Operations Management

 This part includes the identification and justification of the study about to be undertaken. It willgive your group the opportunity to identify a real-world product/service, produced or delivered byan organisation of your choice, on which the research report will be based. Your group shoulddiscuss the plan with the lecturer or tutor for suitability, and should be finalized by the end of Week4 so as to proceed with confidence.

 Part 2 (Discussion, recommendations and conclusion)

 This part of the Research Report will require your group to identify within the chosen organization,a significant Operations Management issue brought about by the onset of COVID-19, describeit in detail, and propose solution(s) if appropriate. Quality of analysis will be an important part ofthe report along with the solution(s) proposed.For example, the University closure of its campuses and the switch to on-line delivery mode. Thissudden move to almost full-on on line delivery has put major pressures on the operationsfunction of the University.The Report (overall)The Research Report should begin with a concise, informed overview of the chosenorganisation. Outline what the organization does and how it does it. Mention should be made ofthe context (e.g. product market and the business environment) that the organization operatesin. The core of the report however, should (ideally) focus and describe a particularoperational issue and appropriately analyse it. From the analysis practical solutionsshould then be put forward, stating how well the proposed solution integrates into existingprocesses. Topics and points that could be considered include: 

1. The business environment in which the organisation operates. 

2. Background and purpose of the organisation. 

3. Organizational structure 

4. Organizational strategies (corporate strategy, business strategy, and operations strategy) 

5. Products and Services 

6. Service system or Production system and job design 

7. Process measurement and analysis 

8. Aggregate planning, inventory management systems and procedures, revenue management

 9. Locational decisions for facilities and operations2 

10. Sustainability and pollution control programsIt is important that your group not only cover the relevant issues, but also integrate them in anoverarching and coherent fashion (reflecting the systemic nature of production processes).

 Theanalysis should be critical in nature, and the use of unsupported rhetorical statements should beavoided, (e.g. This organization is devoted to quality). You should explain and support yourrecommendations. Look for evidence of support for all such recommendations. The report shouldidentify the important issues and challenges facing operations managers in the organization.Dont forget to include references and a bibliography