Operations Management in CQuest Marine-Free-Samples for Students

Question: Discuss about the Case Study Operations management in CQuest Marine Laboratory. Answer: The operations management in CQuest Marine Laboratory is aimed at the ecosystem based management (EBM) for maintaining the coral ecosystem and fish habitats in a healthy, resilient and productive condition along with tourism sector management by implementing the policies and the management measures. However, by a planning competent authority a cross-sectoral planning can be held which is in the hands of the sector competent authority, for implementing the management measures that are required within their operations for achieving the ecosystem based management goals and objectives (Bromiley Rau, 2016). It is suggested that the scientific obstacles to the EBM are found to be no longer important in implementing the EBM operationally. Rather, approaching the EBM within the current approach of policy cycle is considered so that it will provide the required process step for policy making for operationalizing the EBM. The processes of policy making in addition to permitting and facilitati ng the exchange, collaboration, understanding as it is promoted by EBM it will also need that policy has to be implemented with the help of measures, procedures, concepts, models, programs, and controls which are having the expected outcomes from the policy objectives. It is of the view that moving the ecosystem based management from settings of objective and planning to the implementation of operational management than it will be involved in solving the issues rather than a scientific one (Brown, Bessant Lamming, 2013). Current situation The CQuest Marine Laboratory (CQML) on the basis on the Great Barrier Reef consists of a floating platform of 600M2 that attached permanently alongside the coral cay. CQML has begun as the marine laboratory where scientists are involved in studying the coral ecosystem and the habitats of fish. It is now owned by Douglas and Amy Patterson, who are the private owners. A marine park permit was granted to CQML five years ago for sharing their eco-marine venture of science with around 120 tourists per each trip (Galindo Batta, 2013). From that time, they made a contract with a company which is involved in operating the catamaran for transporting the tourists from Trinity Inlet in Cairns to the platform which is 30 nautical miles. A 15-metre long two-masted schooner was retained by them for supporting the scientific voyages away from the platform as a mother-ship (Harvey, Heineke Lewis, 2016). As a part of operations management in the marine laboratory, CQML has won an international tourism award in early 2017 for maintaining the best management in their business by analyzing all the operational issues and providing good hospitality for the tourists. Hence, the owners Doug and Amy are now keen in taking up their unique experience of tourism to the next level. They are in a plan of expanding into $3M in which addition of the second level of the platform is included for providing accommodation for at least 10 tourists overnight, in addition to which 4 scientific staff would remain on the platform (Heizer, 2016). They have to expand the kitchen facility along with the bathroom amenities and its quality. It even requires a permanent chef and the team of two person hospitality for providing a butler style service so that the platform of the laboratory will be functioning both as the marine laboratory and a small hotel. Amy is totally worried about the facility layout and the fi t out quality as it would be the chances with the expectations of high-end tourists. Operational management at CQML The ecosystem based management is defined by Hendricks, Hora Singhal (2005) that in the sea level the management range for the tourists should be in the form of an integrated approach which aims at maintaining the services of the ecosystem and the hotel at the best condition. In addition to this, the services to the tourists have to be provided as per their needs and necessities (Hendricks, Hora Singhal, 2014). However, Amy has the aim of maintaining the laboratory structure and function and also to sustain the composition of the ecosystem for tourist purpose. It is stipulated by Hitt, Carnes Xu, that the management means it is the implementation of all the practices, protocols and policies and has to make them adaptable by continuous monitoring of the services that are offered to the tourist and by researching them appropriately for achieving the explicit goals (Hitt, Carnes Xu, 2016). To Cairns, there is an international tourism, which has returned to the pre-GFC levels. In Cairns, 95 percent occupancy levels are being experienced by the hotels due their good hospitality and services. In the northern hemisphere during some seasons there would be a demand and it reflects best in the tourist visits which means that at the time of northern summer the best time that coincides with the weather for visiting Cairns is between the months of May to October. Between the months of November and April in the southern hemisphere, the demand for tourism is more in Australia and New Zealand that coincides with the summer holidays (Khanna, 2015). During this time it is a monsoon season that attacks with cyclones and is known to be a common threat. At these times, managing the supply side for the tourists is easy when compared with the demand for fluctuations that is caused by the media reports regarding the dangers occurring from cyclones, crocodiles in salt water, and marine stin gers. Douglas is wondering what kind of soft experience is sought by the tourists at CQML. It is argued by Krajewski, Ritzman Malhotra at this statement that there should be an integration of the sector-specific policies and the macroeconomic factors which should be combined with the actions taken by management for controlling the sources and also the effects of the changes in the environment for achieving the sustainability in the ecosystem (Krajewski, Ritzman Malhotra, 2013). Hence, it is reliant ultimately upon the implementation of the measures, practices, and procedures that are taken by the management for improving particular activities for tourists in order to achieve the goals of the ecosystem-based management. Evidence based arguments The operations of the platform that is existing manipulate the movement and the program of the tourist groups all over the cellular layout of the marine laboratory due to the severe environmental incidents such as cyclones, the threat of saltwater crocodiles, etc. observation of underwater in the Cairns is also made possible with the tubular walkway. Tourists are also provided with the opportunity of participating in the diving tours. The leader of the scientific team Dr. Fiona Fullbright is struggling high in maintaining the scientific output with the help of her team. At times she felt in such a way that the team is becoming a skilled closure instead of getting engaged in science which contributes to the studies showing an impact on global warming these are some of the issues faced by them (Langabeer II Helton, 2015). The concern shown by her seems to be deep rooted by the visiting of the tourists which has become a bottleneck because of the present day tour. They are afraid that this tourism is kind of disturbing the operations of the laboratory and the operational management of the CQML is not up to the mark in maintaining the services further when the crowd is increasing and has to concentrate more in the hospitality management which needs to be expanded further to satisfy the tourists. But on the platform, if the plans processed for prolonging the stay for two and half day tour than the occurrence of bottlenecks are difficult. Other than this if the guests have to say overnight than what kind of experimental activities would they expect is another issue? Dough and Amy have become sympathetic and felt true about her concerns and thought if there is any way for better flow of design that makes possible for the unique experience that is preserved in making small groups than encouraging more people gathering in particular areas at particular times (Mahadevan, 2015). From the analysis done in a scientific way they need to evaluate the objectives and the priorities should be informed by the management team along with the stakeholders related to the cultural, social, ecological, and economic effects from various objectives and the activities to consider for taking action in their planning, whether are specified in the context of the goals that are desired and in addition to this they have to identify the tradeoffs and the contradictions that are possible among these objectives (Malhotra, et al., 2014). The most important priority science role while setting the objectives is they need to define the safety and the operating space for all the desired goals that are taken into consideration as a part of the development of the socio-ecological system. For instance, the following are some of the things which might be included in the ecosystem of the laboratory as the potential impacts such as the changes made in the culture of the local community and the benefits and the expenses of the society and the scale of the economy on whole. These inputs are found to be in the form of evaluations to be made on future scenarios like assessments on the integrated ecosystems, the cumulative effects have to be identified and the assessments of impacts, cultural, ecosystem, and the socioeconomic overview report. Further, they even have to concentrate on the hospitality and the safety objective analysis should be carried out on the return on investment objectives and also, return of investment opportunities and the risk assessments are to be made due to environmental defects (Santibanez-Gonzalez, et al., 2016). Further, the things that are taken into consideration in the current case study is the management of the end to end experience of the tourist. As a part of the operational management, the administration of the CQuest Marine Laboratory wanted to implement the new practices in business for creating the highest level of efficiency that is possible within their tourism organization at the sea level. For making maximum profits for the organization, it wanted to expand further into their operations, which were obstructed by the natural calamities fluctuations in climate as these have been noticed to be responsible for lowering the inward flow of tourists due to media reports (Slack, Brandon-Jones Johnston, 2013). On the platform, the services that have been always centered were their focus on the activities that are value adding and the interaction of eco-marine science and the experience gained by the tourists. From this study, it has been understood that other than the day visit the overnight stay and the two and half day trips of the tourists increased numbers might reduce the scientific authenticity at CQML and becomes more of a tourist place (Smith, Maull CL Ng, 2014). It has been realized by the administration that there would be more problems arising as the volume increased where the facilities are to be of world class and there is a requirement of the operations manager for looking at the whole experience of tourism and getting the ideas regarding the problems faced and existing and provided them suggestion on how it can proceed with the plans of expansions if it can be done. Especially, now they are in a concrete position of how they can configure the experience and delight the rang e of tourists consistently. This is still even after the tourist visits is renowned place worldwide for the marine scientists for using it as the field site. For a significant proportion of activities of tourism in CQML, the marine environment will be providing a backdrop with respect to natural resources like the scenery, the marine animals, and the seabirds which are the most popular attractions in that coastal environment. On a relatively unspoiled environment, this dependence in creating the opportunities for the tourism might be driving the force for making sure that tourism on the marine environment has to be appropriately managed (Taghavi, Adams Berlin, 2014). Management of the environment is found to be the growing issue in the tourism industry, especially in the marine tourism environment and in this case study it has been noticed that authorization, by having codes of practice and by proper environmental planning which is being adopted in an increasing manner within the marine tourism sector, however, still there is a great deal for more progress to be made ahead. Consequently, in this case, study for regulating the marine tour ism sector at CQuest Marine Laboratory, it was investigated with respect to the operational managements opinion of the central, local, and the self-regulatory authorities. References Bromiley, P., Rau, D. (2016). 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