Operations and Project Management

Term Paper Information
Operations & Project Management covers a wide range of operations management topics facing
contemporary organizations. The purpose of the Term Paper is to synthesize learning from the
entire course and to apply academic theory to real–world practice.
Your paper must refer to the textbook and outside peer–reviewed sources. You may also use a
company’s website, printed literature, but not interviews with employees as source material.
Assignment Description
Develop a paper that follows the APA Guidelines and is approximately 10 pages in length
excluding cover page, diagrams, tables, references, and appendices. See layout requirements
below.
The case is Kristen’s Cookie Company (A) page 135 of Operations and Supply Chain Management
authored by F. Robert Jacobs and Richard B. Chase. (ISBN 978-0-07-352522-8) Chapter 5 of the
text has been attached but I could not get a complete copy of the text. I hope you are able to
get a copy of the book because using the complete text is important to the successful
completion of the paper.
Please answer any questions in the case during the paper. View the case as if you are the
Operations Manager, or CEO of the company. Look up the company on the internet, are they real?
What kind of analysis tools can you use from your text to help you support your conclusions
with the case? How does the foreign–based firm operate differently than the U.S. based
counterparts?
Term Paper Learning Expectations
Communications: The written component offers substantive and concise description and clarity in
content, language use, grammar, organization, sentence structure, and supported by APA
formatted references.
Critical Thinking: Provides reflection and applications of business concepts, analyzes,
synthesizes and expresses the complexities in a given business problem, and gives consideration
to alternative systems of thought and solutions where applicable.
Problem Solving: Analyses the underlying causes of the situation by collecting and assessing
relevant information, evaluates possible courses of actions, and concludes and defends
appropriate solutions and recommendations.
Ethics: Considers concepts of ethical dimensions to the examination of the business problem and
analyzes and evaluates ethical issues in defending solutions and recommendations.
Diversity: Considers the impact of cultural and economic issues as they relate to the business
problem and explains the potential consequences of diversity in defending solutions and
recommendations.
Integration: Integrates interrelationships of the business problem issues, ethics, diversity,
and global aspects with analysis of the possible courses of actions and recommendations.
How will the Term Paper be assessed?
Each component of the term paper content requirements – Title, Abstract, Introduction;
Methodology; Results/Discussion; and References described in the writing guidelines will be
assessed based on the term paper learning expectations. The grading scheme and assessment
criteria are shown in the term paper assessment rubric.
Writing Guidelines
Your paper must follow the layout below, including types of headings, flow of information, and
what content to include.
• Title Page
• Abstract
• Introduction (40 points)
Begin with an introduction, including your thesis statement. The Introduction answers the
following questions:
o Give background information
o What is the thesis or main idea of the case study?
o What are the relevant key points about the organization?
o What are the relevant key points about the situation?
o What are the ethical and diversity issues related to this case?
• Method (60 points)
At a minimum, this is to be a main section and heading in your paper. You may use additional
major headings if you wish, and you will probably also want to use subheadings (see example
below). The Method section answers the following questions:
o What is the situational analysis of the problem or issue? (A SWOT analysis is suggested
here.)
o What are the causes/effects of the situation or problem?
o How did the problem evolve (over night or over time)?
o How can course concepts be applied to provide greater understanding of the situation?
o How will ethical and diversity issues be addressed?
• Results/Discussion (60 points)
At a minimum, this is to be a main section and heading in your paper. You may use additional
major headings if you wish, and you will probably also want to use subheadings (see example
below). The Results/Discussion section answers the following questions:
o How can the problem be solved?
o What specific recommendations can be made for improving the situation?
o Explain your rationale for these suggestions.
o How will these recommendations, if implemented, enhance organizational effectiveness?
o How will ethical and diversity issues impact your recommendations?
• References (40 points)
Per APA, start the “References” section on a new page after the last page of your last section
of the paper.
This heading is centered. List your reference materials in alphabetical order by author’s last
name using a hanging indent (first line of each reference is flush with left margin, and
additional lines of that reference are indented as a group a few spaces to the right).
For example:
APA Publications and Communications Board Working Group Article on Reporting Standards (2009).
Reporting standards for research in psychology: Why do we need them? What might they be?
American Psychologist, 63, 839–851. doi:10.1037/0003–066X.63.9.839.
In preparing References, consider the following:
o Have you used proper APA style in your References section? Be sure to use the latest edition
of the APA style manual.
o Be sure you have given credit to the source of ALL borrowed information, whether quoted
directly or paraphrased in your own words.
• Appendix (if needed)
Each page of your printed paper must include the title of the paper (left-justified) and the
page number (right-justified). Use header/footer function in MS Word to insert the required
information at the top right corner, starting with the title page as page 1.
In general, pay close attention to style, format, and proper mechanics including language use,
grammar, spelling, sentence structure and where required supported by APA formatted references.
Examples of peer-reviewed journals include, but are not limited to: Harvard Business Review,
Purchasing, International Journal of Production Research, Management, International Journal of
Qualitative Methods, American Journal of Economics & Sociology, Journal of Economic Issues, The
Sociological Quarterly, British Journal of Sociology, etc. See Maryville University’s Peer
Reviewed Journals page for help identifying peer-reviewed journals.
The following are examples of secondary sources (those relying on others for their evidence)
and cannot be counted toward your sources due to hearsay, opinion, or lack of factual evidence:
Time, Newsweek, U.S. News and World Report, Ladies Home Journal, Reader’s Digest, New York
Magazine, etc.