Yangon University of Economics
Department of Management Studies
Online MBA
MBA-121 Production and Operations Management
Course-121
Assignment
Name : Phyo Wai Aung
ID : 200209
Assignment 1
I. Focus on Chapter-1 and 2
(a)How do you understand the terms shown in Figure 1.3: Transformed resources, input
resources, transforming resources, transformation process, output products and services
and customers?
Figure 1.3 shows the general transformation process model. In this model, the input
resources are transformed into output products and services. All operation produces products
and services by changing inputs into outputs using an input-transformation-out process.
Transformed resources are one set of inputs to any operation’s process and these resources are
treated, transformed, or converted in the process. They are usually a mixture of the material
inputs, information inputs and information inputs. Input resources includes transformed
resources and transforming resources. Transforming resources are the set of inputs to any
operation process and these are the resources which act upon the transformed resources. In
transforming resources, there are two types which form the ‘building blocks’ of all operations
are facilities such as the building, equipment, plants, process technology, etc. and staff who
operate, maintain, plan and manage the operation. Transformation process are the process
which transforms the input resources, add values to them and produce output products and
services to customers. Th outputs includes pure products, pure service and mixture of products
and services. Output products are the products which are usually tangible and can physically
touch. Output services cannot touch such as consultancy advice, a haircut, etc. but we can see
or feel the result of the services. Most operations produce a mixture of products and services
for customers. Some businesses which produce products for customers, and they give technical
advice to customers concerning with their products. These circumstances are called facilitating
services. For some products like software, an information system provider is providing a
service to its customers with facilitating products. For example, if we set up a department store
like SUPER ONE, the inputs will be stocks of goods, information, shoppers, displays and
salesclerks. These inputs will primarily transform to attract shoppers, promote products, and
fill orders. The desired output products of department store will be sales to satisfy customers.
I.(b)Refer to the Figure1.3 on Page-11 of prescribed text. Critically analyze the practical
“transformation process” of a manufacturing and service firm in Myanmar. Then,
develop the transformation process of this organization.
All operations are input-transformation-output processes. As per Figure-1.3, every
operation, whether producing products or services or both, transformation process model is
used. Operations are processes that take in as set of input resources which are used to transform
something, or are transformed themselves, into outputs of products and services. There are
many organizations which manufacture products and offer services. Among them, PME is one
of the electric holding companies which sells both products and services of Mitsubishi. PME
do not produce products in Myanmar, but they import the products from foreign manufacturing
plants, and PME also sell their selling products related services. Therefore, their services can
be assumed as facilitating services. As PME is sole distributor of Mitsubishi electronics, their
inputs are capital, building, materials, information, stockkeeping units, storage bins, stock
pickers, labor and technology. In transformation process, their primary transformation
functions are storage and redistribution. Usually, mixture of products and services generate
outputs that are a mixture of the tangible and intangible. The outputs of PME will be fast
delivery and availability of stockkeeping units. The satisfaction of customers, creating
customer value and building healthy customer relationship will also be the expected outputs of
the company. The installation services, service for technical advice and aftersales services will
be the facilitating services of PME.
II.(a)Explain the five operations performance objectives.
The five operations performance objectives which can be applied to all types of
operation are quality, speed, dependability, flexibility, and cost. Quality is consistent
conformance to customers’ expectations and doing things right. All operation regards quality
as a particularly important objective. Quality is the most visible part of what and operation
does. Quality advantage means the ability of giving the right and error-free products or service
to customers which can meet with customers’ satisfaction and expectation. Speed means the
elapsed time between customers requesting products or services and receiving them. Speedy
operation is needed both for customers like fast delivery service and inside the operation with
speedy decision-making and speedy movement to make fast response to external customers.
Speed advantage refers to the ability of sending products or services to customers when they
are asking for with minimizing the time and increasing the availability of products or services.
Dependability means doing things in time for customers to receive their goods or services
exactly when they are needed, or at least when they are promised. Dependability is also
important for inside the operation. Dependability advantage means the capacity of an
organization to function the products and services to customers as per planned prices with and
intended way over a time period. Flexibility means being able to change the operation in some
way. There are four different types of flexibility. They are product/service flexibility, mix
flexibility, volume flexibility and delivery flexibility. Flexibility advantage means the
organization being able to change far enough and fast enough to meet customer requirements.
It is also the ability to vary or adapt the operation activities to cope with unexpected
circumstances or to give customers individual treatment. Flexibility is also important not only
for external customers but also for inside the operation. Cost is the important major objective
to the companies which compete directly on price. Cost advantage means the capability of
doing things cheaply whether producing products or providing services, which enable for the
organizations to be priced appropriately for the market while still allowing for the return to the
organization.
II.(b)How would you measure the quality and dependability of a private bank. (You can
refer to Figure 2.5).
Quality of a private bank can be measured as follows.
• Customers receive right and valuable consultation concerning with their financial
matter.
• Bank services are nice and appropriate for the ease of customers.
• Banking systems are customer friendly and no error.
• Customer service is efficient and effective.
• Bank performs the functions as they promise to customers.
• Mobile banking systems are safe, and owner can access from anywhere without
obstructions.
• If there are some problems occur in customers, bank hotline services are available
all the time.
Dependability of a private bank can be measured as follows.
• All transactions are accurate without delays.
• Bank can arrange reasonable queuing times for customer.
• All ATM machines are always fill up with money for easy money withdrawal for the
customers.
• The updated information is always informed to customers concerning with their
services.
• Bank management is reliable, and customers have no doubt whether the bankrupt can
occur.
• Customers always receive regular interest for their bank saving account over the
period.
• Customer can feel high-tech security systems for their bank account.
• Customers can withdraw their money without limitation whenever they need.
Assignment -2
Read the case on Page-80 of prescribed text (Long Ridge Gliding Club Case at the end of
Chapter-3) and answer the questions of this case.
For Question Number.1, the following table shows the evaluation of service to club
members and casual flyers.
Club members Casual flyers
Products Ridge soaring and cross Experience of gliding with
country flying as member trial flight gift vouchers
Customers Pilots with ability from People who want trial gliding
novice to expert experience as visitors
Product range Long flight duration Short flight duration
Design changes No changes As per the packages
Delivery Bar and basic catering Only flight facilities
service
Volume per service type 150 club members 700
Profit margins high low
Competitive factors
Club members Casual flyers
Order winners Location and flying facilities Price
Qualifiers Quality of service, Price, Price, Dependability, range
Flexibility of products
Less important
Internal performance objectives Cost, Quality, Flexibility, Quality,
Dependability Dependability
For Question Number.2, I would compare the five performance objectives to show the
differing expectations of club members and casual flyers with the actual service delivered. Cost
is the main factor in any organization to operate and maintain their business. As long ridge
organization is a not-for-profit organization run by its members, income for the expenses is
mainly dependent on its club members. The organization will be expected to increase their
numbers of members and to run the business at its low cost. Therefore, they try to attract casual
flyers to become members by selling trial flight gift vouchers. They expect casual flyers will
become club members if the club member experiences the feeling of gliding on their ideal
location for gliding. For the club members, they expect to flight more than helping casual flyers.
Sometimes, the club members cannot flight at all for many reasons like bad weather conditions,
helping casual flyers, not sufficient gliders, etc. which can cause members to be unsatisfied
even though they cost a lot for member fees. Although casual flyers would not cost a lot for
trial flight, they would complain that they need to wait long time to flight. Quality of product
is also important to build customer satisfaction which can lead to long term relationship with
customers and organizations. Both club members and casual flyers would expect high quality
of products. Although long ridge gliding club is located on the ideal place to flight, their quality
of service is not sufficient for both members and casual flyers. Club members would not use
their time by volunteering all the time to casual flyers and they would want to focus on their
gliding. Casual flyers would expect the same service as the club members, and they do not
want to wait a long time. Speed is also one factor which can lead to customer satisfaction. Fast
response is important for both club members and casual flyers. Everyone wants to expect the
fast service. Long waiting time will be inconvenient for both club member and casual flyers.
Dependability means the capacity of an organization to function the products and services to
customers as per planned prices with and intended way over a time. Casual flyers would expect
to flight when they arrive as they need to book in advance. However, they need to wait long
time and need to expect the chance to flight as club member is the priority. Club member would
want to flight whenever they want. Instead, they need to help casual flyers and miss their
flights. Flexibility is also an important performance objective. Both club members and casual
flyers expect flexible products and service, but they need to depend somehow. They would
expect more flexible service from the organizations.
For question number 3, I would like to make some suggestion to the chairman. Numbers
of staff should be increased to help casual flyers and not to burden club member to help casual
flyers. As the organization operate on fees of club members, club member should be the priority
to make satisfied. To attract more people to become club members, alternative ways should be
considered as digital marketing, making some affairs, adding other facilities for recreation, etc.
instead of selling cheap trial tickets only. Also, services should be improved for casual flyers
and price shall be increased for trial flight. Organization should build strong relationship with
members and casual flyers for the long run. Also, the lunch point should not be too far from
club’s administrator office. Other facilities should be added for casual flyer not to get bored
and annoyed for casual flyers when they need to wait for their flight. Those are the suggestions
I would like to make for long ridge gliding club.
Assignment -3
Visit a supermarket or shopping mall. Evaluate its layout by applying the knowledge you
got from this subject.
City mart supermarket is one of the famous supermarkets in Myanmar. I would like to
analyze the layout of Market Place by city mart at 6.5 miles on Pyay Road. It is a two-storied
with one basement building. Basement is for parking purpose which is very essential in today’s
crowded city. Layout of the supermarket is vital for its business success. All the stores relate
to lifts and escalators. In supermarkets, escalators and lifts are more attractive to customers
than supermarkets with no escalators or lifts. It is also accessible for disabled persons which
seems higher standard for supermarket. The targeted customers of Market Place are mostly
foreigners. The layouts and displayed items reflect their intended customers. At ground floor
level, shops are displayed which are rent by City Mart to other business owners and City Mart
do not operate those shops by their own. The rental fees can be one of the big incomes for their
business. Most shops are well-known brands which can impress the image of supermarket. It
seems like city mart choose the brand carefully. Although ground floor is better than upper
storey, city mart does not take ground floor for their supermarket area, and they rent that space
for other shops. The reason is that city mart is already a well-known brand which do not need
to rely on advertising very much. Instead, they create convenient access to their supermarket
with mechanical transport system like lifts. Inside the supermarket, the entrance starts with
fresh vegetables, fruits, and plants which can give customers the feeling of healthy and
freshness. Products are displayed and grouped which share the same purpose. Inherent safety,
length of flow, clarity of flow, staff conditions, management coordination, use of space and
long-term flexibility enhance a good layout. I could say Market Place supermarket has a good
layout evaluating with those factors. One week point is that they cannot manage very well in
queuing system and customers are crowded in cashier counter in some holidays. The waiting
time is sometimes annoying for the customers, and they should manage it carefully.
Assignment -4
(Focus- Chapter-4)
1.Explain the different process types.
The different process types are project processes, jobbing processes, batch processes, mass
processes and continuous processes. The process types are not the same in manufacturing
process and service process. Manufacturing process types include all of the above mentioned
five process types. Service process types include professional services, service shops and mass
services. Different process types imply different volume-variety characteristics for the process.
Project processes are those which deal with discrete, usually highly customized products. In
project processes, timeline is needed to consider for making the product or service until the
completion of each product or service. Construction projects are the examples of project
processes. Jobbing processes also deal with very high variety and low volumes. In jobbing
process, each product has to share the operation’s resources with many others. A series of
products will be processed in jobbing process, but all the products will not be exactly the same
and each differ in its exact needs. The example of jobbing processes are specialist toolmakers,
bespoke tailors, etc. Batch processes is sometimes similar to jobbing process, but batch does
not have quite the degree of variety associated with jobbing. In batch process, a product is
produced more than one and each part of the operation has periods. Machine tool
manufacturing, the production of some special gourmet frozen foods, mass-produced
assemblies for automobiles will be the examples of batch processes. Mass processes are those
which produce goods in high volume and relatively narrow variety concerning with the
fundamentals of the product design. Examples of mass process are the automobile plants,
television factory etc. They might produce several thousands of products in every option
without changing the fundamental of the product design. Continuous processes are one step
beyond mass processes as they operate at even higher volume and often have even lower
variety. They also usually operate for longer periods of time. Continuous processes are often
associated with relatively inflexible, capital-intensive technologies with highly predictable
flow. Examples of continuous processes include petrochemical refineries, electricity utilities,
steel making and some paper making. Service process types include professional services,
service shops and mass services. Professional services are defined as high contact organizations
where customers spend a considerable time in the service process. Service shops are
characterized by levels of customer contact, customization, volumes of customers and staff
discretion, which position them between the extremes of professional and mass services. Mass
services have many customer transactions, involving limited contact time and little
customization.
2.Analyze the real cases of the firms you are familiar with giving example for jobbing
process, batch process and mass process. (Don’t rewrite the example shown in the text)
There are many organizations which operate their business with jobbing process, batch
process and mass process. Among them, I would like to analyze interior decoration company
as an example of jobbing process. Jobbing process needs to deal with very high variety and
low volumes, and each product has to share the operation resources with many others. For
mixed-use projects which usually includes many residential apartments. Those apartments
share single design theme and most of the apartment units are identical in layout and design.
But some units are similar and not exactly identical as per constructions requirements. As an
interior decoration company, they have to operate the work with jobbing process. Although the
operation’s resources and material used are shared, they need to adjust their work as per unit
requirements. They also need to process a series of products. For batch process, I think textile
company producing fabric for sewing and clothing will be the good example. As they produce
cloth and fabric with different pattern, color and design in each batch. Although they might
produce fabric with the same style in the next batch, the operation has periods. Most of the
time, they produce the products not similar to previous batch. In my opinion, tile manufacturing
company would be the example for mass process. In mass processes, they produce goods in
high volume and relatively narrow variety concerning with the fundamentals of the product
design. In tile manufacturing company, they produce tiles, especially artificial tiles, in huge
amount with their standard format for local use and export purposes. They can produce
products with mass operation because the different variants of the products do not affect the
basic process of production. Air con spare parts production company will also be another
example for mass process as they operate the same as tile manufacturing company.
