Operations, Logistic and Supply Chain Management Essay

Operations, Logistic and Supply Chain Management - Essay Example With the invention of the electric sewing machine, the ability to mass produce garments gave businesses much more flexibility in design that ultimately complicated measuring productivity as it included many new variables both human capital-related and manufacturing modifications needed to serve complex social markets. By 1900, productivity in industries had been improved by 500 percent with the ability to rely on electricity to power sewing machines (Schmeichen, 1984). Productivity was now being measured by much more complex statistical and process systems, taking into account not only units of labor and output, but apparel variations, customer demand in key target regions of the country, facilities management, quality control systems, and recognition of costs for unique production systems to meet new design demand. The ability to provide innovation in apparel and textiles altered the demand of customers throughout the nation and internationally during a period where global trade was on the increase, demanding new measures of productivity to ensure profit growth and efficiency on various garment and textiles production systems. Whereas in previous years using non-electric sewing machines, productivity was a measure of the human capability and capacity to generate output, new systems allowing for elements of automation were added to productivity calculations that required more management intervention in assessing productivity and the development of training on automated and fast-output textile and apparel production systems. Essentially, the introduction of the electric sewing machine in 1889 completely altered the role of management in establishing quality standards, measuring productive outputs, assessing recruitment needs for more skilled labor to improve productivity, and establishing controls in multi-system production efforts. The Transformation in Restaurants One of the most common themes in restaurants today is the establishment of Total Quality Manageme nt, since brand sentiment and service delivery related to customer satisfaction are critical to sustaining competitive advantage and building consumer loyalty. The â€Å"diversity of customer preferences† as it relates to pricing, quality menu outputs, and service delivery dictate how the business differentiates its brand from other competing restaurants (Thompson, 2008, p.148). Transformation in this industry, as driven by consumer influence, occurs continuously as the business attempts to establish a culture that is driven toward producing quality food and service outputs that fluctuates with changing diner lifestyles and needs in consumption. In the restaurant, there are inter-dependencies between the cooking staff, management and service staff that must have an operational system of best practice established to ensure total quality outputs. In such a highly competitive industry, the business must consider how to position itself among competition with a heavy reliance on m arketing, promotion and customer satisfaction establishment. Such satisfaction requires that price is in-line with quality, that service is performed according to branding expectations and pricing, and that procurement of items meet with anticipated food costs and pricing structures established. Transformation occurs with new menu