SMU MBA SEM 2 FALL 2014 ASSIGNMENTS

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SMU MBA SEM 2 FALL 2014 ASSIGNMENTS

MB 0044 – PRODUCTION AND OPERATION MANAGEMEN

1 People’s productivity key to Indian manufacturing competitiveness: Boston Consulting Group

Namrata Singh, TNN | Mar 14, 2013, 09.34PM IST

MUMBAI: People productivity is the key to Indian manufacturing competitiveness, says a report by the Boston Consulting Group (BCG).

In most global people productivity surveys, not only does people productivity of Indian manufacturing sector lags developed nations such as US and Japan, but also lags in most manufacturing sectors to China. While earlier, many explained this to differences in technology, level of automation, etc., the report suggests such differences are not only rapidly shrinking, but they do not fully explain the significant gaps in productivity that exists.

Skill gap and engagement gap are the two critical factors that explain lower people productivity. Under gap in skill, Indian manufacturing sector faces significant challenges in attracting quality manpower that is ‘right’ skilled prior to entering the workforce. In addition, continuous skill development efforts are required for the work force, throughout their careers, as processes and technologies evolve.

On the other hand, many manufacturing studies have indicated a direct correlation between workforce engagement and productivity. For most Indian manufacturing companies, the level of engagement and alignment with corporate vision, amongst their union work force and contract labour is extremely low, when compared to their global peers.

“An improvement in people productivity can be beneficial across all levels of an organization. At the employee level, it results in higher wages and enhanced job satisfaction. At company level, the direct correlation between profits and resource productivity has been established through research multiple times. And at industry level, increased people productivity leads to improved skills and better working environment—thus paving the way for higher investments and faster economic growth. Therefore, it is critical for the Indian manufacturing sector to work toward enhancing people productivity to achieve the goals it has set for itself,” the report says.

The subject gains importance in the backdrop of a slowdown in western economic countries and China, as well as cost increases in China. Indian manufacturing sector stands at the cusp of a tremendous opportunity.

After reading the case study answer the following questions:

1. What do you think are the reasons for low people productivity in India?
2. Compare and analyze India’s productivity with respect to other countries?
3. What suggestions do you offer to improve the situation?

Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/Peoples-productivity-key-to-Indian-manufacturing-competitiveness-Boston-Consulting-Group/articleshow/18974957.cms. accessed August 16th 2018.

A a. From the case study ,list and explain the reasons for low productivity in India.

1. From the case and other resources provide comparison and analysis of India’s productivity with respect to other countries like China, USA, Japan
2. From the analysis provide suggestions to improve productivity

2 List the elements of operations strategy. Explain any TWO elements of operations strategy.

A Listing the elements of operations strategy

Explanation of any TWO elements of operations strategy

3 What are the basic capacity (production) options a company can choose?

A Explanation of various capacity options

4 Write short notes on:

1. Qualitative methods of forecasting
2. Taguchi’s quality loss function

A a. Brief explanation of any FIVE qualitative methods of forecasting

1. Taguchi’s quality loss function

5 Describe the process of value analysis.

A Description of the steps in the process of value analysis

6 Write short notes on

1. Tools for implementation of operations
2. Fixed position layout

A a. Tools for implementation of operations

Listing and brief explanation of tools for implementation of operations

b. Fixed position layout- explain with examples and when to use fixed layout

MB0045- FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT

1 Explain the liquidity decisions and its important elements. Write complete information on dividend decisions.

Explanation of liquidity decisions with its important elements

Explanation of dividend decisions

2 Explain about the doubling period and present value. Solve the below given problem:

Under the ABC Bank’s Cash Multiplier Scheme, deposits can be made for periods ranging from 3 months to 5 years and for every quarter, interest is added to the principal. The applicable rate of interest is 9% for deposits less than 23 months and 10% for periods more than 24 months. What will be the amount of Rs. 1000 after 2 years?

Explanation of doubling period

Solving the problem

Explanation of present value

3 Write short notes on:

1. a) Operating Leverage
2. b) Financial leverage
3. c) Combined leverage

Explanation of operating leverage

Explanation of financial leverage

Explanation of combined leverage

4 Explain the factors affecting Capital Structure. Solve the below given problem:

Given below are two firms, A and B, which are identical in all aspects except the degree of leverage employed by them. What is the average cost of capital of both firms?

Details of Firms A and B

	Firm A	Firm B
Net operating income EBIT	Rs. 1, 00, 000	Rs. 1, 00, 000
Interest on debentures I	Nil	Rs.25,000
Equity earnings E	Rs.1,00,000	Rs.75,000
Cost of equity Ke	15%	15%
Cost of debentures Kd	10%	10%
Market value of equity S = E/Ke	Rs. 6, 66, 667	Rs.5,00,000
Market value of debt B	Nil	Rs.2,50,000
Total value of firm V	Rs. 6, 66, 667	Rs,7,50,000

Explanation of factors affecting capital structure

Solution for the problem

Interpretation

5 Explain all the sources of risk in capital budgeting with examples.

Solve the below given problem:

An investment will have an initial outlay of Rs 100,000. It is expected to generate cash inflows. Cash inflow for four years.

Year	Cash Flow
1	40000
2	50000
3	15000
4	30000

If the risk free rate and the risk premium is 10%,

1. a) Compute the NPV using the risk free rate
2. b) Compute NPV using risk-adjusted discount rate

Explanation of risk in capital budgeting with examples

Solution for the problem with interpretation

6 Explain the objectives of Cash Management. Write about the Baumol model with their assumptions.

Explanation of objectives of cash management

Explanation of Baumol model with assumptions

MB0046- Marketing Management

1 Personal selling focuses in on ‘personal’ or ‘one to one’ selling. It involves an individual salesman or a sales team establishing and building a profitable relationship with customers over a period of time through a series of steps. Explain the steps in the personal selling process which helps in the successful sales.

Definition of Personal Selling

Explanation of steps in the Personal selling process

2 A brand is a composite set of beliefs and associations in the mind of consumers. In brand development, as a part of branding strategy decision, the brand manager can decide to create new brand elements for the new products, apply some of the existing brand elements to the new product, or use a combination of existing and new brand elements to the existing and new products. Explain the different branding strategies used by the companies for their range of products.

Definition of Brand

Advantages of Brand

Explanation of different branding strategies adopted by companies

3 Describe the international market entry strategies in brief.

Joint ventures

Strategic alliances

Direct investment

Contract manufacturing

Franchising

4 Personal selling focuses in on ‘personal’ or ‘one to one’ selling. It involves an individual salesman or a sales team establishing and building a profitable relationship with customers over a period of time through a series of steps. Explain the steps in the personal selling process which helps in the successful sales.

Definition of Personal Selling

Explanation of steps in the Personal selling process

5 Describe the stages in consumer decision making process.

Explanation of consumer decision making process

6 Do you think the argument of some theorists that the traditional Ps are not enough for services marketing? Give suitable examples to prove your point.

Define Service Marketing

Explanation of 4p’s

Explanation of Additional 3 p’s

MB0047 – MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEM

1 In the current e-world any organisation’s massive operations are managed by various types of information systems that help them to achieve their goals of servicing their clients. This can be done by the growth of modern organization. Discuss some of the essential features of modern organisation.

[Listing the features

Explaining each of them in brief]

2 Marketing managers are keener to look for a least cost route that also allow a sales person to meet all his customers. Identifying a least cost route with this features is slightly complicated. Therefore, managers depend on decision support tools to find the most cost effective routes to cover the market. The travelling salesman problem is one of such tool. Describe the tool with a diagram.

[Graphical representation of Travelling salesman problem

Describing the problem]

3 There are many examples of digital goods. Companies such as Amazon.com are selling digital versions of books over their site. These digital books can be read on special readers that display the pages on a screen.

1. List the important properties of information goods
2. Explain positive feedback with diagrams

[a. Listing the properties

1. Two diagrams

Explanation on positive feedback]

4 Decision support systems (DSS) are used extensively across organisations to assist managers with making decisions. Decision making by managers involves the phases of intelligence, design, and choice, and DSS help mainly with the choice part as they support structured and unstructured types of decisions.

1. What is it that managers do when they make decisions?
2. Explain the different types of decisions

[a. Explaining decision making process

1. List and describing the different types of decisions]

5 What is crowdsourcing? How does the site Galaxy Zoo manage crowdsourcing?

[Crowdsourcing definition

Explaining site Galaxy Zoo management]

6 Data and information relating to individuals could be of sensitive nature. Give some examples of such kind of data

[Explaining five examples]

MB0048 OPERATIONS RESEARCH

1 Explain the types of Operations Research Models. Briefly explain the phases of Operations Research.

[Meaning of Operations Research

Types of Operations Research Models

Phases of Operations Research]

2 a. Explain the graphical method of solving Linear Programming Problem.

1. A paper mill produces two grades of paper viz., X and Y. Because of raw material restrictions, it cannot produce more than 400 tons of grade X paper and 300 tons of grade Y paper in a week. There are 160 production hours in a week. It requires 0.20 and 0.40 hours to produce a ton of grade X and Y papers. The mill earns a profit of Rs. 200 and Rs. 500 per ton of grade X and Y paper respectively. Formulate this as a Linear Programming Problem.

[Meaning of Linear programming problem

Explanation of graphical method of solving Linear Programming Problem

Formulation of LPP (Objective function & Constraints)]

3 a. Explain how to solve the degeneracy in transportation problems.

1. Explain the procedure of MODI method of finding solution through optimality test.

[a. Degeneracy in transportation problem

1. Procedure of MODI method]

4 a. Explain the steps involved in Hungarian method of solving Assignment problems.

1. What do you mean by unbalanced assignment problem? How do you overcome it?

[Steps in Hungarian method

Unbalanced assignment problem]

5 a. Write a short note on Monte Carlo Simulation.

1. A Company produces 150 cars. But the production rate varies with the distribution.

Production Rate	147	148	149	150	151	152	153
Probability	0.05	0.10	0.15	0.20	0.30	0.15	0.05

At present the track will hold 150 cars. Using the following random numbers determine the average number of cars waiting for shipment in the company and average number of empty space in the truck. Random Numbers 82, 54, 50, 96, 85, 34, 30, 02, 64, 47.

[Explanation of Monte Carlo Simulation

Calculation/ Solution to the problem]

6 a. Explain the dominance principle in game theory.

1. Describe the Constituents of a Queuing System.
2. Differentiate between PERT and CPM.

[a. Dominance principle in game theory

1. Constituents of a Queuing System

c. Differences between PERT and CPM]

MB 0049 – PROJECT MANAGEMENT

1 Describe the CPM model.

[Explain the main focus of CPM and how is it different from PERT

List the assumptions of CPM

Explain the procedure of CPM analysis]

2 Write short notes on:

• The Shewhart Cycle
• Project procurement process
• Role of Risk Management in Overall Project Management
• Design of PMIS(Project Management Information System)

3 As an investor, how will you choose the projects to invest in?

[List the cash flow techniques you will use

Explain any four commonly used methods in brief- list the criteria for choosing a project in each method]

4 Write a note on Earned Value Method (EVM).

[EVM explanation

Parameters to calculate performance measures

Plot of BCWS versus time

Plots BCWS, ACWP, and BCWP for a typical project]

5 Discuss the various methods of conflict resolution.

[List and explain the methods of conflict resolution and with examples

Argue if one method suits all situations or if project managers need to need to use different methods to resolve conflicts.]

6 Answer the following questions:

1. What are the advantages of using PM software package?
2. What are the types of project performance evaluation techniques?

[a. List and briefly explain the key advantages of using project management software.

b. List and explain types of project performance evaluation techniques]