Strategic Operations Management and Operational Research

LEARNING OUTCOMES

1. Demonstrate a broad knowledge of the range of activities that comprise contemporary strategic operations management within a variety of contexts and situations Learning outcome.

2. 2 Develop personal skills to be able to critically evaluate and improve the performance of processes within both the operations field and also the wider organizational environment.

GRADING CRITERIA

This assessment comprises TWO parts.

PART A - Reflective Analysis (50% of marks)

– The Reflective Analysis shall be 2500-3000 words in length.

– At the beginning of the module you will identify ONE personal skill that you aim to develop and improve.

– Your Reflective Analysis will detail WHAT YOU DID to improve that skill and HOW EFFECTIVE your efforts have been.

PART B – Report (50% of marks)

– The Report shall be 2500-3000 words in length.

– It will require you to examine the Job Description for an Operation Manager’s position. You are required to select an advert for an Operation Manager’s role: you may select an advert from any online recruitment agency.

– You MUST include the job advert as an Appendix to your Report.

– Using appropriate theory, literature, techniques and approaches that you have encountered in the module, discuss the following:

• What are likely to be the operational challenges that the successful candidate would face? (20%)

• How would you address the main issues? (80%)

SPECIFICATIONS:

· BOTH parts of the assessment are INDIVIDUAL pieces of work.

· BOTH parts will be submitted as a SINGLE document.

(You will submit ONE piece of work containing Part A and Part B)

· Do not include the reference lists in the word count.

· Font, Arial size 12

· Harvard referencing used throughout.

· The report must draw upon a range of contemporary literature from credible academic journals and textbooks.

· Diagrams may be used and should be numbered and labelled.

For completing this assignment successfully, you must read carefully the assignment brief to ensure that you address all of the requirements of the assignment.

A strong assignment submission must include the following:

Relevance

Good Portion of Knowledge

Consistent Analysis

Argument Structure

Critical Evaluation

Good Presentation

Reference to Literature in order to complete this activity you need to consider the following:

(1) Utilize academic research using literature from journals, books, Google Scholar, etc. – Do not use unreliable sources such as Wikipedia, Investopedia, blogs or other non-professional or non-refereed articles. At this level of study, it is expected that you use a wide-range of sources to support your discussion and analysis.

(2) Undertake a critical evaluation making effective use of evidence and sources.

(3) Present findings in an appropriate format (ensure that Harvard referencing is used)