Assignment: Operational Management

I. Generating Value

A. Evaluate how the company in the case study uses operations management functions to provide products and generate value for its customers. Support your claims with examples from the case study or outside sources.

B. Assess how this company achieves a competitive advantages using operations management. Provide examples found in the case study or outside sources to support your reasoning.

C. Compare and contrast service operations and manufacturing operations at the company in the case study. How are they the same? How do they differ? How does each of these operations provide value for their customers?

II. Theories and Techniques

A. Compare and contrast the critical path method (CPM) and the program evaluation and review technique (PERT). What types of projects at this company would favor PERT over CPM? Why? What types of projects at this company would favor CPM over PERT? Why?

B. Explain the steps used to develop a forecasting system. How would these steps be specifically utilized by this company? What so you predict would be the result of implementing a forecasting system for the top - selling product at this company?

C. List the major categories of supply chain risk and associated risk reduction tactics. How could the company mitigate exposure to supply chain disruptions caused by natural disasters? For example, consider the 2011 earthquake and tsunami that devastated parts of Japan.