Sunday, January 26, 2020

Quality Management at McDonalds

Quality Management at McDonalds QUALITY MANGEMENT OF McDonald’s –  A CASE STUDY Quality management is the management of activities and functions which are involved in determination of quality policy and its implementation. It ensures that the relevant organization, product or service is consistent. The four main components of quality management are quality planning, quality control, quality assurance and quality improvement. The aim of quality management is not only to focus on product and service quality, but also pay attention to the different ways to achieve it. The main principals of quality management as defined by International Standard for Quality Management (ISO 9001:2008) and other organizations are following: Customer focus Leadership Process approach Involvement of people Benchmarking Continuous improvement System approach to management Factual approach to decision making Mutually beneficial supplier relationship In this work, a detailed analysis of quality management of McDonald’s is presented. The report include the history, strategy, quality control and the supplies , logistics and inventory management of the stated company. McDonald’s HISTORY McDonald’s Corporation was established in 1940s (McDonald’s, 2014). It was the only fast food industry in the whole world who has started a chain system in global market. The main menu of McDonald’s includes some of the global world renowned foods like Big Quarter Pounder, French Fries and Chicken Nuggets. In breakfast they serve Sausage McMuffin with egg. Today it is one of the famous and leading food service retailer. IT has more than 35,000 local food chains (restaurants) in more than 100 different countries (McDonald’s, 2014). The total employees of McDonald’s are approximately 1.9 million and it serves more than 70 million customers every day around the world (McDonald’s, 2014) (Steve, Dudley, Hazen, 2012). A pictorial description of quick facts of McDonald’s is shown in Fig. 1. The corporation has distributed sale approach and more than 80% of its restaurants are ran by independent and local distributors. The restaurant was start ed by only two brothers Dick and McDonald’s in 1940, they were beginners but now McDonald’sCorporations is one the main stakeholder of fast food industry of today world. The beauty of this chain is that they did not only sale their main products but they also change the product type and its ingredients according to the local country or region requirement. Also every year they introduce new products and schemes to attract their customers. Their recent menu includes a wide range of Burgers Sandwiches, Chicken Fish, various Breakfast options, Salads, Snacks Sides, Beverages, and Desserts Shakes (McDonald’s, 2014). For competing and to be a main stakeholder of today competitive international market, McDonald’s is using an operational management system (William, 2008). Figure 1 Quick overview of McDonald’sCorporation COMPANY STRATEGY The brand mission of McDonald’sis â€Å"To be our customer’s favorite place and way to eat and drink† (McDonald’s, 2014). The global world operations of McDonald’sare aligned around the worldwide strategy called â€Å"The Plan to Win†. This strategy is centered on the best exceptional experience for the customers. The organization follows the motive of â€Å"People, Products, Place, Price and Promotion† (McDonald’s, 2014). McDonald’s wants to become the world’s best quick service fast food chain which provides high quality food to its each and every customer every time, in a clean environment with extraordinary service and great values. The adopted strategies by McDonald’s are differentiation and cost leadership strategies (Operations Management in McDonald’s, 2014). McDonald’s is committed to its people. It provides equal opportunity to each employee. They develop leaders and reward them according to their achievements. This firm believes that a team of well-trained individuals with different background and experiences, working together in a competitive environment with high level of commitment is their key to success. QUALITY CONTROL McDonald’s has a set of management teams for the inspection of food item quality and their control for the successful business. Quality service and quality control are properly checked by the management team. The quality management team deals with the quality service and quality control as given below. Quality service The food- The quality of meat, bun, vegetables etc should be good and up to the standard. The Employees- The quality management team has a look at the timing, neat dress and cleanliness of an employee. The team work is always preferred in the McDonald’s to get maximum benefits. The Restaurant- The management team looks that the restaurant should be clean, tidy and sparking. While they also tried to provide the fast, accurate and friendly service. Quality control The quality management team makes it sure to fulfill the basic criteria set for the operation of McDonald’s. They also listen and get feedback from the customer to make their business improve. They also have a relationship with the scientific community to provide best and safe food among the people. They tried to have solutions for special health issues among children, and prepare a hygienic food for them. There is no compromise on quality and quality control, the one of the reason for the successful development of McDonald’s all around the world. The inspection is done on all McDonald’s franchise and it is also a part of their strategy. HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point)is the applied system of McDonald’s to keep nice and good food items to the customers. The quality management team also looks at the diet contents and nutrition of each food items and is given in Table 1. The health related issues are handled by the quality management team and nutrition is properly controlled. Table 1 Nutrition of McDonald’s food. SWOT ANALYSIS The pictorial description of SWOT is shown in Figure 2. On the basis of environmental analysis of McDonald’s, the structural analysis of fast food industry, and the assessment of internal resources of the company, following strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats are there for McDonald’s: Figure 3 SWOT description    (S)trengths McDonald’s holds a very strong brand name worldwide. They have large partnerships with other companies that provide them with their desired products; this increases the goodwill of the company. McDonald’s is one of the most reputed firms who are socially responsible. Self-service criteria save a lot of cost. Loyal employees management customer are their biggest strength. McDonald’s makes sure that cultural regional barriers are kept in mind while providing food to different countries. Clean environment and play areas for children where they can enjoy their time. (W)eaknesses The weakness that hits the list of employee turnover rate. Every year many of their employees are fired out of the restaurant. McDonald’s mostly advertises products and food items that targets children. Health conscious people often complain that they do not provide us with the organic and healthy food. This becomes their weakness when they get in the complaints. They also face quality issue at times. This affects the business as they are running the outlet worldwide, if one franchise gets affected others also get a bad name. (O)pportunities It can open up online services for their customers so that they can easily order their desired meals sitting at home. Discounts given on every food item may help them gain more customers. They can go for a joint venture with the retailers they work with. They can introduce healthy hamburgers and healthy drinks for the people who are health conscious. In order to be environment friendly, they can use packing material which can be recycled later or material that does not create pollution. (T)hreats Emerging competition of similar outlets is becoming a problem for McDonald’s. Health issue also becomes a problem when it comes to food. As it is a multinational food outlet, fluctuations in the currency of other countries becomes a problem for such companies. Recession in any country would definitely affect the whole outlet worldwide. People facing heart problems and obesity accuse McDonald’s for not providing them with the healthy food. They have a threat of local food outlets in different countries. McDonald’s is operating in a fully-fledged economy where competition is increasing day by day therefore they should work effectively to overcome their drawbacks because of the recession. Recommendations Reduction of employee training spending (lowering employee turnover). In order to reduce of employee training spending and to lower turnover, I would like to suggest: To give the job just for highly motivated people. It means, that they are going to be loyal and not to leave job so fast; New employees would be trained by employees, who are working longer. In this way, company reduces training spending, new employees are trained by the people, who are working inside the company and do the same things every day. To motivate employees and always take care about their expectations. It can be money premiums for good working in the end of the month (or year), some employees parties, ’’Employee of the week (month)’’ competition. To make a line of organic food in their menu and take a look what is more popular and healthy for their customers. If it is going more popular than usual menu food, it is more worth to make all food in organic way, even it is more expensive. First of all, people like what is natural, and then they are interested in the price. To make big advertisement companies declaring organic food pluses and make it more popular in such way. Many people loves McDonald’s food, so it has an authority and can show good example of necessity of organic food in people life and compare how organic and usual McDonald’s food effect customers’ health and all the nature about them. Advantages of human health problems (improvement of products) McDonald’s is big food supplying company, and all of us know, how food affects our health. It is one of the main factors, what built our body and strength our brains. Knowing that, McDonald’s should: Suggest just high quality, improved products, which is full of vitamins and minerals. So, it means that the company must improve their products, all the food must be certificated and fit for all healthy food standards. Be in a contact with suppliers, who supply products for McDonald’s food and always check if the products is natural, high standard and healthy for all of age customers. Contact with doctors, scientist and improve their products to fit for all of age customers, even they have some problems with their stomach. It means to make measures and find what the best is for all possible customers. More Healthy Choices McDonald’s should develop menu choices that are healthy and socially acceptable. It is possible to develop a menu that people will enjoy and that also fits into the original â€Å"Speedy Service† model the company introduced in the 1950’s. Use local food sources where possible. Using local sources decreases the time to market, and also decreases the use of fuel to transport goods. Increase presence in Asian countries McDonald’s has most certainly had a profound effect on China. When the first McDonald’s opened in Beijing more than a dozen years ago, 40,000 people lined up to observe a Big Mac and get their picture taken with the infamous Ronald McDonald. McDonald’s is growing faster in China than in the United States. McDonald’s owns operates more than 600 stores across 105 cities in China. More than 100 more McDonald’s stores will be added annually to Chinese cities within the coming years. CONCLUSIONS McDonald’s is operating in Pakistan as very profitable organization. In this project we struggled to study the management behaviour of McDonald’s starting from its history to its vision and mission statements in which explained the historical of McDonald’s of how it entered Pakistan’s market and the expansion of its business in various cities. Moreover we also explained about its and services which are offered in Pakistan by McDonald’s as their revenue generating products and services. I addition to that we researched all their product line. We also explained the organizational structure of McDonald’s. In that we explained the hierarchal structure of McDonald’s. As a gigantic organization of the world need to build their strong organizational structure so does McDonald’s. Its works on the basis of vertical and horizontal coordination. All the executives from up to the lower management on making it a successful organization.

Saturday, January 18, 2020

QCF Qualification Essay

This is a knowledge based qualification suitable for all support staff roles in schools, including site staff, administrators and others, as well as those who work directly with children and young people. It seeks to develop the knowledge and understanding that all those working in a school setting will need and covers areas such as safeguarding, communication and understanding the school context. As it is a knowledge based qualification, it can be taken by candidates not yet employed in a school, as well as providing initial training or induction for those who are new in post. Level 2 Certificate in supporting teaching and learning in schools This qualification is for those members of the school workforce who directly support the teaching and learning of pupils. The qualification incorporates the units in the level 2 Award in Support Work in Schools and adds competency based units to reflect the role of those supporting pupils’ learning. Level 2 Certificate in supporting the wider curriculum in schools This qualification has been developed to meet the needs of those working as  midday assistants/supervisors or who support the wider activities of schools such as before and after school clubs. It incorporates the units in the level 2 Award in Support Work in Schools and shares units with the level 2 Certificate in Supporting Teaching and Learning in Schools, recognising that many in teaching assistant roles may have additional responsibilities in school. This qualification has fewer credits than the level 2 Certificate in Supporting Teaching and Lea rning in Schools, which candidates who later progress to a teaching assistant role will be able to gain through the achievement of credit from additional units. Level 3 Award in supporting teaching and learning in schools This is a knowledge based qualification that will provide candidates with a secure understanding from which to progress to a level 3 role. It is suitable for candidates not yet in a school role but who have the capability to achieve at level 3; candidates in a level 2 role wishing to demonstrate that they are ready for progression to level 3, and as initial training for those newly in post at this level. This is a qualification intended to provide the underpinning knowledge and understanding for those with a role in directly working with children or young people in schools. Level 3 Certificate in supporting teaching and learning in schools This qualification is for those members of the school workforce who directly support the teaching and learning of pupils. The qualification incorporates the units in the level 3 Award in Supporting Teaching and Learning in Schools. Additional units cover the generic knowledge and skills required to work in a teaching assistant or similar role at level 3. Level 3 Certificate in cover supervision of pupils in schools This qualification is for those working in the role of Cover Supervisor and incorporates the units of the level 3 Award in Supporting Teaching and Learning in Schools. While this qualification includes some units that are also in the level 3 Certificate in Supporting Teaching and Learning in Schools, it reflect the differences between the cover supervisor and teaching assistant roles by omitting those units which are about actively advancing pupils’ learning and includes a unit on providing whole-cla ss supervision. Candidates moving from one role to the other will be able to demonstrate competence in the new role through  the achievement of credit from specified additional units. Level 3 Diploma in specialist support for teaching and learning in schools This qualification is for those members of the school workforce who directly support teaching and learning of pupils in schools in an area that requires specialist knowledge and skills. The qualification incorporates the units in the level 3 Certificate in Supporting Teaching and Learning in Schools. Additional optional units cover specialisms which may be a feature of the role at level 3.

Friday, January 10, 2020

How useful and reliable are these sources in explaining how women’s lives were affected by World War One? Essay

World War One began in 1914 and ended in 1918. Women’s lives were majorly affected during the war. My role is to find out if the lives of women were greatly affected by the First World War. During the war since most of the men were off fighting, the women were needed to stay home and run things so that the economy would not completely fall apart. Women had to take over men’s work to ensure that the jobs were fulfilled this was a huge step for most women as before all that they knew was house work and how to look after the kids. The following source explains the wages and problems women had whilst working. Source A5, is useful to me because it tells me how much women earned in the munitions factories and whether or not they liked it. In domestic service women did not like the work, but when they started to work in such places like the munitions factory some changed their minds and actually enjoyed it. ‘I started on hand-cutting shell fuses, we worked twelve hours a day apart from the journey morning and night, as for wages; I was very well off earning  £5 a week’. Source A5 was written by the memories of women’s lives that were altered by the war the main write being Mrs H. Felstead. These memories are shown in the ‘Imperial War Museum’ for the public. This source is reliable because it states when it was written and who wrote it. However the source might not be completely reliable because the memories of the women may have changed since then; I think that source A5 could also be biased in some way or another. The purpose of this source is to show what it was like 1914-1918. Source A7 links in with source A5 because it is also talking about wages in the First World War. Source A7 is reliable to me because of what is written in the poem, it was about the munitions factory in 1917. The source might not be entirely reliable because there is a chance that somebody made it up for entertainment. The poem explains someone earning high wages; ‘She can buy all of the jewellery that she wants, she takes taxis and even has a sergeant to walk with’, basically she can afford anything that she wants. This tells me that her life was affected in a positive way during the war. Another interesting source that backs up A5 is A10, I think that source A10 is useful to me because it says when the war ended at an exact date, ‘11th November 1918’ and how the  government practically forced women to go back to their old jobs. ‘Many women were pressurised into handing in their notice, within months of the end of the war, hundreds were out of work.’ I think that this source is reliable because the book was written by a Historian name is Josh Brooman who would have spent many years researching this subject, years in College and University, read sources and facts and gathering enough evidence to provide this information, He was chosen to be the author for a school’s history textbooks for GCSE students so he would have been respected and valued for his job as a Historian. Also a key part that is useful in this source is at the beginning where he states the exact date that the war ended, this is not opinion; but fact. But, this source could not have been completely reliable because it was written in 1994 for students, The truth could have been shaded a little in the book ‘People in change’ Parts of the text may have been edited a little not because they are wrong but so that it was suitable for the students learning about this subject for example information about how dangerous it was. I think that the purpose of source A10 is to explain to future children when the ‘First World War’ ended and both what women did during and after the war. Source A6 is another interesting source that I choose; I think that this source is useful to me because it is about a man, who does not want things to change. To me it already sounds as if the source is biased, I also think that this source is reliable because it was written by a soldier from the first world war that could tell us everything that happened, His name is H.V Shawyer, he would have no reason to lie about his past and things he witnessed and would have told the truth people should respect this. It makes the source ALOT more reliable coming from a man who took part in the war because he has a first account of what really happened. ‘Many of the girls earned ten times my pay as a full corporal’ The source came from a book called ‘Voices and Images from the great War’. However, this so urce could not be entirely reliable because the book was written in 1990 and the soldiers memories of what happened me have been played out so many times in his mind that they change slightly psychologically and he may of tried to block out certain aspects of war meaning his opinion and past might not seem the same now as it did back then. I think that the purpose of this source is to explain what men and women did in their spare time during World War 1 and share a man’s account  of past events. During the war many women campaigned for women’s rights they were called campaigners. Suffragettes also were involved with these campaigners but they focused more on the privilege to be able to vote. This was a positive thing to happen because they began being able to voice their opinions of the world and how things worked without men’s input and opinions that were not fair. Source A8 explains some of this. The source was written in 1932 by Sylvia Pankhurst (An author and campaigner for women’s rights) Writing in a history book called ‘The Home Front: A mirror to life in England during the First World War’. In my opinion from hearing that Sylvia is a campaigner for women’s rights, this could be biased. I find that this source is useful to me because it explains what most women felt like when working in an aircraft factory. This source Is reliable to me because it states when it was written and who wrote it. ‘They were painting aircraft w ings with dope varnish at a wage of 15s a week, For which they had to work from 8am to 6:30pm. It was common they told me, for six or more of the 30 women to be laying ill outside the workshop’ This means that it was a dangerous job where workers earned little money for working long hours. This means that the government didn’t really care about the workers nor support them despite them having to take over men’s jobs and keep the quality of work up. I think that the purpose of this source is to explain to other men and women what it was like working in an aircraft place. In conclusion from all the information that I have gathered I have learnt that The war affected women in a number of ways. For one thing, women were told to begin working to help the economy. Some became nurses and many had to work in dangerous factories. A lot of women did not enjoy this line of work, it was tiring dangerous and underpaid. But, quite a few women were happier with their lives during the war. They fought to be heard, were allowed to vote were even seen to be more equal to men after the war. Many women lost men in their lives, their husbands, brothers, and fathers this would have been devastating. Before the war began, women were known to work in the kitchen, feed the kids, complete housework and look after their husbands. Many enjoyed the change of working to help everybody and were  proud that they could prove they were just as capable as men, this changed the way of everything. In my opinion, Women’s lives were affected greatly by World War One and it was a massive change in history. I have the evidence from sources to prove this.

Thursday, January 2, 2020

The History of Hair Styling Products and Tools

Brushes were used as early as 2,500,000 years ago in the cave paintings of Altamira in Spain and PÃ ©rigord in France. These brushes were used to apply pigment to the cave walls. Similar brushes were later adapted and used for hair grooming. Brush Comb Trivia On New Years Day in 1906, Alfred C. Fuller, a 21-year-old entrepreneur from Nova Scotia, started the Fuller Brush Company from a bench located between the furnace and the coal bin in the basement of his sisters New England home.Camel hair brushes are not made of camels hair. They are named after the inventor, Mr. Camel.African American, Lyda D Newman patented a new and improved brush on November 15, 1898. Walter Sammons received a patent (US patent #1,362,823) for a comb. Hair Spray The concept of an aerosol spray originated as early as 1790 when self-pressurized carbonated beverages were introduced in France. However, it was not until World War II, when the US government funded research into a portable way for servicemen to spray malaria-carrying that the modern aerosol can was created. Two Department of Agriculture researchers, Lyle David Goodhue and W. N. Sullivan, developed a small aerosol can that was pressurized by a liquefied gas (a fluorocarbon) in 1943. It was their design that made products like hair spray possible, along with the work of one other inventor named Robert Abplanal. In 1953, Robert Abplanal invented a crimp-on valve for dispensing gases under pressure. This put the manufacture of aerosol spray can products into high gear as Abplanal had created the first clog-free valve for spray cans. Hair Styling Tools Bobby pins were first introduced to America in 1916. The very first hair dryers were vacuum cleaners adapted for drying hair. Alexandre Godefoy invented the first electric hair dryer in 1890. Thermo hair curlers were invented by African American inventor Solomon Harper in 1930. The pressing/curling iron was patented by Theora Stephens on October 21, 1980. Charles Nestle invented the first perm machine in the early 1900s. Early permanent wave machines used electricity and various liquids to perm hair and were difficult to use. According to Salon.com Technology columnist Damien Cave, Rick Hunt, a San Diego carpenter, invented the Flowbee in the late 1980s after marveling at an industrial vacuums ability to suck sawdust from his hair. The Flowbee is a do-it-yourself home haircutting invention. History of Hair Dressing Styling Hairdressing is the art of arranging the hair or otherwise modifying its natural state. Closely related to headgear, hairdressing has been an important part of the dress of both men and women since antiquity and, like the dress, serves a number of functions. Hair Dye The founder of LOreal, French chemist Eugene Schueller, invented the first synthetic hair dye in 1907. He named his new hair dye product Aureole. Baldness Treatment On February 13, 1979, Charles Chidsey received a patent for a treatment for male baldness. U.S. Patent 4,139,619 was issued on February 13, 1979. Chidsey was working for the Upjohn Company.