The report consists of two parts:
Part 1: Identification and justification of research study.
Part 2: Main report body. Discussion, recommendations and conclusion.
Part 1 (Discuss with lecturer or tutor by Week 5)
This part includes the identification and justification of the study about to be undertaken. It will give students the opportunity to identify a real world product/service or a problem they are comfortable with in an organisation of their choice on which the research report will be based. Students should discuss their choice with their lecturer or tutor for suitability so they can proceed with confidence. Students should have the company and topic chosen and discussed with their lecturer or tutor by the end of Week 5.
Part 2 (Discussion, recommendations and conclusion)
This part of the Research Report will require students to identify Operations Management issues, clarify problems or potential problems, and propose solutions if appropriate. Quality of analysis will be an important part of the report along with the solutions proposed.
The Report (overall)
The Research Report should present a comprehensive overview of the chosen organisation. Outline what the organization does and how it does it. Mention should be made of the context (e.g. product market and the business environment) that the organization operates in. Students may wish to focus on a particular part of the operation that produces a discrete product or service. Topics and issues that should be included in the Research Report include:
1. Introduction to the business environment of your organisation.
2. Background and purpose of your organisation.
3. Organizational structure
4. Organizational strategies
5. Products and Services
6. Production system and job design
7. Process measurement and analysis
8. Aggregate planning, inventory management systems and procedures
9. Locational decisions for facilities and operations
10. Sustainability and pollution control...