OMGT2186 Quantitative analysis and decision making

Assignment 2: Individual assignment
This assignment assesses you against the three general capabilities that this course develops. It is designed to assess your overall understanding of the quantitative concepts and techniques presented in OMGT2186 and to assess your ability to form and justify a conclusion about the practical decision making usefulness of these concepts and quantitative techniques.
Assignment tasks

(i)    Of all the quantitative concepts and methods that this course has covered identify which one
you think is the single most useful in respect of analysis and problem-solving / decision-making in
supply chain and logistics management, or from a functional management decision making
perspective of your choice. Justify your selection as clearly and convincingly as possible, and
support your justification with direct references to relevant, current literature.
(ii)    Identify at least one specific supply chain and logistics management (or other functional)
decision or problem that this quantitative statistical concept or method is or could be directly
applied to.  Demonstrate how it is, or could be, directly applied in this decision or problem, and
how its application helps decision makers to reach a more informed decision in the context of the
identified issue or problem than would be the case if the technique was not employed.
(iii)     Discuss any important limitation or limitations ? either of a methodological or practical type ? of the use of this concept or quantitative method, and outline and explain what if anything can be done to minimise these negative consequences of these limitations in the specific decision or problem situation discussed in point (ii).

You must support your conclusions and comments with up-to-date, well reputed evidence from both the quantitative methods/ operations management and the supply chain and logistics management literature.

You must write this assignment yourself, although discussion with others is permitted and indeed encouraged.  Please ensure that your assignment submission is accompanied by an electronic assignment coversheet.

Assignment format requirements, length
You can present the critique in either an essay or a business report format.  Regardless of the choice please read and comply with the following document Written Reports And Essays: Guidelines For Referencing And Presentation in RMIT Business  available at http://mams.rmit.edu.au/s9sx559hurvc.rtf.
As a guide, your submitted written assignment should be between 2500-3000 words in length (excluding the abstract or executive summary, reference list, and any attachments or appendices).

Assignment marks
Assignment 2 is worth 50 marks. The assignment will be assessed and marks will be awarded against the following criteria:
(i) the comprehensiveness of coverage of each of assigned tasks;
(ii) the currency and specificity of the issue or problem identified and the weight and authority of evidence provided to support the choice of issue or problem discussed;
(iii) the soundness, coherence and quality of the analysis; and
(iv) the overall quality of the written presentation.
See overleaf for full details of assignment 2 assessment criteria and weightings.
Due date and submission method

It is due on Friday October 16 at  end of day. The assignment must be lodged electronically to the Grade Centre for OMGT2186 and a Turnitin report must be attached.