Critically discuss a contemporary issue in strategic operations management

Posted: January 25th, 2022

Assignment question
Critically discuss a contemporary issue in strategic operations management.

6,000 words (+/- 10%) exclude reference list.
Due 8th Jan 2023
What do I mean by contemporary?
What do I mean by critically?

Suggested topics
Lean/TQM
Industry 4.0/big data/virtual reality/internet of things
Risk management/operations improvement
CSR/sustainable supply chain
Outsourcing and insourcing
Innovation/open innovation/regional innovation system/sustainable innovation
Global supply network
Service
Public sector supply chain management
Supply chain Resilience
Risk Management
Quality issues
Globalisation
Lean/TQM:
Lean is a management philosophy that aims to eliminate waste and increase efficiency in a manufacturing or service process. It is based on the idea that by streamlining processes and eliminating unnecessary steps, organizations can reduce costs and improve customer satisfaction. TQM, or Total Quality Management, is a similar philosophy that focuses on continuous improvement and customer satisfaction. It is based on the idea that quality should be built into every aspect of an organization’s processes and products, and that every member of the organization should be responsible for ensuring quality.

Industry 4.0/big data/virtual reality/internet of things:
Industry 4.0, also known as the Fourth Industrial Revolution, refers to the integration of advanced technologies such as big data, the internet of things (IoT), and virtual reality into manufacturing and other industries. These technologies enable organizations to collect and analyze vast amounts of data in real-time, improving decision-making, automating processes, and enhancing efficiency.

Risk management/operations improvement:
Risk management is the process of identifying, analyzing, and mitigating potential risks in an organization. This can involve identifying potential risks, evaluating the likelihood and impact of those risks, and implementing measures to prevent or mitigate their impact. Operations improvement refers to the process of identifying and addressing inefficiencies or bottlenecks in an organization’s processes, with the goal of improving overall efficiency and effectiveness.

CSR/sustainable supply chain:
CSR, or corporate social responsibility, refers to the ethical and social obligations of businesses to stakeholders such as employees, customers, and the community. This can include initiatives such as sustainability, ethical sourcing, and diversity and inclusion. A sustainable supply chain refers to the practices and processes involved in sourcing and delivering goods and services in a way that minimizes negative environmental and social impacts.

Outsourcing and insourcing:
Outsourcing is the practice of hiring external companies or contractors to perform tasks or services that are normally carried out by internal employees. This can be done to reduce costs, access specialized expertise, or to allow the organization to focus on its core competencies. Insourcing is the opposite, and refers to the practice of bringing work that was previously outsourced back in-house.

Innovation/open innovation/regional innovation system/sustainable innovation:
Innovation refers to the process of developing and implementing new ideas, products, or processes. Open innovation is a approach that encourages the flow of ideas and knowledge between an organization and external parties such as customers, suppliers, and academia. A regional innovation system refers to the networks and institutions in a specific region that support innovation and the development of new technologies. Sustainable innovation refers to the development of products, processes, or business models that meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

Global supply network:
A global supply network refers to the network of organizations, facilities, and transportation systems involved in the production and delivery of goods and services on a global scale. This can involve sourcing raw materials and components from different locations, manufacturing products in different countries, and distributing those products to customers around the world.

Service:
Service refers to the act of providing a product or service to meet a customer’s needs. In a supply chain context, this can refer to the delivery of goods or the provision of support and maintenance services.

Public sector supply chain management:
Public sector supply chain management refers to the processes and systems involved in the procurement and management of goods and services in the public sector. This includes organizations such as government agencies, schools, and hospitals.
How to structure your assignment?

Structure refers to the order of ideas; the progression of your writing should feel smooth with similar points linked together. Structuring your work is a key aspect of good academic writing ensuring that related sections are linked together and that the ideas and arguments progress in a logical and orderly manner
To summarise, this assignment is a literature review.
What is required is a critical overview of the literature that relates to your chosen topic.
Literature = peer reviewed academic journals, conference proceedings and edited book chapters.
A literature review should focus on the leading edge of a topic. This means that your sources should mostly be recent.
You will be expected to cite a lot of sources (40 – 70).
A literature review is all about structure.
Good structure you should get good mark
Journal Examples
Journal of Operations Management
International of operations and Production Management
Production and operations management