Students should address the ONE of the topics below. This individual learning task must be a researched paper of approximately 1500 words. Assignments of more than 1800 words will attract a penalty of 10%. Appendices may be used to show relevant information but not as a means of circumventing the word limit. Your paper should be clear, accurate and concise.

Students are expected to provide insight and argument and not simply provide a description of their search on the topic. Your discussion should be logical, coherent and complete with a conclusion. It is important to check your spelling, written expression, referencing and presentation generally.

Assessment will be based on adequacy of research, analysis, evaluation, theoretical discussion and conclusion, referencing and presentation.

Topic

You have the choice of selecting one of the two topics for this assignment. For the organisation which employs you (or your last employer but not the same organisation which features in the group research project below)

1. Consider the importance of ‘the four Vs, volume, variety, variation in demand and visibility. How do they affect the organization's operations? What advantages does the organization gain from them? What disadvantages arise from them? What strategies and actions does the organization employ to maximise the benefits and minimise the problems associated with them...?

OR

2. Is it possible for a world-class organization to achieve superiority in all five major competitive priorities¬- quality, speed, dependability, flexibility and cost? Explain your reasoning. Provide examples pros and cons of its implementation and consequences. Use relevant evaluation criteria to back up your statement.