Operations Management Assignment

Background
Operations Management (OM) is an important aspect of business (Slack et al, 2013; Greasely, 2013;
Patton et al, 2011). Both service and manufacturing organisations use OM to ensure they a re
competitive and assist in providing and maintaining good levels of customer service (Johnson et al,
2012). Developing a system of an organisations operation can be advantageous both for both the
customer and organisation (Bamford and Forrester, 2010). S ubsequently, once a system has been
developed and understood it should be possible to determine why the system works well, or not well,
and to recommend possible production related improvements that will assist both parties concerned.

Task
In this assignment analyse an operation of your choice. You need to be able to visit and observe this
operation in practice. For example you could select a shop, cinema, restaurant, bar, library, gym or
garden centre. Your tutor will give some guidance on your choice of  operation. Your assignment
should address the following questions:
1.   Describe what each of the performance objectives (quality, speed, dependability, flexibility,
cost) mean to that operation. Which are the most important and why?
2.   Look at demand fluctuations  within that operation. How are they being handled without
creating excessive customer waiting, reduction in quality of service etc.?
3.   Discuss perception and expectation of quality for that operation. Which issues might arise
from this?
4.   From your previous a nswers, draw conclusions discussing the extent to which the
performance objectives are evident within the operation. How could this alignment be
improved?