Assessment 3 (Group Assignment)

The purpose of this assignment is to develop students’ capability in applying quantitative skills and knowledge to solve a real-world supply chain problem and promote deep learning which occurs through interaction. Process
of completing this assignment is explained as below:

a. Group Formation

• Form your own group with at least 4 but no more than 5 students.
• Once the group has been formed, all group members are required to sign up for the same self-sign up a group in the Canvas.
  

  – All members of a group are required to get to the ‘Group’ tab in the ‘People’ section of the Canvas course site. You will see a number of pre-populated groups (e.g. Group 1 – Group 20).
  – Students of the same group should select a group number which has not been occupied by othergroups. To put it simply, you need to select an empty group.
  – All members of the group should sign up for the same group number.Notes:

• You must identify/select your group members in your own stream first (after attending the first lecture). Once you formed a group with 4 to 5 students, then each member should sign up to the same group on the Canvas. To make it short, form your group first, and then sign up on the Canvas.
• Group assignments that would be completed individually will not be accepted.
• It is the student’s responsibility to find group members. If you have difficulty in finding group members, you need to contact your tutor before week 4.

If there is a dispute in a group, group members are required to inform the tutor immediately. If the issue is raised at least four weeks prior to the assignment due date, the tutor will intervene to resolve the issue in an amicable way and requests all members to complete the meeting minutes after each group meeting, record the contribution of each member, and send a copy of the meeting minute to the relevant tutor. If this method will not be effective, the peer review process will be in place.

b. Selecting a Company

Select a local company or an international company that operates locally in the country where you are currently studying. Contact info of the selected company should be provided in the Introduction section of the report.

c. Identify a Problem or an Opportunity for Improvement

Students are advised to review the processes and functions of the selected company’s supply chain to identify a problem (or an opportunity for improvement) which can be addressed by at least one of the quantitative methods covered in this course. Having an initial discussion with the company will help you choose the appropriate technique(s).

If you are unsure regarding the selected company or topic, it is recommended to have a chat with your tutor. Your tutor will advise you whether the selected topic and/or company would be suitable for this assessment task.

d. Selecting a Quantitative Method

Students are required to choose any or a combination of the discussed quantitative methods in this course. Here are some suggested topics:

• Linear/Integer Programming and Sensitivity Analysis.
• Waiting for line models.
• Simulation.
• Risk Analysis.
• Decision Theory and Multi-criteria Decision Making.
• Game Theory

e. Data Collection > Problem Formulation > Analysis > Results and Discussion > Recommendation

The ultimate goal of this assignment is to provide the most insightful and informative recommendation for solving a supply chain-related problem or offering an opportunity for improvement. Therefore, students are
required to analyze the identified data, discuss the findings, and provide recommendations accordingly.

Using multiple sources of data is highly recommended, e.g conducting an interview with the company’s key staff and
also using the company’s historical records.