The purpose of the assignment is to identify and apply OSCM concepts/tools to solve problems in managing operations and supply chains. Students are expected to find an interesting OSCM problem from the real business world, think about how you can apply the OSCM concepts/tools that you learn in this course to solve the problem, and write up a report based on your analysis. More specifically, each student should: ?
Find a problem in managing operations and supply chains from the real business world (from work or from any business articles/cases) ?
Identify specific OSCM concepts/tools that can be applied to the problem ?
Apply an appropriate OSCM concept/tool or a set of appropriate OSCM concepts/tools to propose a solution to the problem ?
Analyze the expected results that may be obtained when the solution is implemented. The report should be 10-12 pages in length including the cover and appendices, with 1" margins on all sides, double-spacing, and 12 point font. The cover of the report should include title, class code and name, section number, student name, and date of completion. The report MUST follow the outline below:
A. Abstract (150 words maximum) - Summarize the entire report, including problem statement, OSCM concepts/tools that have been applied to the problem, and expected results of the proposed solution.
B. Background information -
1. Clearly state whether the problem is from work or from business articles/cases. If it is from business articles/cases, provide its source (title, author, name of the journal, date published).
2. Briefly introduce the company background (e.g., name, products, business size, location, internal/external interesting facts, and etc.).
3. Problem Description - Describe the problem clearly and specifically. - You should focus on a single problem, although you can introduce several other issues for informational purposes. - This section must include a problem statement starting with, e.g., "This paper considers the problem of determining ...", "The main problem of the firm is how to ...", and etc., either in the beginning or at the end of the section.
4. OSCM concepts/tools that can be applied - Describe what specific OSCM concepts/tools can be applied to the problem and why they are appropriate to the problem. This section should make it clear that you understand the concepts/tools you are about to use.
5. Application of OSCM concepts/tools - Choose an OSCM concept/tool or a set of OSCM concepts/tools among the ones provided in section 4 and apply it to propose a solution to the problem. - This section should include your work/calculations in details to show how you have applied the OSCM concept/tool(s) to develop the solution.
6. Analysis of expected results - Analyze the expected results of the proposed solution. - The expected results may include cost/revenue impact and/or improvement of supply chain performance. You must be specific to receive full credit. - Discuss the pros and cons of the suggested solution.
7. Conclusion The meaning of an OSCM problem will become clearer as you study this course (see the textbook contents). An OSCM problem may involve process design and improvement, supply chain management, capacity planning, inventory management, quality management, project management, production planning and control, forecasting, facility location and layout, supplier management, and etc.
C. You are encouraged to find a problem from work if you have relevant work experience, so that you may apply the concepts/tools learned from this course at work. However, if you want to find a problem from business articles/cases, you can find one from any journals/newspapers such as The Wall Street Journal, Business Week, Forbes, Harvard Business Review, and so on. Or you can surf the Internet to find an interesting article/case.