Reference no: EM131222844

Tasks Document

The associated spreadsheets that must be filled out, and rubrics are included in the zip file.

Task 1 Simulation Trials

QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS

Decision-Making Models - The graduate uses optimizing models and other models as aids for making more informed decisions.

Introduction:

In this task, you are asked to conduct a small number of simulation trials. Please be aware that the simulation results of such a small number of trials would not be sufficient for one to draw valid conclusions in a real situation. A large number of trials run on a computer would be necessary in order to arrive at a valid conclusion. Random numbers are provided in the attached template; these numbers are discrete, uniform, and between 1 and 100 inclusive.

Scenario:

Management has asked you to help estimate the average cost per unit to produce a new product so that they can project profits at different selling prices. You will conduct a Monte Carlo simulation for cost behavior using provided probabilistic data for the following cost estimates, which are provided in the attached worksheet: cost per unit for materials, labor, and utilities and their probability distributions. In your calculations, round to the nearest cent.

Requirements:

Note: Save file linked under "File Attachments" to your computer, then open the file. When the files opens, enter your name and student ID as they appear in Taskstream into the respective boxes so the task questions and problems will populate the worksheet. If the attached template does not open or is missing information, please contact Ecare [email protected] for assistance with opening the file. Students can take advantage of a free offer for Microsoft Office. Please click on this link and enter your WGU student email to find out eligibility: https://office.microsoft.com/en-us/office-in-education-FX104367920.aspx. Students would need to use their @my.wgu.edu account. Contact https://support.office.com/ for more information and tech support.

Note: Complete 12 trials using the random numbers that are provided on the "Simulation Template" for each probability distribution. Use the random numbers in the exact sequence that they appear on the template for each cost.
A. Complete the attached "QAT1 Task 1 Spreadsheet" (responses should include two decimal places) by doing the following:
1. Determine required unit costs correctly by doing the following:
a. Determine the average materials cost per unit.
b. Determine the average labor cost per unit.
c. Determine the average utilities cost per unit.
d. Determine the average total cost per unit.

2. Include the three random interval tables needed to correctly determine the costs from part A1.
a. Describe how you correctly used the random interval tables from part A2 to populate the "QAT1 Task 1 Spreadsheet."

B. Determine the selling price per unit that should be established for the new product using your simulation results.
1. Describe how you arrived at the selling price from part B.

Note: For your calculations in parts B and B1, assume that the company wants to realize an average markup of $20 on each unit sold.

C. When you use sources, include all in-text citations and references in APA format.

Note: To reduce unnecessary matches select ignore "small matches <20 words" and "bibliography."

Note: For definitions of terms commonly used in the rubric, see the Rubric Terms web link included in the Evaluation Procedures section.

Note: When using sources to support ideas and elements in an assessment, the submission MUST include APA formatted in-text citations with a corresponding reference list for any direct quotes or paraphrasing. It is not necessary to list sources that were consulted if they have not been quoted or paraphrased in the text of the assessment.

Note: No more than a combined total of 30% of a submission can be directly quoted or closely paraphrased from outside sources, even if cited correctly. For tips on using APA style, please refer to the APA Handout web link included in the APA Guidelines section.

Task 2 Optimizing Production

QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS

Decision-Making Models - The graduate uses optimizing models and other models as aids for making more informed decisions.

Introduction:

Graphical models enable a manager to visualize the objective function (profit line), constraints, and possible solutions to a given problem, and to make more informed decisions based on that information. In this task you will be using your knowledge of graphical models, the given scenario, and the attached "QAT1 Task 2 Spreadsheet" to complete the assessment.

Scenario:

Company A produces and sells a popular pet food product packaged under two brand names, with formulas that contain different proportions of the same ingredients. Company A made this decision so that their national branded product would be differentiated from the private label product. Some product is sold under the company's nationally advertised brand (Brand Y), while the re-proportioned formula is packaged under a private label (Brand X) and is sold to chain stores. Because of volume discounts and other stipulations in the sales agreements, the contribution to profit from the Brand Y product sold to distributors under the company's national brand is only $12.50 per case compared to $100 per case for private label product Brand X. There are four ingredients involved in the two products. The recipes specifying the use of each ingredient in the two product brands are given in the "QAT1 Task 2 Spreadsheet". Also note that an ingredient may either be in limited supply or may have government regulations requiring a minimum or maximum amount.

Task:

Note: Save file linked under "File Attachments" to your computer, then open the file. When the file opens, enter your name and student ID as they appear in Taskstream into the respective boxes so the task questions and problems will populate the worksheet. Some students are not able to see the graph in the Excel file. If after entering your name and student number into the file you see the narrative but the graph does not appear, contact [email protected] and request that a screenshot of your file/graph be sent to you. Students can take advantage of a free offer for Microsoft Office. Please click on this link and enter your WGU student email to find out eligibility: https://office.microsoft.com/en-us/office-in-education-FX104367920.aspx. Students would need to use their @my.wgu.edu account. Contact https://support.office.com/ for more information and tech support.
A. Identify the objective function.
1. Determine the total profit to be made if the company produces a combination of cases of Brand X and Brand Y that lies on the black-dashed objective function line (profit line), as shown on the graph in the attached "QAT1 Task 2 Spreadsheet."

B. Write the four constraints that are described in the scenario given in the attached "QAT1 Task 2 Spreadsheet."
1. Describe why each of the four written constraints from part B is a minimum or a maximum constraint.

C. Analyze the optimum production yielding the greatest amount of profit by doing the following:
1. Determine the number of cases of Brand X that should be produced, showing all of your work.
2. Determine the number of cases of Brand Y that should be produced, showing all of your work.
3. Discuss how the feasible region was used to arrive at your calculations for parts C1 and C2.
4. Determine the total profit that would be generated by the production levels determined in parts C1 and C2, showing all of your work.

Note: Partial cases are allowed as part of the solution.

D. When you use sources, include all in-text citations and references in APA format.

Note To reduce unnecessary matches select ignore "small matches <20 words" and "bibliography."

Note: For definitions of terms commonly used in the rubric, see the Rubric Terms web link included in the Evaluation Procedures section.

Note: When using sources to support ideas and elements in an assessment, the submission MUST include APA formatted in-text citations with a corresponding reference list for any direct quotes or paraphrasing. It is not necessary to list sources that were consulted if they have not been quoted or paraphrased in the text of the assessment.

Note: No more than a combined total of 30% of a submission can be directly quoted or closely paraphrased from outside sources, even if cited correctly. For tips on using APA style, please refer to the APA Handout web link included in the APA Guidelines section.

Task 3 Determining Order & Lot Size

Introduction:

For this task, you will review the attached "QAT1 Task 3 Spreadsheet" and, using the instructions given in parts A-C, provide a brief response.

Requirements:
Note: Save file linked under "File Attachments" to your computer, then open the file. When the files opens, enter your name and student ID as they appear in Taskstream into the respective boxes so the task questions and problems will populate the worksheet. If the attached template does not open or is missing information, please contact Ecare [email protected] for assistance with opening the file. Students can take advantage of a free offer for Microsoft Office. Please click on this link and enter your WGU student email to find out eligibility: https://office.microsoft.com/en-us/office-in-education-FX104367920.aspx. Students would need to use their @my.wgu.edu account. Contact https://support.office.com/ for more information and tech support.
A. Determine the order size for Company A in the scenario found in the attached "QAT1 Task 3 Spreadsheet" that would minimize total annual cost by using the economic order quantity model, showing all of your work.

1. Identify what Company A should do with the information determined in part A.

B. Determine the lot size for Company B in the scenario found in the attached "QAT1 Task 3 Spreadsheet" that would minimize total annual cost by using the economic production lot size model (also known as the production run model), showing all of your work.
1. Identify what Company B should do with the information determined in part B.

C. When you use sources, include all in-text citations and references in APA format.

Note: To reduce unnecessary matches, select ignore "small matches <20 words" and "bibliography."

Note: For definitions of terms commonly used in the rubric, see the Rubric Terms web link included in the Evaluation Procedures section.

Note: When using sources to support ideas and elements in an assessment, the submission MUST include APA formatted in-text citations with a corresponding reference list for any direct quotes or paraphrasing. It is not necessary to list sources that were consulted if they have not been quoted or paraphrased in the text of the assessment.

Note: No more than a combined total of 30% of a submission can be directly quoted or closely paraphrased from outside sources, even if cited correctly. For tips on using APA style, please refer to the APA Handout web link included in the APA Guidelines section.

Task 4 PERT Chart & CPM Techniques

Introduction:

This task requires candidates to prepare a program evaluation and review technique (PERT) chart and apply critical path method (CPM) techniques.

Scenario:

Company A is installing a web-based customer feedback system to meet customer needs for quick response when rolling out new products. A new product line is rolling out in 48

weeks, and the customer feedback system must be installed and running in time for the new product launch. Table 1.1 in the attached "QAT1 Task 4 Spreadsheet" shows three estimates of the time it will take Company A to complete each of the project activities in the customer feedback system project: optimistic, probable, and pessimistic.

Company B is installing a similar feedback system to accompany a new product line and just announced that its new product line is ahead of schedule and will be launched in 45 weeks. Because the web-based customer feedback system must be installed and running in time for the revised date of the product launch in 45 weeks, something must be done to shorten implementation time required for the customer feedback system project. Refer to Table 1.2 in the attached "QAT1 Task 4 Spreadsheet" that lists the time it will take to complete the activities using normal resources (normal time), the expected time it will take to complete the activities if shortened as much as possible (crash time), the cost to complete the activity using normal resources (normal cost), and the cost of completing the activity on an accelerated basis (crash cost).

Requirements:

Note: Save file linked under "File Attachments" to your computer, then open the file. When the files opens, enter your name and student ID as they appear in Taskstream into the respective boxes so the task questions and problems will populate the worksheet. If the attached template does not open or is missing information, please contact Ecare [email protected] for assistance with opening the file. Students can take advantage of a free offer for Microsoft Office. Please click on this link and enter your WGU student email to find out eligibility: https://office.microsoft.com/en-us/office-in-education-FX104367920.aspx. Students would need to use their @my.wgu.edu account. Contact https://support.office.com/ for more information and tech support.
A. Use the estimates for Company A in Table 1.1 from the attached "QAT1 Task 4 Spreadsheet" to do the following:
1. Determine the expected completion time for each of the nine project activities.
a. Include all your answers for part A1 in Table 1.1, showing all of your work for one activity.
2. Determine the variance for each of the nine project activities.
a. Include all your answers for part A2 in Table 1.1, showing all of your work for one activity.
3. Develop a PERT chart showing the network diagram with the activities and their expected times.
a. Identify the critical path.

Note: Any additional numbers (e.g. start and finish times) included in the PERT chart will not be evaluated for correctness.

Note: If you don't have software to build a PERT chart, use text boxes and lines with arrows in a word processing program or a spreadsheet program.

4. Determine the value of each of the following, showing all of your work or reasoning:
a. expected duration of the entire project, showing all of your work or reasoning.
b. slack for project Activity E, showing all of your work or reasoning.
c. slack for project Activity C, showing all of your work or reasoning.

d. earliest start time for project Activity F, showing all of your work or reasoning.
e. latest finish time for project Activity G, showing all of your work or reasoning.

Note: Work or reasoning must be included along with each response for credit. Referencing a value in the PERT chart is not considered showing work. Please explain how each value was determined.

5. Determine the probability of completing this project in time for the product launch in 48 weeks, showing all of your work.

Note: you may want to use, with appropriate citation, the "Finding Probabilities from Z-Scores." Web link below.

B. Use the data for Company B in Table 1.2 from the attached "QAT1 Task 4 Spreadsheet" to do the following:
1. Determine the maximum reduction in time for each of the ten project activities.
a. Include your answers for part B1 in Table 1.2, showing all of your work for one activity.
2. Determine the crash cost per week for each of the ten project activities.
a. Include your answers for part B2 in Table 1.2, showing all of your work for one activity.

C. Use your results from part B (i.e., Table 1.2, given PERT diagram, activities L-U) to do the following:
1. Identify the activities, considering all paths, to be crashed to meet the following criteria:
- completion of the project within 22 weeks
- achievement of the lowest possible cost
2. Determine the number of weeks each of the activities identified in part C1 should be crashed.
3. Determine the sum of the individual costs of crashing each activity identified in part C1.

D. When you use sources, include all in-text citations and references in APA format.
Note: To reduce unnecessary matches select ignore "small matches <20 words" and "bibliography."

Note: For definitions of terms commonly used in the rubric, see the Rubric Terms web link included in the Evaluation Procedures section.

Note: When using sources to support ideas and elements in an assessment, the submission MUST include APA formatted in-text citations with a corresponding reference list for any direct quotes or paraphrasing. It is not necessary to list sources that were consulted if they have not been quoted or paraphrased in the text of the assessment.

Note: No more than a combined total of 30% of a submission can be directly quoted or closely paraphrased from outside sources, even if cited correctly. For tips on using APA style, please refer to the APA Handout web link included in the APA Guidelines section.

Task 5 Improving Profits

Introduction:

A company is considering alternatives for improving profits: either develop new products or consolidate existing products. If the company decides to develop new products, it can either develop several products rapidly or take time to develop a few products more thoroughly. If the company chooses to consolidate existing products, it can either strengthen the products to improve profits or simply reap whatever gains are attainable without investing more time and money into the products.

Scenario:

The decision tree chart provided in the attached "QAT1 Task 5 Spreadsheet" shows the predicted gains from each decision alternative described above. Gains depend on how the market reacts to the action taken by the company. The probability of each market reaction is shown on the decision tree.

Requirements:

Note: Save file linked under "File Attachments" to your computer, then open the file. When the files opens, enter your name and student ID as they appear in Taskstream into the respective boxes so the task questions and problems will populate the worksheet. If the attached template does not open or is missing information, please contact Ecare [email protected] for assistance with opening the file. Students can take advantage of a free offer for Microsoft Office. Please click on this link and enter your WGU student email to find out eligibility: https://office.microsoft.com/en-us/office-in-education-FX104367920.aspx. Students would need to use their @my.wgu.edu account. Contact https://support.office.com/ for more information and tech support.

A. Develop a response to the decision tree chart from the attached "QAT1 Task 5 Spreadsheet" in which you do the following:

1. Determine the expected value for each of the four decision branches.
a. Describe the process used to reach the solutions you determined in part A1.

2. Determine the decision alternative that has the most favorable expected value.
a. Compare the expected values of the decision alternatives.

B. When you use sources, include all in-text citations and references in APA format.

Note: For definitions of terms commonly used in the rubric, see the Rubric Terms web link included in the Evaluation Procedures section.

Note: When using sources to support ideas and elements in an assessment, the submission MUST include APA formatted in-text citations with a corresponding reference list for any direct quotes or paraphrasing. It is not necessary to list sources that were consulted if they have not been quoted or paraphrased in the text of the assessment.

Note: No more than a combined total of 30% of a submission can be directly quoted or closely paraphrased from outside sources, even if cited correctly. For tips on using APA style, please refer to the APA Handout web link included in the APA Guidelines section.

Attachment:- qat-task-spreadsheets.zip