MT435 Unit 10 Assignments

Unit 10 [MT 435 : Operations Management]

Page 1 of 8

Assignment Details and Rubric

Unit 10 Assignment: Case Study 3

Written Assignment

As a representative and consultant for KU Consulting firm your task is to use your expertise in

Operations Management to assist Albatross Anchor.

Write a report answering all the questions posed regarding the case study of Albatross Anchor.

Demonstrate your understanding of course content by using concepts and principles from your

textbook and from academic quality research to solve these challenges.

All necessary materials for these Assignments are available below as well as in Doc Sharing.

Submit your Written Assignment by the end of Unit 10 to the “Unit 10 Assignment” Dropbox. For

help on accessing the Dropbox, see the Dropbox Guide link located in the Academic Tools tab.

Question 1

Refer to the Albatross Anchor scenario/case study. Make recommendations for at least four of the

following challenges:

List of challenges

(a) Time management

(b) Cost management

(c) Quality management

(d) Performance management

(e) Enterprise project management

(f) Technology adoption

(g) Supply chain management

(h) Distribution management

Question 2

As the consultant for KU Consulting, you have been authorized to change the existing facility (limited

construction budget) and/or refine the process flow of the manufacturing area. All changes must be Unit 10 [MT 435:Operations Management]

Page 2 of 8

completed within a 60-day window with the majority of the changes happening at night when the plant

is idle or on the weekend when the plant is idle.

(a) List and detail the proposed changes and/or alterations. Please explain why you chose what you

chose, give the rationale behind your choices and finally, substantiate your work.

(b) List and detail three implications and three complications that may occur as a result of the

recommended changes. Remember activities in one area of the facility may have an impact on other

areas of the facility.

(c) Create a Gantt chart showing a timeline for when the different changes proposed should be made,

detailing which changes may overlap and showing how long each change will take to institute.

Provide information to support your decisions and to explain your choices as shown in the Gantt

chart.

MT 435 Unit 10 Assignment: Albatross Anchors Case Study 3

Content (50%) 30 pts. (4 Full Pages of Content)

Points

Possible

Points

Earned

For Question 1:

Select four operational challenges (select 4 of the 8

items listed) and make recommendations for each

selected item as they relate to the case study.

10

For Question 2:

List and detail proposed changes and/or alterations.

List and detail three potential implications.

List and detail three potential complications.

10Unit 10 [MT 435:Operations Management]

Page 3 of 8

Create an example of a Gantt chart supporting your

decisions and proposed timeline.

Template Used Appropriately. 10

Analysis (30%) 18 pts.

Work demonstrates synthesis of concepts, research,

and experience. 6

Work demonstrates the student’s ability to tie relevant

information to real life applications. 6

Analysis exceeds basic comprehension to

demonstrate higher order thinking. 6

Writing (20%) 12 pts.

Correct use of APA 6th edition format, all sources used

to support the paper are referenced, 4 references

minimum

4

Sentences are clear, concise, and direct; tone is

appropriate 4

Spelling, grammar, and punctuation are correct 4

Total 60Unit 10 [MT 435:Operations Management]

Page 4 of 8

Case Study 3

KU Consulting

KU Consulting has been asked to bid on a large consulting job with Albatross Anchor. In

order to win the contract for this consulting job a well written, logical, and highly

organized proposal must be written. It is your task/challenge to write the proposal for

re-vamping Albatross Anchors Operations systems so that KU Consulting may win the

$50,000 contract.

Using the mandatory template (found in Doc Sharing) prepare your proposal by

answering (in detail) all of the questions posed below.

Your answers must demonstrate your understanding of the

concepts and principles identified within the textbook,

course information, and activities, but also from

independent academic quality research to solve these

challenges.

While it is acceptable to use the textbook as foundational

material you must conduct independent research, as well,

using the virtual library and the Internet to find

information that supports your findings and conclusions. A

minimum of four academic resources, in addition to

the textbook, is required for each section of the proposal.

Please note: Quotations should make up no more

than 10% of your proposal.

Requirements for successful completion of each section of the proposal include:

? Prepared using the mandatory template for each section of the proposal (the

templates for each section can be found in Doc Sharing of this virtual classroom).

Failure to use the mandatory template will result in an automatic reduction of one

grade level.

? Proposal Cover Page

? APA style reference page.

? The body of the paper must be 4 full pages long (this does not include the cover or

reference pages).

? Body of the paper must be double-spaced (this includes spacing between Unit 10 [MT 435:Operations Management]

Page 5 of 8

paragraphs and before/after headings).

? One inch margins on all four sides of the page.

? Times New Roman 12-font only.

? Indent the first sentence of each new paragraph½ inch (this is already set in MS

Word as the first “Tab” setting”)

? Grammatically and mechanically sound.

? Introductory and concluding paragraph(s).

? A minimum of four academic quality research sources in addition to the textbook).

? Citations, within the body of the paper, identifying source materials, and in APA

format are required along with corresponding reference page listings.

The following documents are in Doc Sharing.

? MT 435 Case Study 3.pdf

? MT 435 Case Study 3 Template.doc (Template is required)

Please note*

1. Do not use Wikipedia, wikis, Answers.com, Ask.com, online dictionaries, or online

encyclopedias for this project. As a senior level student you are responsible for

independent research and for veracity of source.

2. A search engine is not a source but a tool used to find a resource. For information

on APA referencing of Internet-based information use the information on APA

formatting contained within the Writing Center for more information or you

may use the Guide to Successful Writing that is located in the Doc Sharing

area of this virtual classroom.Unit 10 [MT 435:Operations Management]

Page 6 of 8

Albatross Anchor Case Study 3 (Note: This is not a real company)

Introduction

Albatross Anchor is a small family owned business that began in 1976 with four family

members. Albatross anchor has grown exponentially and now employs 130 people. This

one location/facility is situated on 12 acres located in a rural suburb of Smalltown, USA

(Please note* the building and facilities for Albatross Anchor are landlocked).

The plant* and the administrative offices are located in the same building.

(*Note: The plant includes: manufacturing, the shipping department, the receiving department, raw materials

storage, finished product storage, and the foundry).

The administrative offices are in the front of the building and the plant is located directly

behind the administrative offices (see diagram). The administrative offices have issues

because they are somewhat shabby, disorganized, and run inefficiently.

The plant is antiquated, worn, dirty, and technology-deprived and it no longer meets all

U.S. safety and environmental standards.

The owners of this small business have added on various processes as needs arose;

within the limited space of the plant. When Albatross Anchor first opened its doors their

expertise was in the manufacturing of bell/mushroom anchors (using a foundry process).

In 1989, in response to international competition, the owners of Albatross Anchor made

the decision to expand the product line to include fabricated snag hook anchors.

Customers

Albatross Anchor is a manufacturing factory that sells only at the wholesale level.

Albatross Anchors sales their products in two ways:

(01) Distributors that act as the middleman. The distributor accepts bulk delivery

of anchors at their large distribution centers. At the distribution center the bulk

shipment of anchors is broken up into smaller batches and shipped to individual

retail locations.

(02) OEM customers that purchase anchors in large batches to be used as a

component in the manufacture of boats.

Albatross Anchor does not sell retail. They are strictly a wholesale organization.Unit 10 [MT 435:Operations Management]

Page 7 of 8

Products

The bell anchor is manufactured primarily through a foundry process in which ore is

transformed into a liquid state and then poured into molds as part of the production

process. The bell anchor is used primarily by freshwater marine craft.

The snag hook anchor is fabricated through the bending and welding of iron rods and flat

iron into a hook design. The hook design is best when used in saltwater. This hook design

snags bedrock and seaweed which holds the marine craft at anchor. The snag hook

anchor is used primarily for small to medium sized saltwater marine craft.

Each anchor is produced in multiple sizes to accommodate the type of watercraft, the

size of the watercraft and the place where the anchor will be used (saltwater or

freshwater).

Manufacturing

Each anchor type requires its own unique equipment and manufacturing process. Yet,

both manufacturing areas share the same shipping area, receiving area, warehouse

area, and administration offices.

The manufacturing area of the plant has had to change to accommodate the

manufacture of the two separate types of anchors. As each anchor requires its own

manufacturing challenges the manufacturing line must be completely changed over each

time the anchor type is changed. The time to switch over from one manufacturing

process/operation to the other manufacturing process/operation is 36 hours.

The plant space is at a premium and warehousing space for raw materials and finished

product is limited and located at the far south end of the building.

Plant antiquation and safety issues result in small batch production only. As a result of

this limitation, lead time for exceptionally large bulk orders is 3 to 4 weeks.

Costs

Current manufacturing costs are $8.00 per pound for mushroom/bell anchors and

$11.00 per pound for snag hook anchors. Albatross Anchor charges the same per unit as

their competitors. However, the profit margin can sometimes be as much as 35% less

(on some of the anchors) because of operations inefficiencies.

Shipping challenges

Outgoing freight

Product size, bulk, and weight and maximum load limits require that the anchors be

shipped by large truck, rail, or large ocean-going freighter. Domestic orders are usually Unit 10 [MT 435:Operations Management]

Page 8 of 8

shipped by large truck. International orders are shipped by rail and ultimately by large

ocean-going freighters. These are the only two methods of product shipment.

Incoming freight

Receipt of raw materials is by rail. Prior to the sale of anchors into the international

market all shipments of finished product went out completely by truck and therefore all

shipping activities were limited to the east side of the building.

Now, because of the limitation of shipping product into the international marketplace, all

product shipments for international delivery go out of the receiving dock for the initial

leg of shipment by rail. Prior to expansion into the international marketplace shipping

had been limited to the shipping department and receiving was limited to the receiving

area. However, with this change in international shipping the receiving area must now

do double duty – shipping of international orders as well as receipt of all incoming raw

materials.

Please view the below representation of the current building/facility set up.a