Part 1

Primark’s UK effective business Operations management

Focus on:” what makes PRIMARK UK successful?” OR “What are the benefits/advantages of PRIMARK’s UK business operations? OR “Why do customers buy from PRIMARK UK”?

Soft Systems Methodology (SSM) Analysis on Primark UK going hybrid

Focus on: Using SSM, identify, analyze, examine, evaluation the possible issues/problems/challenges Primark UK may encounter if it goes hybrid i.e allow their customers to continue shopping in-store, as well as ‘order goods online and have these delivered to their door’.

Possible search terms:

Challenges in setting up online or eCommerce shops(Primark UK), eCommerce challenges for clothing (Primark UK), selling online challenges (Primark UK)

Having an online presence may burden Primark UK in terms of sizing and product returns issues on top of delivery options to customers. The sales department may be misled into thinking they have increased sales but actually, customers may be going to return many of the products purchased, leading to chaos in the forward and reverse business flow. Probably the returns department may be short-staffed and the processes may be broken or unable to attend to all product returns. E.g. the product return staff need to coordinate with ……

(more details on SSM issues with various stakeholders: i.e. interactions and communications issues with depts, suppliers, transporters, drivers, customers, payment providers).

1. Operation Model Supporting SSM analysis on PRIMARK UK Going Hybrid 

Focus on: Choose 1: Operation Strategy Performance (priorities) Model or Customer Value Model or the Service Gap Model or Four V’s Profile etc.

E.g Explain how will the potential problems in going hybrid (online + physical store) affect PRIMARK UK business based on the chosen Operation Model.

Important: Don’t use Porter’s 5 Forces or SWOT.

Operation Strategy Performance (Example)

Resilience may be described as the ability of a supply chain to manage a disruption without having a major effect on its ability to fulfill the supply chain mission (convert into own words)

Primark may have reduced resilience to COVID-19 lockdown disruption in the UK as it refused to go online and customers are unable to shop at its physical stores. On the surface, Primark is losing out on sales during the lockdown but upon further analysis, they are weathering through the lockdowns to re-emerge again later on. However, if there are future lockdowns again. Primark will stand to lose more, compared to its rivals who have an online presence (makhani 2021).

Applying the competitive priorities model again. Primark may incur huge losses during lockdowns due to the nature of its current business model. i.e. volume sales and low prices. Zero sales during COVID-19 lockdowns and its reduced flexibility to changing environmental factors may cost Primark UK even more if future lockdowns were imposed. (Eley, 2020).

If the primary UK were to go online. i.e. hybrid operations, this can align with their top priority. i.e volume sales. However, the setup of the online shop may pose operational constraints such as (Eley, 2020)……

(more details and analysis on the problems for going hybrid)

Or 4 V’s Model Or Service Gap Model Or other operations model

Different Operating Models in the PRIMARK’s UK sector.

Focus on: finding and comparing a few competitors (minimum 2) of PRIMARK UK. i.e. similarities and differences, as well as advantages and disadvantages of their business operations, compared with PRIMARK UK, focusing on the synthesis of important issues around problems and solutions.

Possible areas of focus: Centralized/decentralized inventory, Delivery chain, Customers value chain, Cost implications, Sustainability, and/or Capacity Planning.

Facilities Location Planning, Facilities Layout Planning, Product Selection.

Process/Work-flow Design, Production Scheduling, Inventory Control, Quality Assurance, and Control, Customer Relationship Management, Customer Service, Agility/Adaptability, Reliability, etc.

List of possible competitors to compare with in the UK -H&M, Zara, Joules, Next Plc, M&S, GAP, Uniqlo, etc.

Next Plc is a major clothing brand worth 8 billion pounds competing with Primark UK, offering both physical store and online shopping platforms, with collaboration with partner clothing brands, offering next day delivery to customers door step as well as customer online purchase with self pickup at their physical stores. Next Plc has a robust online payment platform, i.e Total Platform, that connects its logistics/supply chain partners all the way from warehouses to retail shops. It seems that they are missing the online connection with their manufacturers and raw material suppliers.

Find similarities and differences, as well as advantages and disadvantages of their business operations, compared with Primark UK.

PRIMARK UK hybrid business operations (online + physical store) value to customers in terms of critical analysis and evaluation of customers’ digital experience, how the new model will enhance the customer’s experience.

Focus on: how Primark UK’s hybrid operations (online + physical store) can add value to customers.

Primak UK’s hybrid model with the addition of online shopping platform can help to improve value provided to customers. For example, the online platform can allow customers to choose the right size and provide accurate measurements as well as “virtual” at-own-pace trying out of products virtually, especially in the COVID-19 sutation. This can reduce the frustration of customers purchasing the wrong size and returning the product with dissatisfaction (Nasibov, Demir &Vahaplar, 2019)

Innovative ways for Primark UK hybrid business operation (online + physical store) to serve their customers better.

Primark UK with its online shopping platform, can provide unique and personalized shopping experience for each and every one of its customers. E.g. creating a mobile app that works with all operating systems that allows customers to register, login and take measurements of their body, the system will capture their size and measures to recommend products individually to each customer (Anonymous, 2021). Many e-commerce clothing platforms are facing issues with product returns and customer dissatisfaction. (Nasibov, Demir &Vahaplar, 2019)

Consider the services which are unique to and benefits to PRIMARK UK hybrid business operations (online + physical store).

Communications, technical competence, range of services, customer focus and accessibility.

For Primark UK’s online shopping platform, it can provide exceptional services to shoppers in terms of technical competence, i.e. ease of navigating the website, reducing the bandwidth requirements for the photos of products and descriptions yet showcasing full product range (Anonymous. 2018

Consider customer value for shopping online and in store (which market sector are they chasing by changing the business model.)

By going hybrid, Primark UK will also be targeting mobile APP and PC users in the age range of 35-54 years old, who are the major online shoppers. There may be cannibalization of physical store customers but the revenue still belongs to Primark UK…. In this way, the value to customers is increased by…..(more research and analysis to be conducted).

Comparison of different solutions with costing and choosing one solution to take forward with reasoning.

Focus on: see which solution (recommendations for Part 1.4-1.8) is the most cost effective. For example: What are the main elements of the service concept, and are these of equal important to all customers? What trade-offs have had to be made in the design to deliver a quality service package to all of PRIMARK’s UK customers.

Suggestions on areas of focus: customer service, value adding services, convenience, centralized/decentralized inventory and delivery chain, customer value chain, cost implications, sustainability etc.

Suggestions for recommendations: can use other hybrid clothing brands as recommendations: e.g. H&M, Zara, Next, Joules, Uniqlo etc.

E.g. follow Next Plc’s online platform as a hybrid for Primark UK’s operation because….. (in-text ref)

Parcel Conundrum

Focus on Primark UK’s possible delivery problems to customers door-steps with the Hybrid business operations.http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-18709348

E.g. with the online shopping platform, Primark UK may encounter delivery issues such as wrong orders sent to customers or ……

Technological Impact and environmental (CO2) impact.

E.g. Primark UK’s use of online clothes fitting technology, online shopping platform, Mobile APPs will impact or change the …..etc

E.g. With the door-to-door delivery for the hybrid operations, more vehicles will be on the road, resulting in higher emissions and pollution….

In parts 5 – 9, include where relevant: analysis, evaluation and recommendations for sustainable operations on possible technological and environmental (CO2) impact, and the parcel conundrum:

Part 2 – NO WORDS COUNT (STILL NEED IN-TEXT CITATION IF WRITE SENTENCES)Rich Picture for Primark’s UK Hybrid Business Operations.

Focus on: Pictorial representation (1 full size A4: hand-drawn for Primark’s UK hybrid (online + physical store) business operations of all the processes, interactions, interconnections, communications between stakeholders. E.g. types of employees, customers, suppliers, service providers etc identifying and indicating all the existing and potential problems/issues/challengers as well as solutions/recommendations to this problems.

NB: Only 1 (ONE) Rich picture for Primark’s UK hybrid (online + physical store) business operations, i.e. include both online + physical store operations situations.

You can indicate with symbols/numbering/icons in the Rich Picture on the problems/challenges/issues and solutions/recommendations, after which you can provide more detailed explanations in sentences/paragraphs in the next page (a separate page from the Rich Picture)

(remember: words are not counted in this entire Part 2). Findings and analysis will be used in Part 3 later).

Root Definition for Primark’s UK Hybrid Business Operations

Focus on: Primark’s UK hybrid (online + physical store) business operations, i.e. X,Y and Z in a single paragraph.

X = what does Primark’s UK hybrid (online + physical store) business operations do?

Y = how will it be done

Z = why is it being done

(Remove the annotations “X=”,”Y=”,”Z=” in your answers, they are illustrated here to help you create your Root Definition in a single paragraph).

CATWOE for PRIMARK’s UK Hybrid Business Operations

Focus on: (in Table form but answers are to be in sentences and paragraphs).

PRIMARK’s UK hybrid (online+physical store) business operations, i.e.

CATWOE	Explanation
C (Customers)
A (Actors)
T (Transformation)
W (World View)
O (Owners)
E (Environmental Constraints)

C = Customers

Who is on the receiving end of PRIMARK’s UK hybrid (online + physical store) business operations? Who is consuming its products and services?

How do customers perceive/view PRIMARK’s UK hybrid (online + physical store) business operations? E.g. problems or benefits?

How will they react to PRIMARK’s UK hybrid (online + physical store) business operations?

A = Actors

Who are the people doing the work in PRIMARK’s UK hybrid (online + physical store) business operations i.e. stakeholders?

What is the impact on them?

How might they react?

T = Transformation process

What is the process for transforming inputs into outputs for PRIMARK’s UK hybrid (online + physical store) business operations?

What are the inputs e.g. raw materials, workforce, time, effort, communication, collaboration etc? Where do they come from?

What are the outputs e.g. services and products provided/delivered?

What are all the steps in between?

W = World View

The bigger picture or purpose or impact of PRIMARK’s UK hybrid (online + physical store) business operations.

The connections and relationships with external parties e.g. suppliers, 3PL providers etc.

What situations or problems are PRIMARK’s UK hybrid (online + physical store) business operations trying to solve or improve?

O = Owner

Who is the real owner or owners or investors or persons of the highest authority of the PRIMARK’s UK hybrid (online + physical store) business operations?

What should the operation owner(s) do for PRIMARK UK?

E = Environmental constraints

What are the constraints e.g. ethics, technology, environmental, legal, resources, financial, suppliers, service providers, COVID-19 etc that affect PRIMARK’s UK hybrid (online + physical store) business operations?

“As-Is” Process Plan for PRIMARK’s UK existing/current physical store only business operations.

Focus on: Flow chart (Computer drawn only e.g. using MS word or Powerpoint or MS Visio drawing function etc) for PRIMARK’s UK existing/current PHYSICAL STORE only business operations, processes and sub-processes, activities, tasks, functions etc to identify where improvements are needed, i.e. gaps and problem area, e.g. delays, disconnected processes, inefficiencies, loopholes, accidents, injuries, miscommunication etc.

In the next page, Must include explanations in sentences/paragraphs of the “As-Is” process plan you have drawn including the identified gaps, problem areas and areas for improvement for PRIMARK’s UK existing/current physical store only business operations.

“To-Be” Process Plan for PRIMARK’s hybrid (online + physical store) only business operations.

Focus on: Flow chart (Computer drawn onlye.g. using MS word or PowerPoint or MS Visio drawing function etc) for PRIMARK’s UK hybrid (online + physical store) business operations, processes and sub-processes, activities, tasks, functions etc showing improvements, including what has been improved and added in for both the physical store as well as online operations.

In the next page, Must include explanations in sentences/paragraphs of the “To-Be” process plan you have drawn i.e. what has been improved for PRIMARK’s UK hybrid (online + physical store) business operations in the next page (a separate page from the To-Be Process Plan diagram).

(remember: words are not counted in this entire Part 2).

Part 3 (To generate a plan for the implementation and evaluation of the new process) 

Discuss how the Primark’s managers would turn performance objectives into operations priorities and the resources that would be necessary for effective implementation of the new process (“TO BE” business process plan from part two). (About six hundred words).

• This part should concentrate on the new solution only as discussed in part one and two.
• Analyze the resources required and costs for implementing the new process (“TO BE” Business Process Plan).
• Support your discussions with the Performance Model, management of change, etc. (not Maslow).

Using a Balanced Scorecard, discuss how the business performance can be measured post-implementation (refer to the last three years of company annual reports and any other relevant

data for improvement and target trends for Primark UK). (Balanced scorecard charts are not included in word count but discussion on each prospective is included, about hundred words for each prospective).

• A balanced Scorecard is to measure the post-implementation performance for the new process only.
• Create Table for each perspective.
• Under each table use about. 100 words to support your data, reference for the sources etc.

Your work should be referenced including in text referencing with appropriate literature and form a logical and concise discussion.