Chapter 1:
1. Briefly describe the term operation management.
The observation operation’s management relates to the management of methods or processes that produce goods or provide services. These procedures require planning, coordination, and execution of all actions that produce goods and services. It is also been described as the maintenance, control, and improvement of organizational activities that are required to produce goods or services for consumers. For the most part, Operation management has traditionally been associated with manufacturing activities; however, it can also be applied to the service sector. The measurement and evaluation of operations are usually undertaken through a process of business appraisal. Efficiency and effectiveness may be monitored by the application of ISO 9001 quality systems, or total quality management techniques (William, 2009, p. 4).
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2. Identify the three major functional areas of business organizations and briefly describe how they interrelate.
The three primary functions are operations, finance, and marketing. Operations are concerned with the creation of goods and services. This is done by making best use of the business’s staff, machinery, building and raw materials. Marketing is concerned with promoting and/or selling goods or services. They do this by maximize the level of sales by carrying out market research and promoting the goods or service through a motivated sales team. Finance is concerned with the provision of funds necessary for operation, have the task of producing the goods or service in the most efficient way. They do this by keeping a record of all money coming in and going out of the business. Last, they have responsibility for securing finances for future expansion and paying staff and suppliers (William, 2009, p. 4).
11. Why might some workers prefer not to work in a lean production environment?
For the most part, workers do not like to work in a lean production environment because there are fewer opportunities for an employee to advancement within the company. Pursuant to a leaner production line, more workers become stress due to higher levels of responsibility. This is a result of fewer managers. Moreover, Workers also experiences larger variability and expansion of job requirements. This is where a worker is required to do more with less. Such cases of companies within the American auto industry have become lean to reduce cost and waste. Last, such cuts backs have allow the U.S. auto industry a second chance to be more competitive with other companies (William, 2009, p. 29).
Chapter 2
6. Contrast the terms strategies and tactics.
Strategy is the fundamental approach used by a company to attain its goal where tactics are the actions taken to accomplish strategies to carry out operations. The importance of strategies cannot be overemphasized an organization’s strategies have a great impact on what the organization does to achieve its organizational goals. Strategies can be long-term, intermediate, or short term. In order to be effective, strategies ought to be designed to support the organization’s mission and its goals. In contrast, tactics are the methods and actions used to accomplish strategies. They are more specific than strategies, and they provide guidance and direction for carrying out operations, high need detailed plans and decision making in an organization. Last, most consider tactics as the “how to” part of the process and operations as the execution part of the process (William, 2009, p. 43).
8. Explain the term time based strategies and give three examples.
Time-based strategies are approaches that focus on lowering the time required to conduct the different activities in a procedure. The logic is that by curtailing the time, costs are generally smaller, productivity is larger, quality is improved, new products appear on the marketplace much earlier, and customer service is enhanced. Last, organizations have achieved time reduction in some of the following:
Planning time: The time needed to react to a competitive threat, to develop strategies and select tactics, to approve proposed changes to facilities, to adopt new technologies, and so on.
Product/service design time: The time needed to develop and market new or redesigned products or services.
Processing time: The time needed to produce goods or provide services. This can involve scheduling, repairing equipment, methods used, inventories, quality, training, and the like.
Changeover time: The time needed to change from producing one type of product or service to another. This may involve new equipment settings and attachments, different methods, equipment, schedules, or materials.
Delivery time: The time needed to fill orders.
Response time for complaints: These might be customer complaints about the quality, timing of deliveries, and incorrect shipments. These might also be complaints from employees about working conditions (e.g., safety, lighting, heat or cold), equipment problems, or quality problems (William, 2009, p. 51).
10. List some factors that can affect productivity and some ways that productivity can be improved.
The factors that can affect productivity are methods, capital, quality, technology, and management. The various way’s productivity can be improved. For instance, since, productivity measures all operations it helps to eliminate bottlenecks. Another improvement would be to solicit new ideas from workers that reduce unnecessary waste. Sometimes the formation of work teams helps a firm to be organized with their activities. A further improvement is the study other firms. From this, a firm can reexamine its work methods where it cans reestablishment new goals for improvement. Other features also include support from management, rewards, and publicize improvements, and lastly, it is significant not to confuse productivity with efficiency because productivity to an organization as a theory is concededly broader than efficiency (William, 2009, p. 59).
William, S. J. (2009). Operations Management. New York: McGraw-Hill.
page 35-36.
Chapter 2: 6, 8,and 10, page 61.
These are due by Monday in the Discussion Board. Please
have your responses to the questions submitted to the
Discussion Board by DAY 5 – Monday. This will give everyone
the opportunity to discuss them before the end of Seminar 1.
2. Chapter 2 Case Study Paper
Read the Case Study – “Home Style Cookies,” found in Chapter 2, page 64-65.
2. What are two ways that the company has increased productive qty? Why did increasing the length of the ovens result in a faster output rate?
The use of automation in the mixing process resulted in a reduction in waste; cookies are cut on a diagonal; and the company recently increased the length of its ovens (i.e., more cookies can be baked at the same time).
3. Do you think that the company is making the right decision by not automating the packing of cookies? Explain your reasoning. What obligation does a company have to its employees in a situation such as this? What obligation does it have to the community? Is the size of the town a factor? Would it make a difference if the company was located in a large city? Is the size of the company a factor? What if it was a much larger company?
All companies have a moral obligation to their employees. Small companies with local owners, particularly in a small community, are more likely to be influenced by such considerations than large companies, in large communities, even with local owners, and even less likely to be influenced if owners are distant, or uninvolved in operations. The issue is a difficult one, often without easy solutions. Cost and efficiency may favor layoffs, but ill will and the effects on morale of employees that remain are important considerations.
6. What advantages and what limitations stem from the company’s not using preservatives in cookies?
By not using preservatives, the product probably appeals to health-conscious buyers, and there are fewer ingredients to purchase, store, and mix, but without preservatives, the shelf life is limited.
7. Briefly describe the company’s strategy.
The company’s strategy is to provide a high quality (“good food”) cookie that appeal to a particular market niche.
Then, respond to questions 2, 3, 6, and 7. Be sure to answer each of the questions posed (even if there are questions within questions). Please send this case study via the Assignments
Link. This assignment is due on Day 6 – Tuesday.
3. Weekly Summary
Please submit your Weekly Lessons Learned via the Assignments Link.
Due no sooner than Tuesday and no later than Wednesday.
NOTE: ALL Weekly Lessons Learned (Weekly Summary) for Weeks 1 -6 must adhere to the following:
Summarize what you have learned from the text reading, class discussions, assignments, etc. You can even include (in addition to the aforementioned) how what you have learned each week has or can help you professionally. Therefore, it should not be merely a listing of topics covered each week in your textbook. Also, this assignment should be a minimum of 200 words.
PARTICIPATION:
Please submit at least 2 meaningful comments per day to the discussion board (for at least 5 of the 7 days of the week) to receive full participation points.
ItemWeek 1 Discussion Questions
Discussion Questions:
Please respond to the Discussion Questions:
Chapter 1: 1, 2, and 11, page 35-36.
Chapter 2: 6, 8,and 10, page 61.
These are due by Monday in the Discussion Board. Please
have your responses to the questions submitted to the
Discussion Board by DAY 5 – Monday. This will give everyone
the opportunity to discuss them before the end of Seminar 1.
>> View/Complete Assignment: Week 1 Discussion Questions
ItemWeek 1 Case Study Paper
Chapter 2 Case Study
Read the Case Study – “Home Style Cookies,” found in Chapter 2, page 64-65.
Then, respond to questions 2, 3, 6, and 7. Be sure to answer each of the questions posed (even if there are questions within questions). Please send this case study via the Assignments
Link. This assignment is due on Day 6 – Tuesday.
>> View/Complete Assignment: Week 1 Case Study Paper
ItemWeek 1 Lessons Learned
Weekly Summary
Please submit your Weekly Lessons Learned via the Assignments Link.
Due no sooner than Tuesday and no later than Wednesday.
>> View/Complete Assignment: Week 1 Lessons Learned
ItemWeek 1 Particiption
Please do not post anything here. I will post your points earned for participation this week. Please refer to the course Syllabus for information on how participation points are earned.
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