Challenges in the Operation of La Senza

An important part of the operations of an organization are the challenges that accompany them. An operations manager needs to work through these challenges and manage their time effectively otherwise the operations of the company could become inefficient. This can be a difficult task as a manger will likely never have time for everything and they will need to choose their priorities. (Zimmerman 2013) However in order to order to analyze the challenges that arise in the operations of La Senza it is necessary to know what operations are being disrupted, it is necessary to know how operations would be run without any problems.

Through the interview with an operations manager at La Senza, it was determined that the most effective way to run operations, challenges notwithstanding, was to use a communication structure in which every member of the firm understood what was needed and effectively completed their tasks. This could be accomplished by using a daily checklist that the mangers would create and the employees would read and follow. The managers could effectively delegate tasks and operations would run smoothly. However these are the ideal operations which are subject to the challenges and problems that all businesses face.

An article determining the most important operations management problems identified the effective use of resources as one of the most important problems. (Wright and Mechling 2002) In a retail firm such as La Senza, one of their most important resources are employees who help customers choose and purchase merchandise. Miscommunication between employees is the most prevalent problem that occurs from an operations management standpoint. Members of the firm fail to communicate effectively and that prevents the...

... middle of paper ...

...t shipment schedules, draft sales plans and complete other tasks that are needed for upcoming operations. There is also a store specific calendar which keeps track of and displays events such as big sales days, supply orders and other operational activities. These tools and resources are provided in order to prevent problems that could delay operations. They work to actively communicate changes in daily operations and address the challenge of poor communications.

Operations managers at La Senza are given more than adequate resources in order to work through problems and challenges. Since the operations at La Senza are dynamic and very important to sales, upper management makes sure to provide the resources that operations managers need to succeed. Management understands the challenges and where they arise from and work to minimize the threat they pose to operations.