Thisisan individualassignment.Thepurpose ofthisassignmentistorefineyour research skillsby youidentifying yourown operationsmanagement topic,finding supportingliterature,analysing...

Thisisan individualassignment.Thepurpose ofthisassignmentistorefineyour research skillsby youidentifying yourown operationsmanagement topic,finding supportingliterature,analysing data,recommendingthebestapproachtomanagingtheissueandmakingsuggestionsregardinghowitcouldbeimplementedand reportingtheresults.Youshouldselectanareainwhichyouhavesome experience,knowledge and/or interest.

Youalsowillhaveanopportunitytodeepenyourknowledgeoncertain aspectofoperationsmanagementbychoosinganoperationsmanagementtopicthatsuitsyourowninterestand willhelpyourowncareerprospects.Thisassignmentcomprisesaminiliteraturereviewonthecurrentissuesonoperationsstrategyandoperationsmanagementoffirmsoperating inaspecificindustry.Allworkanddatasubmittedbyyouwillbetreated inthestrictestconfidence.

Atleast8separateresearchreference sources wouldbeexpectedtoobtainbetter than apassmark.Itisexpectedthatthis reportwill beofahighprofessionalstandard.To obtainagradehigherthanacredit,youmusthavenolayout,grammar,spelling orreferencing errors.Theworkshould berelevant,contain thelatest research and containahigh leveloforiginalthoughtandinput.

Youareencouragedtoworkonacurrentoperationsmanagementproblemorissuewithinyourexistingindustry.Alternatively,youcan choosethespecificcompanyorindustrywhich suitsyourinterests,including (butnotlimitedto)electronic,automotive,banking,building,food,hospitality,retailanddistribution,finance,consulting,and health care.

Select an operationsmanagement issue with which you have had experience (or in which you are particularly interested) that fits intoone of the followingfour categories:

Measuring and improving supplychainmanagement.

Measuring and improving customerservicequalityandsatisfaction.

Measuring and improving “Offshoring and/orOutsourcing”decisionmaking

Measuring and improving “Waiting Time”processes

Ifyou haveaparticularresearchtopicthatisnotincluded in theabove,butyou feelitwillbenefit yourcareerorimproveknowledgein an industry,for example a topic that could be presented asaconference paper,Iwouldbehappytodiscussyourplan.

Formatyourreport,usingreferences,asanacademicbusinessreport–usingthestructuredescribed in the report format section.

Learning Outcome Details

This assessment is underpinned by the following Unit Learning Outcomes and Graduate Learning Outcomes:

Details of the linkages between the assessment, ULO, GLOs and the rubric are presented at the last section of this document.

Report Format

Thisassignmentmustbewritten inan academicbusinessreportformatof a maximum of4000words.You should write between 3,000 and 4,000 words.TheExecutive Summary,TOC,Reference Pagesand Appendices can be excluded from thewordcount.

The criteria for marking is included at the end of this document and in therubric on the CloudDeakin MPM792website.

ExecutivesummaryandTableofContents(200-400 words)– aconciseand authoritativesummary thatincludesclearstatementaboutpurposeoftheresearch,mainfindingsand recommendations(5% ofmarks)

Introduction (200– 400 words) -focusedintroduction to the problem or situation (5% ofmarks)

Problemanalysis(800-1000words)-comprehensiveanalysisoftheproblem,thestrategy,processortopicusing appropriatedataand frameworks;evidenceofengagementwithappropriateliterature(20% ofmarks)

Currentperformance analysis(800-1000words)-
make use ofappropriatecomparativebenchmarksandconsider the forcesaffecting theissue you are examiningto examine the impact of the problem(20% ofmarks)

Recommended solution (1000-1500)
– identify, select and justify your preferred solutionwith (a brief) consideration of how it could be implemented. You may wish to considerthemajoroperationsmanagementtechniquescurrentlyused bythecompany fortheprocess,andhowsuccessfultheyare.Provideacomprehensiveargument for your recommend solutionand its implementationusingappropriatedataand support fromappropriateliterature(30% ofmarks)

Summaryandconclusion(200-400 words)- provide evidenceofreflectionon what a successful outcome would be, aconcise summaryofthemain findingsand aconcisesummaryof yourrecommendations(10% ofmarks)

References
- make sure you made good use of the literature to support your arguments, considering the appropriateness of your literature sources(10% ofmarks)

Criteria for Evaluating the Quality of Your Work

Your mark in this assessment is based on how well you have satisfactorily achieved the underpinning ULOs and GLOs. The rubric will be used to assess the overall quality of your work. Your work will be assessed against each of the questions in this assignment. The links between these questions and the ULOs/GLOs are described below.

Problem analysis (800-1000 words) - comprehensive analysis of the problem, the strategy, process or topic using appropriate data and frameworks; evidence of engagement with appropriate literature (20%)

ULO1(Evaluate the nature and importance ofoperations within organisations):You will be assessed on your ability toexplain the problem on the basis of its impact on the organisation, as well as the actual details of the problem process.

ULO2 (Understand the key operations management decision issues):You will be assessed on your ability toexplain why this is an important operations management activity and identify the specific operations process involved, in terms of the types of operations management activities discussed in the unit.

GLO1(Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities): You will be assessed on your ability toexplain the problem in terms of operations management perspectives, using the language presented in the unit.

GLO2(Communication): You will be assessed on your ability topresent a clear, succinct and cogent argument.

GLO4(Critical thinking): You will be assessed on your ability tocorrectly identify the cause and differentiate this from the symptom of the problem.

GLO8(Global citizenship): You will be assessed on your ability to demonstratehow this is either a standard or unique problem for this industry.

Current performance analysis (800-1000 words) - make use of appropriate comparative benchmarks and consider the forces affecting the issue you are examining to examine the impact of the problem (20%)

ULO4 (Analyse operations within service and manufacturing firms and apply methods to improve them): Your answer will be assessed forthoroughness, use of data, comparison with expected performance and presentation of findings.

GLO1 (Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities): Youwill be assessed on the demonstrated understanding of the particular operations management activity that you analyse in your answer to this question.

GLO2 (Communication): You will be assessed on your ability to presentyour analysis, findings and conclusionclearly.

GLO3(Digital literacy): You will be assessed onthe quality and thoroughness of your analysis of how well the process currently performs.

GLO4 (Critical thinking): You will be assessed on your ability to correctly frame the problemanalysis.

GLO5 (Problem solving): You will be assessed on the organisation of youranalysis and use of external sources to provide a reference pointsagainst which the performance is assessed.

Recommended solution (1000-1500) – identify, select and justify your preferred solution with (a brief) consideration of how it could be implemented. You may wish to consider the major operations management techniques currently used by the company for the process, and how successful they are. Provide a comprehensive argument for your recommend solution and its implementation using appropriate data and support from appropriate literature (30%)

ULO3 (Apply operations management principles): You will be assessed on your ability torespond to the analysis that you have conducted in the previous answer and utilise operations management approaches to produce a recommendation.

GLO1 (Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities): You will be assessed on yourdemonstrated understanding of the area of operations management which applies to the performance issue that you have identified.

GLO2 (Communication): You will be assessed on your ability toexplain how your recommendation responds to the performance shortfall/opportunity you identified.

GLO4 (Critical thinking): You will be assessed on your ability todemonstrate that your recommendation provides a valuable solution.

GLO5 (Problem solving): You will be assessed on the organisation of your approach toarguing your recommendation.

Summary andConclusion(200-400 words) - provide evidenceofreflectionon what a successful outcome would be, aconcise summaryofthemain findings and a concisesummary of your recommendations(10% ofmarks)

ULO5 (Work effectively as an individual researcher): You will be assessed on your ability toprovide a balanced and informed summary of the problem/opportunity and your recommendations, demonstrating a good grasp of the theory and a well-organised project.

GLO5 (Problem solving): You will be assessed on your ability todemonstrate that you have fully understood and provided a viable solution to the problem.

GLO6(Self-management): You will be assessed on your ability topresent a conclusion which convinces the reader and inspires confidence in your recommendation.