Max 2000 words excluding diagrams or tables
Basically, in this assignment it is expected that you identify and evaluate concepts associated with operations and systems taught throughout this semester. The question, posed in the assignment and the focus of the report asks you to:
Use systems thinking concepts to identify key work processes within a manufacturing department of an organisation of your choice and explain how it undertakes capacity planning.
Here you are expected to focus on: systems thinking, workings of organisations and in particular how manufacturing department works, and how it undertakes planning.
In order to do this you need to use systems thinking as a sense making approach to identify the key processes and sub-processes (as systems, subsystem) and apply these to the workings of a manufacturing department of an organisation of your choice. Fully use all aspects of systems thinking, such as:
Boundary (systems environment)
Inputs, outputs and the processes involved
Layout of the processes, fixed, batch, cellular, etc.
State, hierarchy, goal directness and information
Five common characteristics to define a system:
1. Inputs and Outputs
2. Goals or Objectives
3. Systems Boundary (or environment)
4. Feedback and Control
5. Inter-related parts
However, the purpose of using systems thinking is to help you realise how manufacturing department and capacity planning work. It also helps you in understanding how this department fits into the whole organisation and aids you in structuring the report and the content expected.
In terms of capacity planning and control focus on:
Objectives Cost, Revenues, Working Capital, Quality, Speed, Dependability & Flexibility
Output & input capacities
Medium and short term capacity
The three (3) steps in Planning and Control. Measure/Identify/Choose
Demand fluctuation
Demand has to be measured
Seasonality of Demand Climatic, Festive, Behavioural, Political, Financial & Social
Aggregated making overall, broad capacity decisions
