Operations Management – Masters Programme Introduction to the Assessment Topic Select one or two topic areas from the core fundamentals of Operations Management such as: quality management or performance management, for example, and one or two tools associated with those topics. (A broad-based analysis using three or more topic areas is not recommended as the work will become a little ‘thin’.) Operation Select an operation or if better suited a process (not an industry or an institution). Data Your analysis should be based on data gathered from, for example, interviews, discussions with customers/managers, survey work, from your observations as a customer/manager and from any secondary sources that might be available. Please do not include lots of raw data in the main body of the report. If you feel the need to include lots of data, put it in an appendix. You should explain your methodology for data collection and analysis clearly in the body of the report. Note: Many people get hung up on the word ‘data’, assuming that it refers to the information derived from quantitative survey work. This is not the case. Data is pretty much anything you can get your hands on that informs you about the subject of your analysis – but do make sure you reference this data where you are gathering it as a secondary source. Analyse The core of the assignment is to analyse this data using one or two topics, frameworks or techniques provided on this module. The analysis of the data should be provided in the body of the report. Evaluate As a result of the analysis what can you say about the operation and the tool/concept/technique? What recommendations would you make about how to improve the operation and the tool/concept/technique? How robust/valid are your recommendations? Length Please do not exceed 2,500 words (Part A and B combined); Part A should take approximately 750 words, Part B 1750 words. We are interested in depth and quality rather than verbosity, with an emphasis on analysis and evaluation rather than simple reporting and description. Success factors There are four main criteria for success: Understanding: your report should demonstrate an understanding of operations management issues. Substantiation: the report should be underpinned by module material and additional reading around the topic chosen and tools employed. Insight: your work must demonstrate critical evaluation and insight into the operations situation or topic. Clarity and structure: the report should be well structured and clearly presented Assessment Detail: This assessment is for an Operations Management modele of a Masters Programme. It is split into two parts, both of which are important: Part A – Approx 750 Words Taking the core Operational Management frameworks, such as : 3-Levels of analysis 4Vs Performance Objectives analyse any operation or process of your choosing – any operation that has data available (but remember it can not be an industry or an institution – it must be a process or the operation WITHIN an industry or institution, for example the Sales Process for buying an Airline Ticket with Delta Airlines) using two or more of these frameworks. Justify your plots, and highlight the key issues exposed through this analysis. You should: Focus on the Operations level Draw a succinct summary as to the implications identified through the analysis You do not need to engage the literature in this section, but reference where appropriate. You should make a contrast with other suitable competitors, the sector or alternatives Note: Annotations on the diagrams are not counted in the word count.
