Focus of the Final Paper

Select a company with which you are familiar, preferably one where you have been employed, and consider a process within that company that could be improved. This could be a business process, a manufacturing process, or a service process that you have observed or been involved with. One option would be to further develop your answer to the "Best Practice" discussion question from Week One.

Using your textbook and library research, prepare a recommended process improvement proposal that incorporates tools and methods learned in this course. Some examples of tools and methods that could be implemented include but are not limited to JIT, objective and/or subjective forecasting methods, ABC classification, and project management tools.

Your proposal should include: 

1. A brief description of the company and how the selected process fits into the overall framework of the company.
2. A recommended process improvement proposal.
3. A step-by-step description of the current process. This can follow a similar example of the Hewlett Packard situation in Section 19.1 of the textbook related to postponement and customization with local printer configurations.
4. An analysis of the current process, identifying inefficiencies.
5. A detailed plan for reengineering and benchmarking the process amongst competitors to be more efficient, using appropriate tools and methods learned throughout the course, including a description of how the tools and methods will be applied.
6. An explanation of possible roadblocks in implementing the process changes.
7. A description of the expected benefits of the improved process.

Writing the Final Paper

The Final Paper:

1. Must be eight to ten double-spaced pages in length (not including the title and reference pages), and formatted according to APA style as outlined in the Writing Center.
2. Must include a title page with the following:
   • Title of paper
   • Student's name
   • Course name and number
   • Instructor's name
   • Date submitted
3. Must begin with an introductory paragraph that has a succinct thesis statement.
4. Must address the topic of the paper with critical thought.
5. Must end with a conclusion that reaffirms your thesis.
6. Must use at least five scholarly sources, in addition to the text.
7. Must document all sources in APA style, as outlined in the Writing Center.
8. Must include a separate reference page, formatted according to APA style as outlined in the Writing Center.