Strategic Operations Management Individual Assignment (25%) 2026: Penang Mutiara, Long Ridge, Dell and Fast Fashion Case Questions (TU Dublin)

This postgraduate operations assignment gives you four textbook-style cases and asks you to pick two. Each case tests a different part of the module, from performance objectives and order winners to operations strategy, supply network design and fast-fashion supply chains, and every question expects you to apply models to case evidence rather than retell the case.

Assessment Overview

The assignment assesses your ability to apply operations management concepts and frameworks to real organisational situations, analyse operational issues critically and develop evidence-based conclusions and recommendations. Choose TWO of the FOUR case studies and answer ALL questions for your chosen cases. Use specific evidence from the case, relevant operations management concepts and appropriate models; where you make a recommendation, consider alternatives, trade-offs and implementation implications. Marks reward the quality of reasoning, application of theory and supporting evidence rather than a single correct answer.

Case 1: Operations Objectives at the Penang Mutiara (Operations Performance)

1. Competitive priorities: Using evidence from the case, evaluate the relative importance of the five operations performance objectives (quality, speed, dependability, flexibility and cost) to the Penang Mutiara. Which appear to be order winners and which are primarily qualifiers? Justify your assessment.
2. Internal performance: The case focuses heavily on customer-facing benefits. Analyse how improvements in the five performance objectives could also generate internal operational benefits for the hotel.
3. Strategic alignment: Evaluate how effectively the hotel’s operations resources and processes support its competitive positioning. Identify any important trade-offs or tensions between its performance objectives.
4. Recommendation: Assume you are the hotel’s Operations Manager. Recommend one operational improvement that could strengthen its competitive position without undermining its premium service proposition. Explain how you would measure its success.

Case 2: Long Ridge Gliding Club (Operations Strategy)

1. Using the market requirements perspective, compare the requirements of club members and casual flyers. Identify the relevant performance objectives and likely order winners and qualifiers, and discuss where the requirements of the two groups conflict.
2. Using the operations resources perspective, evaluate Long Ridge’s current capabilities and constraints in meeting these market requirements.
3. Using the bottom-up perspective, analyse what Long Ridge’s day-to-day operational experience suggests about how its operations strategy should evolve.
4. Using strategic reconciliation, recommend whether Long Ridge should (a) continue its current trial-flight approach, (b) redesign and expand it, or (c) reduce trial flights and prioritise members. Justify your recommendation by integrating market requirements, operations resources, operational experience and relevant trade-offs.

Case 3: Dell (Supply Network Design)

1. Supply network perspective: Map Dell’s supply network and explain why taking a total supply network perspective is important. Analyse the roles of material and information flows and how the network contributed to Dell’s competitive performance.
2. Vertical integration and outsourcing: Analyse Dell’s supply network using the concepts of vertical integration and outsourcing. Identify what Dell performs internally and externally and evaluate the implications for cost, quality, speed, dependability and flexibility.
3. Contemporary application and comparison: Identify a contemporary organisation that provides an interesting comparison with Dell’s approach to vertical integration and/or outsourcing. Using recent and credible sources (at least three published within the last five years), analyse the organisation’s approach and compare it with Dell.

Case 4: Supplying Fast Fashion – Zara, H&M and Benetton (Supply Chain Management)

1. Supply chain comparison: Compare the supply chain approaches of Zara, H&M and Benetton. Identify the main differences in how they source, produce and distribute their products.
2. Supply chain performance: Evaluate how the three supply chains perform against the relevant operations performance objectives: quality, speed, dependability, flexibility and cost.
3. Sourcing and supplier management: Compare how the three companies manage sourcing and supplier relationships. Evaluate the benefits, risks and trade-offs of their different approaches.
4. Supply chain recommendation: Based on your analysis, recommend how one of the three companies could improve its supply chain. Justify your recommendation using relevant supply chain management concepts.

Assessment Rubric

Rules and Generative AI Use

• Choose TWO of the four case studies and answer ALL questions for the chosen cases.
• 2,500 words (±10%) in total, roughly 1,250 words per case; the reference list and appendices are excluded. Tables and figures should add analytical value, not get around the word limit.
• The case studies and module material are the foundation of the analysis; external research supports but does not replace analysis of the case. All sources referenced in APA style.
• You may be asked to explain your submitted analysis in a short individual follow-up.
• Generative AI is permitted only at Level 2 of the AI Assessment Scale (brainstorming, structuring and idea generation); no AI content is allowed in the submitted work, and a signed affirmation is included.