Assignment 1: Vice President of Operations, Part 1
Due Week 3 and worth 200 points
Scenario: Imagine that you are the vice president of operations at a production or service organization. You have noticed that your organization’s current operations strategy is not supporting the challenges that the organization is presently facing. In order to maintain a competitive edge, you must address these challenges with your Chief Executive Officer immediately.
Select an existing production organization. Analyze the organization’s current vision, mission, business strategy, operation strategy, supply chain, total quality management, just-in-time philosophy, forecasting method, statistical technique, facility location, work design, project life cycle, and project management. Note: You will need this information in order to complete this and subsequent assignments.
As you collect the information for Assignment 1 and Assignment 2, remember that in Assignment 3 you must prepare a presentation for your Chief Executive Officer.
Write a three to five (3-5) page paper in which you:
1.Evaluate key elements of the selected production or service organization’s operational efficiency with its operational strategy. Determine three (3) tasks that do not align with the operational strategy. Determine the weaknesses that are evident in each task.2.Formulate a new operations strategy for the selected organization based on the four (4) competitive priorities (i.e., cost, quality, time, and flexibility).3.Analyze both the structure of the competitive priorities and infrastructure of the production process. Develop three (3) new enablers that are aligned with the long-term plan of the selected organization. Evaluate three (3) pros and three (3) cons of the new enablers.4.Use at least three (3) quality academic resources in this assignment. Note: Wikipedia and other Websites do not quality as academic resources.Your assignment must follow these formatting requirements:
•Be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides; citations and references must follow APA or school-specific format. Check with your professor for any additional instructions.•Include a cover page containing the title of the assignment, the student’s name, the professor’s name, the course title, and the date. The cover page and the reference page are not included in the required assignment page length.The specific course learning outcomes associated with this assignment are:
•Analyze the differences between service and manufacturing operations management to identify planning considerations.•Formulate an operations strategy to conduct production or service operations.•Explain how an operations strategy impacts product design and process selection.Use technology and information resources to research issues in operations management.•Write clearly and concisely about operations management using proper writing mechanics.
Additional Requirements

Reflective Paper
The primary function of human resource management is to increase the effectiveness and contribution of employees in the attainment of organizational goals and objectives. Consider all the areas of HRM that have been discussed in class:
EEO and Affirmative Action,
Human resources planning, recruitment, and selection,
Human resources development,
Compensation and benefits,
Safety and Health, and
Employee and labor relations.
Submit a Reflective Paper in which you explain how these aspects work together to perform that primary function. Are any aspects more important than the others? Why or why not? How do you believe the HRM role can be optimized for shaping organizational and employee behavior?
The Reflective Paper must: (a) identify the main issues in the chosen area, (b) demonstrate new learning that has occurred, (c) include class activities or incidents that facilitated learning and understanding, (d) identify specific current and/or future applications and relevance to your workplace, and (e) reflect the potential impact to your future career plans or even in your personal life at home. The emphasis of the Reflective Paper should be on parts ‘d’ and ‘e,’ and on the application of new learning. Explore, in depth, the benefits of the new learning and understanding that has taken place.
Writing the Reflective Paper
The Reflective Paper:
Must be seven to eight double-spaced pages in length, excluding the cover page and reference page, and formatted according to APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center. (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.
Must include a title page with the following:
Title of paper
Student’s name
Course number and name
Instructor’s name
Date submitted
Must begin with an introductory paragraph that has a succinct thesis statement.
Must address the topic of the paper with critical thought.
Must end with a conclusion that reaffirms your thesis.
Must use at least five scholarly sources, in addition to the text.
Must document all sources in APA style, as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center.
Must include, on the final page, a Reference List that is completed according to APA style as outlined in your approved style guide and has at least five references in addition to the text.

Assume for this assignment that you are being highly considered for a director-level HR management position for a best-in-class national retailer. You are in the final phase of the interview process and must respond to the interview panel regarding specific questions and scenarios that will help them determine if you are a good fit for the new role. The company’s culture is centered on the effective development of strategy, plans, and selection criteria aimed at building and sustaining a competitive and profitable organization. It will be extremely important that you respond with a strategic mindset in order to convince the organization you are able to help them ensure the execution of the business strategy.
Write a six (6) page paper in which you:
Analyze different types of strategies (cost leadership, differentiation, and focus/niche) and select which one you would deem more appropriate for an “efficiency-minded” retail organization and explain your rationale. How would the selected strategy ultimately affect how HR does its job?
Examine the four (4) approaches to job design/redesign and provide an example (not a definition) of each. Then, make a case to the interviewing panel on the importance of effective job design applications in supporting the overall strategic goals of the organization.
Consider challenges and constraints associated with recruiting workers and identify and discuss at least two (2) issues. What advice would you give to ease your selected issues? Be specific.
List and describe 2–3 candidate selection process ideas that might add value and overall effectiveness to the process. HINT: http://www.selectinternational.com/blog/bid/147051/5-Tips-for-Designing-an-Effective-Employee-Selection-System. Also, what problems should HR and management teams avoid during the selection process?
Format your assignment according to these formatting requirements:
Be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides; references must follow APA or school-specific format. Check with your professor for any additional instructions.
Include a cover page containing the title of the assignment (with running head), the student’s name, the professor’s name, the course title, and the date. The cover page is not included in the required page length.
Include a reference page. Citations and references must follow APA format. The reference page is not included in the required page length. Use the Strayer University Library at https://research.strayer.edu to locate additional sources to support your work.
The specific course outcomes associated with this assignment are:
Assess the strategic role of human resource management and the components that provide a competitive advantage to the organization.
Examine the human resource management functions of recruiting and selecting, and their importance to business strategy.

Business Policy and Strategy – CSU (Case Studies – Units I – VII)
Unit I Case Study
Read the Cohesion Case on pages 27-37 in the course textbook. Create a five- to seven-page PowerPoint presentation in which you a) briefly describe your view of McDonald’s strategic position, and b) answer Step 4 of the Assurance of Learning exercise on page 37.
Unit II Case Study
Complete the Assurance of Learning Exercise 3D on page 87 of the course textbook. In addition to completing Steps 1, 2, and 3, summarize your findings in a two-page APA formatted paper and discuss your views of McDonald’s strategic
prospects based upon your analysis of the external assessment and consideration of the opportunities to grow, as well as threats from competitors and the macro environment.
Unit III Case Study
Complete the Assurance of Learning Exercises 6A and 6B on page 205 of the textbook. Use the completed SWOT and SPACE matrices to draw conclusions regarding both the long term and short term strategies you would recommend in light of your findings. Summarize in a two-page APA formatted paper. NOTE: It is not necessary to consult other students
to complete these exercises in the textbook.
Unit IV Case Study
Complete the four elements of the McDonald’s organization chart exercise in the Assurance of Learning Exercise 7A on page 248 of the textbook. Once the organizational chart recommendation is completed, create at least one high-level objective for each functional group in the organizational chart. State your rationale for each and briefly state how each
would be measured. Compile your work into a minimum two-page APA formatted paper.
Unit V Case Study
Read the Assurance of Learning Exercise 8A and 8B on page 282 of the textbook. Prepare a product positioning map, and perform the EPS/EBIT calculations given in 8B. Discuss, in a two-page APA formatted paper, how the product positioning is aligned with McDonald’s corporate strategy. Identify potential gaps in the product line or weaknesses in
positioning. Describe the relevance of the EPS/EBIT chart and why it is significant with respect to strategy implementation.
Unit VI Case Study
Follow the instructions for the Assurance of Learning Exercise 9A on page 306 of the textbook. Create a minimum two-page APA formatted paper evaluating McDonald’s strategy. Choose at least one of McDonald’s competitors and discuss its position relative to McDonald’s. Comment on McDonald’s prospects of success against this competitor.
Unit VII Case Study
Complete the Assurance of Learning Exercise 10A on page 326 of the textbook. You will be asked to analyze and to compare and contrast the code of ethics of both Starbuck’s and McDonald’s. Summarize your analysis and findings in a two-page APA formatted paperattachmentunit_ii_case_study.jpgattachmentunit_iii_case_study.jpgattachmentunit_iv_case_study.jpgattachmentunit_vi_case_study.jpgattachment326.pdfattachment282.pdf