OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT

Transcription

1 OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT Equivalent QCF level: Level 5 Credit Value: 30 Learning time (hours): 300 UNIT PURPOSE This unit provides the learner with an understanding of systems and operations management in an organisation. It focuses on the way in which organisational behaviour, group behaviour, team-oriented culture and leadership facilitates better organisational performance. This unit enhances the critical thinking skill of the learner with regard to the HR related internal operations of a business. UNIT INTRODUCTION The unit will allow learners to understand the role of systems and operations management and its integration into efficient and effective running of business. It will also emphasise the important role of teams in organisations, and their impact upon individual, team and organisational performance. The unit begins by focusing on the evaluation of soft systems methodology (SSM) to systems development, which will be used to analyse and define business requirements. Moreover, people and management issues will be reviewed with emphasis on communication, teamwork and effective leadership. Here, a practical approach will be used in order to furnish learners with a critical understanding of good business practice within the global organisation. Secondly, the unit provides learners with an understanding of the value of building strong interpersonal and relationship skills. They will work with others one-to-one and in group and team working contexts, and practical examples will be used to allow learners to apply their understanding to realworld examples. Moreover, using case studies, the unit will develop the learners' awareness and understanding of the impact of high-performing teams on organisational success. This will be set against a real/simulated strategic learning context that will aid in both the understanding and practice of developing a 'team mindset' for a contextualised, dynamic and superior learner experience. 1

2 LEARNING OUTCOMES, ASSESSMENT CRITERIA AND CONTENT To pass this unit, the learner must generate evidence that demonstrates all learning outcomes have been met through the achievement of all the unit s assessment criteria. Learning outcomes On completion of this unit, the learner will: 01 Understand the role of systems and operations management in an organisation and its integration within the business criteria On completion of this unit, the learner can: 1.1 Analyse the role of operations management activities in fulfilling customer demands and business strategies 1.2 Select and apply a range of appropriate activities to various operations management components Content Operations management activities: Operations management involves product and service design, process selection, selection and management of technology, design of work systems, location planning, facilities planning, and quality improvement areas as components of customer fulfilment Operations management components: Inventory planning and control. Scheduling of production, project management, management of personnel, quality assurance etc. Operations framework models: The input-process-output models; 4Vs typology; Business process mapping Integration of operations management: This includes analysis of systems and operations management and its contribution to business success, management information systems, integration of systems and operations management within the global business supply chain 2

3 LEARNING OUTCOMES, ASSESSMENT CRITERIA AND CONTENT 02 Understand the role of quality management in business excellence 2.1 Describe the use of quality management concepts and ideas of to enhance quality and business success 2.2 Assess the quality of systems and operations in organisations and identify possible shortcomings Quality management principles/models: TQM, continuous development, kaizen, innovation, high technology, top management commitment, lean management. This includes the analysing the practical implementation of these concepts and how they help to attain business success Costs of quality: Issues related to quality can be related to the costs such as appraisal cost, prevention cost, internal failure cost and external failure cost, reputational risk of quality failure 03 Be able to use Soft Systems Methodology (SSM) in analysing and defining business requirements 3.1 Use SSM in a business to identify desirable and feasible changes through the use of conceptual models 3.2 Evaluate the issues of implementing SSM Seven stage approach of the SSM: Entering the problem situation; Expressing the problem situation; Formulating root definitions of relevant systems; Building Conceptual Models of Human Activity Systems; Comparing the models with the real world; Defining changes that are desirable and feasible; Taking action to improve the real world situation Element to be incorporated in SSM: root definitions, CATWOE analysis, conceptual models of human activity systems etc. 3

4 LEARNING OUTCOMES, ASSESSMENT CRITERIA AND CONTENT 04 Be able to evaluate the main ideas and principles governing interpersonal relationships 4.1 Develop strategies for appropriate communication within an organisation 4.2 Apply communication techniques that deliver information, insight and change 4.3 Develop strategies for a teamwork oriented culture in a business Determinants of effective inter-personal relationships: effective communication, teamwork and Leadership; two way communication Senior management communication: The senior manager s communication style directly affects the employees communication styles. The types of senior management communication are director, free spirit, humanist, and historian Team development strategies: Forming, storming, norming, performing 05 Know how to demonstrate appropriate management practices in a team environment 5.1 Demonstrate appropriate strategies to enhance personal and organisational performance 5.2 Develop strategies to direct operations towards team projects and outcomes 5.3 Implement specific effective performance management tools to enhance employee performance Performance management: This includes Appraisal Systems; Reward and remuneration; Training and Development Behavioural performance management: Job rotation, job enlargement, job enrichment Performance management techniques: Activity based costing; Budgeting; Financial ratios; Balanced score card; Benchmarking 4

5 GUIDANCE FOR TUTORS DELIVERY & ASSESSMENT It is important that tutors use a range of teaching and guidance methods to ensure that their learners meet the intended learning outcomes for this unit. This would include participating or revising lectures/notes, attending webinars, workshops, individual/group assessments and draft feedback for assessments. However, learners should always be encouraged to participate in independent learning using the resources on the IMSS, e-library and Mintel reports. Learners need to use analytical thinking, participative approaches and investigative mindsets in order to be able to enhance their learning experience through reflection of theory in conjunction with their own experience. It is important to plan the delivery of the unit to ensure that learners have enough time to undertake the relevant research needed to meet the learning outcomes and to facilitate self- learning. The tutor should introduce the relevant concepts accurately with appropriate examples to enhance the practical knowledge of the learner. After in-depth classroom discussion, the learner can be required to identify operations management issues in real-world organisations and propose ideas that might mitigate/resolve these issues. There is a small focus on human resources management concepts. The HR-related activities should be introduced and explained, after which the learners should be made to identify practical issues that arise from those activities. Further, real-world leadership approaches to manage HR resources should be explained. These approaches should be critically evaluated by the learners with the support of the tutor. The way in which interpersonal relationships, group dynamics, cultural diversity, and individual behaviour influence operations in real-world contexts should be explained by the tutor with special reference to various mini cases. The learner should be provided with the means to identify the best practices in regard to these aspects and issues that organisations face. The importance of groups and team behaviour should be elaborated with real examples and cases. Classroom discussions should focus on elaborating ways and means to resolve identified issues. The tutor should always try to link the theoretical aspects learnt to real-world discussions held in the classroom, in order to enhance the practical application skills of the learners. Learning outcome 3 deliberately relates to SSM. The tutor can introduce this concept to the learners by explaining the use of the seven stages involved. The hypothetical application should also be outlined. The learners should be made to identify the practical application of this methodology to construct conceptual models and critically evaluate the concepts. As always the tutor should direct the learners for an effective and accurate discussion. The way in which SSM would enhance business process should be explained in a clear way, so that learners will know how to implement it in a realworld context. 5

6 GUIDANCE FOR TUTORS OUTLINE LEARNING PLAN The following outlined learning plan can be used as a guidance document in conjunction with the unit assessment. It is simply a way in which this unit can be delivered. TOPIC AND SUGGESTED ASSIGNMENTS/ACTIVITIES/ASSESSMENT Introduction to unit and programme of learning Tutor discussion on the theoretical models and concepts; systems and operations management and quality management. This can be reinforced through group/individual exercises Learner input on practical examples on operations management components, related issues and solutions Learner research on operations and quality management contributing to Assignment 1 Tutor input on HR related practices, leadership, group behaviour, and organisational culture Learner input on organisational issues and practical scenarios Learner research on HR related concepts contributing to Assignment 2 Tutor input on SSM, interpersonal skills, performance management Learner input on identifying different appraisal techniques, critical analysis of SSM Learner research on SSM, performance management, interpersonal relationship contributing to Assignment 3 Review of unit and programme of assignments PROGRAMME OF SUGGESTED ASSESSMENT/ASSIGNMENTS The following table illustrates the respective assessments for the unit and identifies the corresponding assessment criteria. Criteria covered Assignment title Scenario method 6

7 GUIDANCE FOR TUTORS 1.1, 1.2, 2.1, 2.2 Assignment 1 Undertake a critical evaluation of the effectiveness of the current operations Management framework and the current Quality Management approach, in relation to the Organisation s overall business strategy Report PROGRAMME OF SUGGESTED ASSESSMENT/ASSIGNMENTS Criteria covered Assignment title Scenario method 1.1, 1.2, 2.1, 2.2 Assignment 1 Cont. Provide recommendations to overcome the identified weaknesses found within the organisation, with the view of improving its overall performance as well as the management issues that may arise when implementing these recommendations. Explain how these issues can be managed Report 7

8 GUIDANCE FOR TUTORS 3.1, 3.2, 5.1, 5.2, 5.3, Assignment 2 Taking into consideration the HR functions followed by the organisation, critically evaluate the People Management Principles, Leadership approaches, the organisational culture and group behaviour within the organisation Report Highlight the human resources related issues found within the organisation and make recommendations on how the people Management Principles can be adapted in order to overcome these weaknesses and enhance employees Highlight the weaknesses in the organisational leadership approach in terms of supporting a team environment within the organisation whilst identifying feasible leadership approaches and management practices that can be incorporated in order facilitate a more conducive environment for group dynamics and inter-personal relationships PROGRAMME OF SUGGESTED ASSESSMENT/ASSIGNMENTS Criteria covered Assignment title Scenario method 8

9 GUIDANCE FOR TUTORS 1.1, 1.2, 2.1, 4.1, 4.2, 5.1, 5.2, 5.3 Assignment 3 Define and explain the Soft Systems Methodology approach, list its strengths and weaknesses and explain how it can be used to solve issues that can crop up within an organisation Presentation with hand outs Define performance management and explain its importance for an organisation, appraisal systems, reward and remuneration and training and development in terms of how it can improve the overall organisational performance Highlight the weaknesses in the organisational leadership approach in terms of supporting a team environment within the organisation whilst identifying feasible leadership approaches and management practices that can be incorporated in order facilitate a more conducive environment for group dynamics and inter-personal relationships 9

10 RESOURCES TEXTBOOKS Slack, N., Brandon-Jones, A. and Johnston, R Essentials of with MyOMLab, Harlow: Financial Times/ Prentice Hall Huczynski, A. and Buchanan, D. (2010) Organisational Behaviour, 7th edition, FT/Prentice Hall Checkland, P Systems thinking, systems practice: with a 30-year retrospective, Chichester: John Wiley Bocij, P., Chaffey, D., Greasley, A. and Hickie, S., Business information systems: technology, development and Management, 4th ed., Harlow: Financial Times Prentice Hall. Wilson, B., Soft systems methodology: conceptual model building and its contribution, Chichester: John Wiley & Sons Ltd JOURNALS Journal of International Journal of Advanced Journal of Operational Research Society Journal of Organisational Behaviour WEBSITES POMS Forbes Changing minds Mind tools