BMA 26M2 Operatons Management: Question Bank

Chapter 1: What is operations management?

Suggested essay questions: (x3)

Question 1
Define the term ‘operations management’. Sketch the significant developments in
the field of operations management in order to show how the term ‘operations
management’ evolved, and came into being.
[25]
Question 2
Critically discuss the three major decision-making areas located within the ambit of
the operations manager. In what ways is the decision making power of the
operations manager impacted by context, or the mode and structures within which
this type of management is set to occur? Please present empirical examples when
setting out your answer.

[25]

Question 3
Critically discuss the relationship between the three major functional areas within
any given organisation. What motivates the operations manager to maintain a sound
interrelationship between these functional areas? Motivate your answer fully.
[25]
Chapter 2 Supply chain management

Suggested essay questions: (x3)

Question 1
As the operations manager, how would you go about improving the performance of
the supply chain in your organisation? What are the drivers within the supply chain
that enables organisations to contextualise the reasons for following the supply
chain managment process? What value does supply chain metrics add? Identify
these metrics.
[50]

Question 2
Provide a detailed discussion on designing the Supply Chain Network. Speculate
about the differences between the design of a supply chain network for a service
organiation and for a manufacturing organisations.

Question 3
Discuss the decisions to be made regarding demand and supply, and Inventory in
the supply chain.

. [50]
Chapter 3 Design of goods and services

Suggested essay questions: (x3)

1. Briefly explain the key design practices for high quality in manufacturing and
assembly.

2. and the importance of internal and external customer wishes in the design of
products.

3. Discuss the importance of and impediments to reducing the time for product
development.

Question 1
Provide a detailed discussion of product development.
[50]
Question 2
Delineate the four main elements of change management and critically reflect upon
the role played by change management within the broader process of product life
cycle management.

[50]

Question 3
Discuss the ways in which globalisation impacts both organisational competitiveness
and customisation. In what ways can the sound design of goods and services bolster
organisational competitiveness in the globalised era?
[50]

Chapter 4 Process design, strategy, and management

Suggested essay questions: (x3)

Question 1
Compare and contrast the process structures for services and those for
manufacturing. [50]

Question 2
Define and fully explain business process engineering. Use an example to clarify all
aspects of the term. [50]

Question 3
Discuss process performance measurement in full.
[50]
Chapter 5 Forecasting

Suggested essay questions: (x3)

Question 1
With the aim of constructing a sound comparison, discuss qualitative, quantitative
and associative forecasting. By highlighting the differences and similarities between
approaches to forecasting, you should also evaluate each approach. Conclude your
essay with a motivated argument in which you select the most useful approach.
[50]

Question 2
Discuss forecasting in terms of common features, requirements that ensure
accuracy, and the steps involved in conducting a forecast. Provide examples of
forecasts that could be conducted by operations managers. On the basis of this
discussion, conclude by stating what you believe regarding the value of forecasting
as a practice. [50]

Question 3
When forecasting, there are several situational factors that should be considered.
Discuss these factors in full. Following this, you should rank these factors in order of
their impact. Justify your opinions fully. [50]

Chapter 6 Inventory management

Suggested essay questions: (x3)

Question 1
Set out the key matters to be addressed when training operations managers to
consider the nature and importance of holding inventory.
[50]

Question 2
Briefly set out and compare the requirements for effective inventory management
across manufacturing and service sectors.
[50]
Question 3
Reflect on the ways in which effective inventory management can enhance supply
management.
[50]
Chapter 7 Material requirements planning

Suggested essay questions: (x3)

Question 1
Explain MRP in full by paying special attention to defining the term, setting out
objectives, dependent demand requirements and inputs.
[50]
Question 2
Discuss the inputs and outputs involved in MRP. Speculate on the ways in which
these inputs might have changed from MRP I to MRP II.

Question 3
Provide a detailed discussion of ERP. [50]

Chapter 8 Capacity planning

Suggested essay questions: (x3)

Question 1
Discuss strategy formulation for capacity planning by making special reference to the
capacity decisions that must be taken as well as primary considerations and
secondary steps. Illustrate your understanding of the concepts used in this essay by
citing a detailed example.
[50]

Question 2
Provide a full explanation of constraint management.

Question 3
What does capacity measurement involve? Provide a full explanation.
[50]

Chapter 9 Aggregate planning

Suggested essay questions: (x3)

Question 1
When conducting aggregate planning, capacity and demand options are available.
Provide a detailed, and comparative, discussion of these options. Conclude your
discussion by selecting the superior option. Justify your conclusion.
[50]
Question 2
Discuss the costs prevalent in aggregate planning.
[50]

Question 3
Discuss and evaluate strategies for uneven demand.

[50]
Chapter 10 Short-term scheduling

Suggested essay questions: (x3)

Question 1
Explain the influence of supply and demand on scheduling. Add examples to your
discussion in order to demonstrate your understanding of key terms and processes.
[50]

Question 2
Evaluate the role that priority rules play in loading and sequencing by explaining the
processes in full. [50]

Question 3
Discuss the four major scheduling criteria. Apply these criteria to an organisation of
your choice and provide a detailed discussion and evaluation of their efficacy.
[50]

Chapter 11 Lean systems strategy for operations

Suggested essay questions: (x3)

1. Identify and discuss the different wastes and costs associated with the wastes
that organisations address when implenting lean manufacturing. [50]

2. Discuss what an organisation should do to obtain Lean status. [50]

3. Discuss how an organisation could use the 5S Methodology to implement lean

manufacturing in a workshop. [50]

Chapter 12 Quality management

Suggested essay questions: (x3)

Question 1
Provide a detailed discussion of the quality dimensions for both goods and services.
Select examples of both and use them to illustrate your understanding of the said
dimensions. [50]
Question 2
Discuss the contributions made by Deming, Juran, Crosby and Ishikawa to the field
of quality management. Conclude your discussion by selecting the ‘guru’ that has
made the most valuable contribution. Justify your selection. [50]
Question 3
Quality management systems are a critical aspect of organisational life and survival.
Discuss this statement with reference to the ISO 9000. [50]

Chapter 13 Quality tools and techniques

Suggested essay questions: (x3)

Question 1
Imagine that you are a newly appointed operations manager. List and discuss the
tools that you would use to detect and analyse quality problems in your
organisation.
[50]
Question 2
Provide a detailed discussion of 5 quality improvement techniques available to
operations managers.

[50]

Question 3
Select and describe an organisation known to you. Outline the most applicable tool
that you would use to assess quality along with a related quality improvement
technique. Apply your theoretical knowledge to the fullest extent.
[50]

Chapter 15 Operations management challenges

Suggested essay questions: (x3)

Question 1
Provide a fairly brief discussion of social and economic challenges faced by
operations managers. In concluding this essay, make an argument stating which, in
your opinion, is the greatest challenge.

[50]

Question 2
Provide a detailed discussion of the technological challenges faced by operations
managers. In concluding this essay, suggest a novel solution to one of the
challenges identified.

[50]
Question 3
To what extent can operations managers assist organisations in their quest to
become more environmentally responsible?
[50]

END OF QUESTIONS