INS2023 | Operations Management 1
Mid-term Exam
Spring semester 2023 - 2024
Mid-term exam instructions:
(1) Your essay should be in a Q&A format, based on discussion questions
for each case study. You should clarify your answer in bullet points with
sound arguments. You might use the Toulmin argument structure as a
scaffold to construct strong arguments. Please note that answering in
a narrative format will not be appreciated because it is hard to read and
follow.
(2) Requirements:
- Organization: good connection of ideas, appropriate use of
variety of cohesive devices
- Language: accurate and appropriate use of vocabulary,
structures, and register; concise and clear expression of ideas
- Writing style: objective, concrete and organized facts;
appropriate use of reference conventions;
- Layout and presentation: attractive and appropriate use of
paragraphing, headings, numberings, spacing and illustrations
(3) Your answer will be graded based on content, correct spelling, and
mechanics.
(4) You are allowed to research the internet or other sources for writing up
the case analysis; however, please be careful: (1) stick closely to
provided information or data in the chosen case study; (2) acknowledge
information source from internet or database properly, following the
APA referencing style to avoid plagiarism.
(5) Format:
- Words: in total 1.500 – 2.000 words, including everything: title
page, body text, references, table, and so on; not include report
team members contribution section.
- Font: Arial or Time New Roman, size 12, 1.15 spacing
(6) Don’t cheat, don’t steal, don’t lie, and don’t let others do that.
(7) Submission information:
- Deadline: 23:59, March 25th 2024
- File format: *docx or *pdf (preferred); File name: INS2023-XX -
Mid-term Exam – Group XX
- Via email: anhngocnguyen@vnu.edu.vn (C/c all your team
members)
- Subject title: INS2023-XX - Mid-term Exam – Group XX;
Example: INS2023-03 – Mid-term Exam – Group 08
Prepared by Nguyen Ngoc Anh, Ph.D.
Faculty of Economics and Management, VNU International School
2
You have the right to chose any case study below for your group mid-term essay.
Please make a wise choice and write an excellent case analysis.
Case study 1: Quantum Corporation – Business and Product Teams (Product
#: 9-692-023, Harvard Business School, Harvard University, US)
Discussion Questions:
1. What is required to be successful in the Winchester disk drive industry? What
do you think accounts for Quantum's success?
2. What is your evaluation of Quantum's progress to-date in developing and
applying team concepts?
3. How effective have the major teams been? What accounts for their primary
differences in effectiveness?
4. How would you recommend that Dave Brown address the team-related
issues raised at the end of the case? Why? Are there other team issues that
you would add as high priority on his list?
5. Develop an overall plan of action for addressing these issues. How should
they be linked to other aspects of Quantum's management approach? How
should they measure and track their progress in implementing that plan? (Be
specific as to actions to be taken, their timing, and the results expected.)
Case study 2: STARBUCKS (Product #: 9A98M006, Ivey Business School,
University of Western Ontario, Canada)
Discussion Questions:
1. What is Starbucks’ strategy?
2. Given your assessment of its competitive premise, how should it leverage its
resources and capabilities to achieve its growth objective?
3. How will you respond to McDonald’s offer?
Case study 3: Apple INC.: Should it diversify its supply chain outside of
China? (Product #: W31842, Ivey Business School, University of Western
Ontario, Canada)
Discussion Questions:
1. What demand and supply factors are impacting the market share of Apple in
the Chinese smartphone market? List demand and supply factors separately.
2. Identify the market structure for Apple in the Chinese smartphone market.
Provide an economic rationale for your answer.
3. Should Apple exit the Chinese smartphone market? Provide an economic
rationale for your answer and support your rationale with a diagrammatic
presentation of Apple’s cost and demand conditions.
4. Should Apple pursue a major shift in its supply chain location? If yes, which
country should it select for geographic diversification?
Case study 4: Porcini’s Pronto: “Great Italian cuisine without the wait!”
(Product #: 4277, Harvard Business School, Harvard University, US)
Prepared by Nguyen Ngoc Anh, Ph.D.
Faculty of Economics and Management, VNU International School
INS2023 | Operations Management 3
Discussion Questions:
1. How has Porcini’s maintained high product and service quality, and how
does it plan to do so for its new Pronto concept?
2. What does the proposed customer questionnaire system tell you about
Porcini’s approach to quality? What are the system’s strengths and
weaknesses? Can you suggest ways to supplement this tool?
3. How well or poorly do the various elements of the Pronto concept—its menu
choices, HR system, quality measures, etc.—support the goal of “Great
Italian cuisine without the wait?”
4. If you were a member of Porcini’s top management, which of the available
growth options for Pronto would you choose? Why?
5. What are the implications of your choice (Q4) for profitability, return on
investment (ROI), product and service quality, and the quality image of the
Porcini’s brand?
6. Does Pronto have any sustainable competitive advantages? Why or why
not?
Case study 5: Implementing LEAN Operations at Caesars Casinos (Product
#: A11-14-0014, Thunderbird School of Global Management, Arizona State
University, Arizona, US)
Discussion Questions:
1. What are the most important elements of the improvement approach
pursued at Tunica? What benefits were derived from this approach?
2. What would be the advantages and disadvantages of adopting an expert-
driven approach to process improvement at the Metropolis facility, in contrast
to the employee-centered approach used at Tunica? Which approach would
you recommend for Metropolis, and why?
3. Assume Hirsch has decided to follow a high-involvement approach similar to
the one he led at Tunica. What challenges and risks do you anticipate Hirsh
will face in moving forward at Metropolis, and how should he be prepared to
respond?
4. Assume service scores for the area you manage, Harrah’s Metropolis hotel
housekeeping, have declined over the past year. As part of the LEAN rollout
at Metropolis, you and some of your front-line employees will participate in a
kaizen event focused on improving guest-room housekeeping operations.
What KPIs (key performance indicators) would you propose to track to
determine whether the changes implemented through the kaizen effort
actually improve performance?
5. Hirsch has been given 20 minutes at an upcoming meeting to pitch his idea
for a process-improvement program to the rest of the Metropolis leadership
team. What should he do before he gives the pitch? How should Hirsch
organize this pitch and what information should he include?
Prepared by Nguyen Ngoc Anh, Ph.D.
Faculty of Economics and Management, VNU International School
4
INS2023 – Operations Management
Mid-term Essay
Spring semester 2023 - 2024
Class #: INS2023 – XX (Mon/Tue)
Group: XX
Group member:
1. ID#1 – Full name
2. ID#2 – Full name
3. ID#3 – Full name
4. ID#4 – Full name
5. ID#5 – Full name
6. ID#6 – Full name
Case study: Please provide your chosen case study here
Word count: ???? words
Discussion question 1: The question 1 is…
Answer:
Our answer is…
Discussion question 2: The question 2 is…
Answer:
Our answer is…
Prepared by Nguyen Ngoc Anh, Ph.D.
Faculty of Economics and Management, VNU International School
INS2023 | Operations Management 5
Report team members contribution (total: 100%)1:
1. ID#1 – Full name, contributed XX% by doing what? Please describe your
contribution here within 50 words?
2. ID#2 – Full name, contributed XX% by doing what? Please describe your
contribution here within 50 words?
3. ID#3 – Full name, contributed XX% by doing what? Please describe your
contribution here within 50 words?
4. ID#4 – Full name, contributed XX% by doing what? Please describe your
contribution here within 50 words?
5. ID#5 – Full name, contributed XX% by doing what? Please describe your
contribution here within 50 words?
6. ID#6 – Full name, contributed XX% by doing what? Please describe your
contribution here within 50 words?
My suggestion for reporting group contributions: (1) ideas and suggestions for
answering question #??; (2) literature search for question #??; (3) literature
analysis for question #??; (4) preparation, planning and writing of report
question #??; (5) analysis data for answer question #??, and so on.
Individual Mid-term Exam Grade:
= (1) Divided Group Essay Points + (2) Extra Points (P, R, V)
(1) Group Essay Points: Example - 5 members; 7 * 5 = 35
→ 1st member (25%):
→ 2nd member (20%):
→ 3rd member (20%):
→ 4th member (20%):
→ 5th member (15%):
(2) Extra Points (P, R, V, D):
1
Exclude this section from word counts
Prepared by Nguyen Ngoc Anh, Ph.D.
Faculty of Economics and Management, VNU International School
6
Group Work Etiquettes
(Two cents from Dr. Walter vom Saal, Professor of Psychology at SUNY Oneonta, USA)
Have respect for each other.
- Respect each other’s ideas
- Respect the other group members
- Don’t interrupt each other
- Everyone’s opinion should count
- Be (intellectually) honest with each other
All group members should do an equal amount of work.
- Everyone should share the responsibility for the tasks
- Don’t take over and don’t let others take over
Your group should have a common understanding of the goals that need to
be achieved.
- Help each other to understand all concepts
Be open to compromise.
- Be willing to cooperate with others on their ideas
- Keep an open mind
- Vote on disagreements
Effective communication.
- Make sure everyone is able to be vocal about their ideas and problems
- Give ideas no matter how “off” you may think they are
- Listen effectively
- Don’t be critical
Time management.
- Attend and arrive on time to all group meetings
- Be flexible about meeting times
- Keep on task (limit talk about non-related events)
Be happy in the group you are in.
Prepared by Nguyen Ngoc Anh, Ph.D.
Faculty of Economics and Management, VNU International School
