BUSINESS OPERATIONS ANDSYSTEMS BUS6012 Dissertation Essay Help

BUSINESS OPERATIONS ANDSYSTEMS BUS6012

This is an individual assessed assignment. There is no objection to students discussingthe content and approaches to be adopted but the final submission must be 100% yourOWN work. PLAGIARISM WILL BE PENALISED VIA THE UNIVERSITY’SDISCIPLINARY PROCEDURE.
You must also submit assignment on Turnitin on or before the due date.
See instructions available on Moodle http://moodle.bcu.ac.uk/course/view.php?id=12260
Please print a copy of your originality report and submit this along with yourassignment.

References

All sources should be cited and referenced using the Harvard Referencing system. TheprinciplesoftheHarvard Referencingsystemaredetailedintheleaflets availableinthelibrary. You are NOT allowed to use the general internet references e.g.www.google.com,www.yahoo.com and Wikipedia etc. All references should be from the crediblesources
e.g. books, refereed papers, articles, journals, magazinesetc.

Your work should be referenced including in text referencing with appropriateliteratureand form a logical and concisediscussion.
Feedback

Formative feedback given in seminars to help learners feedforward.

Presentation
1.   Use Arial 12 pointfont.
2.   1.5 line spacing or follow any set regulatedspacing.
3.   Ensure that there is good usage of grammar and correct spellingthroughout.
4.   Neatly present the finalwork.
5.   Appendix not allowed.
Word Limit: 3,000 words ±10%.

Extensions:
Thereare noextensionsgrantedonthe module.Any claimforextenuatingcircumstancesmust be made through the official University channel. Readhttps://icity.bcu.ac.uk/Student- Services/Complaints-and-Appeals forguidance.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Ocadoa’retailerforthefuture'(2010).WhatisthefutureforOcadoafterMorrisongoestobed withAmazon?

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………

YoumayfindtheinformationforOcadoretailerUKonline,inKeynotesintheLibrary,Company reports,casesonline,andthefinancialpress.Theliteraturesourcesshouldbebooks, journals, refereed papers and appropriate online sources. You should find the sourcesof information that you will use to deliver the three assessment parts. Your submission should address the following 3Parts:

Part1

UsingthespecificoperationsperformanceobjectivesitcanbearguedthatOcadoisfocused onsatisfyingitscustomers’requirementsforfastanddependableservicesatareasonable market price, through strategic partnerships that assist its customers to improve theservices they offer. Specifically youshould:

• Outline the essential components for ‘effective business operationsmanagement’ (creating value for the customer) for Ocado’s operation within theUK.
• UseasoftsystemsmethodologytoevaluatetheissuesOcadomightfaceiftheydecide to introduce hybrid facilities to allow their customers to continue ‘order goodsonline andhavethesedeliveredtothedoor’aswellasopeningnewstorestocompeteinthe market place (since the shock of Morrison joining forces with Amazon). Supportyour discussion with appropriate business operations models (i.e. operationstrategy performance (priorities) model, customer value, the service gap model, four v’sprofile etc.).

TIPS:

1.   You should start with what Ocado are doing well compare to the sector (why customers shop online atOcado).
2.   Researchtheproblemstheymayfacechangingtheirbusinessmodel(goinghybrid-thechange)usingSoft Systems Methodology (critical analysis of need/problem to besolved).
3.   Support your discussions with appropriate operations models(quality/depth).

• YoushouldcompareandcontrastdifferentmodelsusedbythesectorinwhichOcado operates and recommend appropriate solutions to continue being competitive inthe market,makeeasierforcustomerstoselectandbuytheirproducts(issuestoconsider centralised/decentralised inventory and delivery chain, customer value chain,cost implications, sustainabilityetc.).

• With reference to the parcel conundrum(http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-18709348)recommendhowOcadoshouldrespondtothisconundrum(keepingin mind the possible technological and environmental (CO2)impact).

TIPS:

4.   Your academic enquiry should lead to synthesis of important issues around the problem andsolution.
5.   Criticalanalysisandevaluationofcustomer’sdigitalexperience,howthenewmodelwillenhancethecustomer’s experience.
6.   Innovative ways to serve their customersbetter.
7.   Consider the services which are unique and benefits toOcado.
8.   Consider customer value for shopping online and in sore (which market sector are they chasing by changingthe businessmodel).
9.   Comparison of different solution with costing and choose one solution to take forward withreasoning.
10.   Following models not to be included in here Porter or SWOT you may use these for your ownresearch.
11.   Writing should be essay style (Synthesize) no bullet points, no graphs, no tables orpictures
12.   Appendix notallowed.

Part2

ForthenewsystemyoushouldincludeRootDefinition,CATWOEandproduceadetailed “Rich Picture” (hand drawn) to fully illustrate your answer. Your rich picture must indicatethe problems as well as the solution. (Not included in the wordcount).

By means of a business process plan illustrate the changes including “AS IS” and “TOBE”. Detailed explanations of both plans are required and support your discussions withrelevant literature. (Business process plans not included in the wordcount).

Tips: Structure for parttwo:

13.   Rich picture (fully illustrating partone).
14.   Root Definition (based on your chosensolution).
15.   Table for CATWOE (this is to test the Root Definition).
16.   “AS IS” process plan (include brief summer of the processplan).
17.   “TO BE” process plan (include summery to explain the processplan)
18.   Include these in the body of the assignment (follow the assignmentstructure)

Part3

Discuss how the managers would turn performance objectives into operations prioritiesand the resources that would be necessary for effective implementation of the new process(about six hundredwords).

Tips:

19.   This part should concentrate on the new solution only as discussed in part one andtwo.
20.   Analysetheresourcesrequiredandcostsforimplementingthenewprocess (“TOBE”BusinessProcessPlan.
21.   Support your discussions with Performance Model, management of change etc. (notMaslow).

Using a Balanced Scorecard, discuss how the business performance can be measuredpost implementation(refertothelastthreeyearsofcompanyannualreportsandanyotherrelevant dataforimprovementandtargettrendsforOcado).(Balancedscorecardchartsarenotincludedinwordcount but discussion on each prospective is included, about hundred words for eachprospective).

Tips:

22.   Balanced Scorecard is to measure the post implementation performance for the new processonly.
23.   Create Table for eachprospective.
24.   Under each table use the words to support your data, reference for the sourcesetc.

Your work should be referenced including in text referencing with appropriate literatureand form a logical and concisediscussion.

MarkingGuidance Suggested Words Max.

Assessmen

1 Using the specific operations performance objectives it can be argued thatOcado is focussed on satisfying its customers’ requirements for fast anddependable servicesatareasonablemarketprice,throughstrategicpartnershipsthatassistits customers to improve the services they offer. Specifically youshould:

• Outline the essential components for ‘effective businessoperations management’ (creating value for the customer) for Ocado’soperation within theUK.

• Use a soft systems methodology to evaluate the issues Ocadomight face if they decide to introduce hybrid facilities to allow theircustomers to continue ‘order goods online and have these delivered to the door’as well as opening new stores to compete in the market place (sincethe shock of Morrison joining forces with Amazon). Support yourdiscussion with appropriate business operations models (i.e. operationstrategy performance (priorities) model, customer value, the service gapmodel, four v’s profileetc.).

• You should compare and contrast different models used by the sectorin which Ocado operates and recommend appropriate solutionsto continue being competitive in the market, make easier for customersto select and buy their products (issues toconsider centralised/decentralised inventory and delivery chain, customervalue chain, cost implications, sustainabilityetc.).

• With reference to the parcelconundrum (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-18709348) recommend howOcado should respond to this conundrum (keeping in mind thepossible technological and environmental (CO2)impact

35%

2 For the new system you should include Root Definition, CATWOE and producea detailed “Rich Picture” (hand drawn) to fully illustrate your answer. Yourrich picture must indicate the problems as well as theresults.

By means of a business process plans illustrate the changes including “AS IS”and “TO BE”. Detailed explanations of both plans are required and supportyour discussions with relevantliterature.

Noword count

25%

3 Discuss how the managers would turn performance objectives intooperations priorities and the resources that would be necessary for effectiveimplementation of the newprocess.

1000

30%

Writing style The writing style is important. You must show a good research trail.Consult many sources and give precise references. Finally, beware of passages thatlook like, or lead to, plagiarism. Appendices are not treated as part of your wordcount. Organise your reference list alphabetically (if you useone).

10%
3,000 100%

Student Name: ………………………………………………………………………….. StudentNumber:……………………………………………………….
BUS6012 Business Operations and Systems – Assessment and FeedbackStrategyAssessment will be 100% course work. All course work will be individuallyachieved.
Module AssessmentCriteria

AssessmentCriterion   LevelDescriptor
Fail(0-39%)   PASS(40-49%)   2.2(50-59%)   2.1(60-69%)   First(70-100%)
Demonstratingeffectivecommunication ofideasandtechniques   Little or no attemptatdescribingissues   Basicanalysis

Basic descriptionofissue   Reasonable attemptatanalysis at causesofissues – somewidercoverage   Good attemptatanalysis at causesofissues – somewidercoverage   An in-depth analysisofcause andeffect,demonstrating breadthofresearch and ofthought.
Ability to analyseabusinessoperationsproblemappropriately,showing ability to offeraconstructivesolution.   None or little attemptatanalysis – descriptionof’suitable’techniqueswithoutsupport   An attempt at someofthe ‘moreobvious’elements thatthesituationdescribes   Recognisingthe’majority’ of issues-showing how thesemaybe related.Somesupportingexamples   Recognisingthe’majority’ of issues-showing how thesemaybe related.Supportingdiscussion usingdirectand indirectexamples   Situational analysiswithclear descriptionofrelationships – recognitionofalternatives withclearargument insupport
Being able toevaluatealternative solutionstothe task.   ‘Leaps in logic’whenmoving fromanalysistosolution   A basic use ofa’methodology’insupport   A structured approachtothe problem(s)andsolution(s)   Explanation of whyanalysis methodologyisappropriate -possiblecomparisonbetweenideas.   Comparison betweenideaswhere appropriate.Clear,logical argument. Critiqueoftechniques used -benefitsandpitfalls
Demonstrating anabilityto draw upon and tousea range ofinformationsources.   None or verypoor’Audit Trail’ toshowargument for oragainstofferedsolution(s)   Initial attemptatdescribingrelationshipsbetweenissues, analysisandtheory.   Some research – andorevidence of somefurtherreading. developmentof’theory -practice’relationship   Good clearlinksbetween theoryandpractice.   Strong links betweentheoryand practice.Clearevidence ofextensivefurther reading -clearidentification of ideas(andsources)

Assessment will show if the studentcan:-

•   Communicate effectively showing appropriateskills
•   Analyse a business operations problem appropriately and been able to offer constructive solutions to presentedissues
•   Evaluate alternative solutions to thetask
•   Draw on and use a range of informationsources.