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Assessment Title: A critical evaluation of taught operational and strategic management tools and frameworks within a specific organisation / organisational sector
Individual Report 3,500 Words (+/-10%)
Report Task:
Utilising taught organisational management tools and frameworks. Critically evaluate how they shape the future operations strategy of an organisation or organisational sector of your own choice;
• Manufacturing (eg., Automotive. Aerospace. Pharmaceutical etc)
• Retail (eg., supermarkets, clothing etc)
• Service (eg., computing, hotels, restaurants, transport, banking etc)
• Public (eg., healthcare, police, law enforcement, social services, waste management, public transport etc)
• 3rd Sector (eg., charities, voluntary and community organisations, social enterprises and cooperatives)
The choice of tools and frameworks is yours, but must be those operations management models and theories actually taught within the Unit, and may include for example;
• Input/ transformation/ output model
• Capacity Management
• Developing Lean Operations
• Designing Products and process
• The operations system
• Operations Strategy
• Quality
• Structure and infrastructure
• Supply network
Note: It is important the report focuses on operational management factors rather than Human resource management.
The 3,500 individual report could follow the following layout as guidance. Each report layout will be influenced by the organisation/ organisational sector chosen;
An example of a report layout/ structure, may include;
Introduction; set out the aim and objectives of the report
Overview of Operations Management; why is managing operations important, how does operations impact on an organisation, what are the key issues to consider in operations management, how does operations impact organisational performance;
Operations Management to strategic management; what is the role of operations strategy' why is operations strategy important, how does operations strategy impact organisational performance, what are the key issues to consider when developing an operations strategy.
Application of tactical/ initiative factor to organisation/ organisation sector of choice;
Critically evaluate how one tactical / initiative factor will provide the shape and direction of the organisation/ organisation sector strategy.
The critical evaluation could include how the factor supports a particular strategy, the influence of this factor in making the strategy, and how its makes the strategy unique, and how this factor could be used by management to enhance the competitive potential of the operations strategy.
Future direction of operations management within operation/ operational sector of choice; include how operations strategy can be used as a vehicle for continual improvement, indicate how the operations strategy must be woven into the fabric of the organisation and be easily translated into everyday tactical/ initiative activities.
Overview and Conclusions; indicate how the one tactical/ initiative factor critically evaluated within this report accomplishes the operations strategy of the organisation/ organisational sector of choice: conclude with how the requirement of a powerful organisational strategy is required for long term growth and to maintain competitive advantage.
Word Count 3500 (+/-10%)
Notes on format:
The above layout is provided as a suggested guide only.
The report should be broken down into suitable sections / sub-sections as your tactical/ Innovative factor to an organisation/ organisation sector determines.
The report must follow the standard format of; Introduction, Main Body of text; Conclusions.
The report must draw on relevant academic sources, particularly journals to be able to critically evaluate operational manaqement academic theories to context and practice.