Reference no: EM133287552 , Length: word count:3500

OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT ASSIGNMENT

There are three parts to this assignment.

Assume you are an advisor to a manufacturing business. Choose a manufacturing organisation that produces a product that you are familiar with. Use the Internet or any other source (attempt to visit thecompany if possible) to provide background information about the product, establish the nature of itsdemand (e.g. high/ low volume, high/ low variety, seasonal) and define the production process.

Part 1:
Analysis: Describe their operations using diagrams as appropriate. Identify areas not addressed. Critically review these operations using the concepts of operations management. What are the strengthsand weaknesses of their operations, tactically and strategically? What are the critical issues thatneed to be addressed and can feasibly be addressed and why are they critical. Identify one or twoissues that should be priorities and explain why.

(wordcount: minimum of 800 words)

Part 2:
Literature review: This will address one or two of the critical issues identified in part 1. Select oneor two of these issues and, using appropriate literatures, conduct a critical evaluation of theimplementation challenges, in other words, how should the solution be introduced / managedensuring that the risks are prevented or mitigated. The conclusion should include key lessonslearnt with justification. This section should draw upon a minimum of 15 papers sourced fromacademic (peer reviewed) journals. It should focus upon issues that are specifically operationaland covered in the course. However, this should extend beyond the material presented in thecourse (i.e. should add to course material) to reveal deeper engagement with the topic.

(wordcount: ~1,500)

Part 3:
Proposal: What would you suggest are possible options for improving their operations? Whichwould you recommend and why? Consider their feasibility. How would they go about implementing your recommendation? Summarise anticipated difficulties and explain how thesecould be overcome. State any assumptions made. This should be informed by the lessons learntfrom part 2.
All parts of the assignment should be clearly integrated.
Please ensure that any material used is appropriately acknowledged (no plagiarism proof).

Presentation
The assignment should bepresented in a word-processed report format. The report will adopt the followingstructure - please follow the order of the sections:
Executive summary: (maximum of half an A4 page) which presents key points and argument.
Remember that busy Executives often do not have time to read the body of the report. Willbe on its own page at front.

Part 1:
a. Introduction:
- what is this study about and organisational context- a short paragraph outlining methods used
- brief description of the product (images can be useful)
b. Analysis: this will commence with a detailed description of the production process (usediagrams and images as appropriate and placed next to text), which is then followed by itsanalysis. What issues ought to be addressed. What issue(s) are you prioritising and why?
1 The aim is to examine operational processes, so the criteria to guide selection of a business is to establishits transformation

Part 2:
Critical review of literatures: a very brief introduction to what this is about, the main body ofthe review (using sub-headings as appropriate), with a short conclusion revealing what thekey lessons are that will inform your proposal. This review will be organised according to topic (i.e. not by author).

Part 3:
a. Proposal: this should consider options, recommendations and implementation approach, summarising anticipated difficulties and explain how these could be overcome. State anyassumptions made.
b. Conclusion: key points learnt from this study (i.e. what have you learnt?)
c. References: should follow a standard referencing style (e.g. Harvard)
Appendices (as appropriate)

This report requires both description and explanation, with the quality of explanation leading to a bettermark.

Based on the format presented above, the report structure (headings) will be one that is appropriate to yourspecific case. Images, diagrams and tables should be located within the text next to where they are beingreferenced, with a caption number, which is referenced in the text, and a brief explanation of what the keymessage is from the image / diagram / table. The body of the report should be self-contained without needto reference appendices. Avoid long paragraphs. Appendices, which should be referenced in the body ofthe text, will provide detail about content in the body and thus answer any questions about generalstatements made in the body.

The maximum length is 3,500 words, excluding appendices (if required) and the Executive Summary. Aimto be succinct. Use images, diagrams and tables as appropriate.