Operations Management

Order Description

GET AN IDEA

1) Think of a business or voluntary sector goal with some international element that you would like to achieve that:
• makes a profit, or
• breaks even, or
• stays within a budget (5 marks)

(e.g.
• Getting humanitarian aid to Syrian refugees
• Selling ice-creams to foreign tourists at seaside resorts
• Organising events (with food, drink, music, etc.) abroad for at least 50 people in hired accommodation
• Importing rugs from Turkey to UK for sale to retailers
• Manufacturing a new product with some processes abroad
• etc.)

SUMMARISE THE IDEA
2)
a) Express your goal in less than 100 words (5 marks)

ILLUSTRATE THE IDEA
3) Create a diagram or diagrams that fit on a maximum of two A4 sheets to show:

a) the sequence of operations necessary to achieve your goal (stated above) and in particular whether they will be carried out in series or in parallel, and (15 marks)

b) when and where they will be carried out. (5 marks)

c) Include any necessary explanation in no more than 150 words (10 marks)

(Note: You will get better marks if your diagram has been drawn using computer software, such as Microsoft Word.

If you are unable to do this, an acceptable alternative (which would score lower marks than a computer diagram) would be to draw the diagram, take a photo of it using a digital camera, and upload the photo to your Word file.)

(Marks are awarded for the clarity of your 100-word statement and for the repeatability and/or profitability of your idea.)

EXPLAIN YOUR ORGANISATIONAL STRUCTURE
4) Organisational structures (e.g. wheel, functional hierarchical structure, business unit structure or, matrix structure) determine how the business functions (Marketing, Production, Human Resourcing, etc.) will be managed.

a) Explain what organisational structure you would adopt for your venture (4 marks)
b) Explain your reasons for your choice of structure (6 marks)

______________
TOTAL 50 marks

Submission Instructions
Upload your answers to the above questions to your seminar tutor on Blackboard (Turnitin).

NOTE: You MUST upload a Microsoft Word document (.doc; or .docx)
It cannot be a compressed file (.zip), a Mac file, or any other format as this cannot be opened in Blackboard.

Operations management

Order Description

Select and research an organisation and a specific product or service that it provides. You will conduct an analysis of the product/service in terms of the four Vs of operations management.
1. Develop a profile of the product/service based on the four Vs (volume, variety, variation in demand, and visibility). Discuss how you arrived at your conclusions for the organisation and what implications these characteristics have for how the organisation conducts its operations.

2. Identify and discuss key activities undertaken by the organisation that display these operational characteristics. Identify attempts by the organisation to alter its operations for improved performance (changing its four Vs profile).

use of the following readings besides the other 4
Slack, N., Brandon-Jones, A. & Johnston, R. (2013) Operations management. 7th ed. Harlow: Pearson Education Limited.
Johnston, R. & Staughton, R. (2009) Establishing and developing strategic relationships the role for operations managers, International Journal of Operations and Production Management, 29 (6), pp.564-590

Operations management

Order Description

Select and research an organisation and a specific product or service that it provides. You will conduct an analysis of the product/service in terms of the four Vs of operations management.
1. Develop a profile of the product/service based on the four Vs (volume, variety, variation in demand, and visibility). Discuss how you arrived at your conclusions for the organisation and what implications these characteristics have for how the organisation conducts its operations.

2. Identify and discuss key activities undertaken by the organisation that display these operational characteristics. Identify attempts by the organisation to alter its operations for improved performance (changing its four Vs profile).

use of the following readings besides the other 4
Slack, N., Brandon-Jones, A. & Johnston, R. (2013) Operations management. 7th ed. Harlow: Pearson Education Limited.
Johnston, R. & Staughton, R. (2009) Establishing and developing strategic relationships the role for operations managers, International Journal of Operations and Production Management, 29 (6), pp.564-590