SNHU|accel QSO 300: Final Project Template;Operations Management
Review the Final Project Document to see how your paper will be scored.
Be sure to follow APA style when providing references. If you have questions on APA style, you can review the Purdue OWL website or the SNHU Shapiro Library’s APA Style Guide, or seek help from the SNHU Online Writing Center.
Notes on APA in a Formal Assignment
• Set margins to one inch all around.
• Use 12-point Times New Roman font.
• Make sure to double space.
• Paragraphs should be at least three to four sentences in length.
• Do not include the headings listed below in bold (“Introduction,” “Body Paragraphs,” “Section One,” “Section Two,” “Section Three,” “Section Four,” and “Conclusion”). These are included below to help you lay out your paper. APA style assumes that the introduction begins the paper, the body continues the paper, and the conclusion wraps up the paper, so those headings are not needed.
• Indent the first line of every paragraph by pressing the Tab key.
• Be careful not to use personal pronouns such as “I.”
Be sure to replace all of the text labeled as template information with your own writing. (This entire first page can be deleted after you review the guidelines. Your paper should begin with the title page that follows.)
QSO 300 Comprehensive Case Study Analysis
Template Information: Your Name
Southern New Hampshire University
(REMEMBER: DELETE EVERYTHING ON THIS PAGE AND INSERT YOUR INFORMATION, FOLLOWING THE SAME FORMAT.)
Introduction (Delete this heading in your final paper.)
In your opening paragraph, very briefly introduce the purpose of your paper. Remember that you will be discussing a comprehensive case study, as explained in your rubric instructions. Your introduction should include 2–3 sentences describing the company’s situation and what will be reviewed in the rest of the paper (i.e., Nissan has just experienced a massive earthquake and tsunami).
Body Paragraphs (Delete this heading in your final paper.)
Using content from Final Project Sections One, Two, Three and Four, discuss the facts of the case study. Make sure that you follow the sequence recommended in your Final Project Document. Each section below aligns with the sections in your Final Project Document and has information about some of the critical elements to which you are responding. Not all critical elements from the Final Project Document are specifically represented here, so remember to always refer back to the Final Project Document. Most of the critical elements in the final project can be addressed in 5–7 sentences; use this as a general guideline as you write your case study analysis.
Section One: Generating Value (Delete this heading in your final paper.)
There are three critical elements in this section. The first asks you to evaluate how the company in the case study uses operations management functions to provide products and generate value for its customers. To do this, you will write about what the company’s operations functions do to create value for customers. While some of the small actions the company takes should be noted here, do not forget to state the obvious operations management output. Make sure that you support your claims with examples from the case study or outside sources.
The second critical element in this section asks you to assess how the company achieves a competitive advantage using operations management. To do this, you will discuss what the company’s operations management function does to achieve a competitive advantage. You might consider writing about what the company does better than its competitors and calling attention to how this creates a competitive advantage. Make sure to provide examples found in the case study or outside sources to support your reasoning.
The third critical element asks you to compare and contrast service operations and manufacturing operations at the company in the case study. You should write about the similarities and differences between service operations and manufacturing operations and how the company uses these to provide value to customers.
Section Two: Theories and Techniques (Delete this heading in your final paper.)
This section of the final project contains eight critical elements, but only three are referenced in the template. Be sure to include all eight in your final project submission.
In this section, you will compare and contrast the critical path method (CPM) and the program evaluation and review technique (PERT). To do this, you should first discuss what PERT and CPM are. You should also consider how they are similar and different and discuss the different techniques that the company in the case study could apply from each.
In this section, you will explain the steps used to develop a forecasting system. Make sure to refer to your course resources when writing about how the company in the case study could use these steps.
In this section, you will list the major categories of supply chain risk and associated risk reduction tactics. You should consider how the company could mitigate exposure to supply chain disruptions caused by natural disasters. Make sure to refer to your course resources when writing about the categories of supply chain risk.
Section Three: Data Analysis (Delete this heading in your final paper.)
There are four critical elements in this section of the final project. The first asks you to draw a hypothetical process (time-function) map for producing a recently released (within the past two years) product manufactured by the company. As an operations manager, how will you use the value map? Be sure to explain your findings and how you would use the value map as an operations manager, and include your process map within your case study analysis. Here is a sample process map format:
? Customer
? Sales
? Production input
? Production
? Painting/detailing
? Warehouse
Delivery
? Time?
The second critical element in this section asks you to draw a cause-and-effect diagram that assesses why some of the company’s supply chain partners might have struggled to implement some of the company’s newly developed materials. You should include the diagram here in addition to summarizing your findings from the diagram. You can use the provided fishbone diagram and video to help you with the diagram.
The third critical element in this section asks you to consider the data and options provided to determine where the company should locate its new manufacturing plant. Explain why this would be the favorable location. Refer to the chart in the Final Project Document to help you in your explanation.
The fourth critical element in this section asks you to develop an ABC classification system because the company believes it might have some inefficiencies in its inventory management process. Your response should include a recommendation for improving inventory management. Be sure to refer to the chart in the Final Project Document as you respond to this critical element.
Section Four: Sustainability (Delete this heading in your final paper.)
This section of the final project contains three critical elements. For the first one, you should describe how the emerging concept of the triple bottom line can be used to enhance operations management at the company. Be sure to address each component of the triple bottom line. Your response should explain how the company could improve consideration of employees, environmental practices, and their profit position.
In the second critical element, you should explain how the company integrates ISO 14000 standards in its manufacturing plants. Your response should include an explanation of ISO 14000, if the company is ISO certified, and if they use ISO suppliers. Be sure to support your explanation with citations from your textbook or outside sources.
The third critical element asks you to describe ways the company can integrate corporate responsibility principles into its operations. You should begin by explaining what corporate responsibility is and describing principles of corporate responsibility. In addition, you should discuss which principles you believe will be the most effective and how the company can use these practices. Make sure to support your opinions with citations from your textbook or outside sources.
Conclusion (Delete this heading in your final paper.)
The conclusion reminds the reader what your paper is about and allows you to make a final point without introducing new information. Your conclusion should include your recommendations for improving operations at the company. Write about the idea(s) you want your reader to continue thinking about. Three or four sentences are sufficient.
References
Template information: Make sure that you provide appropriate citations in APA style. Remember to cite ALL the sources that you used to write this paper—not only here at the end of your paper, but also within the body through in-text citations, which add credibility to your statements. References that you have used should be included in alphabetical order by the author’s last name.
