This is an assignment with focus on key issues for todays business operations: products, processes, methods, operating resources, quality, costs, lead times and scheduling.

GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS You will producing a 3-5 page WORD document, following APA guidelines, that will have a title page, introduction, body, conclusion, reference and appendix section. The introduction should include a clear thesis statement and a transition which should lead smoothly into the body of the paper. The body of your paper should include well-organized details, examples, and/or facts which support your thesis and a transition which should lead smoothly into the conclusion of the paper. The conclusion should reinforce your thesis and leave the audience with a final thought.

DETAILED INSTRUCTIONS FIRST you are going to write about a small business flight school. THEN you will begin to analyze using the principles covered in the course by reporting on the following key operational management areas.

KEEP IN MIND: The purpose of the assignment is to highlight ways, [this is the critical analysis], in which the firm can improve in operational areas.

1. Background information (that you think is relevant) about the firm you have selected.

2. Product/services offered by the firm. 3. What kind of an operations strategy do they have how do you know this?

4. Forecasting allows the company to plan the workforce levels, purchase quantities, inventory levels and capacity. Discuss whether the demand for the firm's services or product is monthly, weekly, daily, seasonal, etc.

5. Customer satisfaction is the primary key to the success of any operation, without it, the company cannot survive. What is the level of customer satisfaction for the firm's products/services? 6. Capacity planning allows the company to balance the trade-off between shortages and excess inventories and between waiting lines and idle time. How would you describe the firm's effectiveness and efficiency regarding service/products delivery?

7. A good location can have a significant impact on the attraction of customers, thus improving sales. Discuss the firm's locations regarding product/service delivery and cost. Discuss key considerations related to the firm's location decisions. Should the firm consider other locations?

BUS 4785 Program Assessment Part II: Company Critical

8. Discuss some of the ethical issues that the company has been involved in, whether in the present or past. Explain how these ethical issues were resolved. What are the key steps your firm can take to avoid ethical problems? [Focus: Do not reference ethical problems in general you want to focus on problems that are a concern for your firm.]

9. Discuss some of the firm's supply chain regarding relationships with suppliers, partnerships, logistics, etc. What are some of the latest trends in supply chain management that the firm has adopted?

10. Discuss the significant challenges facing the firm that you have selected and provided ways in which the firm can improve in the identified problematic areas.

** Definition of small business. Small businesses include a wide variety of business types that are independently owed, operated, and financed. Although specific size definitions exist for each type of business, manufacturer with fewer than 500 employees, wholesalers with fewer than 200 employees, and retailers or services with annual revenues less than $3.5 million are typically considered small. By itself, each individual small business has relatively little impact in its industry. [Hatten, T. 2020. Small Business Management. p.21] What does intimately familiar with mean? You know enough about the company to be comfortable, confident and knowledgeable with your writing as it applies to the specific areas as outlined in this assignment. How can I get intimately familiar with a business? Arrange a tour and go prepared to ask questions Study financial reports Review published studies, reports, articles, stories First hand observations of the firms operations Personal knowledge gained as an employee REFRENCES NO more than 3 references. This would include our textbook which I expect you to use. BUS 4785 Program Assessment Part II: Company Critical

What NOT to do. 1. Do not write out definitions or explain a topic. We can assume the audience is familiar with all the terminology from our textbook. 2. Do not show work for any calculations that were needed for a number in the body of the paper. Reference calculations in an appendix to the paper. The appendix pages will not count towards the assignment page number requirement of 3-5. 3. Do not place a charts or tables in the body of the paper. Put in the appendix. 4. Do not make this paper into an analysis of the business marketing strategies. Topics to avoid for this paper include but are not limited to: An overview of your businesss marketing and advertising goals A description of your businesss current marketing position A timeline of when tasks within your marketing strategy will be completed A description of your businesss target market and customer needs Producing a plan to develop or enhance a social media or web presence Any plans on how to increase the customer base PRESENTATION in the body of the paper. Use subtitles Produce itemized lists to break up long paragraphs of text and add variety to the work while providing an easy reference to information. Margins, spacing, alignment, font selection and enhancements all matter. Do not use we; that would indicate there are multiple people criticizing the firm when there is only one you. Do not use the phrase in my opinion or I think etc. etc. as we can assume this is your opinion, or it is what you think as you are the author of the paper.