Reference no: EM133864569 , Length: word count:2000
Managing Operations and Quality
Learning outcome 1: Demonstrate critical awareness of the processes and techniques used by organisations to set operational objectives, identify and select competitive and operational choices
Learning outcome 2: Evaluate and differentiate key operational processes in both service and manufacturing sectors and apply appropriate analytical frameworks to case studies in order to understand operational processes in context.
Learning outcome 3: Deploy a methodologically informed analysis of case studies to draw conclusions about operations management and quality issues.
Learning outcome 4: Apply a systematic understanding of performance measurement systems appraising quality and other operations performance criteria at societal, strategic and operational levels.
Description of Assessment 2: Report
Using the tools and techniques explored during the delivery of this module you are asked to write a report which explores the operation of an organisation of your choice. You should select an operation that it is familiar to you, for example a business that you have visited, experienced (ideally as a customer or as a worker) and observed recently. You should clearly demonstrate critical understanding of the organisation's operation.
In your analysis of the operation, you should address the following points:
- How the operations strategy of this organisation is positioned in the Hayes and Wheelwright model, including a clear argument for why you have placed the organization at that model stage.
- A thorough analysis of one or several operations or quality related areas that you judge important to the effective running of the operation. This can include a process map (using appropriate mapping symbols) to analyse the selected areas if relevant. You should choose among the concepts, tools and techniques covered along the whole module to conduct this analysis.
- A concise summary of your observations, which could include a set of recommendations for improvement in its operations.
Please note that early selection of the organisation to analyse is strongly encouraged. This will help with planning the data collection process. The module convenor can provide advice and sug2gestions for selecting the organisation.
Guidelines:
The report structure should contain the following elements:
Introduction, which should reflect the competitive positioning of the organisation and the relation between the business strategy and the operations strategy (addressing point 1 above).
Analysis of the organisation's operation using appropriate tools and techniques from this module (addressing point 2 above). This can be organised in subsections as needed.
Summary of your key observations/recommendations (addressing point 3 above).
Data collection sources from the organisation of your choice can be both primary (e.g. interviews, surveys, direct observations) and secondary (e.g. news, company website, databases) sources of information. Primary data collection is not a requirement to obtain a high mark in the report but will be appreciated whenever available.
If primary sources of data are used, please keep in mind the following principles:
surveys and questionnaires should be completed anonymously by participants,
names of interviewees should not be used; instead use an alphanumerical code so individuals cannot be identified,
any personal information collected should be treated in strict confidence, saved in a safe place and not disclosed to third parties.
Critically engage with relevant academic literature and theories, augmented with your own thoughts and arguments.
References cited must be included in a references list at the end of the report. Referencing style is Harvard.
Word count: 2000 words (+/- 10%, excluding references).