Final Project: Production & Operations Management
Your final project
will involve analyzing an operational / supply chain for an existing company.
You will seek to identify a publicly traded company, do research on the
company, and draw conclusions based on the available information.
The framework to help support you through this project is
from “Operations & Supply Chain Management 3E, Collier & Evans (2024).
Naturally, the content for your paper draws from the broader text, outside
research, and your perspectives.
Exhibit 6.1, page 156 is a summary of
questions to aid in building out your sections and provides pretty solid
explanations.
Objective: Demonstrate your ability to apply production and operations concepts to
a real world business.
·
Explain the
role of production and operations within a business environment
·
Analyze aspects
of a business’ production & operations strategies/ processes and recommend
courses of action
·
Understand core
production & operations concepts and theories and apply to solving business
situations.
Output: A research paper that demonstrates your ability to
implement terminology, concepts, techniques, and tools to a business setting.
·
The expectation is that your paper includes
details to support your choices and decisions, and that you do research to help
support your recommendations.
·
Paper Length: approximately 10 pages of
content (Double spaced, APA format). Plus a reference page/ bibliography. Paper
must be 10 to no more than 12 pages of content.
·
Minimum 7 sources, 1 must be scholarly.
·
No abstract or title page is needed.
·
Each section must be clearly labeled. (Each key area
is a section, e.g. point # 6, Sustainability is a section.
· Be
succinct but ensure you demonstrate your ability to apply the concepts and
explain your reasoning.
Basis of your
research paper:
Select an existing company that significant details are
available on to be able to draw logical conclusions on their supply chain /
operations management or the service design. (Typically, a publicly traded
company is a great option). Research the company, and analyze their supply
chain or service design from the lens of production & operations
management.
If you cannot find content on a specific area, you may
designate it was not available; then proceed to share your perspectives on what
it likely would be and why.
The expectation is that your paper includes robust detail
and analysis of their situation.
Please
note: AI is acceptable to help enhance your ideas or wordsmith; however, a
paper derived through AI will result in a “0”.
If used, AI must be included in the reference page (along with what it
was used for).
*You may do a combination of a goods/ service design if it is
appropriate for the business you have chosen.
Key Content to address in detail: Select
one of the two options.
Option 1: Goods Supply Chain Design.
1.
Company overview: Organizational strategy, mission,
and competitive priorities.
(Company overview, Business strategy, Competitive
Priorities: Ch 3, section 3-4 a-e)
2.
Describe the customer benefit package – primary
& peripheral. (Ch 1, section 1-5)
3.
Include a diagram of the value chain network and
explain how it flows. (Ch 1, section 1-7)
4.
Measuring Performance (Ch 2 & Ch 13, section
13-5)
5.
Control (Ch 6 – Centralized or Decentralized)
6.
Location, including selection criteria (Chapter
6, section 6-4 a-b)
7.
Sustainability – people, planet, profit. (Ch 1, section 1-8f; Exhibit 1.13; Ch 3,
section 3-5b; Ch 13, section 13-6 a-b)
a.
Consider: Design for Sustainability (Ch 5,
Section 5-3d)
8.
Technology & Digital Content (Ch 4)
9.
Trade-Offs
a.
Efficient/ Responsive Supply Chain (Ch 6,
Section 6-3a)
b.
Push / Pull System (Ch 6, 6-3b)
c.
Vertical Integration / Sourcing / Outsourcing
(focus on approach taken, risks, and reasoning) (Ch 6, 6-3 c – e)
10. Managing
Risks (Ch 13, Section 13-3, Exhibit 13.3 and 13.4)
11.
Recommendations
– improvement or opportunity: Identify potential changes or additions; provide
a detailed explanation of the gap/ opportunity and what would be done.
12.
Supply
Chain Resilience: Identify one area that could experience disruption. Explain
the disruption and implications, and suggest potential options/ solutions to
overcome the challenge. (Chapter 20)
