INTRODUCTION
This portfolio work project, a process improvement plan, will help you demonstrate competencies in process documentation, process analysis, and process improvement.
SCENARIO
For this assessment, choose either Option 1 or Option 2. You do not need to do both. You will apply one of these scenarios in the Requirements below. Both options will be graded using the same scoring guide.
Option 1Wild Dog Coffee Company, a locally owned company with a single coffee shop location, serves a wide selection of espresso products, small breakfast and lunch menu items, and a limited evening menu. The company is planning to expand the business by adding an additional location. While different menu items may be tested at the new location, the espresso beverage preparation process will remain exactly the same. The company wants to ensure that the espresso beverage preparation process is documented and refined before the move.
Option 2Select a business and process of your choosing. Note: It is recommended that you use the same business for each assessment in this course. Before choosing a company, read all three of the assessments thoroughly to ensure the following:
The company fits the assessment requirements and you have access to the information needed to complete the assessment.
The business information is disclosed in the assessment for faculty’s reference.
You can distribute the business data without disclosing confidential information.
Contact faculty with questions.
YOUR ROLE
Option 1You are one of three owners of Wild Dog Coffee Company. Your background is primarily in operations. Your business partners’ backgrounds are in marketing and sales. While they are working on the external aspects of the business that will bring customers in, you are focused on making the internal customer-facing processes as efficient as possible. You are preparing an analysis and recommendations that will help manage a core process improvement for the successful opening of a second location.
Option 2Your boss, a director, has tasked you with a process improvement project. She is relying on you to prepare an analysis and recommendations that can be presented to the executive team of the company.
REQUIREMENTS
Include the following in your process improvement plan:
Assess the steps for a selected process.Develop a flowchart showing the process’ steps. You may include as many steps as are relevant for your selected scenario.
If using Wild Dog Coffee Company, show the steps for preparing an espresso beverage (for example, latté, cappuccino); there are two steps that must be included: (1) order is submitted and (2) beverage is handed to the customer. Hint: You may want to visit a local coffee shop to observe the beverage preparation process.
Prepare a procedure documenting the selected process. At a minimum, the procedure must document the following for your selected process:Metrics. Identify at least two metrics that will be useful in determining how well the new process is performing. Be sure to identify the target value of the metric and how you will measure it.For Wild Dog Coffee Company, it could be how well the beverage preparation process is performing. A third metric is already identified for you: order delivery time. (This is the time between when the order is submitted and the time the beverage is handed to the customer.)
Procedure. This section describes each step of the process.For Wild Dog Coffee Company, your procedure should be titled, “Espresso Beverage Preparation Process.” Be sure to include order submittal and handing the beverage to the customer as part of the procedure.
Purpose (of the procedure). This section describes what the procedure is intended to do.
Analyze data for process changes for a selected process. Respond to the following questions:Is the process centered? Provide the results of your calculations and the rationale for your decision by thinking about the process capability.
Is the process capable at 3-sigma? Provide the results of your calculations and the rationale for your decision by thinking about the process capability index.
Is the process in statistical control? Provide the appropriate numbers and the rationale for your decision using a control chart for individuals.
For Wild Dog Coffee Company, analyze the Beverage Service Times [XLSX] data. This data is for 50 beverage preparation events and was collected using their order processing system. Each individual order gets a time-stamp when it is placed and again when the beverage is handed to the customer. The senior barista thinks the beverage delivery times should range between 2 and 3 minutes. The known process standard deviation, which has been calculated on an on-going basis, is 0.5903 minutes.
Analyze the cause and effect of process variances.Brainstorm possible sources of variation to create a cause-and-effect diagram to help analyze potential sources of variation in the espresso beverage preparation process at Wild Dog Coffee Company or for your selected business’ process. Your diagram must include at least four of the “6 Ms” (that is, management, manpower, method, measurement, machine, materials).
Recommend quality and customer service improvements for a selected process.Detail the results of your analysis for Wild Dog Coffee Company or your selected business’ process to substantiate your recommendations.
DELIVERABLE FORMAT
Requirements:The process improvement plan is to be a minimum of 7 pages, not including the title, reference, and appendix pages.
Use a process improvement plan template of your choice.
Related company standards:The process improvement plan is a professional document and should therefore follow the corresponding MBA Academic and Professional Document Guidelines (available in the MBA Program Resources), including single-spaced paragraphs.
In addition to the title and reference pages, include the following in the appendix:Flowchart.
Procedure.
Detailed results of order delivery time analysis.
Cause-and-effect diagram.
Use American Society for Quality (ASQ) data analysis tools and 2–3 additional scholarly or academic sources where applicable.
Use APA formatting for citations and references.
EVALUATION
By successfully completing this assessment, you will demonstrate your proficiency in the following course competencies through corresponding scoring guide criteria:
Competency 1: Analyze how operations management theories and models effect the development and delivery of products or services to the marketplace.Assess the steps for a selected process.
Competency 2: Use logistics and supply chain management tools to manage the distribution of products and services.Prepare a procedure documenting a selected process.
Competency 3: Use data to evaluate the effect of operations management decisions on organizational goals.Analyze data for process changes for a selected process.
Analyze the cause and effect of process variances.
Competency 4: Evaluate the effectiveness of operations management strategies to achieve quality and customer service goals.Recommend quality and customer service improvements for a selected process.
Competency 5: Communicate business needs, opportunities, and strategies with multiple stakeholders.Write coherently to support a central idea with correct grammar, usage, and mechanics as expected of a business professional.
Faculty will provide feedback as if they were the recipient of your deliverable in the workplace, using the scoring guide. Refer to the scoring guide to ensure that you meet the grading criteria for this assessment before submission.
Guidelines The short essay should be no longer than 12pt double-spaced two pages. Be concise and to the point.
Guidelines
The short essay should be no longer than 12pt double-spaced two pages. Be concise and to the point. There is no need to write an additional executive summary, conclusion, and etc. Imagine that you are submitting a report to your upper management who have no time to read anything extraneous. When you need to make assumptions, state them clearly, and explain why you are using them.
A good case study write-up clearly and succinctly states the recommendations in the first paragraph to provide the reader with a framework. (If a lengthy descriiption of the recommendation seems necessary, append it to the write-up.) The remaining sections should each present a major part of the rationale for the recommendation in terms of the desirable and undesirable consequences of adopting it. The rationale must consider capabilities that the operations system under study needs to excel at, and how the current system either provides these capabilities or fails to provide them.
Some common problems in preparing write-ups result from inadequate analysis. Analysis for a case study is a time consuming and intellectually challenging task. Each case has a set of questions that are a guide to help you with the analysis — however, you should not limit your analysis to narrowly answering these questions. The objective is to evaluate a complete range of alternatives and anticipate and discuss the full consequences of your recommendation.
A good write-up is not a chronology of analysis, but a clearly articulated statement of recommendation and support. If there are options under consideration in the case that are rejected by you, a clear rationale for your decision should be provided. Facts stated in the case need not be restated unless used to make a point. I will assume that the most important issues are raised in the report and that all else is less important to the writer. Both desirable and undesirable consequences should be factually stated and supported. In the overall evaluation of the write-up, the discussion of all consequences of the recommendation is of the greatest importance. You must clearly discuss how your recommendations aid in the development of capabilities that are important for the system under study.
Questions
Can you graph the linkages among Zara’s choices about how to compete, particularly ones connected to its quick-response capability, and the ways in which they create competitive advantage? What does the exercise suggest about such capabilities as bases for competitive advantage?
Case Study
Criteria Ratings Pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning Outcome Identification of Main Issues/Problems
Identifies and demonstrates a sophisticated understanding of the main issues/problems in the case study.
5 pts
Full Marks
0 pts
No Marks
5 pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning Outcome Analysis and Evaluation of Issues/Problems
Presents an insightful and thorough analysis of all identified issues/problems; includes all necessary calculations.
5 pts
Full Marks
0 pts
No Marks
5 pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning Outcome Recommendations on Effective Solutions/Strategies
Supports diagnosis and opinions with strong
arguments and well documented evidence,
presents a balanced and critical view; interpretation is both reasonable and objective.
5 pts
Full Marks
0 pts
No Marks
5 pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning Outcome Links to Course Readings and Additional Research
Makes appropriate and powerful connections between identified issues/problems and the strategic concepts studied in the course readings and lectures; supplements case study with relevant and thoughtful research and documents all sources of information.
5 pts
Full Marks
0 pts
No Marks
5 pts
Total Points: 20
Assignment Details You are a Business Analyst working for the ABC Ball Bearing company. An hour ago, you sent
Business Assignment Help Assignment Details
You are a Business Analyst working for the ABC Ball Bearing company. An hour ago, you sent an order of 74 boxes of your A1 ball bearings to a customer on your delivery truck. You have just found out that your truck is going to go over a bridge that has a weight limit of 11,500 lbs. You need to determine if your truck will safely make it over the bridge. If you determine that the truck cannot make it over the bridge, you will need to call the driver and have him/her turn back.
The plant manager has told you that an empty delivery truck with the driver weighs about 8500 lbs.
You have 30 boxes of the A1 ball bearings in your plant. You immediately had them weighed. The weights of the boxes are:
40.1
41.1 39.5 40.1 39.1
41.2 37.6 39.1 41.6 40.8
43.2 38.9 38.1 43.5 36.9
39.1 40.5 41.2 37.6 44.0
38.0 39.8 42.1 38.6 41.3
43.7 36.9 43.6 38.1 40.2
Calculate the Mean and the Standard Deviation of this sample.
Using the normal distribution curve, calculate the probability the truck’s total weight is under 11,500 lbs. What is your decision? Will you allow the truck to continue or will you call the driver and tell him/her to turn back? Show all of your calculations.
Discuss several types of sampling: e. convenience sampling, random sampling, stratified sampling, systematic sampling or cluster sampling. Discuss which type of sampling is used in this scenario.
Discuss what sampling bias is. Do you believe that using the 30 boxes in your warehouse caused sampling bias?
What does the central limit theorem state and why is it important to solve this problem. Are the thirty boxes of ball bearings enough to predict the probability of safely going over the bridge?
Use the template provided to complete a 5-page report (excluding the cover page). NOTE: Please delete all instructions and examples before submitting your work.
Use this template to complete your assignment.
Submitting your assignment in APA format means, at a minimum, you will need the following:
Title page: The title should be in all capitals.
Length: 5 pages minimum
Body: This begins on the page following the title page and abstract page and must be double-spaced (be careful not to triple- or quadruple-space between paragraphs). The typeface should be 12-pt. Times Roman or 12-pt. Courier in regular black type. Do not use color, bold type, or italics, except as required for APA-level headings and references. The deliverable length of the body of your paper for this assignment is 5 pages. In-body academic citations to support your decisions and analysis are required. A variety of academic sources is encouraged.
Reference page: References that align with your in-body academic sources are listed on the final page of your paper. The references must be in APA format using appropriate spacing, hanging indent, italics, and uppercase and lowercase usage as appropriate for the type of resource used. Remember, the Reference page is not a bibliography but a further listing of the abbreviated in-body citations used in the paper. Every referenced item must have a corresponding in-body citation.
PLEASE READ INSTRUCTIONS AND FOLLOW RUBRIC…THANK YOU Introduction Today’s business environment requires competency in logistics, operations, and change management.
PLEASE READ INSTRUCTIONS AND FOLLOW RUBRIC…THANK YOU
Introduction
Today’s business environment requires competency in logistics, operations, and change management. In this assessment, you will take on the role of an operations manager who has to manage product distribution to consumers when faced with challenges. You will choose a change management model to help you address a bottleneck or barrier in your distribution process. As you complete the assessment, use your experience as a seller or consumer to identify best practices for getting products to customers.
Scenario
You are the operations manager for a musical instrument manufacturing business in Mount Vernon, Washington. The company has been designing and hand finishing solid wood mandolins for over 30 years. Mandolins are fragile, stringed instruments that vary in size based on the retailer’s request, but the most popular size is just over 27 inches (0.6858 meters) in length and 10 inches (0.254 meters) in width. The average cost for a mandolin at the company is $2,500. The company has earned a strong reputation because it uses only high-quality, solid wood materials, and it prides itself on designing and hand finishing over 250 mandolins per week. When a mandolin is ready to be shipped to the retailer, great care needs to be taken to ensure that the product is not damaged or broken. The manufacturer delivers to retailers in the United States and Europe and generally receives orders between April and October.
In mid-October, when you still have 1,000 orders to fill to meet retailer demands for the holiday season, your company begins receiving low-quality raw materials from a preferred supplier that you have used for 20 years. The wood breaks when the mandolin is being manufactured, which results in a high number of defects, reduced manufacturing capacity, increased wait time between manufacture and hand finishing, and missed delivery date commitments. Retailers are very upset that they are not receiving full orders, and your company still has no commitment from the supplier on the next high-quality shipment of solid wood materials. Retailers have expressed their concerns about the company’s ability to recover from this issue in time to deliver mandolins for the holiday season.
During this time, an insurance adjuster wants to inquire about the insurability of your company’s overall operations. The insurance adjuster sends a request for information to you as listed in the requirements for this task.
Requirements
Your submission must be your original work. No more than a combined total of 30% of the submission and no more than a 10% match to any one individual source can be directly quoted or closely paraphrased from sources, even if cited correctly. The similarity report that is provided when you submit your task can be used as a guide.
You must use the rubric to direct the creation of your submission because it provides detailed criteria that will be used to evaluate your work. Each requirement below may be evaluated by more than one rubric aspect. The rubric aspect titles may contain hyperlinks to relevant portions of the course.
Tasks may not be submitted as cloud links, such as links to Google Docs, Google Slides, OneDrive, etc., unless specified in the task requirements. All other submissions must be file types that are uploaded and submitted as attachments (e.g., .docx, .pdf, .ppt).
A. Discuss options and considerations for transporting the product described in the scenario to the retail facilities by doing the following:
1. Identify two different product packaging options and explain why you chose them.
2. Identify two different potential risks to consider when storing your product and describe how you will mitigate each risk.
3. Describe two transportation modes to move your product from the manufacturer to the retail facilities. Then explain an advantage and a disadvantage of each chosen transportation mode.
4. Describe two different characteristics of the transportation management system (TMS) that will aid in transporting the product.
B. Discuss how you would address a barrier or bottleneck in transporting your product to the retail facilities by doing the following:
1. Describe how a barrier or bottleneck from the scenario can affect transporting the product.
2. Choose either the Lewin or ADKAR change management model and discuss how you would apply each step of the chosen model to address the barrier or bottleneck from part B1.
3. Discuss how you will address an ethical consideration for the barrier or bottleneck from part B1.
C. Acknowledge sources, using in-text citations and references, for content that is quoted, paraphrased, or summarized.
D. Demonstrate professional communication in the content and presentation of your submission.
File Restrictions
File name may contain only letters, numbers, spaces, and these symbols: ! – _ . * ‘ ( )
File size limit: 200 MB
File types allowed: doc, docx, rtf, xls, xlsx, ppt, pptx, odt, pdf, txt, qt, mov, mpg, avi, mp3, wav, mp4, wma, flv, asf, mpeg, wmv, m4v, svg, tif, tiff, jpeg, jpg, gif, png, zip, rar, tar, 7z
Rubric