Part A
Question 1 (Compulsory)
This question explores your understanding and application of the IE tools and techniques that we have covered during the module, and the interaction between the different IE areas through the exploration of a case scenario.
Select an organisation of your choice. This could be an organisation where you have either been previously employed or worked as an intern. Alternatively, it may be a business in the manufacturing or service sector, a government department, etc. with which you are familiar.
Assume that you have been employed as the Senior Industrial Engineer, and the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) has assigned you to select an area which you believe could be examined for the purposes of improvement. You can decide upon your own Objective such as improving productivity, reducing operating costs, providing a faster and more effective service, improving service quality, etc.
(a) Write a brief description of the organisation you have selected, the type of business it is in, its size (staff number, turnover, etc.), the customers or equivalent, and the type of products or services it offers.
Describe how you approach this assignment, and what 1E tools and techniques you would use to record and examine the existing situation. Note: these can include the layout planning techniques or others that have been covered. Clearly explain why you have selected the tool(s)/techniques(s) used and how they can be used to successfully complete the assignment taking into account the Objective you have previously specified.
(b) Describe how you would measure the measure benefits (cost savings or otherwise) of the recommendations you have made in part (a) so that you can justify the cost of the assignment to the CEO.
Note: It is understood that you may not be able to obtain all the data and detailed information necessary to answer this question as these may not be available. Accordingly, you can make assumptions regarding them. What the question is really examining is your understanding of how, and under what circumstances the IE tools and techniques that have been covered during the module can be used to achieve the Objective(s) that have been set for the assignment.
Part B
Complete ONE of the questions in this section. Both questions refer to the scenario you have defined in Question 1, Part A.
Question 2
Assume now that the CEO of the organisation where you completed your assignment is very satisfied with the 1E work you have done. Subsequently, concerns have been raised about the ergonomic aspects of the working area you have previously examined, and he would now like you to continue and make a critical analysis of these aspects in the work area where staff members/workers-have to work.
(a) Discuss FIVE potential ergonomic 'problems / issues you think would be important and relevant to the operation.
(b) Recommend to the CEO any follow up action(s) that would be required as a consequence of the problems / issues that you have raised in part (a).
Note: You may need to refer to anthropometric data to answer this question, but your answer need not specifically state actual anthropometric statistics.
Question 3
It is very important to the organisation that its staff members/workers are highly motivated. If they are not, then this will have an adverse effect on the organisation which will then affect its overall success and profitability.
The CEO would like you to initially focus on the organisation's "front line" staff members/workers. In the case of a service organisation, these would be the ones that the organisation's customers come into contact with, and it is essential that they create a good impression. In the case of a manufacturing company, they would be the ones that actually produce the company's products in which case both quantity and quality of products produced would be important.
(a) What aspects of the job, organisation or company, environment, etc. are likely to provide positive motivation for these front line staff/workers? Explain each of these in terms of one or more of the motivational models that may have been covered during the module or that can be found in a literature on the subject.
Note the assignment instruction above, that the word count should consist of between 4,500 and 5,000 words maximum, and no more than 20 pages in length including graphs, tables, illustrations and appendices. A word count must be submitted. Lengthy assignments above these instructions may be penalised.