Background
You’re the operations manager of a
successful organization that has experienced a few fiscal quarters of
declining profitability. The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) has asked you to
identify the low performing sector (or weak spot) of the organization. You’ll
need to write a problem-statement style report for submission.
That time has come. You’ve exhausted all
the relevant operations management literature and taken introductory notes
about improving your situation. You believe the answer to the organizational
problem is clear and are ready to put pen to paper. The outline is set and
ready to guide your thoughts as the information flows through your fingers.
You have got this!
Instructions
You will write a paper that
analyzes an operations management-related problem in an organization that is
of interest to you. Below are the paper guidelines:
Operations management focuses on numbers
and objectives that are measurable. This is not a paper whereby the student
provides an overview without portraying facts and figures about the selected
organization. The paper requires research; you will be expected to integrate
concepts from the course to better understand the situation and make
recommendations for improvement on a process, project, or program as
described in class and the book. This is an in-depth analysis with full
explanations and not a general overview. This paper will require an analysis
of operations management issues in an organization that is familiar to the
student.
- Introduction and
Clear Problem Statement: Describe the organization and what it does; prepare a brief
problem statement of an operations management issue in a selected organization.
Include a straightforward question you wish to answer while writing the
paper. (1-2 pages)
- As-Is Condition: Select one of the topics that you
will discuss and describe the current condition, process, project, or
root problem to solve. Use at least two (2) of the Quality Tools
(Charts) to illustrate the current condition. You can use PowerPoint,
Excel or Word to facilitate the diagramming method to illustrate the
as-is condition. Make sure you focus on the issue of your topic do not
explain the tool you are using. The concepts in the list are
pre-approved. You may request approval to use an alternate
concept. (2-3 pages (Not Including Chart))
- Analysis: List the inefficiencies of the
current condition; illustrate the cause-and-effects to the business unit
if changes are not made. List gap issues as they pertain to efficiencies
in service or products due to the current business condition. Apply the
analysis concepts in terms of measurable facts that can be used to prove
the current condition and to measure success. (2-3 pages)
- To-Be Condition – Proposed
Improvement/Solution: Describe the changes that will improve the
current business condition; use the quality tool selected in the Current
Condition to illustrate changes that will improve the performance of the
problem statement. State the benefits as a result of making the change
in terms of customer, stakeholder satisfaction, efficiencies, or cost
reductions. Use the facts presented in the analysis statements as
indicators of improvement. Keep in mind that they must be measurable
(2-3 pages Not Including Chart)
- Conclusion: Conclude the paper with a well
written, and compelling recommendation to either proceed with the change
or to abort the effort. (1 – 2 Pages).
Choose a concept from the following list
and use that theme for your paper.
- Improved Product
Life Cycle Analysis
- Cost Reduction
Process Improvement
- Customer
Satisfaction Process Improvement
- Supply Side Process
Improvement
- Market Side Process
Improvement
- Outsourcing Analysis
of a Current Internal Capability
- Job Description
Analysis to Appropriately Staff an Existing Process
Length
This
signature assignment must be 8-10 pages (excluding the title and reference
page). Make sure all bullet points and instructions above are addressed.
References
Include
at least 7 scholarly resources.
Grading
This
signature assignment is worth 280 points
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