International Operations Strategy and Innovation Assignment Sample

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Introduction

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“Coca-Cola” is one of the most reputed and prevalent companies, dealing in cold drinks and other beverages. It basically originated from the United States. But in recent times, the business has been found to be prevalent in most countries. Furthermore, the company was initially started in the year 1886. It was initially produced with an experiment done by an eminent pharmacist John Pemberton with the combination of “caramel-coloured liquid” with “carbonated water”. In addition to that, the name of the trademark was given by his bookkeeper, whose name was Frank Robinson (Abbassi and Zanouda, 2022). Furthermore, as per the findings of one survey, it was found that the concerning company has gin stress on its brand over the products that it produces. Moreover, as per the stats, in the year 2021, the “Coca-Cola” company had made a profit of around $23.298B, which was supposedly 19% higher than in 2022.

However, with respect to the concerning company, this report discusses the management of the international operation in real-world scenarios. Further, the essay will try to identify some of the major challenges related to that. Additionally, the essay will assess innovation’s role in the advancement of “Operations Management techniques” with respect to the different regions and their cultural establishment. Along with that, it will evaluate the most effective approach for improving innovation and creativity in the organisation.

2.0 International Operations Management with real-world scenarios

The general meaning that can be derived from international operation management is that it includes multiple actions in order to regulate a variety of the resource’s inputs in terms of labour, goods and materials and so on and so forth and turn it into possibly quality and standard products and services, it is usually used by an international business (Hadid et al., 2022).

Furthermore, it has been derived that the operation functions lead an organisation to the ultimate success as it provides huge sales to the company and in numbers of the company; the operation takes a larger tranche of resources and also brings in huge profitability for the company, as per the opinions of economists. It is very important for the operational strategy to assist the overall goals of the business, and it also supports “Coca-Cola” with the practical objectives and aims that are approachable so that the concerned company can implement strategies in order to accomplish the target and reach the targets. It is obvious that “Coca-Cola” has reached this position, carrying out strategic plans along the way. However, it is also important for the concerning management to evaluate the innovative strategies on an irregular basis in order to improve the performance as per the demand of the market and consumers (Gupta et al., 2022). Moreover, if the strategy fails to bring success for the concerning company, then the operation plan has to be updated and innovated by implementing an effective strategy to achieve the predetermined goals.

Figure: Coca-Cola’s Global Presence

(Source: Coca-Cola Bottlers & Coke System | The Coca-Cola Company)

Nevertheless, the concerned company must make sure that the strategies are functioning well or not. It is very important for the company to have consistent strategic plans in order to sustain itself in the competitive market if it intends to spread its coverage throughout the world. In addition to the concern, the company should also make sure that the operation plan reinforces the organisation’s performance, and they must also favour the requirement of the quality with respect to the cost that the plan specifies, especially in terms of “Cost Structure” (Mak, 2022). In addition to that, the concerned company also has to compare the strategy of operation to the target in terms of cost and overall profits in order to ensure the effectiveness of the plan that is implemented by the organisation. Additionally, it is also important for the concerned organisation to make the production realistic, keeping the previous experience in mind.

Figure: Geographic Sales of Coca-Cola

(Source: https://investors.coca-colacompany.com/about)

Moreover, it is also an effective move if the concerned organisation assesses the operational strategy, especially in terms of exterior consonance. In addition to that, the management must ascertain that the “Coca-Cola” does not fail to satisfy the demand of the market. It must innovate and adopt a new and more effective operational plan if it fails to meet the expectation of the consumers in the market. Furthermore, the concerned company must hit the places where the demand for cold drinks is on the rise and look for monetary advantages for the company and implement effective steps to create an operational strategy (Mak,2022). Additionally, in order to influence the business performance and profitability, the concerning organisation should evaluate the feasibility and sustainability of the operational management. It must be prepared with the financing and the requirements of the resources in the future expansion of the “Coca-Cola” once its boundary reaches across the world.

3.0 Issues, problems and practices that characterise International Operations Management

It is quite an obvious fact that in order to implement any new operational strategy in terms of globally establishing the business, there are irrefutably challenges and risks which come in the way. Here are some of the key issues and problems that arise in executing the international operational management that “Coca-Cola” has faced in terms of globally expanding its business (Masi and Godsell, 2022).

Globalisation

The term in the business perspective can be derived in a way where an organisation deals with an individual, organisation and government on a global scale. Furthermore, there are both advantages and disadvantages that “Coca-Cola” has faced due to globalisation (Pederneiraset al., 2022). The advantage is that it has given the organisation an opportunity to do business with worldwide customers and reach a wide range of the market. However, the organisation due to globalisation, the company does not only have to compete with the native organisation. Rather, it has to stand against many such b and prevalent companies serving all around the world.

Figure: Coca-Cola’s Supply Distribution

(Source: The Coca-Cola Supply Chain & Operations Management | Business Paper Example (business-essay.com))

Sustainability

It is one of the major matters of concern for the concerning company serving the services throughout the world b against the world’s biggest company has proven to be challenging for the concerning company. Furthermore, the availability of sufficient resources and financial support also creates tension for the concerning company in terms of sustainability in the future market of probable higher and more intensified demand for the services. Moreover, when dealing with the matter of sustainability of business performances, there are three crucial aspects that the concerned management should be aware of, which are “social”, “environmental”, and “economical”. The organisational management must know how these three elements will yield favourable outcomes, including how productivity is affected by these factors (Córcoles Muñoz et al., 2022).

Effective Communication

According to the business, healthy communication plays an important role in organisational development and business expansion. However, maintaining consistent and effective communication in a workplace for a long time becomes intricate for the organisation concerned (Pederneiraset al., 2022). Further, it becomes tough for the operational manager to interact effectively and with all the stakeholders, which possibly puts the necessary information structure in the way and it does not reach them due to the many inconveniences and intricacies that arise within the organisation, and it might adversely impact the performances and profitability of the “Coca-Cola”. In addition to that, having effective communication is a must for manufacturing the products, and interaction leads an organisation to boost the overall operational performances in certain areas such as “Demand Planning”, “Demand Forecasting”, “Plan/Forecast’’ and it also includes an ultimate implementation of all these into effective operational, strategic plans.

Figure: Coca-Cola’s Operational System

(Source: Coca-Cola System :: The Coca-Cola Company (KO))

Ethical Conduct

It is again one of the most sensitive problems that have come across the concerning organisation. However, it is also very important for the upliftment of business organisations as it states that in terms of gaining organisational advancement, the society or the people should not be morally affected (Bhatt, 2022). Furthermore, if the concerning organisation overlooks this aspect in order to expand the business globally, it will miserably fail to gain the employee engagement in the long term, and it might also lead to internal grudges among the employees towards the management, which will surely impact the sustainability of the concerning organisation in the international market. According to the report, a lot of company has vanished from the market that had approached unethical conduct. However, understanding the essence of it is very important for the “Coca-Cola” company to survive well in the international market.

4.0 Role of innovation in the development of operation management techniques

“Innovation” can be defined as a development plan using different traits and trends that ensure sustainable growth (Kahn, 2018). Almost all the companies in the world use “innovation” to make development in their company. This is an essential trait to make proper business enhancement.

Innovation helps a company to make proper growth using the important factors of the business and helps to achieve success. The changing society is leading to a change in the demands of customers and this is important for the companies in the world to make changes in their business plans accordingly (Yun et al., 2020). Innovation ensures a positive change in the business and helps the company to be active and agile fulfilling the demands of the customers.

Advantages of Innovation

Innovation can help a company in many ways. This helps the companies to make a proper business using all the latest trends to and satisfying the customers.

Productivity

Innovation helps a company to be productive and makes the company make good business. A productive company can have a good distribution and this helps them to make a good business.

Reduce cost

Innovation is helping to reduce costs from different sections of the business. This helps to reduce costs from distribution, supply, and production. This helps to make the company more profitable and grow in the market. 

Competitive advantage

This serves the company’s competitive advantage in the market and helps to make a good business competing with other companies in the market.

Types of Innovation

Innovation is mainly two types that are, open and closed innovation (Buchheimet al., 2020). The “Open Innovation” involves collaboration with people and making a proper business. This helps the company to make innovative development on the different factors of business having help from outside. On the other hand, “closed innovation” is focused within the company the authorities of the company make innovative changes within the company. This helps the company to make development and reduces the chances to profit share or losing uniqueness.

4.1 Innovative approach of Coca-Cola

Coca-Cola uses the factors of innovation to make growth in their business. The company follows the factors of open innovation that helps to make a perfect innovative model of business for them. This makes a proper business for them.

The company is following the factors of open innovation and they are making collaboration with entrepreneurs and the company and also with the customers. The company has set up many programs to help entrepreneurs. The “Coca-Cola Accelerator Program’ launched by the company is helping nearly 8 start-up companies in the world (Brault et al., 2021). The company is helping these entrepreneurs to make a business and they are having innovative plans from them. This is helping the company apply the innovative factors in the business and satisfy the customers with their products. The company is making plans with the innovative idea with others and serving a perfect business in the market. The innovative ways chosen by the entrepreneurs are helping the company to make a proper business. The innovation models are also helping the company to make a more profit from the market. The plan is serving as a competitive advantage to the company and they are competing successfully with other beverage companies like Pepsi.

The innovative model taken by the company is the “Freestyle Dispenser Machine”. The company has taken initiative to involve customers in its business (Gimpelet al., 2022). This is helping the company to make proper business using the important factors of the business. The Freestyle Dispenser Machine of the company helps the customers to choose their flavours and suggest the company make a perfect innovative flavour for them. This is helping the company to make a perfect business by researching the market and having a proper idea about the demands of the customers. In short, the company has taken the customers as their partners for collaboration and developing a good business with them.

Advantages and disadvantages of the open innovation of Coca-Cola

The “open innovation” of Coca-Cola has many advantages. Some of the advantages of this are as follows-

• This helps to assess new talents and infrastructures.
• This helps to increase the revenue of the company encouraging new streams.
• This reduces the cost of new innovation.

However, there are some disadvantages of this that can affect the company. The disadvantages of open innovation of Coca-Cola are as follows-

• This hampers the secrecy of the company and increase the chance of data leakage for the company.
• This serves an open intellectual property that can cause losing of potential for the company.
• This increases the complexity to the innovative approach of the company.

5.0 Approaches to develop a culture of creativity and innovation in an organisation

Innovation is essential to make a proper business using the growth factors that are helpful to make developments in a company. This serves agility and accuracy to a company and helps the company to make a proper business. This is also helpful to have a competitive advantage in the market and helps to understand the factors of development. This helps to satisfy the customers and serves a perfect business using the factors of the business.

This is important for Coca-Cola to follow the traits of innovation in their company. This helps to make proper growth for the company and serves as a perfect assumption to achieve success. Innovation also supports making a company productive and serves the company to make a perfect business using the latest trends and traits. In short, innovation supports sustainable growth for a company and Coca-Cola can use it to make a perfect business for the company.

Some traits are there that help the company to ensure innovation in the business. These traits make the company implement an innovative approach to the organizational culture. The company is following the factors of “open innovation” that are helping the company to make a perfect approach. However, this is also supporting the company to make development along with other companies worldwide.

Freedom to the employees

“Freedom” at the workplace is very important to make an innovative approach for the company. The workers must feel free to share their opinions which help the company to make a perfect growth with their plan (Samsir, 2018). This helps the company to understand the factors of innovation in business and use these factors to make proper growth. 

Resources

Proper resources are essential to make an innovative approach. This is important for the company to serve the workers with the proper types of equipment and supports that they can use to implement innovative approaches in the business. Technical support and well-designed sectors are important to ensure innovation in Coca-Cola.

Action 

The company must take the initiative to apply innovative approaches to the company within the proper time frame. This is important for the company to plan all the innovative plans with the employees to ensure innovation. The company must keep patience and plan all the approaches thoroughly to make a perfect innovation in the company.

Practical approach

To ensure innovation in the company, this is important for the authorities to implement the plan. The “Research and Development” process helps the company to make a proper innovative plan and suggests mitigating the risk factors for the company (Ge et al., 2018). However, this is not enough. The company needs to implement the plans to make a perfect assumption of the outcomes and makes it possible to make the company develop innovative ideas.

Courage to make mistakes

A very helpful saying is “failure is the pillar of success”. This makes a perfect understanding of the drawbacks of the plan and helps to understand the factors that are helpful to make a proper innovative plan. Failing is kind of important to make a proper innovation. This helps to make a good and excellent innovative strategy mitigating the factors of innovation. The company must ensure that the employees are never afraid of failing and encourage them to take steps with their ideas.

Leadership

Another very important factor that helps to ensure innovation is good leadership. A better and supporting leadership helps the employees of the company to understand the factors of the business and supports them with motivation. Good leadership also ensures innovative changes in business and helps to implement all the important factors to make business. A good leader is important to make a proper team and a good team always supports innovation. This is important to make every one of the team feel safe and respected so that they can be motivated in their jobs (Oc, 2018). A proper and accomplished team is important to implement any innovative approach to the company and this helps to ensure the growth of the company.

Development of thinking skills

The company can make the employees to develop the thinking skills to make innovative approaches. This helps the employees to make a perfect innovative step for the company. Various tools are available that can be used by the company to develop the thinking skill of the employees.

Development of the environment

Development of the working environment is also helpful to make the employees innovative and creative. The company must apply a flexible organisational culture that will help the employees to make proper enhancement without any extra pressure. This will help the company by increasing the productivity of the employees.

Proper training

Training and skill development sessions are helpful for the employees making them more productive. A proper training session will help the employees with required knowledge and skills and they can make enhancement in their critical thinking process. The skill development sessions will serve the employees with more competence and productivity.

Reward and Recognition

This can be taken as a very important step to develop confidence and creativity of the employees by offering them with rewards. This will bring the person confidence about the job and he or she will perform more productively. This also helps others with motivation and serves a better performance management tool to the company along with some innovative approach.

6.0Recommendation

Acknowledge the contribution of the employees is also important to make a proper understanding of the chances of innovation. This helps to understand the core and strengths and weaknesses of the company which is important to assess to make a proper innovative plan. The company must check the strength and weaknesses of the employees and make sure that all the employees are competent to handle the innovative changes in the company.

However, a proper action plan is important for the company to make a proper innovative approach. The company must take initiative and make their employees competent in innovative approaches by providing training sessions. The company also provides the employees with proper leaders who can help them to make perfect growth. Apart from researching the strengths and weaknesses, the company must research the latest trends and approaches of the market to understand the factors of innovation. This will serve the company with the proper plan.

7.0 Conclusion

Innovation is a very essential trait for a company to make growth and adjust in the fast-changing world. This helps to make business development and ensures the success of a company in the market. Coca-Cola uses the factors of innovation and they are having good business in the market. The company is also having a competitive advantage using the factors of innovation. The plans and implementations of the company are helping them and others to make growth and they are satisfying their customers. The operational management of the company is also helping to make proper innovative growth. The operational management is making sure that all the employees of the company can engage in the innovative plan and ensures a sustainable growth.

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