Assignment Task:
Operations Management Assignment Help

In this problem you will play the Aggregate Planning (AP)/ Master Production Scheduling (MPS) phases of a computerized Manufacturing Game, aimed at the planning and execution decisions in Production & Materials Management. The game can in fact even be run manually in class, but is being given as an assignment so that you can plan out appropriate strategies and develop any other spreadsheets/ models you want for evaluating/ determining your plans. The game involves production and selling of a product line with 3 models (A, B, C) over a 1 year horizon. Each model requires two parts (from Blue, Pink, Green or Yellow) as per the Bill of Material, and Labour in different combinations. The problem parameters are defined in the Aggregate Parameters and MPS Parameters sheets (hardcopy enclosed). The full game involves completing the planning process up to Material Requirements Planning, and implementation/ adjustment of the plans with random demands. However, in this assignment you don't need to complete the material requirement plans (that is actually taught later, in the MRP coverage in the Supply Chain Management
course in Term III).

The initial planning is at the aggregate product level over 4 quarters (1 year), and then detailed out model-wise and period-wise (6 periods per quarter). The aggregate demand and its variability can be calculated by building up from the model-wise period-wise demand in the MPS Parameters sheet. (Note: Coefficient of Variation = Standard Deviation/ Mean)

You are first expected to develop a quarterly Aggregate Plan that will produce no less than the year's forecast demand and satisfy quarterly demands, based on an "average" product model. You need to specify opening inventory (max. 150 units), and regular time capacity (this will be taken as the maximum of regular capacity decided for any period), regular production, and overtime production (limited to < 50% of regular capacity in the quarter). The base regular labour capacity decided here cannot be changed in later stages of the game. End of year calculations include some credit for ending inventory - you need to end with at least as much as you started with. Products are valued at initial acquisition cost. Creation of the AP involves balancing the trade-offs between various costs associated with it.

After freezing the Aggregate Plan, you move into the Master Production Schedule phase which indicates how much of each model is produced in each period. Each quarter now consists of 6 periods (of 2 weeks each). Parameters include variations among models in material, labour, inventory costs, selling price, and demand pattern. These parameters are consistent with the "average" model used in the AP. A Disaggregate Plan for producing the 3 models is generated based on the AP - it simply provides a production and inventory mix equal to the demand mix. This plan is only a guideline in developing your own MPS.

You are expected to develop the MPS for the first 2 quarters (12 fortnights). Remember that you cannot change Regular labour capacity and Total Opening Inventory, established in the AP, in this phase. The MPS is expected to meet average demand per period for each model. It can contain any mix of opening inventory (within total from AP). Regular labor time is levelled through the quarter (i.e., 1/6th of the regular time for the whole quarter is available each fortnight) and charged for full capacity
even if not used. Overtime as usual cannot exceed 50% of regular time in each period. Each time that there is a change from one model to another, a changeover cost is incurred. Now these changeover costs also need to be balanced with the other costs. Since demand may actually be a little random, some level of safety stock may help at the execution stages of the game to cover uncertainty since lost sales could be expensive.

The base model is in the MS-Excel spreadsheet GAMEPLAN.XLS. Relevant problem parameters (demand patterns, costs, etc.) are already entered as shown in the Aggregate Parameters and MPS Parameters sheets. DO NOT change the problem parameters - you have to change only the relevant planning decision variables for your experimentation and solution. Copy the original file (~278K) from the specified location into your own user area. Macros have to be enabled to run the software. The brief rules and all parameters are available on-line. When making changes/ experiments, keep your own modified files distinct from the original file. Use the Screen Fit button to size the display on the screen - this sizing is maintained if you use the Proceed button to move to subsequent sheets in the game. At each planning stage, the Evaluate
button checks for feasibility, and determines the costs and other implications of the plan. After clearing Evaluate, you Proceed to the next phase: this freezes the decisions for further planning. Proceed also clears/ resets all subsequent sheets in accordance with your latest decisions.

Save/ submit each major plan from the Planning Screens separately. Report your decisions and results by printing the concerned screen, and summarizing as needed. Use all your group members' names as the Group Name in the Planning sheets (to be entered first in the Aggregate Planning sheet). You must explain the analysis that you did and reasoning/ techniques employed in structuring and solving the problem. In other words, you need to report not only the "What" but also the "How" and "Why".

The Rest of the Game (NOT for this assignment):

If you had been playing the full version of the game, you would now freeze the above decisions and proceed with Material Requirements Planning to complete the planning process. This would involve consideration of the MPS, Bill of Materials, Inventory Status, Lead Times, Ordering costs and Inventory cost in determining how much to get/ make and when. The output of this phase would be the completed MRP tables (you will see how these are done in Term III). The Production stage of the game would then be played by ordering parts, acquiring labour, producing the item and making sales while keeping track of finances and inventories, making payments to suppliers and labour, and so on. A separate Excel worksheet computerizes these tasks, so different options can be experimented with before freezing decisions. Demands, following the random patterns indicated above, are announced periodically. Also, teams are informed of sales, inventory, cost and profit position for each period and cumulatively. Major resource deficiencies due to planning errors can be made up with stiff expediting penalties. Teams can also track the actual demands to identify patterns, and attempt to estimate demand using forecasting techniques.

 

II.
In this part of the assignment you will submit a description and analysis related to Process and Quality aspects from an organization with which you have professional experience. You can choose any mix of Goods or Service contexts, and the situation could be based on the experience of any of the group members. Include any exhibits, figures, tables etc. as you deem fit to support your report. You can paraphrase or disguise information appropriately, in case it is confidential or awkward to share directly. Where possible, attempt to relate the situations to pertinent concepts from the book/ class coverage; the relationship could be either positive (i.e. the concepts are corroborated) or negative (i.e. the reality is quite different as practiced). For the organization/ business chosen, you need to address the following:

1. What is the main line of business? What are the main products/ services?

2. The nature of the production/ service execution system, and the main (in your opinion) process flow diagram(s) of the operating unit(s).

3. How are process performance and quality defined, and which are the important dimensions and contributing factors?

4. How does the organization measure and analyze process performance and quality on ongoing basis?

5. The costs associated with quality (or inadequate quality), and how does the organization resolve the cost trade-offs involved - formally or informally?

6. How are quality and process performance compared to other similar organizations at local/ national/ international levels (whichever are pertinent)?

7. What are the major process and quality related challenges and difficulties faced by the organization?

8. What process and quality initiatives have been taken in the recent past and/or are currently ongoing, what have been their results (positive or negative), and reasons for their success/ failure?

9. What should be done going forward to improve processes and quality, both in terms of the changes themselves as well as how to make them happen? You can separate out your thoughts in terms of short/ medium/ long term, or low/ moderate/ high expenditures. The write-up for this part (II) of the assignment is to be at most 8-10 pages of A4 size – Times New Roman, Font size 11 or 12, and Line spacing at most 1.5 - in MS Word format. It will be evaluated on content as well as flow and presentation in the write-up.

 

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  • Uploaded By : Noah
  • Posted on : November 29th, 2018

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