Prose Fiction in the English Classroom free essay sample

In this module we will be looking closely at how to approach close reading of fiction with our Senior English students. We will: think about text selection. think holistically about what a fiction unit might cover. understand some generic elements of prose fiction as a form and how they might be taught. learn how to develop 3 level guides as prompts for close reading. Lets begin by discussing the novels we might use with a senior English class. In most departments, teachers are free to choose texts for study with their class (departmental resources will limit the scope of your choice). It is important that you develop an idea of what you think is suitable for a senior class. Think back to your own experiences with prose fiction study and to texts you have enjoyed reading independently. Are there any you would consider appropriate for study with a year 11, 12 or 13 class? Why? Activity 1:1:1: Discussion Forum Texts for study Narrative study an overview The study of narrative is the study of how stories are told. We will write a custom essay sample on Prose Fiction in the English Classroom or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page When we study prose fiction, we are looking in detail at the choices that the author has made and how those choices combine to create a particular piece of writing. It is important to convey to your students the idea that nothing happens by accident; everything contained in the novel /short story is a product of the authors choices. These choices are made purposefully for a particular effect and to elicit a particular response in the reader. In order to help students understand this, we need to focus our study on the selection and organisation of material in the text. The following outline provides a useful overview of the headings we might include in a novel study structured around the selction and organistaion of material in a text. Read through the outline carefully. NarrativeNarrative is how a story is told. The how of story-telling involves techniques and conventions characteristic of narrative genres, e. g. narratives, anecdotes, news stories, parables. How involves: A) SELECTION(i) Vantage Point:1. Who tells the story. (Narrator) 2. Scope of the access. (Limited/omniscient) 3 Perspective in time (Removed/retrospective, immediate tense) (ii) Content:1. What are the significant settings? 2. Who are the significant characters? 3. What are the significant events and actions? B) ORGANISATION(i) The basis for sequence (plot) ii) The basis for juxtaposition. | Using this as our guide, lets look at how we might approach each aspect with a senior English class. In particular, we will discuss the activities, explanations and questions that might be of use. First though, we need a short story to read as an example for discussion. Read through the story A Piece of Yellow Soap by Frank Sargeson. Pre-reading At the very beginning of a prose fiction unit, it is common for a teacher to ask students to engage in an introductory activity. These activities are designed to draw students into the study of a text they have not yet read. A pre-reading activity might address itself to the theme of a piece of fiction, or be concerned with some aspect of style or form. Design a pre-reading activity you might use with a class studying A Piece of Yellow Soap, then add your ideas to the discussion below. Activity 1:1:2: Discussion Forum Pre-reading Point of View Once the pre-reading is complete and the students have read the text (hopefully), it is time to look in detail at various aspects of the text. It is not unusual for teachers to begin discussions on a novel/short story with a close look at the vantage point or point of view chosen by the writer. In my experience, students tend to struggle a little with point of view and the idea of a narrator, so it is important to have a clear explanation up your sleeve. Think about how you would describe the concept of point of view to a senior English class. And, just as a wee extra challenge, think about how you might make a connection between point of view and irony. Once you have pondered this, click on the link below to add your explanations. Activity 1:1:3: Discussion Forum Point of view Ok. Lets look at some resources that might help you. The art of the short story (page 22 of your readings) is a chapter taken from Close-Up on Literary text (Locke,2001) In the point of view section, the author asks readers to look closely at the narrator first. Read through the following excerpt and answer the 5 questions with reference to A piece of yellow soap. This introduction and these questions help students first to discover who the narrator of the story is, before they begin looking at the narrators influence on the story. They may still need to clarify the difference between the narrator and the author of the text. The next set of questions from The art of the short story helps them to do this. Once again, work through the questions with reference to A piece of yellow soap. The narrator of a story should not be confused with the writer. The writer of this story is Frank Sargeson. 6 On the basis of this story alone, which of the above questions can you answer if you substitute the word writer for the word narrator? 7 How would you go about finding answers to the questions that can’t be answered on the basis of information found in the story? 8 How might knowledge about Frank Sargeson contribute to your reading of this story? Once students have a firm understanding of the narrator and have it clearly differentiated from the author. It is time to begin looking more broadly at point of view. This invloves asking students to look at the perspective from which the story is being told. Work through the following explanation and questions reflecting as you do on the extent to which they help you develop a better understanding of the point of view. If you think of a story as providing a particular window onto the world a particular angle of vision then you are reflecting on the important notion of point of view. Point of view answers the question, Through whose eyes or from what vantage point am I viewing the action that is being presented in this story. (A useful analogy here is to imagine a movie camera and to think about how its location affects what we see when we are watching a movie. )9 From whose perspective is this story being told? 10 How much time has elapsed between the story being told and the telling itself? 11 How limited is the narrative point of view? To answer this question, try identifying the sorts of information that the narrator cannot access. 2 How involved is the narrator in the story? Is he quite central to the action or is he quite peripheral (like a witness to a motor accident)? [Language Tool Kit:Narrator: The voice one can identify as telling a story. Point of view: The perspective from which the events of a story are presented. Chronological time: The order followed by events as they actually happened. Psychological time: The order of events as they are recalled or reconstructed in a persons mind. ]Finally, we can distinguish between first-person and third-person narrators. A Piece of Yellow Soap is a an example of a first-person narrative, told from the point of view of a character who has quite a degree of involvement in the story being told. 13 Identify the pronouns in the first paragraph of this story which tell you whether this is a first-person or third-person narrative. | These explanantions and questions should prove useful in guiding students to a clear understanding of a narrator and his/her influence on the text. Time When we look at the ways in which the author has chosen to orientate the story, it is important to examine the authors treatment of time. When we do this, we are asking studnets to look at whether the narrators perspective is immediate (present tense), retrospective (past tense) or a mixture (see The art of the short story p. 25 of your readings for a table of tenses if you need clarification), and at the ways in which time is manipulated to suit the purposes of the author. The following exercise (from The art of the short story) is designed to make students think about the relationship between time and story-telling. As you read through them jot down some answers Time Activity You cant tell a story without thinking about time. The following log exercise is designed to make you think about the relationship between time and story-telling. 1. Write down in chronological order the things you did after you work up this morning. (You dont have to go on for too long. ) 2. Underline the words you used to indicate the sequence in time of what you were recounting. (First, then, later are examples of such words. ) 3. From the flow of events that have occured since you woke up, choose and describe the most memorable. 4. Add to this description an account of what lead up to or caused this event to happen. Reflect on what these questions are guiding you towards. What have you learnt by doing this activity? Or, what would your students learn by doing this activity? Activity 1:1:4: Discussion Forum Time Look back at our overview. As you can see, we have had a close look now at the elements that come under the heading of Vantage Point. We are going to take a quick detour now to plot because it makes sense to get a good grip on this before moving on to the content (character, setting etc). Plot Teaching plot can be tricky, mainly because it sounds deceptively simple. The key to students coming to grips with it is having a clear defintion of plot and some narrative structure terms to work with. So, how would you define plot to a senior English class? What are some plot elements that you would consider helpful in helping students understand the way a particular narrative is structured? Activity 1:1:5: Discussion Forum Plot The following extract from The art of the short story offers some clear definitions of a number of plot elements that may be of use to you and your students. As you read through them, try to connect as many as possible with specific parts of the short story A Piece of Yellow Soap. There are a number of plot elements that can be used to shape or structure a narrative. The selection and arrangement of these plot elements have an enormous impact on the effect a story has on its readers. although A piece of Yellow Soap is a very short story, it contains a number of plot elements. i Exposition: Exposition is the provision of important background information so that a reader feels oriented to what is happening in a story. How effective is the opening paragraph of this story as an example of exposition? ii Predicament: A predicament is a difficult choice difficult because it involves a character in a choice between two undesirable options. 2 What is the narrators predicament as described in paragraph one? iii Conflict: Most plots involve conflict. Conflict occurs in a plot when a character or groups interests are opposed by another character or group. 3 Why is the narrator in conflict with the woman? 4 On the face of it, the woman is the milkmans antagonist. Find evidence in the story that the narrator also feels himself in conflict with:†¢ his firm;†¢ the way his societys economy is organised;†¢ certain peoples views about God. Conflict can also be internal. Internal conflict occurs when two parts of a character are in involved in a struggle with each other. 5 In what way might the narrator of this story be described as in conflict with himself? iv Rising action: The part of a story, often accompanied by tension and suspense, which leads up to a climax or some other defining moment. 6 In what way does paragraph two contain suspense? ) Climax: A climax is the highest point in a single action, the decisive moment towards which events appear to be heading . 7 Which paragraph (indeed which sentence), in your view, provides a climax for this story? vi) Denouement: This is a French word meaning unravelling. It refers to the process which follows a climax, where some kind of sense is made of the proceeding events. Sometimes the denouement involves a discovery or a disclosure. Sometimes, as in this case, it involves a moment of recognition a sudden growth in awareness or the realisation of some truth. In what sense, do the last two paragraphs of this story provide a recognition. 9 Is this recognition for the narrator, the reader (or both)? [Language Tool Kit:Exposition: The provision of essential background information early in the narration of a story. Predicament: A difficult choice between undesirable alternatives, often presented to a character early in a narrative. Conflict: A situation where the interests of characters or groups of characters are opposed. Antagonist: Usually, but not always, a character whose interests are opposed to th ose of the main character or group of characters in a story. Internal conflict: A situation where two parts of a single character are in conflict with each other. Rising action: The suspenseful part of a story leading up to its climax. Climax: The decisive moment in a story towards which events appear to be heading. Denouement: The process of unravelling or winding down that occurs in the aftermath of a storys climax. ]| Lets look, by way of example, at what we might do in the classroom to help students gain a better understanding of one of thesed terms: predicament. Once we have discussed the definition of predicament, we would need to help students pinpoint the predicament the narrator recounts in the short story. Having done this, it would be useful to engage students in a kind of role play activity to help them better understand the narrators predicament which is central to the story. This role play would be fun to do as a drama activity, using a voiced thoughts monologue. If this were impratical, it could also be done in the form of some expressive writing. Either way, the task itself might look something like this The milkmans predicament activity. Imagine you are the milkman and you are just about to go and visit the woman to ask her for money. What are you thining/worrying about? What thoughts are competing in your head? Try to use some quotes from the story and some of your own words. Activities such as this could (time permitting) be constructed for each plot element to help students develop a thorough understanding of the storys narrative structure. Character and characterisation Senior students seldom have any problems with the idea of character. By year 11, it is a term they are generally familiar with and comforatble using. Characterisation on the other hand is a different story. Understanding the term characterisation invloves students making the shift to seeing text as something that has been constructed by the author and that is constructed by the reader as he/she reads. This can be a difficult jump for some! So, how can we explain the difference between character and characterisation to senior English students? Keeping in mind that the term character refers to WHAT and the term characterisation refers to HOW, write some defiinitions that you might use with your students. Then, write some questions relating to A Piece of Yellow Soap that guide students to an understanding of characterisation. Activity 1:1:5: Discussion Forum Character and Characterisation For a clear definition, lets refer again to The art of the short story. Characterisation refers to the process whereby readers construct characters on the basis of evidence in the text provided by writers. This evidence can include:†¢ actions;†¢ thoughts, feelings and deliberations;†¢ descriptions (from a narrator or another character);†¢ dialogue| Setting Looking back to our overview of narrative study, the final remaining element under the heading of selection is setting. You may find students have a functioning albeit narrow understanding of the term setting as the place where the story happens. With a senior class, our task is generally to help them broaden this definition to include time and the cultural setting in which the text was composed and to help them to understand the ways in which setting is important in a prose fiction text. How would you explain to students what setting is and why it is important in a work of fiction? Design an activity that helps students understand the importance of setting in a piece of yellow soap. Activity 1:1:6: Discussion Forum Setting Style Style is a combination of the way a writer uses words, syntax and punctuation. In some books, the word texture is used to denote the characteristics of style a reader is aware of at any point in the narrative. As such it can be usefully contrasted with the term structure whicg refers to the organisation of the text as a whole. (Art of the Short Story). It would take far too long to look at all the possible terms and techniques that we might discuss under the heading of style. It might therefore, be more useful to discuss the particular features of style evident in A Piece of Yellow Soap, so that you can get a grip on how a style discussion might work ina classroom. Read through A piece of Yellow Soap once again, paying particular attention to its style. List some metalinguistic terms (terms used to describe language) you would use to describe the style of this short story. Select one sentence of the story that you believe would elicit an interesting discussion about style. Activity 1:1:7: Discussion Forum Style Theme The term theme is a problematic one. If we refer to the theme of a novel, then we imply that a theme is a central message put in by a writer who is deliberately concerned to raise an issue or communicate a lesson to the reader (The Art of the Short Story, p8. ) In the version of reading that this constructs, the reader is merely a passive recipient of the ideas in the story. How else might we look at the idea of theme (and reading in general)? How would you present the idea of theme to a senior English class? Activity 1:1:8: Discussion Forum Theme 3 level guides Just before we wind up this module, Id like to look at a type of resource that can be extremely useful when approaching close reading of a text with a class. The 3 level guide offers a set of questions which draw students into a close reading of a text. Students are asked to agree or disagree (providing textual evidence) with propositions grouped in three categories: Level 1: Reading for information Level 2: Reading to interpret Level 3: Reading critically Lets look at some examples from a 3 level guide written for Chapter 23 of the novel The Catcher in the Rye by J. D Salinger. Level 1: Holden has only a short converstaion on the phone with Mr Antolini. Level 2: Holden respects Antolini because he doesnt care about appearances. Level 3: Holden believes that natural ability is a stronger factor in what a person can do than education or training. Question 1 is straightforward. Students can go to the text and find a definitive answer. Level 1 questions involve facts that are direc tly stated in the text. Question 2 is more complex. It requires students to interpret a characters thoughts, words or actions in some way. They may need to refer to other parts of the text to do this. The level 3 question is still more complex. It requires students to apply a critical perspective to the text to examine the belief systems or prejudices at work in a characters actions. Sometimes, level 3 questions require students to examine their own beliefs and prejudices that are supported or challenged by the text. In your readings, you will find a copy of a short story commonly taught in year 11 English classes, The Outsider by Graeme Lay. Read through the first few pages of the short story. Once you have done so, come up with one questions for each level of a three level guide. Activity 1:1:9: Discussion Forum 3 level guide

Investigative Report on the Operation Functions of Mouchel Group PLC The WritePass Journal

Investigative Report on the Operation Functions of Mouchel Group PLC 1.0 Introduction and Methodology Investigative Report on the Operation Functions of Mouchel Group PLC 1.0 Introduction and Methodology2.0 Company Overview2.1 Company History and Events Leading to the Current Changes2.1.1 Early History and the Influence of the Private Sector.2.1.2 Recent Mergers2.2 Current Operational Landscape3.0 Management Restructuring3.1 Change in Company Structure3.1.1 Cost Savings and Efficiency3.1.2 The Role of Engineers within the New Structure3.1.3 Replacing Staff through Innovation3.2 Impact on Projects3.2.1 Relationships between the Company and Client3.2.2 Communication and Project Control4.0 Sustainability4.1 Company Strategy4.1.1 Divisions and Technological Strategy4.1.2 Retention of Staff4.2 Project Management4.2.1 Client Relationships  4.2.2 Project Hierarchy and Line Management4.3 Long Term Projection4.3.1 Defining Principles and Mission Statement4.3.2 Rebranding of the Company4.4 Supply Chain Management4.4.1 Core facilities and Wider Network4.4.2 Network Monitoring and Quality Control4.4.3 Issues Associated with the Network5.0 Conclusions5.1 Impact of Current Restructuring5.2 Final Conclusions and RecommendationsReferencesRelated 1.0 Introduction and Methodology The key aim for this report is to develop an understanding of the context within which Mouchel operates; to realise an examination of the operational functions used within the company and ultimately how this is affected by the current management restructuring. Focusing on the construction sector within the UK, an overview of strategy and the influence of the current changes will be objectively compared to theoretical models to analyse the risks the company and perceptibly the engineers may face in the future. The selection of data has come primarily from the company itself through annual reports, although other sources such as journals and articles have been utilised to offer theoretical models and analysis to further the investigation. 2.0 Company Overview As an international consultancy based organisation, Mouchel operates substantially in the construction and development sector, and consequently has had to meet the concept of sustainability; both with relation to the external projects it completes and the internal company environment. This has resulted in many operational changes and mirroring the growing trend towards a ‘service economy’(15) in the UK, has established in contribution to its core product(14), a greater service output. The majority of the core projects the company undertakes are considered high variety, low volume; however it can be argued that through the segregation by divisions within the company, projects have a lesser variety component. 2.1 Company History and Events Leading to the Current Changes 2.1.1 Early History and the Influence of the Private Sector. Founded in 1897, Mouchel has been predominately concerned with delivering engineering projects. However the increasing current involvement of the private sector in UK projects, shown by the introduction of the Private Finance Initiative (PFI) in the 1990’s, has required Mouchel to develop an advisory role(1), in order to compete in the many government sectors which are affected by the use of this procurement method. The initial work with local government is the first point where delivering a service rather than simply an engineering product is most clearly seen. The market within which construction projects are moving from the public sector to the apparently more stable private sector(10) is now at risk of saturation(6). Therefore Mouchel has to militate against the risk of other competition entering the market. The difficulty stems from the ability to maintain company growth rather than simply surviving(6) in the current climate and this is achieved through focusing on core services. A substantial market share(2) in highways and water has enabled the company to maintain a strong position that will ensure progression. 2.1.2 Recent Mergers The merger with Parkman Group plc in 2003(2) combined the expertise from similar consultancies to maximise presence within the government sector. The merger resulted in many acquisitions which diversified the company’s range of services and promoted the necessary organisational growth; thus increasing staffing levels considerably. More recently the acquisition of HBS in 2007(5) further reinforced the outsourcing division and combined with rebranding, demonstrated that Mouchel were keen to reinstate a transition into the business sector of construction. 2.2 Current Operational Landscape As Mouchel has faced the recession and there has been an apparent suspension of investment in construction projects, service divisions such as outsourcing, have overtaken as a key priority; altering the strategy of the company overall and inherently transcending the operations management. The integration of manufacturing and providing services within the company brings further implications; the implied concept of service output being superior to the production of projects(15), presents difficulties when considering processes in the company. On a global scale the legal and cultural differences also need to be ascertained in order for coherent communication of information; this is most widely seen in the current management restructuring taking place. 3.0 Management Restructuring 3.1 Change in Company Structure 3.1.1 Cost Savings and Efficiency As a result of the change in market and type of projects being undertaken, Mouchel is currently carrying out a large scale restructuring exercise(3) with the aim of reducing base costs and maximising the structural organisation of the company to ensure efficiency. This has been achieved by substantially reducing the senior management tier by 20%(3). This combined with the significant investment in new systems, emphasising the importance of technology in engineering firms, has demonstrated the dedication to providing the same standard of services but using less resources. Here the role of innovation in the transformation stage(14) is evoked and is vital to the validity of this linear model to produce the same level of output. It is estimated that the restructuring will provide a yearly cost saving of  £25 million and this may be indicative of the ‘gap based’ approach(6) to process management, where what is required by the company has been measured against current achievement and consequently modification of the infrastructure, in terms of staff, has been used in order to achieve it. 3.1.2 The Role of Engineers within the New Structure Here efficiency has driven the restructuring through the analysis of job roles and the contribution they add to the company. This evokes the idea of expertise and value added management(6) as a break to more traditional management techniques, where structural hierarchy(15) was emphasised. The functions previously completed by the senior management tier now have to be transferred to engineers, distorting the priorities of staff. With some management roles being made redundant, other grades of management have been ‘rationalised’(9) so that they possess greater responsibility. This questions the range of skills required by the management team and if the way in which future projects will be managed will maintain the same level of organisation or if areas less obviously associated with service will be neglected. 3.1.3 Replacing Staff through Innovation Innovation is of high priority in order to achieve efficiency targets set by the company(14) and clients and is key in increasing productivity of workers(15).The recent hard shoulder project on the M6(2) shows the use of a more service based solution, where more traditional construction techniques would have been previously used. This conveys the difficulty to consider empirically the operations of this division as a process where innovation is utilised; the concept at its base level is to move away from standard techniques(14), undermining the traditional nature of processes. 3.2 Impact on Projects 3.2.1 Relationships between the Company and Client The widening of skill sets required by the restructuring emphasises the development of interpersonal skills(9) as a key priority as the engineers will have a greater customer facing role. These implications will require further development of human resources and a change to the recruitment process within the company. However considering Garvin’s perception(9) of the types of processes in a company, it appears the more administrative processes have been most reduced, which while they are not customer facing, do have a vital function and suggests that possible control throughout the company may suffer as a result. This also widens the gap between product and service as effectively the ‘boundary spanning function’(14) has been removed. Network theory(13) can then also be applied to the restructuring to consider the dialectic relationships within the company. By altering the people and processes involved in the management of projects many more risks beyond that of efficiency are applied. The restructuring tends to horizontal organisation(14) where expertise is more highly valued than the chain of command. 3.2.2 Communication and Project Control The radical redesign of the management structure within the company defies many of the theoretical perceptions of process control(8). Rather than improving the existing process, they have implemented a new one in which there is no existing benchmark(6), and therefore no empirical measure of its success in the short term. This is further complicated with the contribution of innovation and the attempt to consider the success of restructuring through cost effectiveness(3). This contradicts the move to a sustainable company, as the idea of risk is evident and while restructuring may prove successful there is an increased chance of failure that in an incremental quality movement approachcould have been managed more easily. 4.0 Sustainability 4.1 Company Strategy Mouchel claims three core areas for consideration of sustainability(3) ,making many commitments within these areas, most falling into the PESTLE model(Fig 1) of thinking, and substantially addressed by the social, environmental and economic parameters with an appreciation of the political and legal limits. The pressure to evolve to a sustainable company is the most challenging and the effect the management restructuring will have on this goal requires consideration of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) policy(3). 4.1.1 Divisions and Technological Strategy The more traditional technical engineering divisions are contrasted with the development of strategy services and have shown a move towards commercial commitment. These new macro transformation operations have shaped the company but also developed many new issues. The definition of output as a product or service(15), is clearly seen in the regulated industry division where the decline of operations in the Middle East, has resulted in the company providing energy assessments to commercial utility suppliers(1) in the UK in order to maintain a profit. A previously technical role has been transformed to a more service based product and emphasises clearly the resource risks. The resource now being transformed is not obtusely materials but information(14), especially with the increased use of technology requires a different strategic process. The use of technology(6) is an important structural decision that compliments restructuring, although there is little consideration of the effect thi s will have on the key engineering roles. 4.1.2 Retention of Staff Retention of staff is of paramount importance to the company’s sustainability demonstrated through the rigorous personal development process and its commitment to the ‘never stop improving’(3) scheme. However the recent restructuring that has occurred has instilled perceived disharmony(5) with the more experienced employees and has been seen as a main priority to address within the coming year. However, what is seen as hollowing out(2) of management functions is intended to provide greater opportunity for mobility and communication. This promotes the ability to progress a career within the company, hopefully developing in the long term a more committed work force. 4.2 Project Management 4.2.1 Client Relationships Across all divisions there has been a need to extend boundaries in order to maintain productivity within the company; often to a more commercial client base as previously shown. The company has always relied on long term relationships(4).This has been challenged by the restructuring to focus on retaining relationships as well as acquiring new clients as the infrastructure of the company changes. The high bid win rate previously established by Mouchel(2), promoted a successful reputation for superiority, in part synonymous with its structure and organisation, which provided strength when competing for new tenders. This same reputation informs the current strategy to extend its services into other sectors, where the same principles can be applied but modified to different client bases; although the impact of restructuring on this reputation has not yet been realised.   4.2.2 Project Hierarchy and Line Management Considering the management of clients in the perceived use of long term relationships, the larger clients are assigned account managers(2) to ensure satisfaction with the company. This adds another layer to Naylor’s perception of the typical managerial structure(15) and develops a rather more web like arrangement, where the project and account management overlaps. In this case it is difficult to determine accountability and responsibility, and may lead to difficulty with communication within the different facets of the project delivery. Project success is largely measured through the use of financial KPI’s(2) and the use of remuneration of less easily quantifiable targets conveys a distortion of true value. The role of engineers in this web may also get lost and the communication between the different divisions of the company is vital in ensuring information is not lost or misinterpreted. 4.3 Long Term Projection 4.3.1 Defining Principles and Mission Statement Considering how the strategy of the company is portrayed through the defining principles expressed by the mission statement, the culture and intentions of the company can be determined,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   At Mouchel we improve day-to-day life for millions of people. We help to transform essential public services and to sustain vital infrastructure†¦(2) This is the primary function stated by the company and conveys a sense of top down strategy(14) which, as an apathetic mission statement, is aspirational without committing entirely to the processes that will be used to achieve this. The construction sector is strongly evoked and the influence of sustainable design can be clearly seen, however the main issue raised by this statement is the association with public services. The private sector’s influence on government projects will have a continual affect on the ability to meet this goal, and defines the need for change within the company. The principles also address the working ethos of the company;   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   At Mouchel, above all else, we show a passion for success, a spirit of adventure, and have integrity at heart.(2)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Again it can be argued that the statement is vague, however it clearly depicts the operations management style of the company. However when compared to Kast and Rosenzweig’s(11) concept of the external business environment, it can be interpreted that the lack of definition of goals(Fig 2) demonstrates that the transitory nature of the company conveys uncertainty as to its future output. This may also suggest that there are overlooked uncertainties within the company’s key processes. 4.3.2 Rebranding of the Company The recent rebranding as Mouchel is consistent with restructuring, although conveys the reputation of the company as one of the empirical risks associated with change(8). As part of the support strategy the stakeholder map and categorisation matrix(Fig 3) must be established early(15) to ensure they can be well managed; especially those considered adverse to the proposed changes while maintaining high influence within the company. This is achieved by focusing on communication between all divisions and levels, especially externally with stakeholders and clients. 4.4 Supply Chain Management 4.4.1 Core facilities and Wider Network Mouchel aims to maintain core facilities within the company(2), looking to forward integrate projects(14), so that they evolve through restructuring to a customer facing organisation. However to reduce the possibility of a ‘closed system mentality’(12) Mouchel recognises the benefits for both themselves and the clients through the use of supply chains to maximise projects. Although suppliers remain outside the ‘boundary of control’(10) the ability to select contractors based on competitive factors(2), ensures relative reliability without commitment for Mouchel, and shows a   flexible network(7). However through this demand based process(14) the loyalty of the supplier is not obtained and therefore limits the dependability of the relationship between the company and supplier. 4.4.2 Network Monitoring and Quality Control There are more than 1000 first tier suppliers and contractors(2) in the external supply network as well as those inherited through joint venture projects, which is managed through the use of an approved vendor database(2). This establishes the most qualified supplier for each subcontract, and it can therefore be assumed that quality of the service they provide is high; the competition between contractors has been further driven by the sustainability focus of the company with the introduction of sustainability criteria to the assessment(2). 4.4.3 Issues Associated with the Network The holism(10) of this kind of network is substantially determined by the way in which the parts of the chain interact.   Considering the long term projection of the supply chain as a function of success, it substantiates an approach opposed to the paradigm of silo thinking(10), where all parts of the network are linked together. However this is contradicted by the way in which the divisions of the company are relatively isolated, which stereotypically occurs substantially in the construction sector. By redesigning the structure of the company it creates greater capacity of the in house processes to consider the scope and the wider achievements of the project, through improved communication. 5.0 Conclusions 5.1 Impact of Current Restructuring As the salient cause of change within the company, the restructuring has implemented many new processes and technologies that have been put into place in order to develop a company which will survive the recession and growing pressures of CSR, however there is little evidence of consideration of all the long term effects that may arise as a result. While change may be unavoidable, the structure which personifies the company has been radically altered, and may cause issues associated with reputation and consistency, as well as internal aspects associated with its own workforce. While the company appears to be financially viable for the future, the softer side of the analysis has been neglected and may cause a dichotomy between strategy and implementation. Furthermore, it is clear that long term relationships are the epitome of the company, which develops the importance of account management and adds another conflicting dimension to the company’s operations. In order to meet the expectations of the client, communication and feedback is essential and with the increasing service output of the company it is important to predict the impact that the restructuring will have on these relationships. It is also vital to consider the apparent mobility of the company structure and if it will manifest a culture of innovation, which is clearly required in order for the company to maintain growth, or a sense of instability that will damage the bond of these long term relationships. Looking at the future of the company, Hayes and Wheelwrights stages of operations appears to suggest Mouchel is in the transition stages of 3 and 4(14). The increasing impact operations management has within the company is driving the success of projects, however it remains to be seen if the company is redefining the industries expectations(14) or just that of its customers. The transition between service and product delivery is not clearly defined, and it is questionable as to the consideration of the contributions of operations management over this change. 5.2 Final Conclusions and Recommendations Therefore Mouchel can be seen as an aspirational, innovative company, challenging the perceptions of the traditional construction sector consultancy; opting for diversification and control through in house processes to advance the progression of the company. However it remains to be seen if the instigating factors for change and the recent required optimisation of operational strategy, have evoked the necessary consideration of all aspects of the company that will be transformed. A holistic and rather human analysis would suggest that the difficult nature of relationships cannot always be predicted though theoretical models or forecasting in the long term. For Mouchel the different stratum they inhabit centre on relationships, both externally with clients and internal with staff and suppliers, and is therefore uncertain. It will be interesting to see how this will develop and to assess the future role of engineers within this new arrangement, due to the new dexterity that will be req uired of them. Expanding this to the construction sector as a whole, it is possible that the restructuring of consultancies in this way, may alter the core perspectives of the commercial industry and conceivably the fundamentals of engineering. References (1) Interim management statement, Mouchel group plc (2010) (2) Annual report and accounts, Mouchel group plc (2010) (3) Sustainability report, Mouchel group plc (2010) (4) Reports and accounts ‘building great relationships’ Mouchel Parkman plc (2007) (5) ‘Mprint’ in house publication (2007) (6) Schmenner.R.W Swink.M.L, ‘on theory in operations management’ Indiana University (1998) (7) Cravens.D.W Piercy.N.F Shipp.S.H, ‘New organisational forms for competing in highly dynamic environments: the network paradigm’ British Journal of Management (1996) (8) Bateman.T.S Zeithaml.C.P, ‘Management: function and strategy’ Irwin (1990) (9) Garvin.D.A ‘The processes of organization and management’ Sloan management review (1998) (10) Prokesch.S, ‘The sustainable supply chain’ Harvard business review (2010) (11) Kast.F.E Rosenzweig.J.E ‘general systems theory: applications for organisation and management’ academy of management journal (1972) (12) Thompson.J.D, ‘organizations in action’ McGraw hill, New York (1967) (13) Mitleton-Kelly.E, ‘complex systems and evolutionary perspectives on organisations’ emerald group (2003) (14) Slack.N Chambers.S Johnston.R, ‘operations management’ Pearson education 4thed (2004) (15) Naylor.J, ‘Introduction to operations management’ Pearson education 2nded (2002)

Discuss the significance of cycle time to quality Essay

Discuss the significance of cycle time to quality - Essay Example This involves move time, wait time, processing time, execution time, inspection time and only the first which creates value. The result of cycle time increase comes along attributed to poor quality in the component parts, poor layout plan, and inadequate availability of resources and finally poor sequencing of activities. It is notable that there exist relationship between cycle time and quality of a process or a product. This relationship is focused in the context of management on customer process and the key major area of concern is to reduce cycle time to achieve good quality. From this companies and organizations achieve competitive advantage by reducing cycle time which maintaining high quality (Evans, 2010). Scope and overview of cycle time and quality It is notable that in competitive corporate markets there is increasing demand for more rapid response to clients and customers, shorter product and service and its cycle time. The fast response attributed to shorter cycle time i s one of core quality attribute. Reducing the cycle times and rapid response to customers usually results when processes, tasks, functions and job whereby all are designed to achieve high quality as well as response goals. To achieve the desired quality all the designs, activities, processes measuring the cycle time and responsiveness (Roman Gumzej, 2010). Response and cycle time improvements have been highly associated to improvements in quality which is a core component of gaining competitive advantage as well as improved productivity. Therefore it can be argued that managers need to consider response time, productivity and quality in all their strategic plans. Cycle time and quality Cycle time one of the core competitiveness factors in the context of quality that is mainly focused for improvement. It is notable that fast and reduced cycle time improves customer satisfaction as well as the internal management operations of a company or organization. Cycle time improvement is a cor e aspect of total quality management and the core major relationship is that a fast cycle time and improves quality mutually reinforces one another. In regard to customer satisfaction these include cost ownership, quality product features and on-time delivery. For internal management operations of an organization includes quality improvement in regard to time-to-market on products, improving product costs, employee morale and development expense (Roman Gumzej, 2010). Other competitive factors taken into account cycle time improvement are among those who are highly emphasized. It is notable that improving cycle time increases product and service quality. This brings in the assertion that faster cycle time and improved product and service quality are mutually reinforcing each other. This is attributed to the fact that faster and reduced cycle time reinforced with improved feedback loop for quality. This mainly results into a fast rate of service and product quality improvement. On the other hand higher quality usually improves the cycle time because less effort is used in executing work. Cycle time and quality improvement The cycle-time improvement factors should be consistent with the total quality guidance and procedures. These guidelines and procedures consist of various cycle time reduction tools. In the context of production and manufacturing industry, just-in-time strategy and simultaneous execution of operations is adopted. These