Die Arbeit analysiert anhand eines realen, anonymisierten Fallbeispiels aus der Energierzeugung die Besonderheiten der Operations-Strategie in der Elektrizitätswirtschaft. Anhand eines konzeptionellen Modells der Produktionsstrategie erfolgt eine Analyse des Ist-Standes, ein Abgleich mit dem Soll-Zustand (Fit Gap) und daraus die Entwicklung von Handlungsempfehlungen. Die Betrachtung erfolgt anhand interner und externer Einflussfaktoren sowie aus Sicht der Unternehmens- und Produktionsstrategie. Dabei wird besonderes Augenmerk auf die Besonderheiten der Energiewirtschaft gelegt. Da in diesem Gebiet kaum betriebswirtschaftliche Arbeiten bestehen, leitet die Arbeit einen wesentlichen Beitrag zu dieser Perspektive für die Energiewirtschaft.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Operations strategy at EXAMPLE Power
2.1 Internal perspective – resources-based perspective
2.2 External perspective – market-based-perspective
2.3 Hierarchical perspective: top-down vs. bottom up
3. Performance improvement of the EXAMPLE Power operations strategy
3.1 Performance issue 1: strategic investments
3.2 Performance issue 2: renewable generation technology
3.3 Performance issue 3: supply network strategy
3.4 Strategic Performance Management
4. Conclusion
Objectives and Themes
The report aims to analyze the operations strategy of an electricity generator company (EXAMPLE Power) to identify performance gaps relative to its objectives and to provide recommendations for strategic improvement.
- Operations strategy analysis using the operations strategy matrix
- Evaluation of internal resource-based vs. external market-based perspectives
- Assessment of hierarchical strategic alignment (top-down vs. bottom-up)
- Identification of performance gaps in investment, technology, and supply chain
- Strategic management tools for performance improvement
Excerpt from the Book
2.1 Internal perspective – resources-based perspective
As can be seen in Figure 1, four decision areas determine the internal aspect of an operations strategy.
One of the key operational objectives is “dependability” (also see Appendix A). This requires EXAMPLE to provide sufficient capacity to fulfil the demand, but also sets the challenge of utilising their power plants to a very high extent in order to amortise the investment in their facilities (EXAMPLE Power 2006 / Hayes and Wheelwright 1984). Operations strategy at EXAMPLE is focusing on two major aspects in order to provide sufficient capacity:
1. a reliable, coherent system of levelling capacity across the power plant fleet and beyond (EXAMPLE 2005)
2. steady investment in existing power plants (to maintain or improve efficiency) and power plant new build projects (EXAMPLE Power International 2008)
Levelling of the existing capacity is an important part of the operations strategy. The higher the utilization of the facilities, the higher the financial benefit is (Miltenburg 2005). However, in case of under-utilization, fixed costs cannibalise profits easily. Thus the capacity provided should not aim at just providing maximum capacity, but also needs to consider flexibility. EXAMPLE achieves this by operating a power plant fleet that consists of a mixture of plant types (VDEW 2002). Whereas large nuclear and coal-fired power plants provide a high capacity to cover the “base load” of the demand volume (with high fixed costs and long set-up times), smaller plants (e.g. gas and steam) are used to ensure the flexibility to cover for volume peaks. Moreover, a European system of pooling and trading energy is considered as an additional “capacity buffer” in the EXAMPLE operations strategy (EXAMPLE 2005).
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: This chapter defines the scope of the report, presenting the objective of analyzing the operations strategy of the electricity generator EXAMPLE Power based on secondary research.
2. Operations strategy at EXAMPLE Power: This section evaluates the organization's operations through internal, external, and hierarchical frameworks to identify how resources and market requirements interact.
3. Performance improvement of the EXAMPLE Power operations strategy: This chapter discusses identified performance gaps regarding investments, renewable technologies, and supply chain management, offering potential remedial measures.
4. Conclusion: This chapter synthesizes the analysis, confirming that the current strategy is dominated by top-down, resource-based approaches and recommending a more holistic view through strategic management tools.
Keywords
Operations Management, Energy Generation, Electricity Industry, Power Production, Operations Strategy, Resource-based View, Capacity Strategy, Supply Network, Performance Management, Renewable Energy, Strategic Investment, Market Competitiveness, Sustainability, Balanced Scorecard, Continuous Improvement
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this assignment?
The report focuses on analyzing the operations strategy of a specific electricity generating company, identified as EXAMPLE Power, to assess its effectiveness and alignment with strategic goals.
What are the primary thematic areas covered?
The main themes include internal resource usage, external market requirements, hierarchical strategy development, and specific performance issues like investment planning and supply chain management.
What is the main research goal?
The primary goal is to identify performance gaps between the company's current operations and its stated objectives, and to propose actionable improvements to close these gaps.
Which scientific methodology is applied?
The report utilizes the "operations strategy matrix" and evaluates the company through a resources-based perspective and a top-down vs. bottom-up strategic lens.
What does the main body address?
The main body examines internal and external perspectives on operations, highlights specific performance issues such as renewable energy transition and supplier relations, and discusses strategic performance management concepts.
Which keywords define this work?
The work is characterized by terms such as Operations Management, Energy Generation, Capacity Strategy, Performance Management, and Strategic Investment.
Why is the "top-down" perspective dominant at EXAMPLE Power?
The study argues that because the electricity generation process is highly automated and mature, there is limited room for "bottom-up" operational learning to drive strategy, leading to a strong reliance on corporate top-down direction.
How does the report suggest handling supplier relations?
It recommends moving away from a passive stance toward an active, cooperative supplier management approach to mitigate risks associated with equipment procurement and know-how loss in the energy sector.
- Quote paper
- Florian C. Kleemann (Author), 2010, Operations Strategy in Energy/Electricity Production, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/190100
