STRM023

Operations
Management
In the supply chain context

ASSIGNMENT1 BRIEF 2010/11

Lecturers:
Tim Peacock
&
Horacio Soriano-Meier
&
Simon Burtonshaw-Gunn
&
Patrick Cross and
&
Peter Gray

The University of Northampton

 CONTENTS PAGE
GENERAL GUIDANCE FOR ASSIGNMENTS 3
ASSIGNMENT 1 BRIEF 5
ASSIGNMENT 1 FEEDBACK FORM 7
 GENERAL GUIDANCE FOR ASSIGNMENTS
There are two assignments to be submitted for the module
Assignment 1 has a weighted value of 40%
Assignment 2 has a weighted value of 60%
The assignment topics allow you to investigate the subjects of Total
Quality Management and Lean Management.

The Assignment briefs, the hand-in dates and the planned feedback dates
and the Feedback Sheets are on the following pages.

A copy of the Assignment Feedback sheet is provided to help guide you

when laying-out your reports. The %ages mentioned are to help you in
dividing up the word-count.

The target word length for the assignments is 2500 words ±10%.
This total excludes any diagrams or appendices that you may use but
marks may be gained through their appropriate use. Your assignment
should be in an appropriate format and word-processed. Neat hand-
drawn workflow diagrams or other graphics are acceptable.

HANDING-IN YOUR ASSIGNMENT: Students are expected to hand-in

one copy of their assignment stapled in the top-left-hand-corner to:
Assessment Handling Office, Student Services Building, University of
Northampton, Park Campus, Boughton Green Road, Northampton. NN2
7AL.
ALWAYS retain a copy when your assignment is handed-in.
You will be given a receipt for the assignment. Please keep it safe it is
your proof that you handed in your work.

Your Assignment Title Page should include:-

Your Name; Your Student Number; the Module Title; the Module Number;
the Title of the Assignment (e.g. Total Quality Management’ or Lean
Management); the Module Tutors Name; the word count; the date.
The Assessment Handling Office cannot accept assignments without this
information.

Each assignment should be accompanied by a report from

TURNITIN. Your target score to be 20% or less with individual scores of
1% or less. You must use TURNITIN well before you produce your final
copy of an assignment because it is quite likely that you will have to make
changes to the content of your assignment to achieve the target score.
Multiple submissions to TURNITIN are allowed.

It is expected that presentation, spelling and grammar will be of a post-

graduate standard. This will include the standard of your academic
referencing.

Feedback on assignments in general will be provided to the whole

group when marked assignments are returned.
Feedback on assignments for each individual will be provided on
the written feedback sheet.

A student may request an individual appointment to discuss feedback

with the tutor by requesting an appointment at the end of a class or
by email.
To arrange a meeting contact Tim, Horacio, Simon, Patrick or Peter
via email

tim.peacock@northampton.ac.uk
OR
horacio.soriano-meier@northampton.ac.uk
OR
Simon.burtonshaw-gunn@northampton.ac.uk
OR
Patrick.cross@northampton.ac.uk
OR
Peter.gray@northampton.ac.uk

Organisations that can be used as a

basis for this assignment include:-
A Hotel
A Bank
A Local Government Department
A Manufacturing Company
A Hospital
A Transport Company
A Warehouse and Distribution Company
A Shipping Company
A Contact Centre
A Software Company
A Business Process Outsourcing Company
A Charitable Organisation
A Restaurant Chain
ASSIGNMENT 1 BRIEF

TOTAL QUALITY MANAGEMENT

This assignment is designed to enable you to conduct a review of
the academic literature on the subject of TQM and apply it in an
Operational setting, to an organisation of your choice.
You might already have worked for such an organisation or a friend
or relative may work for such an organisation. Please choose from
the list provided.
If you are unable to use an organisation that you have worked for
you will have to research books and journals and talk to colleagues
to understand how an organisation of the type you choose would
operate.

Within a report format answer the following

questions:
1. Select an organisation from the list provided and prepare a
description of
• The main products and services they would provide.
• Who are their main customers?
• What are the order qualifiers for the company?
• What are the order winners for the company?
(10% of word count)

2. Describe three main operational processes that are needed to

deliver those products and services.
For each process identify
• Input Resources
• Transforming activities
• Output products/Services
(25% of word count)

3. Prepare a review the literature of at least 8 journal articles no

older than 15 years on the subject of Total Quality Management
describing the concepts, applications and frameworks available in
general business, and appropriate for an organisation similar to the
type you have chosen.
Discuss the authors, their views on the subject and their
frameworks.
What operational benefits would you expect to see from introducing
TQM?
Describe the ways you feel the Total Quality Management concepts
might develop during the coming 5 years.
(45% word count)

4. It is recognised that for TQM to be successfully practised in an

organisation a range of concepts have to be implemented.
Select three concepts and describe how you would expect to
observe them in action within the organisation.

What would you expect to be the challenges that would have to be

overcome for the implementation of these three concepts to
succeed?
(20%word count)

Target word count 2200-2400 words

The deadline for Handing-in this assignment to the University of

Northampton Assessment Handling Office is
FRIDAY 18th March 2011.
Planned Assignment
Feedback date
W/C 9th May 2011
 STRM023 OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT
ASS’T 1 FEEDBACK FORM
--TOTAL QUALITY MANAGEMENT--
STUDENT:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. DESCRIPTION OF ORGANISATION (10%) - products, services,
customers, challenges, etc.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2. DESCRIPTION OF MAIN OPERATIONAL PROCESSES (25%)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3. LITERATURE SEARCH (45%) – research the latest developments of TQM

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4. APPLICATION OF CONCEPTS (20%) – Explain how you would expect to
see the concepts employed in practice within the operational processes
within your chosen organisation

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PRESENTATION and REFERENCING

GENERAL COMMENTS

Tutor: Date:
Second Marker: Grade: