MANAGING OPERATIONS: Case study of Gate Gourmet

Task 1:
Operational success depends on a systematic approach to planning and control of the input
resources in order to effectively deliver the product and/or service. This is underpinned by a
clear understanding of the overall production/delivery process and the critical factors that
determine operational success.
A. Based on the principle of the transformation process, critically determine the systems
that enable the efficient use of input resources and the impact that these have to the
effective output of the good and services supplied by Gate Gourmet.
B. Provide concluding evaluations that explore the existence of trade-off within Gate
Gourmet and the challenges faced by following this approach.
Task 2:
Suppliers play a critical role in enabling operational objectives to be met.
A. By deploying an integrated system Gate Gourmet have established a consistent
standard of operation within the supply chain activities. Critically determine the
positive and negative implications of this in the management of suppliers, including
supplier selection.
B. Provide concluding recommendations as to the approach that can be taken to
enable less advanced suppliers to establish and maintain a system that meets these
standards.
Task3:
Gate Gourmet has information in a wide range of related areas of the business.
A. Identify TWO challenges for them in implementing organisation wide information
systems (ERP).
B. Giving specific examples, assess in depth a small number of their ERP implementation
problems and identify ways of addressing each challenge.
Task 4:
Gate Gourmet use a large amount of information in order to deliver their service.
A. Identify a specific and narrow area where the organisation’s human tacit and implicit
knowledge is essential in order to make sense of hard statistical information.
B. Analyse with examples how that tacit or implicit knowledge enhances performance in
your chosen area, demonstrating clearly which type of knowledge is being used in each
example and why.