NMIMS Sem 4 December 2024 Operations Assignments
Business: Ethics, Governance & Risk
Q1. “Business should conduct and govern themselves with integrity, and in a manner that is ethical, transparent and accountable” (Principle 1). Prepare an executive summary (in your own words) based on the disclosures given under Essential Indicators and Leadership Indicators, to showcase how the company is delivering on this principle from the Business Responsibility & Sustainability Report – 2023-24 (BRSR) of a company of your choice. You will find this report under Director’s Report section. Please select any ONE company that is listed as Large Cap. For this selection you must refer to the NSE’s Nifty 50 list by market cap. It is required that you include the name of the company in the brief introduction at the beginning. You must also go through the website of the company as well as its sustainability report, if available in public domain for relevant information on Principle 1. DO NOT copy paste.
Q2. Go through the ‘Management Discussion & Analysis’ section under the Director’s Report in the annual report (FY2023-24) of the company selected in question1 and prepare an executive summary (in your own words) on the following two topics:
Opportunities and threat
Internal control systems & their adequacy
You must mention the name of the company. DO NOT copy paste.
Q3. As Head of Sales in a medium size consumer durables company selling cooling systems and air conditioners you have just bagged a Rs 75 lac worth of order from an out-of-town company, (their first order with you). The purchase executive of the client company agrees to confirm the order on the condition that you will agree to pay for his and his wife’s travel and stay in your city, while visiting your office for finalizing and signing of the contract.
3a. What do you think are the ethical dilemmas involved in this scenario?
3b. Describe the process you will adopt to resolve the dilemmas in this scenario?
Research Methodology
Q1. Samsung mobile phones have been facing a significant decline in market share over the past one year in India, despite the growing overall demand for Mobile Phones. The company’s sales have decreased by 12%, while competitors have seen a growth of 18% in the same period. This decline is affecting the company’s profitability and brand position in the market. This decline is occurring despite an overall increase in industry demand. The problem impacts the company’s profitability, brand strength, and market position. Which type of research study is above and what can be the research questions for this study? Explain which research design you will follow and why?
Q2. You are working in the HR department of Havells India; who have 15 state-of-the- art manufacturing plants spread across 8 locations in India. You have to study the relationship of Annual Increment (three levels 5%, 8% and 10%) and employee productivity (in units). Explain the design of experiment, independent, dependent and extraneous variable (assume any) for the study. What can be the potential threat to internal and external validity in this experiment?
Q3. In recent years, the financial landscape has witnessed significant transformations driven by advances in technology and the widespread adoption of online banking platforms. The emergence of online banking has revolutionized the way consumers engage with banks. With the increasing adoption of digital banking channels, it is crucial to assess how traditional banking methods are affected in terms of customer behavior, service demand, Trust, Security, operational adjustments and the response to the socio-demography of consumers.
a. Develop a comprehensive research plan to compare customer satisfaction and service efficiency between online and offline banking.
b. Develop a Structured questionnaire for this study.
Lean Six Sigma
1. As a Six Sigma project leader working in facilities management department of a large multi- specialty hospital, create a list of all the activities involved in the process of a patient admission to the hospital at the point of registration till occupying the bed. Break down these activities to identify Non-Value Added (NVA), Business Value Added (BVA), and Value Added (VA) activities.
2. Consider yourself as a Six Sigma project leader for a rapidly growing online gifting platform. Develop a fishbone diagram to outline potential issues (select any five) that an online gifting platform might encounter in processing customer orders. Additionally, explain the stages of Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA), providing illustrative examples for each step in the context of e-commerce operations for online gifts.
3. Case study based on implementing Six Sigma in online food delivery
A growing online food delivery company is looking to streamline its operational processes to support its expanding business. The operations team has reported several inefficiencies in the current workflow, which are causing delays and affecting overall productivity. Due to your expertise in Lean Six Sigma, the operations director appoints you as the team lead to analyse and improve the process flow. The company does not have an integrated IT system to manage its operations, relying heavily on manual processes and email communication for coordination
a) Create a flowchart based on your understanding of how a key operational process, such as order fulfilment or delivery management, is currently handled. Use the SIPOC diagram to explain the various steps and decision points involved.
b) Explain the difference between verification and validation in the context of operational processes within the food delivery industry, providing examples. Also, list techniques used in validation activities for optimizing process design and efficiency.
New Product Development and Managing Innovation
1. Horizon Health is a leading global pharmaceutical company. Imagine you are managing a project to introduce a groundbreaking new medication designed to compete with existing top treatments in the market. Describe how you would develop your strategy using the two strategic planning models: the Ansoff Matrix and the BCG Matrix.
2. What are the four stages of the product lifecycle? Using examples from the long- distance communications industry, describe each stage with a specific product that has experienced or is currently experiencing that stage.
3a. As a product manager responsible for launching a new product in an existing market, what are the primary types of products you might introduce? Provide an example for each type to illustrate your explanation.
3b. One of the steps in new product development is Concept Testing. Describe the importance of Concept Testing within the context of any industry of your choice. If you were managing the new product development process, what typical steps would you follow as part of Concept Testing?
World Class Operations
1. Ananth Vijay has just joined as the GM – Maintenance at Sawhney Engineering, a leading Electrical Equipment Manufacturer. Vijay is worried that there is no formal Maintenance Program in place. As such, he has been evangelizing the concept of RAM across the entire Manufacturing Process.
Describe the components of RAM, and how they are the three important pillars of a WCM’s Maintenance Strategy.
Why is this important for both Sethi Engineering and as well, for their clients, in the products which they purchase?
World Class Manufacturers (WCMs) in diverse sectors such as Automotive (Toyota, Honda, Ford), CPG/F&B (Coca-Cola, Pepsico, P&G, Unilever), etc., are highly reputed for their unflinching commitment to Quality – specifically Total Productive Management (TPM).
Describe the key concepts of TPM.
Discuss any two (2) of the Pillars of TPM.
3a. Quality Awards are not only about rewarding organizations but also about recognizing the importance of quality in the business. These awards are often used as a tool to raise awareness among both Employees and as well, Customers about the importance of quality. They also help to improve Customer Satisfaction and Employee Morale. Discuss the difference between Regional and International Awards.
3b. Describe the Deming Prize and its Evaluation Criteria.
