Bristol Business School
Academic Year: 09/10
Assessment Period: August
Assessment Type: Referral Coursework
Module Leader:
Module Number:
Module Name:
Word Limit:
Pete James
UMMC9B-20-2
Operations & Business System Management
Between 2,000 & 2,500 words
Coursework Submission Date and Time:
Assignments are to be submitted by 2pm Monday 16 August 2010 at the
assignment boxes near Cribs coffee shop (2B corridor). Please be aware that
there is NO 24hr or 10 day window this year.
If you wish to post your assignment, we recommend that you post it via
Recorded Delivery and obtain proof of the date and time of posting. Your
work must be in the post by the deadline.
Deadline:
Monday 16 August 2010
14:00
Assignment Instruction:
ASSIGNMENT:
You are required to conduct research into a named organization that offers a
range of services or products (or a single service or product). Using this
information and combining it with academic input to underpin your
statements, present a report to discuss:
a) Which of the five approaches to quality (i.e. the transcendent, userbased, product-based, manufacturing-based or value-based) do you consider
to be the most appropriate in describing this organization? [You should
explain your conclusions by linking to the supporting theory on these
approaches together with information from the field research that you have
gathered].
b) Identify the quality of the products or services of this organization by
looking at how well they perform across each quality characteristic (namely
functionality, appearance, reliability, durability, recovery and contact).
Through primary data collection and analysis, identify which of these
characteristics are the most appropriate in this situation.
c)
What aspects of the Total Quality Management (TQM) philosophy
could this organization apply to improve the quality of the products or
services?
Each of these sections will account for approximately a third of the overall
mark for this report, which accounts for 100% of your resit coursework mark.
Key References:
* James, P.C., Rowland-Jones, R. & O’Brien, L. (eds.) 2009. Operations and
Business Systems Management. Harlow, Pearson.
* Slack, N., Chambers, S., & Johnston, R., 2004. Operations Management.
4th ed. London: Pitman Publishing.
You may choose a national or international organization. However, students
last year, found that their research was more productive if they researched a
local organization, with whom they could possibly gain interviews and
certainly closer awareness of their actual operating activity. We therefore
recommend this course of action.
** Do NOT use ZARA or Hong Kong Airport as your choice of
organization! **
Your report should be about 2250 words in length, no less than 2000, no
more than 2500. If you vary from the required word length, you may be
penalized by a loss of marks. You may wish to make use of diagrammatic
representation as this can save a lot of words! This word count does not
include the references list at the end of the report or the appendices. It
does include the references that you use within the body of the report
itself. E.g. “James et al (2007) state that….” Counts as 6 words.
You will also lose marks if you do not include appropriate academic
underpinning to support your ideas, or do not include a valid
bibliography that demonstrates your academic and media research or
reference incorrectly. Appendices are accepted where the additional
information offered is produced by you or is of direct relevance. Please do
NOT include items such as company reports, booklets etc. These will be
ignored.
Your work should
 Be word processed in 12 point typeface and make good use of
paragraphs
 Employ either 1 ½ spacing or double spacing
 Have numbered pages (page 1 to 6 etc.)
 Include a word count at the end of your report
 should be presented in a single folder where all pages are securely
fixed to the left hand side, allowing the work to be read more easily
and prevent loss of sheets of paper.
There is to be no private directed study (PDS) submissions for this resit
assignment.
Intended Learning Outcomes:
Report:
 To demonstrate application and understanding of the various
approaches to quality (Slack et al, 2004; James et al, 2009)
 To show understanding and application of the various characteristics
of quality that an organization might use for differing products and
services (Slack et al, 2004; James et al, 2009)
 To display application of academic philosophies (such as TQM) to a
'real world' organization's operational activity.
 To show evidence of academic and field research in investigating the
operational activity of an organization
 To show an ability to write an academic assignment with the
appropriate presentation skills and referencing skills required.
Grade Attainment Levels:
A Good Pass will demonstrate a solid understanding and application of the
academic principles applicable to the analysis required. Note will be taken of
the level of field research that provides evidence of the operational practices
of the organization and any additional academic input that adds to and
substantiates lecture and seminar discussion.
A 'basic' pass will show some evidence of academic understanding and
application of the various ideas required, but the analysis may be somewhat
weak in providing either field evidence of the operational activity or sound
familiarity with application of academic ideas.
A 'Fail' mark will lack evidence of sound understanding and application of
academic principles and statements and may also exhibit some weakness in
the provision of field research of the organization.
Each student will receive a 'Marking criteria' sheet enclosed as
individual feedback for your coursework submission.
PLEASE NOTE also:
All parts of this assignment must be completed on an individual basis.
Be wary of conducting research with a fellow student - the end results might
look too similar and those concerned might therefore be accused of
plagiarism.
You should also be aware that our module team have careful monitoring
procedures in place that can identify plagiarized work - both for reports
and private directed study submissions - as certain students have
found out to their cost over the last two years!
Please note also that plagiarism, collusion and non-compliance with
assessment regulations are offences under University regulations and where
suspected, will be investigated under official procedures. Penalties vary
depending on the severity of the offence but can include expulsion from the
University.
Appropriate citation of source documents is essential when presenting written
work and it is crucial that you quote the books, journal, web sites etc that you
used whilst researching your work. Information about referencing is available
from the Faculty Librarian or the library web pages at
www.uwe.ac.uk/library/resources/general/info study skills/refs.htm
Report Assessment Criteria and Feedback:
Student Number:
Would students please note that achievement of the learning outcomes for this assessment
is demonstrated against the assessment criteria shown below (which are not necessarily
weighted equally). Your assignment is marked as a whole and your grade is more than a
summation of your performance as rated below. Also, grades only give indication of relative
performance of the student compared to the other marking criteria. These are not
transferable between students.
Assessment Criteria (as communicated to students)
Use the six-point
scale* below and
insert ratings for all
criteria.
The extent to which the student has: 1. demonstrated application and understanding of the various
approaches to quality
2. show understanding and application of the various
characteristics of quality that an organization might use for
differing products and services
3. displayed application of academic philosophies (such as TQM) to
a 'real world' organization's operational activity.
4. shown evidence of academic and field research in investigating the
operational activity of the organization
5. demonstrated work to an academically high standard (including
correct referencing).
A
B
C
D
E F
A
B
C
D
E F
A
B
C
D
E F
A
B
C
D
E F
A
B
C
D
E F
* Rating scale: How far have you met the assessment criteria –
A. Fully; B. Substantially;
Inadequately. F. Failure
C. Adequately;
D. To a limited extent;
E.
Would staff please note that the completion of the feedback box below is a
minimum requirement and that additional comments should have been made as
appropriate in the margins of the student’s script.
Feedback From:
Date:
/
/
Strengths and areas of improvement include:
Help with your academic work is available at the BBS on-line study skills site at www.uwe.ac.uk/bbs/studyskills