• The company is Walmart.

• The decision areas are from a different text; no need for SWOT or Porter 5 Forces in the example of the powerpoint presentation

• The book is
http://www.bizealot.com/xwiki/bin/download/Main/??+-+Operations+Management/Operations_Management_Processes_and_Supply_Chains_10th_Ed.pdf

Operations Mgmt. Audit Group Project Guidelines

The group project is designed to allow you to compare and contrast textbook theories of operations management to actual practice. You will have an oral presentation (about 20-30 minutes long based upon the number of groups in the class section) during the last few class sessions. There is one overall group grade (15% of course grade) and a late penalty (15% of points possible deducted) for late submitted group reports. Students may be dropped from the group if a majority of other remaining group members agree to fire a group member after ignored written documented warnings are presented to the instructor.

Grading Criteria: Quality of preliminary group deliverables submitted, quality of group progress reports requested, analysis of theory and practice of textbook concepts on management, depth of analysis, research depth, and professionalism in oral presentation, PPT slideshow, and 1 slide summary matrix. The oral presentation should be interesting and informative (incorporate a relevant brief video). Groups should stay within time parameters given and not every line of every slide has to be read out loud. Reports are graded competitively in comparison to other reports in the class.

Outline for Report/Oral Presentation:

I. Background

Background on company- history, overview of products/services, and identify the particular division/area you are going to focus on (if not focusing on the entire firm)

Brief background on industry, buyers, main competitors

II. Description of 10 Major Operations Management Areas

Describe each of the key decisions made by the firm in the operations area. For each decision, identify the choices available to the firm, the selection made, the process used to decide, and the firm's rationale. The following should be included in your analysis:

1. Strategy

Ch. 1 p.12 Table 1.3 Which competitive priorities are focused on by the firm?

Ch. 1 p.16 Measure the firm's overall productivity and labor productivity (if data not available, estimate as high, moderate, low relative to industry benchmark); getting better, worse, or no change over the past few years?

Ch. 2 p.51 identify the position of the firm as to process structure
If a service firm, Figure 2.2 customer-contact; customer-involvement low or high?

If a manufacturing firm, Figure 2.3 product-process position of firm Present illustration of layout

Does firm have resource flexibility? Specialized or enlarged?

Does firm have low or high capital intensity? Automation? Robotics? Mobile apps?

Is the strategy for change continuous improvement, process reengineering, or status quo?

2. Forecasting

Ch. 8 How is forecasting done? How accurate is it? (can estimate based on too much or too little inventory; stockouts, backlogs, long lines, layoffs of workers)

3. Quality

Ch.3 Is quality set at a high, moderate, or low level? What tools are used to meet quality standards? Research social media customer reviews, ratings, JD Powers awards

4. Capacity

Ch. 4 What are the hours, days, locations, and staffing level of firm? What is the capacity utilization? Is the firm expanding, contracting, chasing demand, facing bottlenecks, increasing or reducing promotion efforts?

5. Waiting Line

Supplement B Does the firm have long lines, long waits, compared to industry benchmarks? What is the firm doing to reduce customer frustration with long waits? Does firm have mobile apps? E-commerce?

6. Lean (Cutting Waste)

Ch. 6 Lean Using Table 6.1 Does the firm have problems with the 8 types of waste listed? Does the firm have problems based on the handout placed on Blackboard on Dr. Deming's listing of areas of waste ?

7. Project Management

Ch. 7 Give examples of projects undertaken by the firm. Do projects face problems with finishing on time, within budget, or with quality met?

8. Inventory Management

Ch. 9 Inventory management tie in to Ch. 8 Forecasting- on too much or too little inventory; stock outs, backlogs, long lines, layoffs of workers

9. ERP Systems

Ch.11 p.455 Are ERP Systems used? Are they working well? Extent if IS/IT use? Assess website, assess mobile apps

10. Supply Chain Management

Ch. 12 Supply Chain: Table 12.2 Is the supply chain efficient? Responsive? Is mass customization used?

Ch.13 Locations: Show a map of locations. P.497 Does the firm have any outsourcing? Offshoring? Reshoring?

Ch. 14 Is the supply chain sustainable? Is the firm concerned about reducing negative environmental impacts?

III. Assessment of Operations Management

For each of the areas described in Part 2 give your positive and negative assessments; use your textbook, comparison with competitors, secondary data sources (industry analysts), primary data collection (interviews with managers, employees, and customers), and your own opinions to evaluate the mgmt. Use a 1 slide summary matrix in your oral presentation and also post this 1 slide on Blackboard.

IV. Recommendations

Present recommendations for changes in the areas and justification as to why the changes are needed.

Format for 1 Slide Summary Matrix:

 Area                Brief Description                  Assessment                             Change

                                                                                                +      0      -

1 Stgy              lowest cost high productity                            X

2 Forecast        seasonally adjusted moving avg little error     X

3 Quality         not highest quality service delays                   X

4 Capacity       2 8 hour shifts                                           X         Expand # of shifts

5 Waiting

6 Lean

7 Proj Mgt

8 Inventory

9 ERP

10 SCM