Question: Salford Business School

MSc Programme Suite, Semester 3, 2016/17

Operations and Information Management - Interim Assessment

Lean Principles and Process Types in Operation Management

Lean Manufacturing and/or Service Delivery is a philosophy that predominantly maximizes efficiency while reducing cost, and improving product quality. It also attempts to take an important look at how people work in factory or service settings.Further than that, organisations also make decisions regarding the way production of goods and services are organised and therefore process selection and design plays a prevailing role within every system as it can contribute directly to the overall efficiency and effectiveness of operations. At the same time the application of lean principles within a process design can ultimately benefit the organisation not only in reducing cost but also by improving customer service levels.

Based on the statement above and by taking as an example a product or a service from an industry that you are familiar with, critically discuss the extent to which lean principles can be applied/implemented to a manufacturing/service process design of your choice.
(100% of the mark)

ASSESSMENT CRITERIA: This assignment represents 50% of your overall module mark. The maximum word count is 3000 words (+/- 10%). You will also need to take the following into account when completing your assignment:

• Quality of executive summary (does it give a brief complete summary of your paper for an executive to read?)

• Establishment of relevant theory (e.g. what do we mean by lean manufacturing and process management?)

• Allocation of credit and sources used (have I included references and citations to the material I have used?)

• Clarity of argument

• Overall report presentation including spelling and grammar

• Adherence to nominated word limit (+/- 10%)

• Word processed (letter size 12, times new roman, 1.5 space), fully referenced (Harvard Referencing System)

The assessment must be submitted via OnlineCampus; the file should be in Word format. Please remember that marks for assignment will also be awarded in relation to presentation and structure, and aspects such as use of examples, figures, tables, illustrations and statistics that indicate wider/independent reading. Please see at the end of this document the school Marking Criteria for your level of study.

INDICATIVE READING: Further material in the form of articles from refereed journals and web references are available on the University e-library. www.emeraldinsight.com and www.sciencedirect.com are two good starting points for refereed publications.

ASSESMENT HOUSEKEEPING: You are required to follow the University's regulations regarding plagiarism and citing sources and references used. Assignments may not be submitted late. Marking penalties for late submission will follow the University regulations for PMC and late submission.