higher value than the original
inputs. The transformation process applied will be in the form of technology to the
inputs. The effectiveness of the production factors in the transformation process is
known as productivity.

Another role of an Operations Manager is to deal with the costs of the organisation in
order to capitalize on the profits. They hold the responsibility for the management of
resources that are needed to produce the goods and services of an organisation.

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Another important role they have is to oversee the organizational activities of a
business, government agency, non-profit group, and other organization. They are
talented leaders who support the operational leadership in a number of different
departments, such as IT or Human Resources. They supervise, hire, train
employees, manage quality assurance programs, strategize process improvements
and are ultimately responsible for maintaining and increasing the efficiency of a
business.

Another important task they hold is meeting the needs of stakeholders, including
making a return for shareholders, making products of high value or providing great
service at a realistic cost for customers as well as providing rewarding employment
opportunities for employees. Moreover, they must ensure that all the legal and
regulatory documents are filed comply with the laws and regulations of the country
they are based in.

McFarlane (2014) sums up the definition of Operations Management, stating that it

an approach that adds value to planning, organising and controlling organisational
resources for the most advantageous results in terms of efficiency and customer
expectations.

However, there are some external and internal factors, such as the ever changing
market requirements and the operational performance of competitors, and because
of these factors, Operations Managers face a number of diverse challenges.

Part B of this paper will identify possible operational challenges of an Operations

Manager, specifically focussing on the duties and responsibilities of an Operations
Manager at PwC as seen in Appendix 1. This analysis will then make
recommendations, if any, for a successful Operations Manager.

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 2. CHALLENGES FACED BY OPERATIONS MANAGERS

Any Operations Manager will obviously face a number of operational challenges.

However, in order to be considered successful, they must face these challenges
head on. The main challenges of an Operations Manager will be discussed in the
following paragraphs and recommendations, if any, will also be addressed.

Source: Cameron, J (2021) Available: https://slideplayer.com/slide/12905530/

2.1. Globalization

Globalization has fundamentally changed the manner in which Operations Managers

carry out their day to day duties. Because of this, distance and time differences no
longer separate people from receiving or giving information. Organisations can, and
in some competitive situations, must, base their operations in a number of countries
in order to minimize costs and maximize the efficiency of their performance. The fact
that information is immediately accessible is attributed to the modern technology
developments.

PwC competes globally with companies such as IBM, McKinsey and Co, Deloitte in
providing solutions focused on mergers and acquisitions, operations, customers

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finance, among other things. Therefore, in order to maintain their competitive
advantage, the Operations Manager at PwC must keep up with the trends and
software available in order to improve their services.

2.2. Social and Ethical Responsibility

According to Telsang (no date), Operations Managers build systems that convert
resources in to products/services are complex. They experience constantly changing
physical and social environments. These create a lot of challenges that come from
the conflicting perspectives of stakeholders such as customers, distributors, retailers,
vendors, owners, lenders and employees. These stakeholders, along with other
government groups at various levels, require constant monitoring and well thought-
out responses. Identification of acceptable responses, both ethically and socially
dependable, is not always clear and unambiguous.

Many ethical challenges facing organizations are:

- Developing quality products which are safe for users.

- Maintaining clean environment.
- Providing safe workplace for employees.
- Respecting community commitments.

Managers are expected to do all of the above with moral and ethical responsibility
while meeting the demands of the market place.

The operational functions must meet the financial compliance and conduct business
in a clean and ethical manner. In the PwC advert attached in Appendix 1, as an
Operations Manager, working for a financial institution such as PwC, their role is to
help to position the services and capabilities of PwC across their network and build
and maintain relationships with partners, as well as maintain strong professional
relationships with key client stakeholders. Therefore, conducting unethical business
falls below the compass of the Operations Manager. An Operations Manager must,
as a result, be able to liaise effectively with stakeholders and maintain a relationship
of trust with Partners. In order to do this, they must have effective customer relations
policies and strategies that guide their teams on how to assist any clients who are
not satisfied in order to prevent issues. In addition, they must openly communicate
with other teams and ensure customer satisfaction and business growth.

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Understanding the ethical side of business will ensure that the Operations Manager
does not fall out of line in keeping the people and the environment of the business
safe.

2.3. Environmental Responsibility

A survey conducted by McKinsey & Co (cited in Gupta, 1994) found that 92% of
some CEOs and top executives agreed that the environmental challenge is one of
the central issues of the 21 st century; 83% further agreed that companies should
maintain responsibility for the products they manufacture, even if they have left the
plant.

In a video titled ‘PwC’s Environment and Community Commitments’ (PwC, 2018)

PwC set a new global goal to harness the full strength and reach of their network.
They stated that they were investing in the future and growth of 15 million people,
NGOs and social and micro enterprises to help them maximise their potential by
2022. Further, they committed to offsetting air travel emissions from FY19 and to
sourcing 100% renewable for their electricity consumption and offsetting residual
energy use by FY22.

In their sustainability agenda, PwC also commit to incorporating social,

environmental, economical and ethical factors into their strategic decision-making.
They also consider how these factors would affect their business, including all their
stakeholders as well as the risks and opportunities they may present.

Despite the fact that PwC is not energy or raw materials intensive, as a financial
institution, it must recognise credit-related risks and incorporate sustainability into
their branding (PwC, 2008, p16).

In the financial sector, sustainability challenges are mainly credit risk related. In
certain situations, liabilities can be transferred to creditors, therefore exposing
financial institutions to the sins of their debtors (PwC, 2008, p.16).

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 2.4. Technology

In the current world of business, technology plays an imperative role in creating

efficient processes. Despite the fact that technology helps successful organisations
reduce replication and delays in workflows (Abdulmughnee, R, 2016), Operations
Managers often face challenges in keeping up with the fast changing technology and
learning how to use it to their advantage in order to make businesses compete
proficiently against their rivals.

A good knowledge of computer systems is required. It may seem like an easy task,
but changes in softwares may prove to be a major challenge for an Operations
Manager. This may also affect productivity as employees may be slow to adapt to
any new changes in system applications. Therefore, because of the fact that
Operations Managers work with different team managers and departments, they
must keep an accurate record of data.

Another technological challenge is that Operations Managers may experience issues

with the computer systems, which will eventually have a negative effect on service
given to clients. In order to avoid this, they can involve key stakeholders to reduce
process time or completely change the nature of the process itself. For example,
ordering products online has proved to be a significant improvement as it has cut
down on expenses and costs that may be required to make orders, therefore, the
company can focus on meeting the needs of their customer, rather than complaints.

In coping with these challenges, the technology market provides software solutions
to collect data and translate it into actionable insights.

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 2.5. Knowledge Management

One of the most significant challenges faced by global businesses in competition is

that of knowledge management. Kalkan (2005) states that global competition forces
firms to take new actions in responding to pressures and day to day challenges;
therefore, knowledge management represents a long term oriented cycle of
initiatives.

(Figure 2, Source: Kalkan, V.D, Knowledge Management Challenges for Global Businesses,
2005)

Effectively managing organizational knowledge is a prerequisite for securing

competitive advantages in a global marketplace. Indeed, any system or process that
is effective is dependent on the people in an organisation. However, in order to hire
and attract the talent they need, a well though-out, strategic procedure is needed
(Patel, 2017). In order to overcome the difficulties in knowledge management,
Kalkan (2005) states that organizations must adapt appropriately and carefully
respond to the challenges summarized in Figure 1. Tirpak (cited in Kalkan, 2005),
stated that effective knowledge management requires a holistic approach. It is
important for Operations Managers to consider and deal with knowledge

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management challenges by taking into account all external and internal factors
influencing the knowledge management process.

The Operations Manager advert shown in Appendix 1 indicates that an Operations

Manager at PwC must work in conjunction with team managers, and assume
responsibility for quality, risk and governance and seek ways to continually improve
processes through the use of technology. Therefore, it is important for Operations
Managers to have general knowledge of various teams in a company in order for
them to work efficiently. Therefore, in order to overcome any potential challenges,
they must be competent in order to achieve results.

3. RECOMMENDATIONS
Operations Managers are encouraged to keep up to date with the changing
cultures, society values and interests. Older employees retire and are often
replaced with younger workers from different generations, who may see things
differently.

Therefore, processes that were effective before may no longer be of use.

Operations Managers must adapt to this and constantly rework the processes
in order to ensure efficiency, satisfied clients and of course, a happy
workforce.
In facing challenges relating to globalization, an Operations Manager must maintain
the organisation’s competitive advantage at a global scale. They must, therefore,
keep up to task with any trends that can improve their service delivery on an
international scale

Operations Managers should also practice open communication; this means

communicating with the external team, ensuring that customers are satisfied and the
business grows. They must have in place policies relating to customer service and
any remedial actions or strategies that can guide the customer care team on how to
assist customers who are dissatisfied with the service to prevent any concern from
recurring.

While teams need to work together through collaboration in order to use different
strengths on projects and tasks (Mattias, 2016), it can be expected that the
Operations Manager will coordinate remote field staff who do not report to a central

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office daily. Bradley (2018) asserts that being disconnected in such a manner can
lead to customer dissatisfaction, project failure and a high turnover in employees.

To overcome any challenges in communication, an Operations Manager must be

consistent. Because of the fact that different departments may be busy at various
sites with collecting data or meeting with clients, it is essential that the Operation
Manager’s message is easy to understand, without inconsistent sentences.

Therefore, in dealing with ethical challenges, it is recommended that an Operations

Manager openly communicates with other teams and gain a higher understanding of
the ethical side of business to ensure that they keep in line with the atmosphere at
the organisation.

In handling environmental responsibility, PwC can incorporate sustainability into their

core strategy and highlight it into their brand, as mentioned above.

With regards to technology, in order to succeed in this quick changing area, IT

executives must agree with the management team on the position they wish to
adopt. Additionally, they must mainly focus on what their clients prefer, and interact
with financial technology firms, changing their business practices, if any, based on
what they learn from other industries.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, an Operations Manager is the general supervisor of a business. They

must have knowledge of Operations Management and other functional activities in
order to develop, apply and assess operational strategies. It is important for an
Operations Manager to connect with other departments in the organization, because
without these relationships, Operations Managers would find it difficult to provide
goods and services of high value and quality. To summarize, an Operations
Manager cannot plan, organize or control systems and processes that are
sustainable without engaging relevant stakeholders.

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References

Abdulmughnee, R (2016) How to Use Technology to Boost Your Operational

Efficiency. Available at: Rayhan Abdulmughnee - Meet our BDC Blogger | BDC.ca.
(Accessed: 7 September, 2021).

Bradley, J. (2018). Challenges That Face Operation Managers. [Online] Available at:
https://smallbusiness.chron.com/challenges-face-operation-managers-61711.html.
(Accessed on 10 September, 2021)

Gupta, M.C. (1995) ‘Environmental Management and Its Impact on the Operations
Function’. International Journal of Operations and Production Management, 15 (8),
pp.34-51.

Kalkan, V.D. (2005) Knowledge Management Challenges for Global Business. 4

(10). International Business and Economics Research Journal.

Kumar, A., and Suresh, N. (2009) Operations Management. New Age International
Ltd.

Mattias L.C. (2016). 8 Simple and Effective Ways to Improve Team Communication
[Online] Available from: https://blog.azendoo.com/8-ways-to-improve-team-
communication/. (Accessed: 6 September, 2021)

McFarlane, D. A. (2014), The Challenges of Operations Management for Business

Managers. International Journal of Operations and Logistics Management. 3 (1), pp.
16-29.

Patel, S. (2017). ‘How to Overcome the Biggest Challenges in Hiring Top Talent’.
[Online]. Available at: https://www.inc.com/sujan-patel/the-biggest-challenges-in-
finding-top-talent-and-how-to-overcome-them.html [Accessed: 8 September, 2021]

PwC (2018) PwC’s Environment and Community Commitments. Available at:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3n0WTmFcFeU.(Accessed: 8 September, 2021).

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PwC (2008) ‘The Sustainability Agenda: Industry Perspectives.’ [Online]. Available
at: https://www.pwc.com/gx/en/sustainability/sustainability_agenda.pdf. (Accessed: 8
September, 2021).

Telsang, M.T. Industrial Engineering and Production Management. S. Chanda

Publishing.

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Appendix 1

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Source: https://uk.linkedin.com/jobs/view/operations-manager-at-pwc-uk-2689365115?
refId=unxmXSVFznWcEkujzGXWVQ%3D%3D&trackingId=fe%2FMK%2FElDjX%2Fo4RLnJeKHw%3D
%3D&trk=public_jobs_topcard-title

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