Operations, Logistics and Supply Chain Management Essay

Module outcomes

On successful completion of this module students will be able to

1. Knowledge outcome – You will be able to develop your understandings of operations, logistics and SCM in organisations and how these contribute to organisational= success

2. Intellectual /transferable skills outcome – You will be able to consider a complex scenario related to operations, logistics and SCM and apply quantitative or qualitative techniques to contribute to its solution.

By focusing on the operational and supply chain issues, you should seek to identify and clarify how the operation functions and supports the market that it serves. What service delivery system (s) or manufacturing process (es) does it use? What infrastructure does it use to manage these delivery systems? And how, together, do these support the market (s) that it serves? A critical, detailed and relevant analysis should be made of the various components.

Based on your analysis, you are expected to make recommendations about how the business can improve its performance. Consider triple bottom line - described as the incorporation of economic, environmental and social factors as the three dimensions of sustainability in business practice - in youranalysis.

As it might be impossible to analyse all the areas of operations, logistics and supply chain management, you should also decide which area (s) to cover in your discussion. Therefore, choose two of the following areas in managing operations, logistics and supply chain.

· New product/ service development and process

· Managing quality

· Location and Layout

· Managing people in operation and supply chains

· Logistics mix: Channels, networks, transportation, managing inventory andcapacity

· Managing business relationships in supply chains

· JIT, Lean and Agility

To conduct writing the essay, students need to read and refer to core text books and academic journals as well as source of their data collection (mentioned before).

The essay will be assessed according to the following criteria:

Critical review of relevant Operation, Logistics and Supply Chain Management theories

Analytic discussion with relevant and similar example(s) and applying appropriate

solutions of Operations Management (30%)

Conclusion and recommendation (20%)

Clarity of writing, essay structure, correct referencing (10%)

Formative Assessment

You should write down an essay plan (500 words) to introduce

- selected business/ organisation

- two selected areas of Operations and Supply Chain Management

- theories and techniques that should be applied

- potential areas of improvement which need to be reviewed critically

How will we support you with your assessment?

· Two dedicated seminars in week three and ten

· Formative feedback on case studies in seminar

· Formative assessment: writing an essay plan in week 4

· Links to the assessment throughout your seminars and team-building sessionspecifically

· Coursework tutorials with your seminar tutor during reading week and revisionweek

· Coursework tutorial at week 11

· FAQs on Moodle

How will your work be assessed?

Your work will be assessed by a subject expert who will use the marking grid provided in this assessment brief. When you access your marked work it is important that you reflect on the feedback so that you can use it to improve future assignments.