Process Improvement Research Project *APA Style

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MG 395 Process Improvement Research Project – Worth 20% of your grade

Please use this template to assist you in formatting your paper and meeting all of the paper requirements. Please replace all italicized words with your own words. The paper is worth 20% of your grade so plan time accordingly.

This assignment meets COB Learning Goal #2 – Problem Solving and is being used for quality assurance.

Identify a problem at a company that you feel can be improved by implementing a new process or technology. Note: This must be a real company and a real process that you feel needs improvement but the focus should NOT be on the company but rather on the process to be improved.

Note: You may want to start with either a problem that you have identified at a company OR a technology advancement or tool that you feel could help with a problem at a company, rather than starting with the company itself.

LO 1: STATEMENT OF PROBLEM

• Identify an operations problem that could negatively affect the efficiency and/ or productivity of the organization. This problem must be one that can be resolved by implementing a new technology.
• Clearly define the current process (“current state”), including the problem, in detail, and provide supporting flowcharts and diagrams. *You may have to create these.
• Break up large problems into smaller sub-problems.
• Clearly state the impact and the extent of the problem on the organization and/or customer
• Clearly state the purpose of the paper as an attempt to solve the problem you have identified.

LO 2: PROBLEM ANALYSIS

• Identify relevant factors leading to the problem (e.g. social, political, economic, and legal). One example of a factor would be an OSHA Safety Regulation.
• Clearly state possible causes of the problem
• Be sure to identify the difference between a symptom and a problem
• Clearly state all issues (reasons why the problem is important to resolve), including any secondary or ‘non-obvious’ issues
• Prioritize issues

LO 3: PROBLEM SOLUTIONS

• Research emerging technology or process innovations that could be an opportunity for the company and this process.
• Identify and describe a minimum of two possible solutions to the problem through the implementation of researched technology innovations.
• Describe fully the possible solutions, including supporting flowcharts and diagrams
• Discuss merits of both solutions, including all relevant factors necessary to make a decision between the two. Be sure not to neglect cost factors (you may need to provide estimated costs)

LO 4: SOLUTION JUSTIFICATION

• Clearly state your proposed solution (one of the two options proposed in LO3: Problem Solutions)
• Explain in detail why you are recommending this solution and how you feel it will specifically solve or alleviate the problem(s) and issues you identified (Justify solution)
• Describe solution benefit(s)
• Discuss the feasibility of the solution
• Present an implementation plan for your proposed solution

OVERALL ASSESSMENT

• Correctly defined terminology used
• Used analytical tools and technology in paper
• Performed appropriate calculations
• Used analysis to find and justify decisions
• Paper well organized and sections clearly defined
• APA format
• Correct grammar and spelling

You MUST have references (not just personal knowledge or personal interviews) as this is a research paper and you MUST properly source all of your references, including people interviewed, if applicable. There is no minimum amount of references – again use as many as necessary to adequately cover the objectives as assigned.

Note: I do not believe in assigning a page requirement for a paper. Your paper should be as long as necessary to adequately cover the learning objectives listed above.

Rubric

MG 395 Research Paper – QA Version Final