Assignment

Write a report recommending operations strategies for ‘Starbucks'.

- Outline briefly the company's products and/or services and identify how these products/services qualify and win orders in the marketplace.

- Analyse the company's operations, focusing on how its operations strategy is deployed to meet objectives.

- Review at least two aspects of operations management themes you have learned in class.

- Synthesise the company's operations strategy and operations management themes and recommend: (1) how the company can improve its operation management, and how it can attract more customers.

Guidance:

- Qualifiers and order-winners: (a) Outline the company's products and services (b) Use Slack et al (2014) Chapter 3 as a starting point for the analysis of qualifiers and order-winners.

- Operations strategy: (a) Consider the dimension of operations strategy (price, quality, speed/flexibility, reliability, product range, amongst others as appropriate)

- International Operations Management themes: (a) Use the recommended reading list and electronic searches of the university's databases to identify appropriate readings

- Recommendations: (a) Consider how the company can improve its operation management (i) Consider, for example, how the company can improve productivity and reliability; (ii) And/or which kind of operation methods is best suited for speed of delivery, amongst other considerations. (b) You may present the analysis in a table, if appropriate.

General guidance:

(a) The aim of the assignment is to analyse application of operations strategies themes in a real world scenario.

(b) The report requires you to put themes you have learned into practice. Avoid describing the themes in operations management in detail; focus on the application of them for your chosen company.

(c) Any analysis of the company's strategic position is not needed and will not attract marks; avoid SWOT, 5 Forces analysis and similar techniques.

Textbooks, Journals to look into for reference

Kortext - Export-Import Theory, Practice, and Procedures (Belay Seyoum)

International business: competing in the global marketplace - Hill, Charles W. L. c2012

International business - Rugman, Alan M., Collinson, Simon 2012

International business: environments and operations - Daniels, John, Radebaugh, Lee, Sullivan, Daniel c2013

International business: strategy, management, and the new realities - Cavusgil, S. Tamer, Knight, Gary A., Riesenberger, John R. 2008

Journals

https://www.emeraldinsight.com.ezproxy.mdx.ac.uk

https://www.emeraldinsight.com.ezproxy.mdx.ac.uk/