Introduction
Expo 2020 Dubai, just like the previous World Expos, offers the global community a unique opportunity to come together to find solutions to common challenges faced by humanity. The universal journey to solving global problems started in 1851 in an event that took place in London and was referred to as the Great Exhibition (Bhavani, 2016). Since then, the exhibitions have offered a unique opportunity for players to highlight progress made in the economic, social, technological, and scientific fields. It has made it possible for experts to share their experience and knowledge in addressing challenges in areas such as transport, medicine, manufacturing, computing, communication, and human development index, among others. The event happens after every five years, with the host country being the organizer (Amiri and Sevin, 2020). Nations and international organizations are often the official participants, with companies, cities, civil societies, and regions being non-official participants.
Expo 2020, hosted by the United Arab Emirates, provides a platform for countries and various other entities to showcase innovations that have defined modern society. It upholds the tradition by making it possible for experts in different fields to interact and work together to find solutions to problems unique to their industries (Nadkarni and Teare, 2019). The theme for this expo was defined as ‘Connecting Minds, Creating the Future’ to emphasize the need for experts to increasingly work together to find common solutions to major challenges facing humanity (Nadkarni, 2020). The theme was particularly relevant following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic that has claimed millions of lives and paralyzed economic activities around the world. Opportunity, mobility, and sustainability were identified as the subthemes (Gomba, Hyland, and Paris, 2018). With over 200 pavilions and 192 countries actively involved, the Expo 2020 Dubai promises to be the largest event in 2021/2022 at a time the world is recovering from the effects of the pandemic.
The success of this World Expo largely depends on the capabilities of the Technology Operations Centre (TOC). In this forum, TOC is specifically concerned with network operations, cyber security management, operating the data centre, applications, and end-user tech support (Abou, Younis, and Hatje-Cantz-Verlag, 2021). This entity must ensure that there is smooth data management, communication, and elimination of any threat to the data of the firm. In this paper, the focus is to use various analytical models and frameworks to assess the current maturity stage of the organization and determine possible changes that may help it move to the next stage.
The Assessment of the Operation of the Technology Operation Centre for the Expo 2020 Dubai
The Expo 2020 Dubai is the first major global event since the outbreak of COVID-19, bringing together stakeholders in different industries from all over the world. The success of this expo largely depends on the performance of TOC in executing specific functions (Reid, 2019). As mentioned above, TOC has been assigned specific tasks, which include network operation, cyber-security, operating data centre, operation applications, and end-user tech support. As Bamford and Forrester (2010) observe, there is always the constant threat of possible cyber-attacks in such mega-events. TOC must have the capacity of predicting, identifying, and neutralizing such threats before they can affect the activities of the organization. At the same time, it must facilitate sharing of data among entities of common interests. It should also enable the organizer to share information and communicate effectively with stakeholders (Tournois, 2018). It must eliminate possible disruptions and breakdowns in the communication system while at the same time making it possible for parties that are not physically present at the event to follow and possibly participate in the activities through their representatives.
The success or failure of any organization depends on the efficiency of the operations. For the Dubai Expo 2020, the operations management activities were assigned to the TOC. This entity has to ensure that there are smooth operations of activities, especially those identified above. Slack, Brandon-Jones and Johnson (2016) warn that a minor operational mistake may have serious organizational consequences. TOC is managing operations that largely rely on cyberspace. Many things can go wrong, especially if cybercriminals can hack into the system. They can steal sensitive information, manipulate data responsible for important activities, steal from the participants of the expo, or even paralyze the entire operations at the event (Wang, 2020). As such, the team must ensure that every activity identified above is conducted effectively. There is also the need for TOC to work closely with other relevant parties, including individual countries and organizations represented in the expo, to enhance the rate of success of this major global event (Haneef, Ansari, and Bhavani, 2019). It is necessary to assess the current maturity stage of the organization and the possible changes necessary to facilitate the progress to the next stage.
The Current Maturity Stage of the Organisation and Changes Needed for the Next Stage
The operations being conducted by TOC should meet specific criteria to ensure that they facilitate the success of Expo 2020 Dubai. It is necessary to assess the current position of the operations of this entity (Heizer, Render, and Munson, 2020). Hayes and Wheelwright’s strategy framework is one of the widely used tools that can help in depicting stages of the contribution of operations to the performance of an organization (Russell et al., 2020). It identifies four stages, which define the progress in the contribution that operations have towards facilitating the success of a firm. Table 1 below identifies the four stages and what they mean when assessing the operations of a firm. It is necessary to discuss each of the stages before explaining the current position of the firm.
The first stage is considered an internally neutral level of operation. Russell and Taylor (2019) explain that it is the lowest level of capacity, with the primary goal being to minimize negative impacts on operations. At this level, operations are considered to be performing below expectations relative to the stated requirements (Künzli, Puhan, and Suggs, 2019). Mistakes that may have a serious impact on the organization are common at this stage.
Most of those who are expected to undertake specific responsibilities do not seem to understand what is expected of them (Johnston, Clark, and Shulver, 2015). It is common to have low-quality products and services at this level of operational performance. In the case of managing an expo, the team may not understand how to coordinate various activities or facilitate specific countries or organizations to present their innovative ideas to the world. It is not uncommon for operations to be at this level in the initial stages when starting a mega project (Haneef and Ansari, 2019). However, it is critical to ensure that it overcome challenges associated with this level of operations within the shortest period possible.
A prolonged stay at this level may have serious consequences on the performance of an organization. The second stage in this model is defined as externally neutral. At this stage, the operations of a firm focus on ensuring that a business achieves and maintains parity with market rivals. According to McManus, Winroth and Angelis (2020), most of the operations are often at this stage. Operations strive to monitor and embrace best practices within a given industry.
The manager remains committed that the performance of the entity is as good as its competitors. Slack and Brandon-Jones (2019) note that operations at this level are good enough to allow a firm to implement its major strategies. However, they are too basic to enable a firm to achieve a competitive edge over its rivals in the market (Gaur and Gaur, 2018). It is an average performance that avoids making major mistakes that may have a devastating impact on the project. It means that although mistakes are common at this stage, they are often manageable. In most cases, threats to the progress of the project are identified early enough before they can cripple the operations of the organization (Hallaq, Ninov, and Dutt, 2021). In the context of Expo, operations will be at a level where it meets the expectations of the stakeholders.
The third stage of the model is considered to be internally supportive. The goal at this stage is to ensure that operations provide reliable support for a business strategy. According to Lewis (2021), operations at this level offer the best capability for a firm to achieve its strategic goals. The competitive edge that a firm has at this stage can be linked directly to the strategy that it employs in its operations (Johnston et al., 2021). The level of operation makes it possible for a firm to meet market expectations. The performance and capability of the operations create a unique competitive edge for the firm. As Petrillo et al. (2021) note, operations at this level are considered reliable and efficient enough to address the concerns of both internal and external stakeholders. In many cases, successful firms often operate under this stage of operation. Mistakes that may significantly affect the operation are significantly rare (Bodolica, Spraggon, and Shahid, 2017). The few that may arise are often identified at the earliest stage possible and then neutralized before they can negatively affect operations. There is adequate coordination of activities and all the stakeholders can share information when necessary.
The current state of operations at Expo 2020 Dubai can be considered to be at this level. TOC has managed to develop systems and structures that are highly functional. All the stakeholders participating in it have easy access to the data that they need (Yang, 2020). Different companies and experts can come together, share their ideas, and discuss ways of combating common problems affecting their field (Geertman et al., 2019). Although the fear of a possible cyber-attack has not been eliminated, proper mechanisms have been put in place to minimize the occurrence. As a forum that is in progress, a major incident data breach has not been reported. Participants have been engaging in different activities without having to worry about a possible theft or manipulation of data that they consider critical in their operations (Anthonisz and Mason, 2019). It is an indication of the effort and commitment that TOC has made in ensuring that operations run smoothly. The team involved in the operations includes experts in big data management and operations experts.
The last and most advanced stage of operation as defined by this model is considered as being externally supportive. At this level, all the major weaknesses of the previous stages have been addressed to make operations highly efficient (Nadkarni, 2019). An organization with operations at this stage can wholly rely on it to achieve a competitive edge in its market because of its unique capability and high performance (Heizer, Render, and Munson, 2020). Such organizations often meet and exceed the expectations of their clients because of their operational performance.
Major mistakes at this stage are extremely rare because of the high level of efficiency. The team responsible for operations clearly understands their responsibilities and how they are expected to coordinate various activities (Manolitzas, Talias, and Matsatsinis, 2021). All stakeholders have secure and reliable communication platforms that allow them to share their ideas when necessary (Reisz, 2021). In the context of Expo 2020, this stage of the operation will enable the organization to closely coordinate various activities flawlessly. Each country and organization represented at the expo will have all the necessary support that they need to make the entire process a success.
Table 1: The Hayes and Wheelwright Four-Stage Model
Map of the Current Process
The current process of operations of TOC at Expo 2020 Dubai can be presented in the form of a map, based on the information above. The level of operational performance of TOC can be considered to be at the third level (a 3-star). It is not at the highest level possible, but it is efficient enough to facilitate smooth operations at this event. At this level, all the stakeholders can showcase their innovations and share ideas that can help transform various industries.
Future State Map
The current level of operational performance is satisfactory. However, being the largest World Expo ever and one that is taking place at a time when the global community is battling a major pandemic, it would be appropriate to make some improvements (Vij et al., 2019). It would be appropriate to move to the next level, shown in figure 2 below. The future state map can only be achieved if TOC takes deliberate steps to identify and eliminate possible weaknesses of the current system to achieve perfection. Recommended factors that can facilitate the necessary improvement of the current operations are discussed in the section below. It will help the process to achieve the 4-start status, which is the highest level possible.
Benefits of the Improved Process
Achieving the proposed improvement will have various benefits to this global event in Dubai. These benefits can be measured quantitatively and qualitatively. One of the qualitative benefits will be improved communication among stakeholders. Pardillo (2019) explains that when an entity achieves a level of operation that can be considered externally supportive, it achieves seamless communication that is free from disruptions. It means that all the players at this event will not struggle to share important information with relevant stakeholders. The new system will eliminate any possibility of a cyber-attack, which is one of the greatest concerns that the organizers have (Giardina, 2019). Coordination of activities will be improved significantly because of the improved efficiency.
Quantitatively, one of the major benefits of the improved process is the magnitude of data that can be processed within a short period. As mentioned above, the event has over 200 pavilions, which means that there is a high volume of data that needs to be processed. When the operating system is highly efficient, it will take a significantly short period to process, store, and share the data, improving the overall performance of each organization and team at the event. The improved process will also lower the overall cost of operation, as Dale, Bamford and Wiele (2016) observe. The organizer will spend less without compromising on the quality of service delivered. These benefits will help enhance the overall performance of Expo 2020 Dubai.
What Process Improvement Mean to the Organisation
Process improvement will bring numerous benefits to the firm, as discussed in the section above. It will enable this event to achieve a level of success that has never been registered before during similar events. However, TOC must understand the steps that should be taken to ensure that the intended goals are realized. It is possible to use various tools, techniques, and frameworks to achieve such a goal (Lovelock and Appleyard, 2019). Lean, agile, and resilient frameworks and techniques have proven to be effective. In this case, using an agile framework would be appropriate.
This tool identified six steps that should be taken to achieve the intended goal. The first step is to develop a plan on how to move from internally supportive to the externally supportive level of operations (Yeung and Mashary, 2019). The team will then need to design what needs to be created, which is then followed by the actual development of a new operational approach. The team will then test the newly developed design to determine if it can achieve the intended goal. If it passes the test, TOC will release it so that it becomes the standard mode of operation (Marzouki, 2019). The last stage is the feedback, where the team is expected to receive reviews about the performance of the new process. Adjustments can be made based on the reviews that the team provides.
Factors Which Will Influence the Future State
TOC should achieve the highest level of operations, as identified in the map shown in figure 2 above. However, the team will need to understand specific factors that will influence the future state. One of the major factors that will influence the future state is the ability to embrace emerging technologies. Krajewski, Malhotra and Ritzman (2019) explain that new technologies in communication and data management are emerging, which focus on addressing the challenges of the current system. TOC will need to monitor such technologies and determine how they can be integrated. The willingness of the involved stakeholders to work as a unit to address common problems is critical (Slak, 2019). All the participants in the expo should understand that issues such as cyber-attacks may affect any party. As such, they should cooperate when it is necessary to manage such threats.
The financial capacity of the team will also be a major influencer of the future state. To employ state-of-the-art technologies needed to achieve superior levels of operation would require adequate funding (Tobolski, Peronto, and Sinn, 2019). The government of the United Arab Emirates has committed to availing the needed resources to make the event a success. TOC will also need to have a team of highly skilled workers responsible for managing operations at the expo. Experts in operational management, big data management, cyber-security, finance, communication, and different other fields should be employed to enhance the level of performance.
Mechanisms That Exist to Ensure Continuous Improvement
Specific mechanisms already exist that will ensure there is continuous improvement in operations at the Expo 2020 Dubai. One of them is an effective communication system that allows all stakeholders to share information that can enhance performance. The UAE government has invested in advanced technologies that can facilitate effective management and sharing of data (Setork and Habib, 2020). The flexibility and positive attitude of the government towards emerging technologies is another assurance that the event can achieve a greater level of performance. A significant number of participants at this event are technology companies committed to improving performance in different industries (Jauncey and Nadkarni, 2014). Some of their proposals may have a positive impact on the operations of TOC. They can help the organizers to find better ways of conducting different activities and cutting the overall cost of the project.
The Adequacy of the Mechanisms and Possible Need for Improvement
The mechanisms that are already in place are capable of helping TOC to improve its operations and enhance the overall performance of the expo. They are adequate in terms of defining new operational paths that can be taken in the project (King, 2016). However, it is important to understand the fact that they are not specifically focused on achieving that goal. The current concern of TOC is to use the existing system to achieve the best outcome at the expo (Yas et al., 2020). On the other hand, technology companies in this forum are keen on showcasing their new inventions, which may not necessarily focus on improving operations at the event. As such, it is necessary to introduce some improvements to achieve the goal stated above.
One of the improvements of the current system that is needed is a reminder to the team and the relevant stakeholders that there is a need to improve the current operational capabilities. It will create a sense of emergency and direction for the relevant stakeholders to find a way out (Morris and Kazi, 2016). It will be a reminder to the team that the current capabilities are not adequate, and that there is a need to improve. The government, through the organizer of the event, should make available resources that will enable the relevant parties to undertake research to find superior operational techniques (Efthymiopoulos, 2016). TOC should also have a deliberate and purposeful engagement with specific experts at the expo to facilitate the improvement of its operations.
Conclusion and Recommendations
Operations of Technology Operation Centre will directly influence the overall performance of Expo 2020 Dubai. The forum, which takes place at a time when the global community is still battling the COVID-19 pandemic, brings together countries, corporations, and experts keen on solving global problems through innovative strategies. The success of the forum requires the organizer to ensure that parties can easily share data in a secure way that cannot be manipulated by cybercriminals. There is a need for the parties involved to enhance operational capabilities to the highest level possible. The following recommendations should be taken into consideration to achieve such a goal:
- TOC should invite technology companies and experts at the expo to help it identify and address weaknesses of its operation processes;
- The government, through TOC, should make available the resources that may be needed to fund the improvement process;
- The management of TOC should employ some of the latest and most effective cyber security features that will minimize possible attacks by hackers;
- There should be a regular internal audit of the current operations to help identify and eliminate possible weaknesses of the current operational process.
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