Management School – Undergraduate Coursework Specification 2021-2022

Module Code: MGT253 Coursework Code: I
Module Title: Principles of Operations Management
Date Available: 7th of February 2022
Submission: Friday 29nd of April, 12pm (noon)

Your submission consists of two files: a MS Excel spreadsheet with the results of your simulation; and a MS Word file with your 1200-1500 words report.
ATTENTION: The excel file’s sheets must be read-only and password protected. This will avoid accidental changes during revision.
Electronic submission only through Blackboard. You are allowed to utilise the Turnitin Check before the assignment deadline which can be accessed via
the information room. This allows you to generate an originality report and use this to improve your referencing and citation skills.
Please note: Turnitin Check is NOT the final submission – you still need to submit your work to the Assignment Link on the module Blackboard
site, otherwise it will be marked as Not Submitted.
You should note that the time of submission is taken from once the document has been successfully uploaded and confirmed – this may take more than five
minutes during busy periods. Late penalties will be applied to any work submitted from 12.01pm on Friday 29th of April onwards. Details of how to
calculate a late penalty can be found in your programme Handbook. It is your responsibility to ensure the correct document/file has uploaded successfully.

When submitting you must:
1. Include a completed cover sheet (available from Blackboard (MOLE))
2. Use ‘StudentNumber-MGTXXX-I’ (e.g. 190011001-MGT253-I) as the document’s file name and also as the Assignment Title in Turnitin.
3. Use ‘StudentNumber-MGTXXX-IS’ (e.g. 190011001-MGT253-IS) as the excel file’s name.
Contribution to Final Mark for Module: 30%
Maximum Word Length: 1500
The word count is for the main body of the text and ignores the reference list and appendices. If you exceed the word length you will be penalised. For
details see the Management School Handbooks.
Please note that SUMS does not have a word count tolerance - it is a stated maximum as outlined above.
Requirements:
The Theory of Constraints, introduced and popularised by the book The Goal. A Process of Ongoing Improvement. by Eliyahu Goldratt and Jeff Cox, is a
body of knowledge that deals with all the obstacles that limit or constraint the organisation’s ability to achieve its goals.
In this work you will use a spreadsheet to conduct a simulation that replicates the experiment ran in Chapter 14 of the book by a group of boy scouts.
This work will be explained and partially developed during tutorial sessions 2 and 3 (weeks 27 [5] and 29 [7], and 28 [6] and 30 [8], depending on your
tutorial group) and must be finished and submitted as an individual work by the end of Week 34 (Friday 29nd of April 2022).
The submission consists of the MS Excel file containing the simulation exercises, and a 1200-1500 words essay answering the questions indicated in the
statement of the problem.
The essay should also include:
A short description of the experiment within the context of the book chapter.
A thorough reflection about the impact of bottlenecks on a company’s processes. You should show that you clearly understand what a bottleneck is
in an industrial or service process, and how can a manager avoid and/or correct them. Your reflection should link what you observed in the
simulation experiment with real life situations in industrial and service settings.
The report must include some graphic support.
Further details of the exercise are provided in the document associated to this specification form.


Assessment
criteria
<40%
(Fail)
40-44%
(Pass)
45-49%
(3rd class)
50-59%
(2.2 )
60-69%
(2.1)
70-79 %
(1st class)
80 % and above
(1st class)
Correct specification of
the simulation
exercise (40%)
Determined by the % of points allocated to each section of the submission. Points are allocated exclusively depending on the accuracy of the formulas used. The numerical results, being
random, cannot be evaluated.
Analysis and discussion
of the results (25%)
No attempt made to
present an analysis
of the results. No
attempt for
answering the
questions that appear
in the text of the
problem.
A mere and superficial
description of the
results without
analysis. Minor
attempt to answering
the specific questions
in the statement.
Shows an attempt for
analysing the
numerical results of
the simulation. The
answers to the
questions are
somehow correct, but
lack depth.

Provides a more detailed
analysis of the numerical
results of the simulation.
The answers to the
questions are generally
correct.
Clear and detailed
analysis of the
numerical results of
the simulation. The
answers to the
questions are correct,
but lack. Provides
graphical support for
the analysis.

In depth analysis of the
simulation results. Use of
graphical and statistical
tools to support the
discussion and the answers
to the questions.
Shows a serious attempt to
deploy critical analysis.
Excellent and well-
grounded analysis of the
simulation results. Use of
graphical and statistical
tools to support the
discussion. The answer to
all the questions is
correct and reflects a
high level of critical
analysis.
Use of academic
literature for linking
the exercise to the
actual impact of a
bottleneck in a
company’s operations
(25%)
No attempt is made
to link the results of
the simulation with
the actual concept of
bottleneck.
Provides a definition of the bottleneck in process
design, but the link with the exercise is loose.
Shows a good
understanding of the
concept of bottleneck
and establishes a link
with the results of the
simulation. The
discussion is somehow
grounded in academic
literature.
Shows a very good
understanding of the
concept of bottleneck
and establishes a link
with the results of the
simulation. The
discussion is grounded
in academic literature
and provides practical
examples. No
examples are provided
Provides a more detailed
discussion of the concept
and impact of bottlenecks
in service and industrial
processes and finds clear
links with the results of the
simulation. Good use of
sources in academic
literature provides
practical examples.
Provides a critical
discussion of the concept
and impact of bottlenecks
in service and industrial
processes and finds clear
links with the results of
the simulation. Excellent
use of sources in
academic literature
provides practical
examples.
Presentation, structure
and style of the report
(10%).
Poorly formatted
document.
A better organised document, but lacks graphical
support or a references section.
Well organised
document. Misses
graphical support. Some
references are included.
Well organised
document including
literature. Graphical
support is provided.
Very well organised
document with literature
and graphical support. The
English style, however,
can be improved.
Excellent written and
very well organised
document with literature
and graphical support.

Referencing: you must reference your work correctly using the Harvard method. Failure to do so will result in the deduction of marks and possible
proceedings under the University's Regulations as to the Use of Unfair Means

Independence of working:
You are reminded of the University's Regulations on the Use of Unfair Means and academic integrity which are outlined in the School's Handbooks.
If there is a suspicion that your work is not your own and that you have used unfair means or there is suspicion of a breach of academic integrity in
writing this assessment then you may be referred to our unfair means officers to consider your work. Therefore, you are advised to ensure that you
undertake the relevant guidance on the module site or programme level sites that you have access too. If you cannot access these, please contact the
Student Experience Office.
Other Submission Details:
• Use the standard Management School cover sheet.
• Have the word count given on the cover sheet and spell and grammar checked.
• Be presented with 2.5cm margins all round
• Use Cambria, 12 point for the main body text and 1.5 line spacing
• Have all pages numbered except the first
• Be made attractive with suitable use of headings, paragraphs and sections
• Be properly referenced to the Management School version of Harvard referencing
Resit:
This will be provided in a different document.
Other matters: