Describe the differences between bureaucratic and decentralized control

Module 8 Homework Assignment

This assignment requires that you submit a Turnitin Originality Report with your assignment. Please refer to the homework assignment instructions found in your iBoard course. Your assignment may be returned without a passing grade if you do not include the Turnitin Originality Report along with your assignment submission.

PART I: SHORT RESPONSE

Directions: Submit your responses to the questions below. Responses to the Homework Assignment submissions may not be copied from the text book, the Lecture Notes, or the internet. The responses need to be in your own words. Each response should be at least 100 words. Please ensure that you reference the text book and provide APA citation.

1. How can a manager determine whether his or her firm needs improvement in control? If improvement is needed, how can the manager tell what type of control needs improvement (operations, financial, structural, or strategic)? Describe some steps a manager can take to improve each of these types of control.

2. Describe the differences between bureaucratic and decentralized control. What are the advantages and disadvantages of each?

3. Why do some people resist control? How can managers help overcome this resistance?

4. Describe three basic decisions that must be addressed in the design of operations systems. For each decision, what information do managers need to make that decision?

5. What is total quality management? What are the major characteristics of total quality management?

PART II: CASE STUDY

Amazon Rekindles Its Flair for Technology

Directions: Read Amazon Rekindles Its Flair for Technology from Chapter 15 (page 460). Amazon.com is an Internet retailing phenomenon. It has revolutionized the industry ever since its inception in 1995. As the case describes, Amazon uses a variety of operations techniques to allow their customers to order on the Internet and deliver the products to their doorstep. It has made good use of its software expertise to automate a number of processes, so much so, that it offers software consulting to other organizations. The case also describes Amazon’s newest product, Kindle, which enables users to read books electronically.

After you have read the case, please provide detailed and elaborate responses to the following questions. Your responses should include examples from the reading assignment.

You will write a two to three page essay that includes at least two (2) in-text references to the text book. For the assignment on Amazon, you will discuss operations management and organizational technologies and their role in operations management. After you have read the case, please provide detailed and elaborate responses to the following questions. Your responses should include examples from the reading assignment.

Please ensure that your essay contains the following components:

Introductory paragraph that has a general topic sentence
Five subtopics (each of the questions below will constitute one of your main points)

Conclusion

Body Paragraph #1: What types of decisions common to manufacturing firms does Amazon make? Find at least one sentence from the textbook that supports your premise. Be sure that you cite it appropriately. What types of decisions common to service firms? How do both types of decisions relate to the marketing of Kindle?

Body Paragraph #2: Describe Amazon's entire supply chain. From which activities in this supply chain does Amazon make money? At what points in the supply chain does Amazon outsource or contract activities to outsiders?

Body Paragraph #3: Go online to Amazon.com and select an item that comes from Amazon itself rather than from a drop shipper. What product did you choose? What kind of purchasing decisions were necessary to make this product available at Amazon’s price? What kind of inventory control decisions?

Body Paragraph #4: What facets of Amazon's operations allow it to offer a high-quality shopping experience to customers?

Body Paragraph #5: Give three or four examples of ways in which Amazon’s operations contribute to high productivity.