MB 501-Manufacturing System

Analysis & Management

Assignment -2

Name – Manish Shekhar

Roll No. – 2401res78

Program Name – E-MBA

Semester – 1

Subject - Manufacturing System Analysis & Management

Submission Date – 29-March-2024

Assignment-2

1. Justify that operations management is a multi-disciplinary function.

2. Define the triple bottom line and explain its components.

3. Give the initiatives to improve the economic measures of the triple bottom line.

4. List the benefits of the environmental dimension of triple bottom line.

5. Give the framework of forward logistics and explain its components.

6. Give the framework of circular economy and explain its elements.

7. Discuss India’s initiatives towards circular economy.

8. Discuss the current state of decarbonization of operations in industrial buildings.

1. Justify that operations management is a multi-disciplinary function.

Answer- Operations management is indeed a multi-disciplinary function, and here's why:

- Interdepartmental Coordination: Operations management connects multi-disciplinary

departments, including sales, marketing, finance, business development, and customer
services. It ensures that these diverse departments work in harmony towards the
organization's goals.

- Strategic and Tactical Role: From overall strategy to daily activities, operations managers
handle diverse responsibilities in both the services and manufacturing domains. They are
involved in strategic decision-making as well as overseeing day-to-day production of goods
and services.

- Financial Management: Operations management plays a crucial role in financial planning

and budgeting. It helps in balancing costs with revenue to achieve higher operating profits.

- Product Design and Quality Control: Operations management is involved in product

design and maintaining the quality of products or services.

- Supply Chain Management: Operations management oversees the supply chain, ensuring
the efficient movement of goods from suppliers to customers.

- Resource Optimization: It ensures that materials, labor, technology, and other inputs are
used in the most effective and efficient way possible within an organization, thus
maximizing the output.
Given these diverse roles and responsibilities, it's clear that operations management is a
multi-disciplinary function that plays a critical role in the success of an organization..

2. Define the triple bottom line and explain its components.

Answer- The Triple Bottom Line (TBL) is a business concept that encourages firms to
focus on social and environmental issues just as much as profits. It's an accounting
framework that evaluates a company's performance from three different aspects:

- Profit: This is the traditional measure of corporate profit—the profit and loss account.
It's not just about how much money a company makes, but also about how it earns its
income in ethical, fair manners.

- People: These measures how socially responsible an organization has been throughout
its history. It involves examining how a company interacts socially and the impact it has
on people.

- Planet: These measures how environmentally responsible a firm has been. It involves
assessing a company's environmental impact and how it contributes to sustainability.

The TBL aims to measure the financial, social, and environmental performance of a
company over time. It's a broader perspective that creates greater business value and
allows companies to account for the full cost of doing business.

3. Give the initiatives to improve the economic measures of the triple bottom
line.

Answer- To improve the economic measures of the Triple Bottom Line, businesses can
undertake several initiatives:

- Implement Energy-Efficient Measures: By adopting energy-efficient technologies and

practices, businesses can significantly reduce their utility bills.

- Waste Reduction Initiatives: Minimizing waste not only benefits the environment but can
also lead to substantial cost savings by reducing disposal expenses.

- Optimize Resource Usage: Efficient use of resources can lead to improved operational
efficiency and significant cost savings.

- Stimulate Local Employment and Entrepreneurship: By creating job opportunities and

supporting local businesses, companies can contribute to the economic development of
the community.

- Make Sound Financial Investments: Responsible financial investments and decisions can
enhance a company's economic performance.

- Responsible Tax Paying and Job Creation: These are also considered as part of the
economic benefits society receives from an organization’s business strategy.
By implementing these initiatives, businesses can improve their economic performance
while also contributing positively to society and the environment.

4. List the benefits of the environmental dimension of triple bottom line.

Answer- The environmental dimension of the Triple Bottom Line (TBL) focuses on a
business's impact on the natural environment and ecological systems. Here are some
benefits of this dimension:

- Promotes Environmental Awareness: When a business contributes towards the

environment, it inspires competitors, consumers, employees, and customers to become
eco-friendly.

- Sustainability for Long-term Success: The TBL approach encourages businesses to take
a big-picture view of how their strategic decisions impact the environment, which also
translates to an impact on profits.

- Profit and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Co-exist: The TBL theory reminds
businesses that social and ecological concerns cannot be overlooked. In many cases,
adopting sustainability initiatives has proven to drive business success.

- Positive Impact on the Planet: This dimension often encourages initiatives like product
lifecycle assessments and greater strategies for reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

- Enhances Brand Reputation: Businesses that prioritize environmental responsibility are

often viewed more favorably by consumers, which can enhance their brand reputation.

5. Give the framework of forward logistics and explain its components.

Answer- Forward Logistics Framework

Forward logistics, often known as outbound logistics, is the process of moving goods from
the point of origin (e.g., a supplier's warehouse) to the point of consumption (e.g., a
customer's home or business). It is the linchpin in the chain of efficient delivery.

The framework of forward logistics involves several stages:

- Order Processing: This is the first step in forward logistics, which involves receiving and
processing the customer's order.

- Picking: After the order is processed, the specific items ordered by the customer are
selected or 'picked' from the inventory.

- Packing: The picked items are then packed securely for shipment.

- Shipping: The packed items are dispatched for delivery to the customer.

- Warehousing: Finished products are stored before sale.

- Delivery to the End Customer or Distribution to Retail Outlets: The final step involves
delivering the products to the end customer or distributing them to brick-and-mortar retail
outlets for sale.

Each of these components collaborates to ensure that goods are delivered to customers
on time and in good condition. Companies must coordinate these activities efficiently to
optimize inventory levels, minimize transportation costs, and meet delivery deadlines.

6. Give the framework of circular economy and explain its elements.

Answer- The circular economy is a sustainable business model that aims to eliminate
waste and the continual use of resources. It operates on three core principles:

- Eliminate waste and pollution: Design products and processes to reduce waste and
prevent pollution.

- Keep products and materials in use: Extend the life of products and materials as much
as possible through maintenance, reuse, refurbishment, remanufacturing, recycling, and
composting.

- Regenerate natural systems: Work in harmony with the environment to create

sustainable, regenerative systems.

The framework of the circular economy consists of eight key elements, divided into core
and enabling elements:

Core Elements (deal with physical flows directly):

- Prioritize Regenerative Resources: Ensure renewable, reusable, non-toxic resources are

utilized as materials and energy in an efficient way.

- Preserve and Extend What's Already Made: While resources are in use, maintain, repair,
and upgrade them to maximize their lifetime.

- Use Waste as a Resource: Utilize waste streams as a source of secondary resources and
recover waste for reuse and recycling.

Enabling Elements (deal with creating the conditions or removing barriers, for a circular
transition):

4. Rethink the Business Model: Consider opportunities to create greater value and align
incentives through business models that build on the interaction between products and
services.

5. Design for the Future: Account for the systems perspective during the design process,
to use the right materials, to design for appropriate lifetime and to design for extended
future use.
6. Incorporate Digital Technology: Track and optimize resource use and strengthen
connections between supply chain actors through digital, online platforms and
technologies.

7. Collaborate to Create Joint Value: Work together throughout the supply chain, internally
within organizations and with the public sector to increase transparency and create joint
value.

8. Prioritize Societal Needs: Gradually decrease systematic societal barriers and enable an
increased stock of resilient and productive resources..

7. Discuss India’s initiatives towards circular economy.

Answer- India has been actively formulating policies and promoting projects to drive the
country towards a circular economy. Here are some of the key initiatives:

- Government Policies: The Government of India has notified various rules, such as the
Plastic Waste Management Rules, e-Waste Management Rules, Construction and
Demolition Waste Management Rules, and Metals Recycling Policy.

- NITI Aayog Initiatives: NITI Aayog has undertaken several initiatives to ensure
sustainable economic growth. It has made progress in promoting the usage of fly ash and
slag produced in the steel industry in other sectors.

- G-20 Presidency: During its G-20 presidency, India embraced four priority areas for the
circular economy: circularity in the steel sector; Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR);
circular bioeconomy; and establishing an industry-led resource efficiency and circular
economy industry coalition.

- National Missions and Programs: Missions like Make in India, Zero Defect India, and
programs like Smart Cities and Swachh Bharat Abhiyan (Clean India) resonate with the
principles of a circular economy.

These initiatives aim to maximize resource efficiency, minimize the consumption of finite
resources, and spur the emergence of new business models and entrepreneurial ventures,
thereby transitioning India towards self-reliance.

8. Discuss the current state of decarbonization of operations in industrial

buildings.

Answer- Decarbonization of operations in industrial buildings is a critical aspect of global

sustainability efforts. Here are some key points:

- Industrial Emissions: Industrial companies contribute significantly to global greenhouse

gas (GHG) emissions, with the sector responsible for about 28% of global GHG emissions.
Between 1990 and 2014, GHG emissions from the industrial sector increased by 69%.
- Decarbonization Efforts: Global efforts have driven innovation and scaling up of
decarbonization technologies for power, buildings, and transport sectors. However, the
pathways for industrial processes are less well-defined.

- Challenges: Decarbonized production processes are currently not cost-competitive with

conventional production technology. Decarbonization would require technological
breakthroughs, a further lowering of zero-carbon energy prices, changing customer
preferences, and/or a regulatory push.

- Progress in U.S. Commercial Buildings: The U.S. commercial real estate sector has made
progress in reducing carbon emissions of commercial buildings.

- Construction Industry: The construction industry, directly or indirectly responsible for

almost 40% of global CO₂ emissions from fuel combustion, is also focusing on
decarbonization.

In conclusion, while significant strides have been made in the decarbonization of

operations in industrial buildings, there are still challenges to overcome. The need for
technological advancements, cost reductions, and regulatory changes are paramount for
further progress.

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