Part – 1
Activity 1 – Describe (100–120 words) the purpose of the operational plan and describe its relationship to the strategic plan.
Activity 2 – Consultation can be undertaken both formally and informally. Outline some of the tools that can be used for formal consultation and discuss (100–120 words) their various merits
Activity 3 – Explain (80–100 words) why Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) are an important part of the operational planning process.
Activity 4 – Explain (100–120 words) the role of an impact assessment in contingency planning and outline the steps within it.
Activity 5 – Proposals for resource requirements may outline alternatives to the project under consideration. Why? Discuss in 80 to 100 words.
Activity 6 –
a) Explain (80–100 words) what the acronym SMART stands for, and why it is important for objectives and targets to be designed with this in mind.
b) You have developed an operational plan, now you need to get it approved. Identify who you might need to seek approval from and the typical process for gaining approval. (150 to 180 words)
Activity 7 – Outline the key stages in the recruitment process and briefly explain what should be achieved at each step. Discuss in 100 to 120 words.
Activity 8 – Outline (80–100 words) some of the advantages of using a purchase order.
Activity 9 –
a) What is IP? Discuss in 30 to 50 words.
b) What are the three types of IP that might apply when managing operational plans?
c) What can an organisation do to protect its interests in the case of a dispute over intellectual property? Discuss in 100 to 120 words.
Activity 10 – Describe (80–100 words) a mechanism for ensuring that operational activities are proceeding according to plan.
Activity 11 – Name three types of financial report that can be used to track progress and monitor performance.
Activity 12 –
a) How can organisations identify areas where they are underperforming? Discuss in 220 to 250 words.
b) What action should be taken once an underperforming area has been identified? (80 to 100 words)
c) What is a gap analysis? Discuss in 80 to 100 words.
Activity 13 – Describe (100–120 words) the different types of mentoring.
Activity 14 – Explain (50–80 words) the role of performance monitoring in negotiating variations to operational plans.
Activity 15 – Outline the things that organisational policies on documenting performance should cover. Discuss in 100 to 120 words.
Part – 2
Question 1 – Discuss (100–120 words) the details that should be outlined in an operational plan.
Question 2 – Broad consultation with other members of the organisation, from team members to senior management is a good way to contribute to the success of operational planning. When, in the planning cycle, should it be carried out? What outcomes would you hope to achieve from this process? Discuss in 80 to 100 words.
Question 3 – What is the role of the operational plan in meeting organisational objectives? Discuss in 100 to 120 words.
Question 4 – Why do budgets need frequent reviews and adjustments? Who is responsible for ensuring that budgets and other financial documents are accurate? When creating financial reports, what sources of information need to be analysed? Discuss in 100 to 120 words.
Question 5 – Resources can mean many things when you are preparing an operational plan. What kinds of resources might you have to plan for? Give at least four examples.
Question 6 – Today, more and more businesses understand that being successful is about more than just economic performance, but that it is also about their environmental and social performance. They are aware that increasing use of the Earth’s natural resources places a strain on the planet. Responsible businesses are, therefore, making every effort to ensure that they use resources efficiently. What does the term resource efficiency refer to? Identify five things an organisation could do to reduce the amount of paper and energy used and wasted. Discuss in 150 to 180 words.
Question 7 – Why is it necessary to have a working knowledge of the legislation relating to operations and associated planning? You might have to undertake the appropriate research to answer this question. Discuss in 120 to 150 words.
Question 8 – What role do policies and procedures play in operational planning? Discuss in 120 to 150 words
Part – 3
Project
You are responsible for developing an operational plan for your organisation. The strategic plan has already been written and sets the following direction for the coming year.
Company A strategic plan
Our strategic goals for the coming year are to:
1. Expand our market share in the high-end, high-price point, luxury goods market.
2. Increase the proportion of our productive capacity devoted to the manufacture of luxury goods.
3. Become known as the premium luxury goods manufacturer in our product category.
4. Become known as an employer of choice for highly skilled people.
Based on the broad statements of strategic intent, you are charged with developing an operational plan. For each strategy goal outlined, come up with two short statements describing an operational activity that could be implemented to achieve this. Your operational activities should reflect an understanding of the types of details included in an operational plan.
Your operational activities should be accompanied by a budget, measurement, responsible person (for example job title) and a timeline. Your activities might encompass manufacturing, sales, marketing, HR, or administrative responsibilities. Use the table to complete the plan.
Strategic goal Operational activity Measurement Person/ title Timeline
