OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT

Your section: Section A (1: Mon 1 pm, 2: Mon 2:30 pm, 3: Mon 4 pm, 4: Tue 2:30 pm, 5: Tue 4 pm)

Your name:

(First Name) (Last Name)

Q. 1: Classify each of the product/service named the table below as PURE GOODS, CORE GOODS, CORE SERVICES, or PURE SERVICES; and explain the reasoning behind each categorization. (20 points)

Note: For pure product, you need to explain how there is no service component. For core product, you need to explain how both product and service components are present, but the product component is the core part of the offering. Similar logic also applies to the classifications of pure service and core service.

How your response will be graded:

a) 1 point for each correct categorization

b) 1 point for a logical explanation of each categorization

Q. 2: Select two companies that operate in the same industry, but compete very differently from each other. Describe in detail how and why the four V’s affect their operations. (30 points)

Note: Describe how their position on the Volume, Variety, Variability, and Visibility scales (ranging from low to high) affect their operations, NOT how their operations affect their position on each of these Vs. Also, focus on operations implications, not marketing or customer implications.

How your response will be graded:

a) An explanation of where you see each company on the low-to-high continuum for each V: 8 points

b) List at least two operations implications for each firm for each V: 8 points

c) Explain at least two operations implications for each firm for each V: 8 points

d) Quality of writing (well-structured response, absence of spelling and grammar mistakes and typos): 6 points

Q. 3: Select two companies (different from those chosen to answer Q.2) operating in the same industry with very different sets of offerings. Construct a polar diagram to show how the relative importance of five operations performance objectives differ between these two companies, and comment on how this reflects in the products / services offered by each firm. (25 points)

Note: Use “Radar Chart” option in Excel to draw the chart, and then copy paste it carefully in this document. The polar diagram must show the relative importance (and not the level of performance) of each performance objective.

How your response will be graded:

a) One-line description of each company’s business (name and what products/services they offer): 2 points

b) Single polar diagram showing the relative importance of the five operations performance objectives for both the firms: 10 points

c) Clear explanation of how the relative importance of EACH of the operations performance objective reflects in the products/services offered by each firm: 10 points

d) Quality of writing and the polar diagram (well-structured response, absence of spelling and grammar mistakes and typos, correctly labeled and professionally drawn polar diagram): 3 points

Q. 4: List five operations performance objectives. For a company of your choice (different from those chosen to answer Q.2 and Q.3), explain why some of these are order winners / order qualifiers / less important performance objectives. (10 points)

How your response will be graded:

a) Logical explanation of why some of these objectives are order winning objectives for this firm: 3 points

b) Logical explanation of why some of these objectives are order qualifying objectives for this firm: 3 points

c) Logical explanation of why some of these objectives are less important objectives for this firm: 3 points

d) Quality of writing (well-structured response, absence of spelling and grammar mistakes and typos): 1 point

Q. 5: Select any one product or service of your choice (again, different from those used in answering previous questions), and describe the core concept, the package, and the process through which that product / service is produced and delivered to the end customer. (10 points)

How your response will be graded:

a) Description of the core concept: 3 points

b) Description of the package: 3 points

c) Description of the process: 3 points

d) Quality of writing (well-structured response, absence of spelling and grammar mistakes and typos): 1 point

Q. 6: Think of another product or service (something different from what you have chosen for answering previous questions) that you believe could attract customers like yourself. Briefly describe this product or service (including the core concept, the package, and the process through which that product / service is produced). Looking at the concept screening criteria of feasibility, acceptability, and vulnerability, write six questions that can help screen the concept (two questions per criteria) and describe how the firm can find the answers for each question. (25 points)

How your response will be graded:

a) Brief description of the product or service:

a. Core concept: 3 points

b. Package: 3 points

c. Process: 3 points

b) Relevant questions (two questions per criteria): 6 points

c) Logical explanations of how the firm can find the answers (don’t provide the answers!): 6 points

d) Quality of writing (well-structured response, absence of spelling and grammar mistakes and typos): 4 points

Q. 7: Select any product or service of your choice (must be different from what you have chosen for previous questions). Briefly describe the product / service (including the core concept, the package, and the process through which that product / service is produced). Explain which process type (project / jobbing / batch-cell/ mass / continuous; OR professional service / service shop / mass service) would best suit this product/service. Then, explain which layout type (fixed-position / functional / cell / product) would best suit this product/service. Also, if applicable, explain whether a long-and-thin OR a short-and-fat layout would be most appropriate for this product or service. (30 points)

How your response will be graded:

a) Brief description of the product or service:

a. Core concept: 3 points

b. Package: 3 points

c. Process: 3 points

b) Logical choice of most suitable process type: 1 point

c) Sensible explanation of why this process type would best suit this product / service: 8 points

d) Logical choice of layout: 1 point

e) Rational explanation of why this layout would be the most appropriate: 8 points

f) Quality of writing (well-structured response, absence of spelling and grammar mistakes and typos): 3 points

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