AOM4801
EXAM PACK
FOR ASSISTANCE WITH THIS MODULE +27 67 171 1739
, lOMoARcPSD|62123117
January/February 2025
AOM4801
ADVANCED OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT
EXAMINATION CASE STUDY MATERIAL
(for the examination on 23 January 2025)
Downloaded by Pied Zulu ()
, lOMoARcPSD|62123117
CASE STUDY 1: SPUR STEAK RANCHES
Since 1967, when Allen Ambor, founder and executive chairman of Spur Steak Ranches,
opened the Golden Spur in Newlands, Cape Town, Spur has been part of the South
African family. In the years since then, Spur has helped to create countless special
memories and earned a reputation for its tasty, nutritious meals and for providing good
value for money.
Spur Steak Ranches has grown into an internationally recognised brand that boasts more
than 284 local and 36 international restaurants in countries like Australia, New Zealand
and Mauritius, as well as other parts of Africa.
The menu offers something for everyone – from the legendary steaks, ribs and burgers
to the famous Cheddamelt schnitzels, delicious desserts, and special kids’ meals. Spur’s
weekday specials offer fantastic value-for-money deals, such as the Unreal Breakfast and
the Classic Monday Burger.
Spur prides itself on being a restaurant for the whole family. It caters for the needs of kids
by offering a full kids’ menu, an exciting kids’ play area (featuring climbing walls, jumping
castles and Xbox consoles at selected restaurants), the Secret Tribe Loyalty Club,
spectacular kids’ birthday parties (including a birthday party combo meal), activity sheets
and fun digital applications specifically aimed at the children’s market.
Adapted from:
https://www.spur.co.za/about-us/our-story/. Accessed 10 December 2024
https://www.spurcorporation.com/operational-profile/spur-steak-ranches/. Accessed 10 December 2024
Downloaded by Pied Zulu ()
, lOMoARcPSD|62123117
CASE STUDY 2: NAMPAK STRATEGY AND OPERATIONS PROCESSES AT
NAMPAK GLASS
Nampak is Africa’s leading diversified packaging manufacturer and it has been listed on
the JSE Limited (Johannesburg Stock Exchange) since 1969. Nampak operates from 28
sites in South Africa and 16 sites in the rest of Africa.
Nampak capitalises on their investment in their state-of-the-art production facilities. Their
world-class research and development facility is based in Cape Town, South Africa, and
it provides technical and innovative product development to all of their operations. This
support also extends to their customers, many of whom are among the world’s largest
fast-moving consumer goods companies.
Nampak’s strategy falls into two focus areas, namely, reducing risk and growing profits.
Within the area of reducing risk, Nampak’s strategy has two sub-focus areas, namely
“strengthening capital structure” and “simplification”. Within the area of growing profits,
Nampak’s strategy also has two sub-focus areas, namely “optimisation” and “growth and
innovation”.
In terms of optimisation specifically, Nampak’s goal is to “refine product and service
offerings with a competitive cost structure and enable operation efficiencies” (Nampak,
2021). Their four focus areas, in terms of optimisation, include the following:
• process innovation
• reviewing product offerings and terms
• improving operational efficiencies
• driving sustainability
The Nampak group strongly advocates for an environmental focus and, accordingly, they
participate in widespread collection and recycling initiatives. In addition, Nampak invests
a large amount of time and resources into developing sustainable products. Lastly, their
environmental focus extends to supporting and facilitating the recycling, re-use and
recovery of packaging.
One of Nampak’s operating sites is Nampak Glass, based in Roodekop, Gauteng.
Nampak Glass produces a diverse range of returnable and non-returnable glass bottles
for the wine, carbonated soft drinks, flavoured alcoholic beverages, spirits, beer and
processed foods markets. Their manufacturing facility is capable of producing glass
containers in the industry standard colours of flint, emerald-green, dark green, UV green,
dead leaf green and amber. Nampak Glass operates three furnaces, with nine (9) lines,
has a total capacity of 285 000 tons and produces a range of containers that vary in
capacity from 200 ml to 1.5 litres.
Downloaded by Pied Zulu ()
EXAM PACK
FOR ASSISTANCE WITH THIS MODULE +27 67 171 1739
, lOMoARcPSD|62123117
January/February 2025
AOM4801
ADVANCED OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT
EXAMINATION CASE STUDY MATERIAL
(for the examination on 23 January 2025)
Downloaded by Pied Zulu ()
, lOMoARcPSD|62123117
CASE STUDY 1: SPUR STEAK RANCHES
Since 1967, when Allen Ambor, founder and executive chairman of Spur Steak Ranches,
opened the Golden Spur in Newlands, Cape Town, Spur has been part of the South
African family. In the years since then, Spur has helped to create countless special
memories and earned a reputation for its tasty, nutritious meals and for providing good
value for money.
Spur Steak Ranches has grown into an internationally recognised brand that boasts more
than 284 local and 36 international restaurants in countries like Australia, New Zealand
and Mauritius, as well as other parts of Africa.
The menu offers something for everyone – from the legendary steaks, ribs and burgers
to the famous Cheddamelt schnitzels, delicious desserts, and special kids’ meals. Spur’s
weekday specials offer fantastic value-for-money deals, such as the Unreal Breakfast and
the Classic Monday Burger.
Spur prides itself on being a restaurant for the whole family. It caters for the needs of kids
by offering a full kids’ menu, an exciting kids’ play area (featuring climbing walls, jumping
castles and Xbox consoles at selected restaurants), the Secret Tribe Loyalty Club,
spectacular kids’ birthday parties (including a birthday party combo meal), activity sheets
and fun digital applications specifically aimed at the children’s market.
Adapted from:
https://www.spur.co.za/about-us/our-story/. Accessed 10 December 2024
https://www.spurcorporation.com/operational-profile/spur-steak-ranches/. Accessed 10 December 2024
Downloaded by Pied Zulu ()
, lOMoARcPSD|62123117
CASE STUDY 2: NAMPAK STRATEGY AND OPERATIONS PROCESSES AT
NAMPAK GLASS
Nampak is Africa’s leading diversified packaging manufacturer and it has been listed on
the JSE Limited (Johannesburg Stock Exchange) since 1969. Nampak operates from 28
sites in South Africa and 16 sites in the rest of Africa.
Nampak capitalises on their investment in their state-of-the-art production facilities. Their
world-class research and development facility is based in Cape Town, South Africa, and
it provides technical and innovative product development to all of their operations. This
support also extends to their customers, many of whom are among the world’s largest
fast-moving consumer goods companies.
Nampak’s strategy falls into two focus areas, namely, reducing risk and growing profits.
Within the area of reducing risk, Nampak’s strategy has two sub-focus areas, namely
“strengthening capital structure” and “simplification”. Within the area of growing profits,
Nampak’s strategy also has two sub-focus areas, namely “optimisation” and “growth and
innovation”.
In terms of optimisation specifically, Nampak’s goal is to “refine product and service
offerings with a competitive cost structure and enable operation efficiencies” (Nampak,
2021). Their four focus areas, in terms of optimisation, include the following:
• process innovation
• reviewing product offerings and terms
• improving operational efficiencies
• driving sustainability
The Nampak group strongly advocates for an environmental focus and, accordingly, they
participate in widespread collection and recycling initiatives. In addition, Nampak invests
a large amount of time and resources into developing sustainable products. Lastly, their
environmental focus extends to supporting and facilitating the recycling, re-use and
recovery of packaging.
One of Nampak’s operating sites is Nampak Glass, based in Roodekop, Gauteng.
Nampak Glass produces a diverse range of returnable and non-returnable glass bottles
for the wine, carbonated soft drinks, flavoured alcoholic beverages, spirits, beer and
processed foods markets. Their manufacturing facility is capable of producing glass
containers in the industry standard colours of flint, emerald-green, dark green, UV green,
dead leaf green and amber. Nampak Glass operates three furnaces, with nine (9) lines,
has a total capacity of 285 000 tons and produces a range of containers that vary in
capacity from 200 ml to 1.5 litres.
Downloaded by Pied Zulu ()
