BUS 515 Week 1 Discussion

"Understanding OM" Please respond to the following:

Compare and contrast an existing organization’s three major functions (i.e., finance, marketing, and operations), and then justify the interdependence that operations have to finance and marketing. Provide examples to support your rationale.

BUS 515 Week 2 Discussion

"Operation Strategy and Competitiveness" Please respond to the following:

Choose one existing business operation and analyze its strategy. Suggest the competitive priorities that the business used in the development of its operations strategy. Evaluate how well or how poorly the chosen strategy supports that business’ vision, mission, and business plan. Provide support for your rationale.

BUS 515 Week 3 Discussion

"SCM" Please respond to the following:

Select three (3) problems that brick-and-mortar organizations face as they transition toward becoming virtual organizations. Debate whether the operations of virtual organizations exacerbate brick-and-mortar organizations’ existing problems or whether they create new problems. Provide specific examples to support your rationale.

BUS 515 Week 4 Discussion

"Evolution and Philosophy of TQM" Please respond to the following:

Go to The Quality Register Website and review Dr. Edwards Deming’s 14 Principles located at http://www.qualityregister.co.uk/14principles.html. Next, select three (3) of Deming’s 14 points, and evaluate how each point is critical to the success of a TQM program. Provide specific examples to support your rationale.

 BUS 515 Week 5 Discussion

"Just-in-Time (JIT)" Please respond to the following:

·         Develop three (3) examples that illustrate how a manufacturing company or a service company of your choice uses JIT, and then determine three to four (3-4) benefits of JIT for that particular organization. Discuss how the JIT concept differs between manufacturing and service companies. Provide specific examples to support your rationale. 

BUS 515 Week 6 Discussion

"Six Sigma and Acceptance Sampling" Please respond to the following:

Using the Six Sigma Approach (DMAIC), provide an example situation that utilizes the five-step plan, and determine three to four (3-4) challenges you may encounter using this approach. Provide specific examples to support your rationale.

BUS 515 Week 7 Discussion

"Capacity Planning" Please respond to the following:

Analyze two or three (2-3) differences between design capacity and effective capacity, and then predict one or two (1-2) challenges that you may encounter when using each method. Provide specific examples to support your rationale.

BUS 515 Week 8 Discussion

"Work System Design" Please respond to the following:

Evaluate a compensation system of your choice in terms of how the compensation reinforces the behaviors needed to meet the company’s objective. Next, propose three (3) improvements to that compensation system based on your evaluation

BUS 515 Week 9 Discussion

"Inventory Management" Please respond to the following:

Analyze the purpose of inventory management as it applies to operations management, and then evaluate the advantages and disadvantages evident in the use of the ABC classification system. 

BUS 515 Week 10 Discussion

"Resource Planning" Please respond to the following:

Website and read the article on ERP Software Suppliers located at http://www.exforsys.com/tutorials/erp/erp-software-suppliers.html. Next, analyze three to four (3-4) benefits of the ERP, and then select an ERP vendor. Determine two to three (2-3) factors that contributed to the selected vendor having improved productivity.

BUS 515 Week 11 Discussion

"Operations Management" Please respond to the following:

Explain how this course has impacted your knowledge in operations management, and then determine which areas significantly affected your understanding on how operations strategy supports the business strategy.

BUS 515 Week 3 Assignment 1 Vice President of Operations Part 1

Due Week 3 and worth 200 points

Scenario: Imagine that you are the vice president of operations at a production or service organization. You have noticed that your organization’s current operations strategy is not supporting the challenges that the organization is presently facing. In order to maintain a competitive edge, you must address these challenges with your Chief Executive Officer immediately.

Select an existing production organization. Analyze the organization’s current vision, mission, business strategy, operation strategy, supply chain, total quality management, just-in-time philosophy, forecasting method, statistical technique, facility location, work design, project life cycle, and project management. Note: You will need this information in order to complete this and subsequent assignments.

As you collect the information for Assignment 1 and Assignment 2, remember that in Assignment 3 you must prepare a presentation for your Chief Executive Officer.

Write a three to five (3-5) page paper in which you:

1.      Evaluate key elements of the selected production or service organization’s operational efficiency with its operational strategy. Determine three (3) tasks that do not align with the operational strategy. Determine the weaknesses that are evident in each task.

2.      Formulate a new operations strategy for the selected organization based on the four (4) competitive priorities (i.e., cost, quality, time, and flexibility).

3.      Analyze both the structure of the competitive priorities and infrastructure of the production process. Develop three (3) new enablers that are aligned with the long-term plan of the selected organization. Evaluate three (3) pros and three (3) cons of the new enablers.

4.      Use at least three (3) quality academic resources in this assignment. Note: Wikipedia and other Websites do not quality as academic resources.

Your assignment must follow these formatting requirements:

·         Be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides; citations and references must follow APA or school-specific format. Check with your professor for any additional instructions.

·         Include a cover page containing the title of the assignment, the student’s name, the professor’s name, the course title, and the date. The cover page and the reference page are not included in the required assignment page length.

The specific course learning outcomes associated with this assignment are:

·         Analyze the differences between service and manufacturing operations management to identify planning considerations.

·         Formulate an operations strategy to conduct production or service operations.

·         Explain how an operations strategy impacts product design and process selection.

·         Use technology and information resources to research issues in operations management.

·         Write clearly and concisely about operations management using proper writing mechanics.

Grading for this assignment will be based on answer quality, logic / organization of the paper, and language and writing skills. Click here to access the rubric for this assignment.

BUS 515 Week 6 Assignment 2 Vice President of Operations Part 2

Due Week 6 and worth 280 points

Refer to the scenario from Assignment 1.

Write a six to eight (6-8) page paper in which you:

1.      Evaluate two to four (2-4) weaknesses that are evident in the selected organization’s product life cycle. Generate a new product design and product selection, and then determine three (3) strategies that the organization needs in order to strengthen the operation. Provide support for the rationale.

2.      Determine the key components of supply chain management for the company you have selected.  Determine three (3) major issues that could affect the structuring, sourcing, purchasing, and the supply chain of your organization. Provide a solution to each issue.

3.      Develop a total quality management tool that identifies and analyzes any future issues. Provide a rationale for developing the selected tool. 

4.      Analyze three (3) advantages in employing the just-in-time philosophy in your organization. Evaluate three to five (3-5) means in which the philosophy could potentially impact quality assurance. Provide specific examples to support your response.

5.      Determine a qualitative and quantitative forecasting method for your operation. Next, create a table in which you identify the characteristics of the operation that relate to each method. Evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of each method.

6.      Use at least three (3) quality academic resources in this assignment. Note: Wikipedia and other Websites do not quality as academic resources.

Your assignment must follow these formatting requirements:

·         Be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides; citations and references must follow APA or school-specific format. Check with your professor for any additional instructions.

·         Include a cover page containing the title of the assignment, the student’s name, the professor’s name, the course title, and the date. The cover page and the reference page are not included in the required assignment page length. 

The specific course learning outcomes associated with this assignment are:

·         Determine the key components of supply chain management including structuring, sourcing, purchasing, and managing the supply chain.

·         Examine how the total quality management process is a strategy for a competitive advantage in the marketplace.

·         Identify the key elements of just-in-time manufacturing and its impact on quality assurances.

·         Develop a forecasting method appropriate to a production or service operation.

·         Use technology and information resources to research issues in operations management.

·         Write clearly and concisely about operations management using proper writing mechanics.

Grading for this assignment will be based on answer quality, logic / organization of the paper, and language and writing skills. Click here to access the rubric for this assignment.

BUS 515 Week 9 Assignment 3 Vice President of Operations Part 3

Due Week 9 and worth 320 points

Using the same scenario from Assignment 1, present the following findings to your Chief Executive Officer.

Create a presentation in a common format (PowerPoint or a similar program) with a minimum of twenty (20) slides and corresponding speaker notes in which you:

1.      Determine which statistical technique you will employ to measure the quality characteristics of your organization. Provide examples to support the rationale.

2.      Analyze the current facility location, and then use the three-step procedure to determine a new location.

3.      Analyze the key concepts related to capacity planning and facility location for the new location.

4.      Examine the current work system design, and determine your organization’s selected feasibility in the job design (i.e., technical, economic, behavioral). Assess key elements of the rationale in the work design competitive advantage.

5.      Using the method analysis described in the textbook, defend the new change implementation process and the rationale for the change of method.

6.      Develop a diagram showing network planning techniques, in which you use the program evaluation and review technique (PERT) and the critical path method (CPM).

7.      Use at least three (3) quality academic resources in this assignment. Note: Wikipedia and other Websites do not quality as academic resources.

Your assignment must follow these formatting requirements:

·         Be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides; citations and references must follow APA or school-specific format. Check with your professor for any additional instructions.

·         Include a cover page containing the title of the assignment, the student’s name, the professor’s name, the course title, and the date. The cover page and the reference page are not included in the required assignment page length. 

·         Include corresponding speaker notes for each slide included in the presentation.

The specific course learning outcomes associated with this assignment are:

·         Apply descriptive statistics to measure quality characteristics.

·         Analyze the key concepts related to capacity planning and facility location.

·         Examine the key elements of work system design, the project life cycle, and project management.

·         Use technology and information resources to research issues in operations management.

·         Write clearly and concisely about operations management using proper writing mechanics.

Grading for this assignment will be based on answer quality, logic / organization of the paper, and language and writing skills. Click here to access the rubric for this assignment.

BUS 515 Homework Questions

BUS 515 Week 2 Homework

Problem 2

	Your answer is correct.
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Last week a painter painted three houses in five days. This week she painted two houses in four days. In which week was the painter more productive?

Problem 4

	Your answer is correct.
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A company that makes kitchen chairs wants to compare productivity at two of its facilities. At facility #1, six workers produced 240 chairs. At facility #2, four workers produced 210 chairs during the same time period. Which facility was more productive?

Problem 6 Your answer is correct.     Aztec Furnishings makes hand-crafted furniture for sale in its retail stores. The furniture maker has recently installed a new assembly process, including a new sander and polisher.With this new system, production has increased to 90 pieces of furniture per day from the previous 60 pieces of furniture per day. The number of defective items produced has dropped from 10 pieces per day to 1 per day. The production facility operates strictly eight hours per day. Evaluate the change in productivity for Aztec using the new assembly process. (If the change is decrease identify with a negative symbol (-).) Â

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Problem 2

	Your answer is correct.
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Med-First is a medical facility that offers outpatient medical services. The facility is considering offering an additional service, mammography screening tests, on-site. The facility estimates the annual fixed cost of the equipment and skills necessary for the service to be $120,000. Variable costs for each patient processed are estimated at $35 per patient. If the clinic plans to charge $55 for each screening test, how many patients must it process a year in order to break even?

Problem 4

	Your answer is correct.
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Slick Pads is a company that manufactures laptop notebook computers. The company is considering adding its own line of computer printers as well. It has considered the implications from the marketing and financial perspectives and estimates fixed costs to be $500,000. Variable costs are estimated at $200 per unit produced and sold.

If the company plans to offer the new printers at a price of $350, how many printers does it have to sell to break even?
Describe the types of operations considerations that the company needs to consider before making the final decision.(Round answer to 0 decimal place, e.g. 125.)

Problem 6

	Your answer is correct.
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Harrison Hotels is considering adding a spa to its current facility in order to improve its list of amenities. Operating the spa would require a fixed cost of $25,000 a year. Variable cost is estimated at $35 per customer. The hotel wants to break even if 12,000 customers use the spa facility. What should be the price of the spa services? (Round answer to 2 decimal places, e.g. 15.25.)

BUS 515 Week 4 Homework

Problem 2

	Your answer is correct.
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A jet engine has ten components in series. The average reliability of each component is 0.998. What is the reliability of the engine?
(Round your answer to 3 decimal places, e.g. 5.250.)

Problem 4

	Your answer is correct.
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An engine system consists of three main components in a series, all having the same reliability. Determine the level of reliability required for each of the components if the engine is to have a reliability of 0.998. (Round answer to 4 decimal places, e.g. 15.2500.)

Problem 8

	Your answer is correct.
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A University Web server has five main components each with the same reliability. All five components must work for the server to function as intended. If the University wants to have a 95 percent reliability, what must be the reliability of each of the components? (Round answer to 4 decimal places, e.g. 15.2500.)

BUS 515 Week 7 Homework

Problem 2

	Your answer is correct.
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A manufacturer of printed circuit boards has a design capacity of 1000 boards per day. The effective capacity, however, is 700 boards per day. Recently, the production facility has been producing 950 boards per day. Compute the design and effective capacity utilization measures.

(Round your answers to 1 decimal place, the tolerance is +/-0.1.)

Problem 4

	Your answer is correct.
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The town barber shop can accommodate 35 customers per day. The manager has determined that if two additional barbers are hired, the shop can accommodate 80 customers per day. What are the design and effective capacities for the barber shop?

Problem 6 The design and effective capacities for a local emergency facility are 300 and 260 patients per day, respectively. Currently the emergency room processes 250 patients per day. Â

 

 

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What do the design and effective capacity utilization measures tell you?

The utilization rates show that the facility’s current output is

its design and effective capacities.

Problem 6

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Gator Office Systems has interviewed managers in order to develop the from–to matrix:

The current layout is shown in the figure below.

A better layout has been proposed for Gator Office Supplies:

Compute the ld score for Gator Office Supplies' current and proposed layouts.

Problem 8

	Your answer is correct.
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David's Sport Supplies is a store that sells sports equipment and gear for teenagers and young adults. David's is in the process of assigning the location of storage areas in its warehouse to minimize the number of trips made to retrieve needed items.

Given in the table below are the departments that need to be located, the number of trips made per week for each department, and the area needed by each department.

Which location scheme is the best?

 

      Problem 10       MMS Associates is a telecommunications service provider. The company is currently redesigning its main office to accommodate six newly hired salespeople. Some of the salespeople are expected to work in teams, so office assignments are very important. The table below presents the from–to matrix showing the expected frequency of contacts between members of the new sales staff.   Sales Person   A   B   C   D   E   F   A   —   6   12   18   1   1 B       —   4   19   3   0 C           —   5   0   0 D               —   7   19 E                   —   0 F                       —         This block plan shows the assigned office locations for the six sales members.       Michael Marc, the President of MMS Associates, is considering an alternative plan: Â

 

 

Your answer is correct.     What is the ld score for this plan?             Â

 

 

Your answer is correct.     How does it compare to the original plan considered? An alternative plan is better worse

 

 

BUS 515 Week 8 Homework

Problem 6

	Your answer is correct.
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The Arkade Company has decided to use a 15 percent allowance factor based on job time. Calculate the standard time for each work element and for the total job. The frequency equals 1 for all work elements.

(Round your answers to 3 decimal places, the tolerance is +/-0.002.)

Problem 8

	Your answer is correct.
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The Arkade Company is considering switching to a 15 percent allowance based on time worked. Calculate the new standard time for each work element and for the total job. The frequency equals 1 for all work elements.

(Round your answers to 3 decimal places, the tolerance is +/-0.001.)

Problem 10

	Your answer is correct.
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The Arkade Company used a 15 percent allowance factor based on job time and 15 percent allowance based on time worked.

 

What allowance factor is better when all of the jobs an emlpoyee does are similar and have the same allowance factor?  job time time worked

Compare standard times and units produced per day based on both allowance factors and decide which of them provides the best result.  job time time worked

Click if you would like to Show Work for this question:

Open Show Work

 

Problem 4

	Your answer is correct.
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Using the following project information, choose the right network diagram.

Activity	Â	Optimistic Time Estimate(weeks)	Â	Most Likely Time Estimates (weeks)	Â	Pessimistic Time Estimates (weeks)	Â	Immediate Predecessor(s)
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A	Â	3	Â	6	Â	9	Â	none
B	Â	3	Â	5	Â	7	Â	A
C	Â	4	Â	7	Â	12	Â	A
D	Â	4	Â	8	Â	10	Â	B
E	Â	5	Â	10	Â	16	Â	C
F	Â	3	Â	4	Â	5	Â	D,E
G	Â	3	Â	6	Â	8	Â	D,E
H	Â	5	Â	6	Â	10	Â	F
I	Â	5	Â	8	Â	11	Â	G
J	Â	3	Â	3	Â	3	Â	H,I
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      Problem 6

	Your answer is correct.
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      Using the following project information, calculate the variance for each of the project activities.

Activity	Â	Optimistic Time Estimate(weeks)	Â	Most Likely Time Estimates (weeks)	Â	Pessimistic Time Estimates (weeks)	Â	Immediate Predecessor(s)
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A	Â	3	Â	6	Â	9	Â	none
B	Â	3	Â	5	Â	7	Â	A
C	Â	4	Â	7	Â	12	Â	A
D	Â	4	Â	8	Â	10	Â	B
E	Â	5	Â	10	Â	16	Â	C
F	Â	3	Â	4	Â	5	Â	D,E
G	Â	3	Â	6	Â	8	Â	D,E
H	Â	5	Â	6	Â	10	Â	F
I	Â	5	Â	8	Â	11	Â	G
J	Â	3	Â	3	Â	3	Â	H,I
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      (Round your answers to 3 decimal places, the tolerance is +/-0.001.)

Activity	Variance
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Problem 8

	Your answer is correct.
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Using the following project information

Activity

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Optimistic Time Estimate(weeks)

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Most Likely Time Estimates (weeks)

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Pessimistic Time Estimates (weeks)

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Immediate Predecessor(s)

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Variance

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Expected Time (weeks)

Â

A

Â

3

Â

6

Â

9

Â

none

Â

1.000

Â

6.00

B

Â

3

Â

5

Â

7

Â

A

Â

0.444

Â

5.00

C

Â

4

Â

7

Â

12

Â

A

Â

1.778

Â

7.33

D

Â

4

Â

8

Â

10

Â

B

Â

1.000

Â

7.67

E

Â

5

Â

10

Â

16

Â

C

Â

3.361

Â

10.17

F

Â

3

Â

4

Â

5

Â

D,E

Â

0.111

Â

4.00

G

Â

3

Â

6

Â

8

Â

D,E

Â

0.694

Â

5.83

H

Â

5

Â

6

Â

10

Â

F

Â

0.694

Â

6.33

I

Â

5

Â

8

Â

11

Â

G

Â

1.000

Â

8.00

J

Â

3

Â

3

Â

3

Â

H,I

Â

0.000

Â

3.00

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The critical path is A-C-E-G-I-J.

(a) Calculate the probability that the project will be completed in 38 weeks.

P(project ≤ 38) = 

(b) Calculate the probability that the project will be completed in 42 weeks.

P(project ≤ 42) = 

BUS 515 Week 10 Homework

Problem 6

	Your answer is correct.
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Flora’s Fabulous Fountains’ (FFF) top product is its Model A. Which of the following product structure trees for the Model A is true?

Problem 8

	Your answer is correct.
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Flora is preparing for her busy season and is building 2500 Model A fountains. Calculate the gross requirements for each component assuming that there is no beginning inventory.

 

Use the following information:

 

Put the answers down into the table (If answer is zero, please enter 0, do not leave any fields

Problem 10

	Correct. Note that even with some beginning inventory it is not always possible to reduce the minimum replenishment time.
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Calculate the minimum replenishment time to build 2500 Model A fountains given the following beginning inventories.

 

Use the following information:

 

(a) =  weeks

 

Problem 18

	Your answer is correct.
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Marvin’s Beach Cleaners is responsible for keeping the beach clean. Marvin estimates that he needs three people on Monday and Tuesday; four people on Wednesday and Thursday; five people on Saturday and Sunday and six people on Friday. Contractually, Marvin is required to give each employee two consecutive days off during the week. Assume that workers #2 and #4 asked Marvin to get one of their days off on Tuesday, workers #3 and #6 - on Wednesday, worker #1 - on Monday, and Marvin agreed. Develop a workforce schedule for Marvin to use.

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Problem 20

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Cathy’s Coney Islands operates seven days per week. Demand is relatively constant during the week and tails off on the weekend. She estimates that she needs five employees Monday through Friday, two employees on Saturday and three employees on Sunday. Employee #4 has one of his days off on Tuesday, employee #5 - on Thursday, employee #6 - on Friday and employee #3 - on Sunday. She is committed to giving each employee two consecutive days off during the week. Develop a workforce schedule for Cathy.

Problem 22

	Your answer is correct.
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Bill’s Bar & Grill is open seven nights a week. Business is busiest on Thursday when there is a concert in the park across the street. Bill wants a workforce schedule that allows each employee two consecutive days off each week. He believes that he needs four employees on Tuesday and Saturday; five employees on Monday, Wednesday and Friday; six employees on Thursday and Sunday. Employees #1 and #5 asked him to have one of their days off on Monday; employees #3, #4 and #6 asked for one of their days off on Tuesday, Sunday and Thursday respectively. Bill agreed. Develop a workforce schedule for Bill.