ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE MANAGEMENT/BAGB 3183 Instruction: Read the following case-study carefully and answer all the following questions referring to the issues indicated. The management of Serba Gemilang Sdn. Bhd. which is located in Miri, Sarawak is a manufacturer of oil-drilling equipment. For a few years, the company has experienced a relatively slow but steady growth pattern. In a decade of 2000s, the company targeted that it has almost 30 percent of the market in oil-producing states in both the Peninsular and East Malaysia. In the last couple of years, Serba Gemilang gained an outstanding rate of growth. Thus, most of the oil-drilling companies are now replacing older, less efficient equipment with modern and more efficient equipment, a scenario which has created a significant demand for Serba Gemilang's oil rigs and other equipment it manufactures. An increased demand of the company's products had also added to an amount of office equipment required for the company to function competently. Hence, the company is completely aware that sooner or later, the supply will catch up with the demand for its products, which will most likely result in an increasing necessity for more sophisticated equipment. There is a possibility that the additional office equipment will be desirable for several years, which will make leasing to be more costly than purchasing it. As an Administrative Office Manager, you have been assigned by the Executive Vice President to provide him with valuable information and suggestions related to the most appropriate and new development which could be considered in making purchasing decisions. The company has allocated a total amount of RM800,000.00 for obtaining new office equipment. The selection of office equipment is, of course, critical when a large amount and significant variety of equipment is needed. You need to include the following factors in your report to ensure that it meets an expectation of the Executive Vice President regarding the new office equipment. Therefore, you must prepare a written report to be submitted to the Executive Vice President pertaining to this assignment. 1) In the beginning of a report, you need to identify and discuss THREE (3) most appropriate categories of considerations to be determined which serve as a guideline in selecting new office equipment for the company. (12 Marks) 2) In general, an organization has two alternatives for obtaining office equipment (name these TWO (2) alternatives) before making a final decision. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of using any one of the alternatives for the procurement of a specific piece of office equipment to be considered. (12 Marks) 3) In the report you should also identify recent developments of green-office movement and determine THREE (3) suggestions to improve employees' well-being from an ergonomics point of view. (8 Marks) 4) You are, in addition, required to explain THREE (3) appropriate principles of effective layout in designing and planning a new office layout and describe the visible situations resulting from insufficient and inadequate space planning in the company. (12 Marks) 5) As for a conclusion, discuss TWO (2) basic management functions involved in completing this assignment and provide an example of each function mentioned. (6 Marks) END OF MODEL ANSWER (CASE-STUDY) (TOTAL: 50 Marks)