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Case Analysis

Essay Instructions:
Read Chapter 13, pg. 608 - Operations Tour Stickley Furniture (www(dot)stickly(dot)com) and answer the 5 questions in short essay format. Then review Chapter 18, and answer the two questions at the end of the Big Bank case on pg. 822 using essay format seen in the Sample_Case_Study_Analysis(1).doc. Provide an introduction containing theoretical background of the relevant theory, empirical research of for each case in the body, and a conclusion and include supporting peer reviewed journal articles. Submit one combined case assignment with both case scenarios summarized. Textbook: Operations Management 14th Edition By William J Stevenson
Essay Sample Content Preview:
Case Analysis Student’s Name Institution Course Number and Name Instructor’s Name Date Case Analysis The ability of a firm to attain its goals consistently depends on how it manages its production and operation processes. As a firm with 1,350 employees and selling furniture nationally, Stickley Furniture must continually optimize its production process to meet demand and stay successful. In this sense, it is important for the firm to implement a selection process that fits its operations. According to Stevenson (2021), process selection impacts not only operations management in an organization but also the ability to attain its mission. Process selection encompasses determining how production will be organized. There are five basic ways through which the production of goods in a firm can be organized: batch, job shop, project, repetitive, and continuous (Stevenson, 2021). Volume and variety are key concepts that influence the process selection. When lower variety is needed, there is a reduced need for flexibility, while more variety necessitates more flexibility. With reference to Big Bank case, the optimal configuration of teller operations can help the bank address customer complaints that can ruin its operations. In a queueing system, waiting-line management is integral to minimizing customer waiting and capacity costs (Stevenson, 2021). While capacity costs maintain the ability of the company to provide the service, customer waiting costs include waiting space and loss of business due to customer complaints. Stickley Furniture The success of Stickley Furniture going into the future will depend significantly on its ability to have an optimal production process. From the case study, it is clear that the company utilizes a combination of several processes. However, the primary mode of operation for the company is repetitive because the outputs are standardized. With the company selling its products nationally, repetitive activities characterize its operations. Key processes that mark the repetitive nature of the production process at Stickley include sawing, gluing, sanding operations, and assembling different components. Unlike continuous processes where there is almost no variety and the process is very rigid, the repetitive process is more flexible and allows some level of variety (Stevenson, 2021). As described in the case, the company has master cabinet makers who handle customized orders, meaning that there is variety to some extent. Furthermore, sequencing in the firm is characterized by flexibility. Therefore, it is apparent that the repetitive production processes are dominant in Stickley Furniture. Job shop is another processing type present in the organization as evidenced by the seven cabinet makers who handle customized orders. Customized products mean higher variety and low volume, which are features of a job shop as described by Stevenson (2021). Even the tool room where replacement parts are produced can be said to be a job shop. Therefore, while repetitive processing is dominant in Stickley Furniture, the organization also embraces the job shop production process. A key part of Stickley’s production is keeping track of job status and location. With many jobs being done at the same time, the management ensures that a set of bar codes accompanies each job and operation. Once an operator comp...
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