Operations Management

Operations Management Module

MBA7061

Operations Management

Module Aims:

This module provides a comprehensive introduction to Operations Management as practiced in organizations. It provides an overview of key aspects of operations management from both the manufacturing and service sectors’ perspective within modern organizations. The module considers operations strategy in the broadest sense. The broad aims of the module are:

●  To develop and introduce and develop a critical understanding of operations management for modern organizations in a variety of sectors of activity;

●    To consider operations strategy in its broadest sense and relate this to the internal management and organization of the production of goods and services within organizations in different sectors of the economy;

●      To examine how to organize resources and operations, and how to improve them using a variety of quality tools and techniques and process improvement activities;

●    To consider the organization in its wider context; examining how inputs on the supply-side can be managed and improved, and on the demand side how customers, and customer satisfaction can be understood.

TASK:

Pick an Organisation of your choice. You are an Operations Management Consultant. You are required to undertake an individual research project and to prepare a Management Report (4000 words+-10%)  for the Board of Directors of the company.

The key aspects that need to be covered within the report are:

●      PART A

i)       Critically evaluate the existing operations functions within the organization and the role of the operations manager within the organization. (Note: I would expect you to evaluate current practices and evaluate them in the light of standard practices within the industry that the organization is in and how well/badly does this organization align with the industry standards)

ii)    Draw a Process Chart for the organization showing how customers are processed through operations within the organization. Critically discuss how Process Management should be planned in the organization to achieve operational excellence. Support your answer by illustrating:-

●      Process analysis and improvement

●      Customer service strategies

●      Inventory management

●      Scheduling operations

●      Purchasing and supplier management

iii)  Identify if the organization is implementing any Lean processes. If it is then critically evaluated if what benefits it is bringing to the organization and IF NOT then critically evaluate how the implementation of lean management could benefit the organization. (Extra credit would be provided for use of examples).

●      PART B

i)       Managing Capacity is the most tricky part of operations management as it is characterized by uncertainty. Using the organization as an example you need to critically evaluate whether: “Organisations should always attempt to match its capacity to its forecast and known demand patterns or there might be situations where this might not be needed”.

●      PART C

i) Collate all your findings of the organization and draw concrete conclusions and draw some recommendations for the organization, which can be from the practitioner i.e. other organizations/industry or academic research.

You need to follow a REPORT FORMAT.

Report Structure, Layout and suggested wordcount:

●      Cover Page: Your Name and Student Number and the word count.

●      Executive Summary

●      Introduction (setting the scene and purpose of the report) [350 words]

●      Operations Management in the Organisation highlighting the key issues as well (Part A – i) [750 words]

●      Process Management in the Organisation including the Process Chart (Part A – ii) [1000 words]

●      Lean Management in the Organisation (Part A – iii) [700 words]

●      Capacity Management within the organization. (Part B) [700 words]

●      Conclusions and Recommendations. (Part C) [500 words]

Further tips:

●      Structure within the sections identified can contain further subheadings (such as Techniques, Methods, Models, Tools, Strategies, etc.)

●      You might want to bring in examples from other industries.

●      The report MUST have a proper reference list at the end of the report.

●      Try to think outside the box.

Marking and assessment criteria

●   Evidence of the level of critical analysis of the issues faced by the organization being evaluated.

● Understanding, critical evaluation and application of appropriate techniques, methods, models and tools to the issues discussed

●   Appropriateness and justification of the conclusions drawn and recommendations made to address the issues identified

●  Clarity and the coherence of report (with regard to the structure of analysis, diagnosis, the correctness of spelling and grammar, appropriateness of language, the accuracy of referencing including use of English and Harvard Referencing scheme).

To get solution visit our website www.sourceessay.com