Assignment 1: Discussion—Process Selection and Resource Planning

The Bullwhip effect is often used to describe the magnification of demand variability due to distorted information through the supply chain. A classic example of this was during the “dotcom” bust of 2000 when demand variability for broadband equipment was magnified several fold as information was transmitted through the supply chain. The end result was that several companies were planning for unrealistic demand, and many companies shut down when this demand failed to materialize.

Using the University online library resources and valid Internet sites, research a company that is actively using Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and Materials Resource Planning (MRP) systems to manage its processes, resources, and operations. You can choose a technology company that has survived the dotcom era or any other company that has lived through a very rapid change in demand forecasting such as what occurred as a result of the fiscal meltdown and the liquidity crisis in 2008.

Based on your research, respond to the following:

• Analyze some of the processes that the company has put in place to plan for sudden and drastic changes in demand.
• Evaluate the success of the initiatives and analyze the reason for the result.
• Based on the lessons learned, what else could the company do to plan for future disruptions?

By Tuesday , November 18, 2014, post your responses to the appropriate Discussion Area

Write your initial response in 300–500 words. Your response should be thorough and address all components of the discussion question in detail, include citations of all sources, where needed, according to the APA Style, and demonstrate accurate spelling, grammar, and punctuationAssignment 2: Required Assignment 1—Literature Review

Be sure to visit the Overview of Required Assignments page to review the instructions for RA 2 due in Module 7 because this assignment provides the foundation for RA 2. For this assignment, you will complete an academic literature review of current operations management strategies with an emphasis on best practices for incorporating new and established technologies into business operations.

In completing this assignment, you will choose at least seven peer-reviewed articles from the Argosy University online library resources (beyond the required readings). You will review, analyze, and synthesize the selected materials. Later, you will use this information in RA 2 to develop a case study that details a business process reengineering (BPR) strategy for integrating IT with the goal of improving selected operational aspects of the business.

The purpose of this literature review is for you to practice the following:

• Critically review the articles and understand how the concepts are related
• Synthesize the various concepts and results of the review
• Write a collective analysis of the articles

Complete the following:

• Select at least seven peer-reviewed articles from the University online library resources (beyond the required readings) with an emphasis on the best practices for incorporating new and established technologies into business operations using BPR.
• Then, write a literature review that includes the following:
• Provide an introduction of the context of the articles. Describe the operations management strategies.
• Identify key themes that emerge from the selected articles.
• Analyze the patterns of similarities and differences in how each author has presented each theme.
• Evaluate the implications of operations management strategies on the successful management and leadership of an enterprise.

Note: A literature review is not simply a summary of the articles, but is a synthesis of the many ideas and concepts presented in the various articles.

Write a 5–7-page paper in Word format. Make sure you write in a clear, concise, and organized manner; demonstrate ethical scholarship in accurate representation and attribution of sources; display accurate spelling, grammar, and punctuation. Apply APA standards to citation of sources. Use the following file naming convention: LastnameFirstInitial_M4_A2.doc.

By Friday, November 21, 2014, deliver your assignment to the M4: Assignment 2 Dropbox.