BBDM2153_OM_CW GUIDE

NOTE:

If you have been discussing with some of your friends from different programmes under different tutors, there may be slight variations in the coursework specifications. Nevertheless, the important thing is that the learning objectives, as specified in the coursework brief, are achieved:

1. Discuss critically issues pertaining to organisation layout.
2. Assess the appropriate operational layout that can serve the customers/clients effectively with minimum cost and enhancement of safety issues.
3. Evaluate the importance of layout of an organisation.


Guidelines for you in doing your coursework, just in case you are still blur blur or moong cha cha!!!!

Basically, there are TWO tasks involved in your coursework:

1. Go out and do a bit of a research on the layout of an existing business, for example, 7-11 convenience store.

2. Recommend a layout for your company which your boss has assigned you to do.

So, the first thing you have to do is to go an observe, make notes, and take photos of the layout of an existing business. Aspects of the layout which you have to consider, according to the requirements of your coursework, are:

a. Utilisation of space, equipment, and people. Is it spacious? Is it too crammed? Equipment properly arranged in an easy to use and safe manner? Convenient for people, both workers and customers, to move around? Etc.

b. Flow of information and material. How do workers communicate with each other? How do supervisors communicate with workers? How do customers communicate with workers? What about flow of materials - from store to display area for a retail store? Or flow of orders from kitchen to waiter to customer for a restaurant?

c. Safety of workplace. What considerations pertaining to layout have been given to ensure safety in the workplace? Fire exits, fire extinguishers, first aid boxes, electrical wirings, position of security personnel, security cameras, etc.

d. Interaction with customers. Does the layout facilitate communication and interaction with customers? In banks, the front office layout provides desks for several public relations officers to assist customers.

e. Servicescapes. This relates to the overall environment generated by the layout. Do customers feel relaxed and happy in the premise? How is the ambience of the place? Soft music, relaxing atmosphere, or is it like a village coffeeshop?

f. Any other aspects which you deem to be appropriate.

Okay, so (a) to (f) above are to be written as FINDINGS in your report.

After FINDINGS, you are required to give your OPINION on (a) to (f). Basically, this represents your evaluation or assessment of (a) to (f) of the observed business. Do you think they have efficient utilisation of space, equipment, and people? Is there a smooth flow of information and goods? Have workplace safety and security been meticulously planned? Are there any provisions for connecting with customers? You should provide a summary of positives and negatives. The number of positives should balance the negatives. Don't be heavy on the positives and light on the negatives or vice versa.

When you come to RECOMMENDATIONS, it is the proposal that you are going to submit to your boss. Propose to him the layout of that new outlet to be opened by adopting the positives and improving on the negatives of the observed business.

SOME OTHER ISSUES

1. Photos or images are absolutely necessary. You may also wish to draw a plan of the layout - you are welcome to do so. Credit will be given for extra effort.

2. Some of you conduct interviews with customers and manager of the observed business. You are at liberty which section of your report you wish to write about the interviews. You decide. Credit will also be given for this extra effort.

3. All questions pertaining to this coursework, please put in comments at the end of this blog for everyone to read and for me to respond. If asked through other channel, example pm me in FB, there will be no response. Reason for me not responding? Everyone asks the same questions, so basically I'm repeating the answers many times.

4. If you are interviewing customers for feedback on their level of satisfaction, a satisfactory number will be 20. Your findings on these interviews should then be summarized and used to support the opinion with regard to customer interaction.

5. What to write for CONCLUSION - somebody asked. Well, you can write on one or some or all of the following:

a. The importance of a good layout design
b. The problems and challenges faced by layout planners
c. Next generation of layout designs

6. Many questions are asked by you guys in which there are no clear cut answers. The world is neither black nor white. Most of the time, it is grey. Your opinion, acceptable or unacceptable, depends on your justifications - how do you substantiate your statement? To some people, a car is a mode of transport - getting them from point A to point B. To others, a car is a thing of beauty. To some, politics is a means to get rich. To another, it is a quest for social justice. So, what about "flooring"? Does it come under "servicescapes"? Or we consider it under "safe conditions"? Please don't ask me - you have to think for yourself, form an opinion, and justify why you have come up with such thinking. Look at the "flooring" of the tutorial rooms in Block R - has it got anything to do with "servicescapes"? Does it create a "good feeling" among the students who use the rooms? I would say that it's neutral - it's just a floor for people to walk on. There is nothing to justify that it is a well-thought out part of a layout plan to create a special feeling. Go to Berjaya Times Square - children are simply happy to run and step on the musical floor tiles!! Conclusion??

BBDM2153_OM_T4

NETWORK ANALYSIS

Network Analysis refers to CPM and PERT, which are powerful tools used to schedule and plan complex projects. They act as the basis for schedule planning and resource usage.

CPM formally identifies tasks which must be completed on time in order that the whole project be completed on time. If any task that lies on the critical path is delayed, then the whole project will also be delayed.

PERT is a variation of CPM. It takes a more skeptical view of the time estimates for each activity in the project. To use it, three time estimates are performed - optimistic, most likely, and pessimistic. From the three time estimates, the expected completion time for each activity is then calculated. Whereas CPM assumes time certainty for each activity, PERT is more realistic by considering the uncertainties that is prevalent in actual working environments.

Another useful application of network analysis is that it allows for the pinpointing of activities which can be crashed in order to shorten the project completion time. Activities to be crashed are those activities that lie on the critical path. When crashing occurs, there will be an increase in cost of the activities to be crashed as more resources are used to finish the activity earlier than scheduled. In deciding which activity to crash, the guiding principle is to choose the activity in which the increase in cost is minimum.

BBDM2153_OM_T3

GANTT CHART

It is a common and popular tool, widely used in project management. It shows to management the list of activities required to be performed in order to complete a project. This list of activities is displayed against time (months, weeks, days, hours). From the chart, it can be seen the duration of activities - starting point and ending point. The various activities are arranged in the sequence that they occur - which activity comes before and which comes after. It is also possible to have overlapping activities, that is, activities which are performed at exactly or around the same time. The chart also shows to us the finishing time of the whole project.





ADVANTAGES

Gantt charts enable us to have a better understanding of a project consisting many activities. It is much easier for us to understand the complexity of a project by looking at a diagram, instead of reading a lot of notes. It helps us to organize our thoughts by breaking up a big project into many small parts, which we can see easily from the chart.

Gantt charts are very easy to design, quickly understood, and cost-efficient. With a little bit of training, anyone can be trained to draw a Gantt chart. If required, the chart can also be easily modified to reflect changes in activities or duration.

Gantt charts can be used for status reporting. The progress or work done on activities can be shown by using colours to denote uncompleted, completed or partially completed activities. This will enable those involved in the project to have a quick grasp of how well or otherwise the project is being conducted.

DISADVANTAGES

Gantt charts assume certainty in the duration of a project's activities. This differs immensely from real world situations where uncertainties are the norm. A more realistic model for project management, albeit more sophisticated, would be PERT which uses different activity duration - optimistic, most likely, pessimistic.

Gantt charts may not be suitable for use in big projects which have an excessive amount of activities. It becomes cumbersome when several project managers are involved as conflicts may arise and the whole planning process becomes jeopardized.

Gantt charts can be overly simplistic and do not show vital information, such as, critical activities, slack times, and activities which can be crashed.

Regular updating of Gantt charts may be time-consuming and thus become counter-productive.