Unit 5.34 Operations Management
Marketing Research and Data Analysis
Level 5 15 Credits
Sample Assignment
Related Qualifications
ATHE Level 5 Diploma in Business and Administrative Management (RQF)
ATHE Level 5 Extended Diploma in Business and Administrative Management (RQF)
Scenario
Following many years in commercial business, you are now employed as a features editor for a professional business and management magazine ‘Operations Management Monthly’. You specialise in operations management and are regularly required to provide interesting and engaging articles for your magazine’s readership – managers and leaders in small, medium and large sized enterprises.
You are currently working on a new edition of Operations Management Monthly which:
examines the strategic importance of operations management in its role of supporting activities in organisations
explores the contribution of the operations function to the success of organisations through the development of suitable strategies
examines the role of organisational settings and achieving operational performance targets
explores employing quality improvement techniques to help in delivering competitive advantage.
Activity 1
Your first task is to create an introductory article for readers new to their roles in operations management. The article must:
explain the role and characteristics of operations management within organisations
analyse how operations management supports organisational success
identify the links between strategy and operational performance targets
explain why there may be conflict between different performance targets
assess the role of strategic operations management.
The article should be clearly written and informative and supported by relevant links to theory and wider reading. You should include a list of all the information sources you have used to carry out your research and write your article.
Assessment Criteria 1.1/1.2/2.1/2.2/2.3
Activity 2
The next edition of Operations Management Monthly will include a special pull-out section which focuses on how and why organisations use performance evaluation.
Your special section must cover the following topics:
an assessment of a range of techniques used by organisations to evaluate performance
an analysis of the role of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) in operations management.
The special pull-out section should consider a range of techniques, with a broad range of examples to help illustrate your assessment and analysis. You may use diagrams and tables to help present your information in a user-friendly way.
Assessment Criteria 3.1/3.2
Activity 3
Responding to feedback from your readership, Operations Management Monthly has decided to produce a detailed ‘business help-guide’ for its subscribers looking to better understand the impact of a range of quality improvement techniques on their competitive advantage.
Your help-guide must:
explain the concept of the value chain as a means to identify competitive advantage
explain how quality improvement techniques are applied in managing operations
assess the role of standard setting bodies in quality improvement
evaluate the impact of quality improvement techniques on the competitive advantage of specific organisations.
Assessment Criteria 4.1/4.2/4.3/4.4
Guidelines for assessors
The assignments submitted by learners must achieve the learning outcomes and meet the standards specified by all of the assessment criteria for the unit. The suggested evidence listed below is how learners can demonstrate that they have met the required standards.
|
Activity number |
ACs |
Suggested evidence |
|
1 |
1.1/1.2/2.1/2.2/2.3 |
Learners must demonstrate they understand the role of operations management within organisations and the importance of meeting operational performance targets. Learners must clearly identify the links between strategy and performance targets. The analysis must show how operations management is related to practice and supports a range of organisational success factors. The explanations must clarify the information required by providing more detail, with examples to illustrate the points which are made. The article should be in an appropriate format which follows the expected referencing conventions, with a good standard of written English. Images and sub-headings can be used to illustrate the work and provide an attractive document. |
|
2 |
3.1/3.2 |
The special section should be structured in an appropriate way with clear layout and good presentation. A range of different techniques used by organisations to evaluate performance should be assessed. Examples of different performance indicators should be included, from a range of different organisations where possible. |
|
3 |
4.1/4.2/4.3/4.4 |
The help-guide can be any appropriate format, for example a blog, website page, written assignment. Learners should clearly and in detail, demonstrate their understanding of the impact of a range of quality improvement techniques on competitive advantage. Examples should be included to demonstrate this understanding. The evaluation must provide a reasoned judgement of the impact of quality improvement techniques and this must be illustrated with reference to specific organisations. |