Reference no: EM132997531

Managing Business Operations

Assignment

Scenario

Jonathan Marshall, a sole trader, owns Tool Box - a traditional hardware store in the north of England. The business sells good quality materials and tools within a specialist, competitive market. Jonathan employs some part time staff and maintains manual business and financial records. He is aware of the need to develop his business and is keen to acquire new ideas which will enable him to manage the organisation more effectively. However, as a sole trader, he is very involved with the day to day operations of the business and has little spare time.

Jonathan has offered you a work placement, having heard about the qualification you are completing. He has asked you to prepare a range of materials which will help him to consider future changes to business practice. You will produce presentation materials, supporting notes, information sheets, employee handbook and sections of the business handbook.
Jonathan has provided his latest set of business financial accounts in Appendix

Task 1 - Features of a business environment
An initial meeting has been arranged with Jonathan which will focus on the key features of a business environment. Knowing that Jonathan is always busy you decide to produce a document for use at the meeting and this will assist the discussions. In the document you should:
• Identify common functions and divisions found in business organisations.
• Describe different organisational structures, providing appropriate examples for each of the organisational structures.
• Describe the key differences between public, private, voluntary sector and public service organisations.

Task 2 - Business Handbook
Jonathan would like to add new sections to his business handbook, which he uses as a guide to help with the business decisions. You are required to prepare information sheets that provide the following information:
n An explanation of a range of key accounting concepts.
• A description of the stakeholders who need to understand an organisation's financial position.
• A description of the information that is provided by business budgets.
• An explanation of the importance of excellent customer service to a business organisation.
n A description of the elements of excellent customer service.
• An explanation of why business planning is important.
• A description of mission, vision, business strategy and organisational objectives. The description should include details of how these are used in business organisations.
• An explanation of the key elements of a business plan and how it is created.

Task 3 - Control and Decision Making
Jonathan is considering employing an operations manager. He wishes to be prepared for the interviews and has asked you to provide some detailed notes for him to read. He also plans to use this information to produce the questions he will ask at the interviews. The notes must provide:
• An explanation of why a business organisation requires operational control.
• A description of the systems business organisations use to achieve operational control.
• A description of the different techniques that managers can use to help decision making.

Task 4 -
Your placement is coming to an end. You want to learn from your experience of completing the work for Jonathan. You also need to take into account other experiences for example from your time spent studying, part time employment or work in a voluntary or personal capacity etc.
To gain a distinction grade you must:
• Provide a personal skills evaluation. The example should evaluate your own decision making skills in terms of techniques used, outcomes and sensitivity to the culture of others.

Attachment:- Managing Business Operations.rar