Applied Operations Project Paper (Individual Assignment): Each student will prepare an Operations report for an organization to apply the practices and concepts of Operations Management. These topics are drawn from the content in the course and the textbook. The student may select any organization {e.g. services, manufacturing, for-profit or not-for-profit, large or small, domestic or international). You are not allowed to select a company that you have submitted as an assignment in any previous BAS course (this course excepted), unless approved bythe Instructor. You should prepare the report as if you were hired by the organization as an independent operations consultant to conduct a critical review of their operations and make recommendations about their strategy and how to solve key operational issues. Be sure to make extensive use of quantitative data and insights from industry experts to support your findings. Consider your audience to be that of the orga nization's CEO or Board of Directors. The Operations project pa per is to be single-spaced and a minimum of 3,000 words not including the cover sheet or appendixes. You may write more if appropriate. The margins are to be one inch each side, top, and bottom; the font is to be Times New Roman Font size 12. The report must include: Executive Summam: The report should start off with a summary of the key issues and operational recommendations for the organization. It should be kept short and businesslike, preferably no more than half a page. Background: Provide a brief background of the firm describing the market, product/service offered and organizational history, preferably no more than half a page. Most ofthe following categories will be included in the operations review. However, one or two categories may not be in your operations report; it depends on the nature of the business. For example, inventory management is a negligible factor in a service-oriented business, so it may be discussed briefly or not at all. Operations Strategy: What is their competitive advantage (cost, quality, availability, flexibility, service)? What are their core operational competencies? Are these competencies difficult for their competitors to duplicate? Are the operational elements aligned and do they support the business strategy? Describe the operational vision for the future of the business, a summary of changes required and an action plan to achieve that vision. Particular attention should be paid to the impact of growth on operations and mechanisms that will help the business grow. What market risks or competitive threats exist now or in the future? Are there new competitive threats likely from organizations from other industries or geographic markets? If applicable, how are they integrating their goods and services? Organization and Structure: How has the operations organization been structured and how do the people interact? What key skills, educational experience or expertise are required from