1.

OUTLINE
According to Slack, Chambers & Johnston (2010) the aim of
establishment not minding its trade or size is to make sure uttermost use of
its operations meets clients satisfaction in relation to cost, quality, speed,
flexibility, dependability as well as measure of goods and services.
All Operations role is essential to the firm as the services or goods
produced is the aim of its existence. Also is having their process to have a
unified goal to take inputs like resources, equipment knowledge, capital,
time and transforming into outputs (goods & services). These are explained
in the following areas as grouped:
Volume High capacity Operative results High repeatability High
specialty High systematization, High investment intensity, Low cost
Variety High variety - Operative Consequences Flexibility Multifaceted
meet client requests
Variation Low in demand Operative consequences Constant Routine
anticipated Low cost
Visibility ranking of operations in relation to customers
2.0 CASE STUDY
Global SmartFit (GSF) Nigeria Ltd is a local footwear design and
trade firm in Nigeria established towards the growth of private and smallscale establishments in Nigeria. Since beginning of operations, the firm has
been involved with diverse productions, designs, sizes and categories of
shoes for school shoes, safety for construction, oil & Gas; Combat for Military
/ Paramilitary bodies with all products ranges in compliance to best and
suitable Global standards Global SmartFit,(2016). Asides from the mentioned
operation rendered, supplementary services rendered are shoe expansion
i.e. fabricating of makeshift feet to increase or widen shoe sizes to desired fit.
This service is a plus for the firm as in recent times, due to the ease of online
purchases, a good ratio of shoes purchased online and home delivered are
either over or undersized.
3.0 PROFILE OF SHOE EXPANSION SERVICE ON THE BASIS OF THE
4VS
1.
VOLUME the more a trade or business can produce by means of the
same production way, pointers to greater savings in cost. Shoemaking is
perceived as a traditional art profession. Nevertheless, it has been generally
taken over by industrial manufacture of footwear as a result; large volumes
of shoes are manufactured to meet customers needs. For this kind of trade,
there are expert workers who make the different size and type of dummy
feet (male/female) for the expansion service as requested by customers. As
these services are rendered and task repeated, the activities can be
streamed line. Standard techniques are formulated and in place for

operational instructions. As the method is systemized, GSF expends modern

machineries that deliver the shoe with very higher quality thus affording
establishment high volume of production at reduced cost and has resulted to
more competition amongst other small scale business. The outcome is that
all these makes for low unit and processing cost for the firm but then again
possibly less recompensing for staffs, as processes involved are reiterated
and streamlined. Also is that the nature of the trade is capital demanding as
quite a number of machines are required to accommodate client demand.
2.
VARIETY though it may seem ironical, Global SmartFit earns
advantages of both volume and variety. GSF procedure is a hybrid Chase,
(2006). Yet variations in shoe sizes, types, and production material, the
procedure are extensive and use advanced technology plants and
equipment. In this approach, individual client request are attended to and
transferred to right unit in real-time hence delivery of larger volumes to meet
clients expectation. Slack, Chambers & Johnston (2010)the variability in
operational accomplishments is of impact and has impact on performance
objective
3.
VARIATION theres a level of request for the shoe enlargement as a
service and non-seasonal. As such, input like resources and manpower
required remain fairly anticipated. The consequence is that the rate of
operation for every unit cost could be kept low, as demand is comparatively
stable and work is repetitive; nonetheless, there will be high application of
resources due to high capacity & low deviation.
4.
VISIBILITY A visit to GSF will show the visibility of the service to
consumers of GSF. This is normal for the reason that drops off and physical
assessment of the shoes are a prerequisite. Politeness and ability to
persuade client to recognize value as commensurate to service charged is
essential particularly at first visit.
Visibility is relatively on upturn at Jay Jays Shop setup as consumers
experience is firsthand; the implication is that fast service is habitually
anticipated despite the fact the countenance of staff attending to clients
might make the difference to their customers, an immense dissimilarity to
internet created trade. High staff operation is continuously a reason hence
staff absence is crucial.
4.0 IMPROVEMENTS - Material and asset management Focus
1
Material Management (MM): Kumar &Suresh, (2009) states that MM
is focuses on monitoring of supplies in best routine so as to deliver predefined services to clients at lowermost cost. One of such undertaking for
GSF is logistics of MM necessitating conveyance of resources to factory. By
way of linking to Volume and variation, the unit price of shoe enlargement

package relatively to logistics is kept low, as peak of resources and

conveyance routes are realistically predictable.
2.
Asset Management (AM): GSF assets like workers, building
structure, plants and machineries are elements donating to cost of operation.
Nevertheless, based on high visibility of trade, its status must be welldefined as well as other assets kept to 100% workable standard regularly.
In relations of progress, GSF is proposing to outsource the conveyance
of resource goods to a logistics company (DHL) on a relatively low stable cost
and prearranged scheduled. The goal is to reduce cost and allocate the
threat involved in transportation. In like routine, repairs of building facilities
are likewise planned and outsourced to FM companies thus resulting to low
numbers in workforces.
Internally, GSF has proposed adopting Total productive Maintenance
(TPM). For the purpose of bringing maintenance to focus Bisen & Srivastava,
(2009) so as to attain least disruption to service and reduced impact of
maintenance.
Though, initial cost of outsourcing these services could be felt initially
but on the long run will influence cost positively.
In conclusion and according Slack, Chambers & Johnston (2010), the 4
Vs have an effect on the cost of operation (goods and services). It is
unmistakable that though operations could have high total cost per unit,
operation may have high total cost per input; it may also have high
productivity per output (Ibid)
REFERENCES
Anil Kumar, S. and Suresh, N. (2009). Operations management. New Delhi:
New Age International (P) Ltd., Publishers.
Chase, R., Aquilano, N. and Jacobs, F. (2004). Operations management for
competitive advantage. Boston, Mass.: McGraw-Hill.
Globalsmartfit.com. (2016). Global Smart Fit Nigeria Limited

[online]

Available at: http://www.globalsmartfit.com/aboutus.php [Accessed 24

Mar. 2016].
Johnston, R. and Staughton, R. (2009). Establishing and developing strategic
relationships the role for operations managers. International Journal of
Operations & Production Management, 29(6), pp.564-590.
Kumar, P. and Clark, M. (2002). Kumar & Clark clinical medicine. Edinburgh:

Saunders.