Module Assessment
One of the key aspects of any business (the business being considered in a broad sense) is to provide services and/or products in line with customer demands. Operations Management deals with the design and management of delivery of these products and services including processes and supply chains. The study of Operations Management involves every level i.e. strategic, tactical and operational.
TASK:
You are an Operations Management Consultant. You are required to undertake an individual research project and to prepare a Management Report (6000 words+-10%) for the Board of Directors of Pepsi Co.
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 the Process Management should be planned in the organization to achieve operational excellence. Support your answer by illustrating:-
• Customer service strategies
• Managing capacity and demand
• Inventory management
• Scheduling operations
• Process analysis and improvement
• Purchasing and supplier management
iii) Identify if the organization is implementing any Lean processes. If it is then critically evaluate if what benefits it is bringing to the organization and IF NOT then critically evaluate how 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: “Organizations 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 about the organization and draw concrete conclusions and draw some recommendations for the organisation, which can be from the practitioner i.e. other organisations/industry or academic research.
You need to follow a REPORT FORMAT.
Report Structure and Layout:
• Cover Page: Your Name and Student Number and the word count.
• Executive Summary
• Introduction (setting the scene and purpose of the report) [500 words]
• Operations Management in the Organization highlighting the key issues as well (Part A – i) [1000 words]
• Process Management in the Organisation including the Process Chart (Part A – ii) [1500 words]
• Lean Management in the Organisation (Part A – iii) [1000 words]
• Capacity Management within the organisation. (Part B) [1000 words]
• Conclusions and Recommendations. (Part C) [1000 words]
Further tips:
• You do not need to rigidly follow the structure mentioned above. Creativity will be appreciated. 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 in 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 organisation 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 coherence of report (with regard to structure of analysis, diagnosis, correctness of spelling and grammar, appropriateness of language, accuracy of referencing including use of English and Harvard Referencing scheme).
