Operations and Service Management
Assignment Brief Academic Year 2021-22
Dr Emmanuel Unuafe, 13 December 2021
1
Assignment task
The scenario is that you have been instructed by your Operations Manager to produce a report
recommending improvements to an operations practice in the organisation.
This assignment has been designed to provide you with an opportunity to demonstrate your
achievement of the following module learning outcomes:
1
Appraise the theories, concepts and principles of practice from the area of Operations
Management and their application to the service and manufacturing industries
2
Evaluate the application of alternative Operations Management Techniques – Capacity, Quality
and Supply Chain Management
3 Evaluate the potential use of technology for supply chain management
4 Apply a range of Operations techniques to the management of a business
5 Evaluate how supporting functions interact with operations and aid their success
AssignmentTutorOnline
Module code
and title: BM563 Operations and Service
Management Module leader: Dr Mustafa Kasim
Assignment
No. and type: CW1: Written Assignment Assessment
weighting: 100%
Submission
time and date: Tuesday 31st May 2022 before
2pm Target feedback
time and date: 3 weeks
2
Task requirements
Select an organisation and apply all four of the questions below.
Ensure work is supported with evidence from research (academic theory and company research)
A brief introduction and conclusion is also required which is included in the word count.
Word count is 2,500 (+/- 10%)
1. Identify one operation management practice within a chosen organisation
2. Critically analyse how this operation management practice impacts the organisation in regards to
efficiency
3. Evaluate how technology could be embedded in this process or evaluate how this has already been
achieved
4. What supporting functions are linked to this operation management practice and evaluate how can they
Help with ensuring organisational success?
Referencing and research requirements
Please reference your work according to the Harvard Referencing style as defined in Cite Them Right
Online (http://www.citethemrightonline.com). This information is also available in book form: Pears, R. and
Shields, G. (2016) Cite them right: the essential reference guide. 10th edn. Basingstoke: Palgrave
Macmillan. Copies are available via the University library.
How your work will be assessed
Your work will be assessed on the extent to which it demonstrates your achievement of the stated learning
outcomes for this assignment (see above) and against other key criteria, as defined in the University’s
institutional grading descriptors. This assignment will be marked according to the grading descriptors for
Level 5.
Submission details
This assignment should be submitted electronically. Please use the relevant Turnitin submission
point in the Submit your work area in your VLE module shell.
Please ensure that your work has been saved in an appropriate file format. Turnitin will only accept
the following file types: Microsoft Word and PDF. Your file must also contain at least 20 words of
text, consist of fewer than 400 pages and be less than 20MB in size.
You can submit your work as many times as you like before the submission date. If you do submit
your work more than once, your earlier submission will be replaced by the most recent version.
Once you have submitted your work, you will receive a digital receipt as proof of submission, which
will be sent to your forwarded e-mail address (provided you have set this up). Please keep this
receipt for future reference, along with the original electronic copy of your assignment.
3
You are reminded of the University’s regulations on academic misconduct, which can be viewed on the
University website: https://bucks.ac.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0024/9546/Academic-Misconduct-Policy.pdf.
In submitting your assignment, you are acknowledging that you have read and understood these
regulations
Submission date and time
This assignment should be submitted before 31/05/2022, 2pm
Work that is submitted up to 10 working days beyond the submission date will be accepted as a late
submission. Late submissions will be marked and the actual mark recorded, but will be capped at the pass
mark (typically 40%), provided that the work is of a passing standard. Work submitted after this period will
not be marked and will be treated as a non-submission.
Feedback and marks for this assignment will be available after 3 weeks
You are reminded of the University’s regulations on academic misconduct, which can be viewed on the
University website: https://bucks.ac.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0024/9546/Academic-Misconduct-Policy.pdf.
In submitting your assignment, you are acknowledging that you have read and understood these
regulations
Before you submit
Please use the checklist below to make sure you are ‘fit to submit’ your work
We recommend you use this checklist as soon as you get this assignment brief to help you plan your work
Fit to Submit: Assignment Checklist
This brief assignment checklist is designed to help you avoid some of the most common mistakes students
make in their coursework.
HAVE YOU READ THE ASSIGNMENT BRIEF?
IF NOT, DO IT NOW!
In it you will find details of the assessment task, word count, the assessment criteria your work is marked against,
and the learning outcomes – the basis for the assessment strategy in each module.
Students often lose marks by forgetting some of the more straightforward elements of their assignments.
We recommend that you “tick off” each of the points below as you prepare your work for submission. If
you need any help, ask your tutor and / or visit
https://bucks.ac.uk/students/academicadvice/assessment-and-examination
See Assignment Checklist below
TICK
Have you read and understood the assessment criteria?
Have you met the learning outcomes? You will lose marks and your work may even
be failed if you have not.
4
Have you demonstrated you can think and write critically in the completed work?
This means you have supported your arguments/explanations appropriately e.g.
using relevant academic sources and you have offered discussion points which
extends your own or others’ viewpoints to make reasoned conclusions/judgements.
Have you maintained an academic tone throughout your work? Is your work formal,
focused, developed and clear?
Have you checked that the referencing in your assignment is in line with your
programme requirements?
Have you proof-read your work and used spellcheck software to check your spelling
and grammar?
Have you checked the presentation of your work is as specified by your tutor, for
example, are font size, colour, style, line spacing and margins as the tutor specified?
Have you kept to the word count (or equivalent)? If you are not sure, check with your
tutor.
Can you confirm that the work submitted is your own and not plagiarised?
Dr Emmanuel Unuafe, 13 December 2021
5
Assessment Grid for BM563 CW1 Career Research Report
80-100 (A+)
Pass 70-79 (A)
Pass 60-69 (B)
Pass 50-59 (C)
Pass 40-49 (D)
Pass 35-39 E –
Marginal fail 0-34 (F) –
Fail
Criteria Weig
hting Outstanding Excellent Very Good Good Satisfactory Below required
standard Not successful
Knowledge and
Understanding of
Operations Management 15 The work demonstrates
exceptional knowledge
and critical understanding
of operations
management and the
effectiveness of current
operational practices
within the organisation.
Application of extensive
independent reading is
evident throughout the
work. The work demonstrates
highly accomplished
knowledge and critical
understanding of
operations management
and the effectiveness of
current operational
practices within the
organisation.
Application of wider
independent reading is
evident throughout the
work. The work
demonstrates refined
knowledge and critical
understanding of
operations
management and the
effectiveness of
current operational
practices within the
organisation.
Wider reading shows a
range of courses being
used and applied,
some of which are
independently
selected. The work demonstrates
a sound breadth and
depth of knowledge and
critical understanding of
operations management
and the effectiveness of
current operational
practices within the
organisation.
Wider reading is largely
limited to core texts but
has clearly enhanced the
work. The work demonstrates
a basic knowledge and
critical understanding of
operations management
and the effectiveness of
current operational
practices within the
organisation.
Wider reading is
relevant but largely
restricted to core texts
and only partially
integrated. The work
demonstrates
insufficient
knowledge and
critical
understanding of
operations
management and
the effectiveness of
current operational
practices within the
organisation.
There is limited
evidence of wider
reading and / or
wider reading lacks
evidence The work
demonstrates a
limited and / or a
substantially
inaccurate or no
knowledge and critical
understanding of
operations
management and the
effectiveness of
current operational
practices within the
organisation.
There is little or no
evidence of wider
reading.
Analysis and
Criticality of Efficiencies 25 Demonstrates an
exceptionally
accomplished analysis of
the organisation, using
exceptional range of
research sources, in order
to analyse the impact and
efficiencies of the
operations management
practice. Demonstrates a highly
accomplished analysis of
the organisation, using a
highly accomplished range
of research sources, in
order to analyse the
impact and efficiencies of
the operations
management practice. Demonstrates a
sophisticated analysis
of the organisation,
using a sophisticated
range of research
sources, in order to
analyse the impact
and efficiencies of the
operations
management practice. Demonstrates a well
developed analysis of
the organisation, using a
sound range of research
sources, in order to
analyse the impact and
efficiencies of the
operations management
practice. Demonstrates a
sufficient analysis of the
organisation, using a
sufficient range of
research sources, in
order to analyse the
impact and efficiencies
of the operations
management practice. Demonstrates an
insufficient analysis
of the organisation,
using a limited
range of research, in
order to analyse the
impact and
efficiencies of the
operations
management
practice. Demonstrates a
limited or no analysis
of the organisation,
using little or no range
of research sources, in
order to analyse the
impact and
efficiencies of the
operations
management practice.
6
Application and practice
Technology in Operations
Management
Supporting Functions and
Operations Management 25
25 Demonstrates an ability to
select, evaluate, and apply
the use of technology in
operations management,
in an exceptionally
accomplished manner.
An exceptionally
accomplished
demonstration of the
ability to select, evaluate,
and apply how supporting
functions interact with
operations, and can aid
their success. Demonstrates an ability to
select, evaluate, and apply
the use of technology in
operations management,
in a highly accomplished
manner.
A highly accomplished
demonstration of the
ability to select, evaluate,
and apply how supporting
functions interact with
operations, and can aid
their success. Demonstrates an
ability to select,
evaluate, and apply
the use of technology
in operations
management, in a
capable and effective
manner.
A capable and
effective
demonstration of the
ability to select,
evaluate, and apply
how supporting
functions interact with
operations, and can
aid their success. Demonstrates an ability
to select, evaluate, and
apply the use of
technology in operations
management, in an
consistent and informed
manner.
A consistent and
informed demonstration
of the ability to select,
evaluate, and apply how
supporting functions
interact with operations,
and can aid their
success. Demonstrates a
sufficient ability to
select, evaluate, and
apply the use of
technology in operations
management.
A sufficient ability
demonstrated to select,
evaluate, and apply how
supporting functions
interact with operations,
and can aid their success Demonstrates an
insufficient ability to
select, evaluate, and
apply the use of
technology in
operations
management.
An insufficient
ability
demonstrated to
select, evaluate, and
apply how
supporting
functions interact
with operations,
and can aid their
success Work demonstrates a
limited or no ability to
select, evaluate, and
apply the use of
technology in
operations
management
Limited or no ability to
select, evaluate, and
apply how supporting
functions interact with
operations, and can
aid their success in an
exceptionally
accomplished manner.
Transferable Skills
(Assignment
parameters)
This should include evidence of:
Accurate spelling,
punctuation and grammar
Completing all of the
assignment tasks
Appropriate language use
Appropriate report writing
conventions
Accurate Harvard referencing 10 Demonstrates an
exceptional ability to
communicate ideas and
information accurately and
reliably in written
academic English Demonstrates a highly
accomplished ability to
communicate ideas and
information accurately and
reliably in written
academic English Demonstrates a highly
proficient ability to
communicate ideas
and information
accurately and reliably
in written academic
English Demonstrates a
consistent and confident
ability to communicate
ideas and information
accurately and reliably in
written academic English Demonstrates a
sufficient ability to
communicate ideas and
information accurately
and reliably in written
academic English Demonstrates an
insufficient ability to
communicate ideas
and information
accurately and
reliably in written
academic English Demonstrates limited
or no ability to
communicate ideas
and information
accurately and reliably
in written academic
English
