Assignment

Prompt: For the first milestone of your final project, you will submit a managing operations case study analysis that uses the tools and techniques that operations managers use. This case study analysis will be incorporated into the final summative analysis. This milestone is due in Module Two.

Refer to the Nissan case study, your own independent research, and the course materials to complete this milestone. Specifically, the following critical elements must be addressed:

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 advantage 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 do you predict would be the result of implementing a forecasting system for the top-selling product line 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.

Guidelines for Submission: The format for this assignment will be a Word document using a business writing format of your choice. There is no minimum page length requirement, but the submission should be double spaced, and no more than four pages in total. Copy and paste any data analysis from Excel into your Word document for submission. You may include your original Excel documents as supplementary material if you believe this will strengthen your contribution.