Business & Leadership: Vol 3

Business & Leadership

Volume 3

Covering:

- Business Operations

- Business Continuity

- Business Performance

- Business Systems

- Corporate Social Responsibility

- Customer Service

- Meetings

- Resource Management

- Operational & Strategic Planning

- Supply Chains

Compiled by

Dr. Sathyapriya Govindarajulu, Ph.D.

Zaheer Siddiqui

© 2023 Vocational Resources Australia

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. No part of this work covered by the copyright herein may be reproduced, transmitted, stored, or used in any form or by any means graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including but not limited to photocopying, recording, scanning, digitizing, taping, web distribution, information networks, or information storage and retrieval systems, except as permitted under The Commonwealth Copyright Act (1968), without our prior written permission.

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Where possible, we have arranged the topics, within each chapter in alphabetical order. We hope this will help you easily locate the information you need, making the search process smoother and giving you more time to enjoy your reading.

.... Dr. Sathya and Zaheer

ABOUT DR. SATHYAPRIYA

Dr. Sathyapriya Govindarajulu is a highly accomplished academic and researcher, possessing an impressive educational background that includes a PhD in Finance, an MBA, and a Post-Doctoral Researcher position at Charles Darwin University.

In addition to her academic achievements, she is a lecturer at Central Queensland University and has gained significant experience working in the VET sector. Her post-doctoral research work has received grant funding from the ACSDRI, highlighting the importance of her research in advancing the field of finance. Moreover, Dr. Sathya is actively involved in academia and currently supervises students in organisational leadership as a co-supervisor.

Dr. Sathya's contributions to the field of finance include two published papers in international journals, three papers in national journals, and a book.

She has presented her research at more than ten conferences, including the Latrobe University in Melbourne. Her research article on financial inclusion won the Best Paper Award at Finance Track in India.

ABOUT ZAHEER

Zaheer Siddiqui is an accomplished professional with over 35 years of experience that spans various roles and levels of responsibility, from grassroots to CEO positions. With a master’s degree in economics, an MBA, and an MS in computer science, Zaheer has a strong foundation in both business and technology. He has also attained Diploma of Vocational Education and Diploma of Training Design & Development.

In addition to his formal qualifications, Zaheer has also accumulated an impressive lifelong learning portfolio that includes hundreds of vocational and applied courses from various institutions. This breadth of knowledge and experience allows Zaheer to bring a unique perspective to any project or endeavour he undertakes, making him a valuable asset. He assisted several organisations in improving their market presence and sustainability.

Drawing upon a wealth of experience in business and leadership, Zaheer has expertly contextualized this volume to the Australian Vocational Education sector. His strong grasp of the BSB training package has enabled him to create a resource that is equally valuable to trainers, students, team leaders, and managers. Through careful consideration of the needs and expectations of each group, Zaheer has crafted a comprehensive guide that is both informative and accessible.

Our collection of Business & Leadership textbooks spans over five volumes. Please find below a list of chapters included in each volume.

Volume 1:

Workplace Communication, Critical and Creative Thinking, Emotional Intelligence, Personal Development, Leadership, Workplace Technology

Volume 2:

Continuous Improvement, Innovation, and Quality Management, Sustainability, Change Management, Health, Safety, and Risk management, Business Development and Marketing

Volume 3:

Business Operations, Business Continuity, Business Performance, Business Systems, Corporate Social Responsibility, Customer Service, Meetings, Resource Management, Operational & Strategic Planning, Supply Chains

Volume 4:

Financial Management, Human Resources Management

Volume 5:

Project Management

Table of Contents

Chapter 12 - Business Operations

Action Plan

Key Steps in Developing an Action Plan

Best Practices

Strategies to Implement the Action Plan

Strategies to Monitor the Implementation of Action Plan

Strategies to Evaluate the Outcomes of Action Plan

Analysis

Competitor Analysis

Cost Benefit Analysis

Steps to Conduct Cost-Benefit Analysis

Advantages of Cost-Benefit Analysis

Limitations of Cost-Benefit Analysis

Force Field Analysis

Gap Analysis

PESTEL Analysis

Porter's Five Forces Analysis

Root Cause Analysis

Scenario Analysis

Sensitivity Analysis

SWOT Analysis

Value Chain Analysis

Bid

How a Bid Works

Inside the Spread

Market Makers

Types of Bids

Auction Bids

Online Bidding

Sealed-Bids

Bidding/ Tendering Process

Tender Managers

Bidding Managers

Business Continuity Management

Business Continuity Plan (BCP)

Identifying Scope

Emergency Response Plan

Types of Disruptions to an Organisation

Incident Management Plan

Recovery Plan

Business Continuity Management Framework (BCMF)

Elements of BCMF

Business Impact Analysis

Risk Assessment

Business Continuity Strategy

Developing Plans and Procedures

Testing and Training

Testing a BCP

Plan Maintenance

Business Continuity - Communication Strategy

Key Components of Business Continuity Communication Strategy

Reviewing and Analysing the Business Continuity Communication Strategy

Business Continuity - Risk Management Strategy

Conducting Audit of the BCP

Cyclical Review Process in BCM

Demonstrating sponsorship, responsibility and accountability for BCMF

Dependencies and Interdependencies

Governance Structure and Business Continuity

Key Benefits of BCM

Organisational Functions Relevant to Business Continuity

Relevant Legislations/ Standards

Relevant Policies

Reviewing and Analysing Reports on BCMF

Risks to Business Continuity

Seeking Approval for Business Continuity Plan

Seeking Feedback on Implementation of BCP

Supporting Stakeholders in Implementation of BCP

Managing Learning & Development Activities

Tools to Verify and Validate BCMF

Crisis Management Plan

Disaster Recovery Plan

Business Continuity Audit

Business Case

Format and Content

Business Data

Confirming Data Reliability and Validity

Data Categories

Data Types

Data Collection Methods

Data Processing Methods

Statistical Analysis

Correlation Calculations

Short, Medium-Term, and Long-Term Trend Analysis

Probability Assessment

Dynamic Programming

Linear Programming

Queuing Theory

Simulation

Management Information System

Business Ethics

Principles of Business Ethics

Types of Business Ethics

Corporate Social Responsibility

Transparency and Trustworthiness

Technological Practices and Ethics

Fairness

Implementing Business Ethics

Monitoring and Reporting Unethical Behaviour

Business Ethics and Leadership

Business Plan

Components of a Business Plan

Consultation

Developing a Business Plan

Identifying Financial Requirements

Identifying Human Resource Requirements

Identifying Permit/ Licencing Requirements

Identifying Physical Resources Requirements

Identifying Skilled Labour Availability

Importance of Budgeting in Business Plan

Importance of SWOT Analysis in Development of Business Plan

Incorporating Customer Needs

Reviewing Market Requirement

Monitoring the Implementation of a Business Plan

Review Process

Performance Objectives & Measures for a Business Plan

Relevant Legislations

Relevant Stakeholders

Reporting

Identifying Variances, System & Product Failures

Role of Existing Plans in Development of Business Plan

Role of Vision, Mission, Values and Objectives in Business Plan

Vision

Mission

Values

Objectives

Business Performance Monitoring

Analysing Business Performance Reports and Variance from Organisational Plans

Reviewing Business Performance Data

Monitoring & Evaluating Performance of Business Systems & Processes

Tools to Measure Business Performance

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

Balanced Scorecard

SWOT Analysis

Benchmarking

Customer Feedback

Financial Statements

Employee Performance Metrics

Business' Resources Management

Identifying External Resources Requirement

Importance of Consultation

Importance of Cost & Benefit Analysis

Importance of Feedback

Internal Resourcing Capability

Monitoring & Evaluation

Physical Resources

Human Resources

Procedure

Evaluating the Usage

Resource Management and Business Unit Objectives

Resource Management and Compliance

Resource Management and Equipment

Resource Management and Finances

Resource Management - Legislative Context

Resource Management Risks

Resource Management Process

Resource Management and Plans

Resource Management Plan

Alignment with Organisational Goals

Inventory

Acquisition

Developing Recommendations

Resource Acquisition Process

Allocation

Utilisation

Scheduling

Budgeting

Contingency Plan

Resource Management Policies

Resource Management Procedures

Resource Management and Workers

Resource Planning and Organisational Change

Resource Sharing

Sources of Information

Business Systems

Basic Requirements for a Business System

Business Operational System

Product & Service Systems

Capability Assessment

Changing Trends and Opportunities in the Workplace

Commercial Strategy

Communication Plan

Corporate Social Responsibility

Barriers to CSR

CSR Drivers

CSR Framework

CSR Strategy

Elements of a CSR Strategy

How a CSR Strategy Works

Incorporating CSR Strategy into current Systems & Processes

Emerging Approaches and Best Practices in CSR

Identifying Future Opportunities for CSR

Generating Ideas & Options for CSR

Relevant Code of Practices/ Standards

Relevant Legislations

Relevant Policies

Relevant Stakeholders

Importance of Stakeholder Engagement in CSR

Relevant Sources of Information

Reviewing CSR Efforts

Reviewing CSR against Sustainability Objectives

Role of Change Management in CSR

Role of Consultation in CSR

Role of Organisational Goals in CSR

Role of Organisational Objectives and Culture in CSR

Customer Service

Elements

Principles

Identifying Resources Requirement

Customer Behaviour

Customer Complaints

Customer Feedback

Customer Needs & Expectations

Customer Relations

Customer Research

Product/ Service Quality and Customer Service

Relevant Legislations

Relevant Models & Metrices

Customer Effort Score

Customer Lifetime Value

Customer Satisfaction Index

Kano Model

Net Promoter Score

RATER Model

SERVQUAL Model

TARP Model

Monitoring

Relevant Policies

Relevant Standards

Supporting Team

De-Escalation

Key Principles of De-escalation

De-escalating an Incident

Delegation of Authority

Objectives of Delegation

Characteristics of Delegations

Guiding Principles

Challenges

Due Diligence

Due Diligence Process

Forecasting

Governance Structure

Key Elements

Identifying Relevant Stakeholders

Incident Investigation

Intellectual Property

Risks

Risk Management Strategies

Issue Resolution

Issue Resolution Process

Key Performance Indicators

Developing KPIs

Knowledge Management System

Confirming Information & Knowledge Systems' Currency and Relevancy

Designing & Testing an Information System

Information Analysis

Developing Objectives for Information Analysis

Importance of Consultation

Identifying Relevant Stakeholders

Implementing KMS

Risk Management

Technology and KMS

Mediation

Mediator Styles

Mediation Techniques

Interest-based mediation

Facilitative mediation

Evaluative mediation

Transformative mediation

Narrative mediation

Meetings

Action Items

Agenda

Budget

Working within the Budget

Cost Control

Reviewing the Expenses

Chairperson

Geographic Considerations

Meeting Notice

Types of Meetings that require a Notice

Components of a Meeting Notice

Meeting Papers/ Documents

Meeting Policy

Meeting Requirements

Meeting Types

Annual General Meeting (AGM)

Inclusive Meetings

Staff Meetings

Structured Meetings

Team Meetings

One-on-One Meetings

Project Meetings

Brainstorming Sessions

Board Meetings

Town Hall Meetings

Toolbox Talks

Minutes

Storing the Minutes

Minute Taker

Motion

Notes

Cornell Note-Taking System

Five Rs Note-Taking Strategy

Quadrants Note-Taking Technique

Mind-Mapping

Planning a Small Meeting

Planning a Large Meeting or Conference

Additional Considerations

Point of Order

Quorum

Quorum Call

Rolling Quorum

Relevant Policies

Resolution

Techniques to Run Effective Meetings

Voting

Operational Plans

Components

Developing an Operational Plan

Implementing an Operational Plan

Monitoring

Importance of Consultation

Managing Contingencies

Managing Variations

Operational Plan and Organisational Objectives

Processes

Relevant Legislations

Relevant Policies

Relevant Stakeholders

Sources of Information

Organisational Culture

Different Types of Organisational Culture

Role of Leadership in Improving the Organisational Culture

Organisational Objectives

Developing the Organisational Objectives

Trends Impacting the Achievement of Organisational Objectives

Organisational Policies

Key Aspects of Policies & Procedures

Organisational Reputation

Elements of Organisational Reputation

Organisational Reputation Framework

Organisational Research

Organisational Standards

Developing Organisational Standards

Organisational Structure

Organisational Targets

Identifying Organisational Targets

Organisational Values

Developing Organisational Values

Processes

Approval Process

Approval Process Elements

Approval Process - Steps

Automated Approval Process

Bidding/ Tendering Process

Change Management Process

Conflict Resolution Process

Consultation Process

Continuous Improvement Process

Critical Thinking Process

Decision Making Process

Decision Support System

Delegation Process

Due Diligence Process

Escalation Process

Issue Resolution Process

Identifying Complex Issues for Resolution

Identifying Resources Requirement

Managing the Risks

Negotiation Process

Problem Solving

Problem-Solving Process

Proposal Development Process

Resource Acquisition Process

Resource Management Process

Proposal

Proposal Development

Proposal Development Process

Purchase Order

Raising a Purchase Order

Relevant Code of Practice

Sources of Information for various Business Needs

Strategic Planning

Strategic Plan

Developing Objectives and Strategies

Strategic Plan and Organisation’s Strategic Direction, Vision and Mission

Components of a Strategic Plan

Importance of conducting Research in Strategic Planning

Importance of Consultation and Advice in Strategic Planning

Importance of understanding External Environment in Strategic Planning

Key Factors in Success of a Strategic Plan

KPIs for a Strategic Plan

Strategic Planning Methods

SWOT Analysis

PESTEL Analysis

Balanced Scorecard

Blue Ocean Strategy

Porter's Five Force Analysis

Scenario Planning

Value Chain Analysis

Strategic Planning Risks

Supply Chains

Key Aspects of Supply Chains

Analysing Improvement Areas

Work Tasks

Identifying Work Tasks

Chapter 12 - Business Operations

Action Plan

An action plan is a comprehensive list of tasks and resources required to accomplish a project or reach a specific objective.

Utilising an action plan guarantees that all necessary tasks and requirements are accomplished to meet project expectations. During the development of an action plan, identifying critical paths and dependencies is crucial.

However, it's important to note that an action plan is not a static document and should be adaptable to any changes in the project environment.

Action plans serve as a tool to arrange tasks in a logical and timely sequence to attain a specific objective. Both managers and individuals can utilise action plans to accomplish their work or personal project goals.

By creating an action plan, you can establish a clear understanding of the objectives to be accomplished, the teams and service providers to involve, the tasks to be completed, the dependencies among them, the milestones to reach, and the resources required for project completion. Additionally, action plans facilitate progress tracking and measurement of project performance.

In summary:

Key Steps in Developing an Action Plan

Following the steps outlined below can help you create a solid action plan, improving your chances of success.

To create a successful action plan, it is important to have a clear understanding of what you want to achieve with your project. This involves defining your starting point and where you want to end up. If there are multiple ways to achieve your goal, you should assess your situation and determine the best approach based on available resources and potential for success.

After setting the goal, the next step is to create a list of tasks and activities required to achieve it. Then, organise these tasks and activities in a sequential order and assign key dates and deadlines to them. This will help you create a timeline that outlines when each task needs to be completed to achieve the overall goal. It is essential to prioritise the tasks based on their importance and urgency to ensure you complete them in the correct order.

It's important to identify any dependencies between tasks and prioritise them accordingly. For example, if one task must be completed before another can start, it's crucial to prioritise the first task and set a realistic deadline. If you plan to delegate these tasks to team members, be sure to communicate the dependencies and provide them with enough time to deliver the necessary results. By doing this, you can ensure that the project moves forward in a smooth and efficient manner.

Once you have broken down the project into tasks and activities, you can start assigning them to team members or stakeholders. It's important to carefully allocate time and resources, considering the skills and availability of each team member. You may decide to delegate certain tasks to specific team members, outsource them to external service providers, or handle some yourself in addition to managing the project. Be sure to communicate clearly with team members about their roles and responsibilities, deadlines, and any dependencies they may have on other tasks or team members.

After completing a project, it's important to evaluate its performance and identify areas for improvement. This can help you refine your action planning and project execution skills for future projects. If you're working with a team, gathering feedback and improvement suggestions from team members can also help improve performance going forward.

Best Practices

Adopting the following best practices ensure that you will be able to achieve the goals & objectives of your action plan:

Involving team members early in the planning process allows them to give their input and save time. To avoid conflicts, it's important to obtain team members' work schedules before assigning tasks. Clear communication is essential to ensure that they fully understand their responsibilities and are adequately prepared.

Setting SMART goals is a fundamental step in developing an effective action plan. Specific goals define precisely what you want to achieve, measurable goals allow you to track progress and determine success, and attainable goals ensure that your goals are realistic and achievable, relevant goals align with your overall objectives and vision, and timely goals have a defined deadline or timeframe. By setting SMART goals, you can create a clear roadmap for your action plan and increase your chances of success.

You can enhance the benefits of your action plans by creating templates that can be used for similar projects. After evaluating your action plans upon completion of a project, make a duplicate of the plan and eliminate any project-specific information, thereby creating an action plan template that can be utilised for future projects. This approach minimises the need for redundant work and saves significant time, as well as reduces the likelihood of errors.

Strategies to Implement the Action Plan

Start by defining the objective that needs to be accomplished.

Break down the goal into smaller actions that need to be taken in order to achieve it.

Identify who will be responsible for each action item.

Establish realistic time frames to ensure that the goal can be attained within the specified period.

Keep track of the progress being made toward the goal and adjust the action plan as needed.

Assess the results once the goal has been achieved and identify what worked well and what didn't.

Use the lessons learned from the evaluation process to refine the strategy and improve future plans.

Communicate with everyone involved in the process to ensure that they are aware of the progress being made and any changes being implemented.

Strategies to Monitor the Implementation of Action Plan

Here are some strategies for monitoring the implementation of an action plan:

Define the goals and objectives of the plan in a clear and measurable way so that progress can be evaluated against them.

Make sure each person responsible for implementing the plan has a clear understanding of their role and how it contributes to the overall success of the project.

Develop a plan for regularly monitoring progress, including defining KPIs that will be used to assess progress.

Effective communication is critical to monitoring the plan, so establish clear channels of communication among team members, stakeholders, and other relevant parties.

Develop a system for collecting and reporting data, including regular progress reports and status updates.

Regularly review the plan and adjust it as needed based on feedback, changes in the environment, or evolving circumstances.

Celebrate milestones and successes along the way to keep motivation high and ensure the team feels appreciated and supported.

Strategies to Evaluate the Outcomes of Action Plan

Here are some strategies to evaluate the outcomes of an action plan:

Identify clear and measurable indicators of success in achieving each action plan objective.

Collect data before and after the implementation of the action plan. This data should be both quantitative and qualitative, and it could come from surveys, interviews, operational data, or other sources.

Keep track of progress towards each objective on a regular basis. This will help you to identify any challenges early on and adjust the plan accordingly.

Analyse the data that you collect and interpret it to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the action plan.

Compare the actual outcomes of the action plan with the desired outcomes to identify any gaps that may exist.

Based on your analysis, make any necessary adjustments to the action plan to improve its effectiveness.

Share the results of your evaluation with stakeholders to demonstrate the impact of the action plan and to receive feedback.

Analysis

Under this heading I'll be discussing various types of analysis (except financial analysis), that are related to business operations.

Competitor Analysis

Competitor analysis involves gathering and analysing information about your competitors to gain insights into their strategies, strengths, weaknesses, and potential threats. This process can help you identify areas where you can improve your own business and stay ahead of the competition.

Key steps involved in conducting the competitor analysis are:

This involves identifying companies that offer similar products or services to your own. It's important to look beyond just your direct competitors and consider companies that may be offering substitute products or services.

Once you have identified your competitors, you'll need to gather as much information about them as possible. This might involve researching their products or services, pricing, branding, marketing strategies, and customer reviews.

Divide a piece of paper into four sections, and label each section with the headings Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats. Then, for each competitor, write down their strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats in the appropriate section.

Once you have completed your SWOT analysis, take a step back and look at your findings as a whole. Look for patterns or trends that emerge, and consider how you can use this information to improve your own business.

Based on your findings, you can develop a strategy for competing with your rivals. This might involve focusing on your own strengths, addressing your weaknesses, and learning from your competitors' successes and failures.

Cost Benefit Analysis

A cost-benefit analysis is a technique used to assess the potential financial gains or losses that may result from a decision or project. This involves estimating the costs involved in implementing the project or decision, as well as the potential benefits or opportunities that it may generate.

The purpose of this analysis is to determine whether the benefits of the project or decision outweigh its costs, or whether it makes financial sense to proceed with the project or decision. In essence, cost-benefit analysis involves comparing the total costs of a project or decision to its projected benefits, and determining whether the benefits justify the costs. The resulting value may be represented as a ratio, indicating the degree to which the benefits outweigh the costs.

Cost-benefit analysis is a valuable tool for businesses to evaluate whether a decision or project is worthwhile. It involves calculating the total costs and benefits of a project and comparing them to determine if it makes economic sense. If the benefits are greater than the costs, then the decision may be deemed a good one. Conversely, if the costs outweigh the benefits, then it may be necessary to reconsider the decision.

By utilising cost-benefit analysis, organisations can gather crucial information, such as ROI and value chain data, to aid in making informed decisions. This approach is a data-driven decision-making process that can be applied to various scenarios, not just in business.

Steps to Conduct Cost-Benefit Analysis

To conduct an accurate cost-benefit analysis, it is important to establish a framework tailored to your organisation's specific needs. This involves identifying the goals and objectives you wish to achieve through the project or decision, as this will guide your understanding of the costs and benefits involved.

Additionally, choosing a metric to measure and compare these costs and benefits is crucial. To make an accurate comparison, both costs and benefits should be measured in the same common currency, often achieved by assigning a monetary value to each potential cost and benefit.

To conduct an accurate cost-benefit analysis, the first step is to establish a framework specific to your organisation, identifying the goals and objectives of the proposed project or action.

The next step is to compile two separate lists: one of all the projected costs, and the other of the expected benefits. Direct costs, such as labour, manufacturing, materials, and inventory expenses, should be included in the cost list.

Aside from direct costs, it is important to consider other costs that may not be immediately apparent.

Indirect costs such as utilities and rent are fixed expenses that contribute to the overhead of conducting business.

Intangible costs are those that are difficult to measure and quantify, such as decreases in productivity levels during the rollout of a new business process or reduced customer satisfaction due to changes in customer service processes that result in fewer repeat purchases.

Opportunity costs refer to the lost benefits or opportunities that arise when a business chooses to pursue one product or strategy over another. It is essential to account for these additional costs when conducting a cost-benefit analysis.

When identifying the benefits of a proposed decision or project, it's important to consider the following:

After compiling the lists of all costs and benefits, the next step is to assign a dollar amount to each cost and benefit to establish the appropriate monetary units.

Direct costs and benefits are relatively easy to assign a dollar amount to, whereas indirect and intangible costs and benefits can be more challenging to quantify.

However, it's still essential to assign a value to these costs and benefits to compare them accurately. Various software options and methodologies are available to assign values to these less-obvious costs and benefits.

After assigning