Task-1
a)
Report
To: BOD
From: Business analyst
Subject: Opportunities and challenges of proposed contract
Date:
Introduction
This report evaluates the opportunities and challenges which PSS must consider in
relation to the proposed contract with Zeelande Health.
Opportunities Challenges
Increase revenue Lower selling price
Payment of $190,000 will be made by Zeelande You are havingn the retail price for the Badin
Health to PSS at the end of every month of the mattress is $240. However in this program the
six-month contract. This means that PSS can suggested price is $190. This will lead lower
earn revenue of total $1.14m profitability.
Delivery and recycling costs
No trail periods
PSS will meet the delivery costs. Also PSS will
Trial periods are not included in this contract. be dismantled and recycled as part of PSS’s
Hence, this would result in no return and avoid mattress disposal service. PSS will meet all
not paying at the end of trail period. costs for this service, this would result in higher
cost and lower profits.
Marketing
EMAS registration
Zeelande Health will publicise its refurbishment
It is a requirement of Zeelande Health that all
programme through its own website, the
contract partners, including PSS, are registered
national press, and social media. Zeelande
with the Eco-management and Audit Scheme
Health will include the PSS brand name within
(EMAS). PSS will need to first register as EMAS
all publicity. This will help to improving the
which would require to meet the criteria and
marketing and attract new customers.Moreover,
might have an additional cost.
this will help to save the marketing cost.
CSR activity
Production capacity
Zeelande Health is the largest healthcare charity
in Zeelande. It provides healthcare services to
The all four factories are currently wokring at
individuals across Zeelande through its hospitals
their 100% and have to produce 6000 mattress
and healthcare clinics. If PSS undertake this
more, which will require more staff and their is
program, this would help to gain an competitive
already shortage of staff. Penalty clauses will
advantage of CRS and will improve the brand
be charged to PSS in the event of non-delivery.
reputation of PSS. Which will result in attracting
the ethical customers and rise in the revenue.
Monthly Payments Relationship with retain partner
Payment will be made by Zeelande Health to PSS is currently suppyling mattress at the retail
PSS at the end of every month of the six-month price of $240. If the retail partner finnd out that
contract. PSS provides 30 days trade receviable you have supplied mattress to Zeelande Health
periods and are paid on time. This would help to at the lower price , it might have an negative
improve the liquidty of the cash and reduce the impact on the relation and reduce buying the
trade receivable turnover. mattress.
Best regards
Business analyst
b)
Actions required to comply with EMAS
• Understand the requirement
• Current level of complience
• Identify gaps
• Evironmental Audit
PSS should read the requirements and understand the criteria of EMAS in detail to be
able to fulfill the requirements.
PSS should have the access to the current level of compliance of EMAS. In my opinon,
PSS is already complying with the level of requirements such as socal energy,
Sustainability, recycling. Which improves the value of the company.
PSS should need to match the requirements with the criteria, if it does no match you
should identify the gaps and fulfill the gaps.
PSS should do an evironmental Audit to comply with the regulations and fulfill the
requirements of EMAS, as EMAS require audit.
key areas of environmental policy
• Limited use of scare resources
• Pollution
• Recycling the waste material
PSS should limited the use of natural resouces such as oil, tree, etc. Hence, PSS is already
focusing on the reduction of scare resources. e.g. using the solar energy.
PSS should minimise the pollution and carban emission. PSS is already commitanted
towards the carbon neutral business, which help to acheive the carbon footprint.
PSS is already recycling the waste material and products and is required to collect the old
mattresses which will be dismantled and recycled as part of PSS’s mattress disposal
service.
Task-2
a)
Briefing Paper
To: Chief executive
From: Business analyst
Subject: Issues raised by staff survey
Date: September 20X3
Introduction
This report assesses the issues raised by staff in the survey; and Recommends
actions which PSS should take to address each of these issues.
Issues Recommendation
Health issue
There is possible health issues due
PSS may use the alternative
to exposure to chemicals from the
chemicals options, which are less
lower quality foam.
harmful.
Health issue is an serious issue,
PSS should upgrade its health and
which will lead to have an health and
safety equipment to aviod the
safety risk to our staff. This will lead
harmful chemical.
to rise in the staff turnover and will
have legal and reputation impact on
our business.
Low quailty
PSS has the high brand reputation
In January 20X3 PSS changed to a for the strandard quailty mattrees.
cheaper foam and lower quailty to
cut costs. PSS should focus on purchasing high
quailty raw materials to retain the
This lead to negative impact on the same high quality material as soon
sales, due to lower quailty material as possible to avoid the loss of
used and result in loss of revenue customers
and customers.
Review by staff PSS should foucs on providing
proper training to the staff to have
Several staff members suggested an value of ethics towards thier
that some of our staff should write work.
positive mattress reviews and post
them onto the mattress review PSS should also have the integrity,
websites and disiplane actions to retain staff
and have transparency.
Don't you think this is unethical to
write fake reviews? This is an
unehtical work and would have an
negtive reputational impact.
Lack of innovation
Some staff are concerned that we
are not innovating as fast as our PSS should spend on the research
competitors. and innovation, e.g. suverys, market
research,etc. Which helps to have
Don't you think this an risk for the more creative decisions.
company, if you don't focus on
innovation, products would get
outdated, which leads to fall in
revenue and market share.
Full capacity
All four of our manufacturing plants PSS should focus more on
are working at 100% capacity. developing the opertional capacity by
increase the number of
How would PPS meet the future manufactured plants.
demand in an growing industry?
PSS can also consider the
Also you will not be able to meet the outsourcing to meet the extra orders
extra order such as of zeelande without compromising the quality
Health program, which would lead to and avoid the loss of opportunities .
loss of revenue and penalties
charged.
Best regards
Business analyst
b)
Email
To: human resources director
From: Business analyst
Subject: Talent management program
Date: September 20X3
This email advises on how a talent management programme can support PSS’s
values, together with the challenges PSS may face with such a programme.
Support PSS’s values
Productivity and efficiency
The operating profit has been falling over the past 3 years. Talent management
program will help to improve the productivity and efficiency, which would lead
reducing the costs and results in higher profits.
Quality product
Quality has always been at the heart of the PSS busines. Also, their has been
increase in the returns since last 3 years. Talent management program will help to
improve the quailty of the mattrees as their will be more trained and motivated
staff.
Low staff turnover
PSS employees are an integral part of our success.However it is difficult to hire
skilled worker in an competitive industry. A talent management program will help to
motivate the staff and passion towards their work, this results in lower staff
turnover.
Innovation/ Customer needs
PSS aim to create innovative products which set new benchmarks in meeting
customer demand. The talent management program will help to improve the staff
understanding of the business and will provide innovative ideas to improve the
performance and meet the objectives, values and vision. This will also help to
provide better customer services.
Challenges
Time and cost
The talent management program is an valueable program to support PSS’s values.
However, it will increase the additional costs and is an time consuming program,
which may result in less efficiency.
Staff may leave
Resignations from three staff members who are joining our competitors for more
money and better prospects. The higher wages will encourage staff to leave the job ,
which result poor reputation and affact the quaility of product and services.
Low motivations
The talent management program can be unadaptable for the staff and having high
pressure of high quailty performance to be performed, resulting in low motivation.
Training needs
PPS need to identify the training needs for the better value of performance. The
talent management program might not be able to identify the the training needs and
result in poor productivity and loss of values and objectivity.
Best regards
Business analyst
Task-3
Briefing Notes
To: Finance director
From: Business analyst
Subject: Big data analytics and internal control weaknesses
Date: September 20X3
Introduction
This briefing note discuss how PSS could benefit from analysing and using data from
online customers and website visitors; Advise on the threats which PSS could be
exposed to in relation to undertaking big data analytics; and Evaluate the potential
impact of the weaknesses identified in PSS’s internal control activities and
recommend actions to address these weaknesses.
Benefit of data from online customers
Customer needs
PSS collects data from its online customers and website visitors through its website,
also tracks the activity of customers and website visitors and gathers feedback. This
will helps to understands the customer requirements and fulfilling them will help you
have an higher sales.
Innovation
PSS tracks the activity of customers and gathers feedback. Also, PSS is not
innovating as fast as their competitiors. Hence, by analysing the feedback, it will
help you to understand the customers needs and cop up with the new treads, Which
helps PPS to attract more customers.
Personalized marketing
The digital marketing have seen a rapid growth. PSS can use the data analytics to
understand thier customer data, this will help to you desgin unique promotion style
on the digital platform e.g. social media. which will result in attracting more
customers and an effective promotional campaigns.
Threats of big data analytics
Data security and privacy breach
PSS collects data which includes personal data as well as personal information e.g.
Bank cards details, etc. The threat of hacking and cyber fraud of the unethical use of
the personal information can lead to an serious risk. It is unclear what controls are
in place to ensure that the data is kept secure. Any breach of personal data will lead
to legal actions and reputational impact.
One time investment
Big data require significant amount of investment to upgrade the IT infrastructure,
software, hardware and hiring IT staff, which will lead to higher costs.
Techincal experts required
PSS has a website and store data on cloud. Currently PSS may not have IT expertise
to manage and control the big data analytics, as ita is an important area to be look
for. PSS will need hire more IT experts to have an effective use of big data analytics.
Internal control weaknesses
Weaknesses Recommendation
Increase in guarantee claims
PSS should focus on monitoring in detail or
There has been a substantial increase in the investigation of the number of guarantee claims as
number of open coil (Abha) mattress guarantee their might be false claims as well.
claims over the last six months.
PSS can reinvest in its orginal high quality raw
This will leads to loss of revenue and may have an materials to avoid the guarantee claims.
negtive reputational issie.
Five expired patents
A recent check of these patents has revealed that
PSS can renew the expired 5 patents immediately
five of the patents have expired and all in relation
to retain their innovation and product USP's.
to the arrangement of springs in the pocket sprung
(Badin) mattress.
You can keep tracking the expiry dates adn renew
on time.
The competitors can copy our inventions and
product, which can have an impact on the brand
image and loss of revenue, market share
No monitoring and investigation on guarantee
claims
PSS can ahve proper investigation and address the
The number of guarantee claims is not currently
monitored in detail or investigated by management. concern and issue for the return. Hence, it will help
to slove the issues and improve the quailty to avoid
PSS might not be able to identify the issues and the returns
address it to improve the quailty and performance
of the mattrees. There might be some false calims
as well. Which results in rise in costs
Best regards
Business analyst
