SECTION A [100 MARKS]

Read the extract below and answer the questions that follow: If manufacturing companies want to excel at SCM, they must integrate their SCM partners into every aspect of their everyday operations. Therefore, inter channel management and the operational commitment of all supply chain participants are crucial for the success of SCM.

Source: http://www.joebm.com/papers/332-M023.pdf

QUESTION 1 (20 Marks)

Analyse any FIVE (5) decisions that operations managers might make to ensure and attain quality in the organization by picking a manufacturing company of your choice. Make your case for your analysis by citing pertinent examples.

QUESTION 2 (20 Marks)

A supply chain failure is defined as an interruption caused by external or internal operations that may have significant impact on an organisations quality, delivery or cost impact to clients. In most cases, the blame is placed on external suppliers with no appropriate root cause examination. You are employed as a managing director at GAME Store in South Africa. Identify and critically discuss any FIVE (5) potential causes of failure. Make reference to the relevant examples to illustrate your answer.

QUESTION 3 (20 Marks)

Maintenance is highly recommended for operations that are dominated by its physical facilities such as power stations, hotels, airlines and petrochemical refineries (Slack, 2017). You are employed as an operations manager at Kulula.com Airline.

3.1 Critically discuss any FOUR (4) benefits of effective maintenance at Kulula.com (8 marks)

3.2 Explain the THREE (3) basic approaches that Kulula.com may utilise to keep its physical facilities well-maintained. (12 marks)

QUESTION 4 (20 Mark)

Technology improves productivity and efficiency in organisations. You are newly employed as an operation manager in a clothing company in Durban. Critically discuss how Technology would improve the Operations Performance in the clothing organisation. Make use of the relevant examples to justify your answer.

QUESTION 5 (20 Marks)

Critically discuss the operations and customers views of quality and analyse how these views can be reconciled by a manufacturing of your choice. Use relevant examples to justify your answer.