Operation Management - Party planning example

Imagine that you have decided to hold a Christmas party (Dec 25). Needless to say, you have a limited budget (you can choose your own budget). Planning a party requires a series of interrelated decisions. The point of this exercise is for you to realize that even though this endeavor appears to be a relatively simple activity, the key to successful planning is how we generate, integrate and organize all the information on which planning and control depends. Apply from the following concepts: Forecasting, aggregate planning, capacity planning, MPS, MRP, scheduling, sequencing. Be sure to include all information required and provide the rationale for your decisions. You will find that using the concepts such as BOM, lead time, safety stock will help in making your volume and timing calculations. Parts 1-4 to be answered in EXCEL with formulas!! 1. Tell me how you intend to estimate the number of guests i.e. give me your approach for forecasting? If you have this information, how can you use this information? 2. Now that you have a forecast, plan the menu that caters to the guests. Only few items can be store bought. You love cooking (you also have 2 friends to help you out on the day of the party) so you will make (assemble) many items on the day of the party. 3. Make a list of the raw materials needed and develop a bill of materials. 4. Develop routings for each. Estimate the processing time required to make the item. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Below information is just to help answer the top four parts of the question. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Requirements: 1. Minimum 25 guests – You are hosting the party in your house at 5 pm on Dec 25th. 2. You are thinking of a 5-course meal: appetizer, soup, salad, entrée and dessert. Your menu should include food that is homemade or requires assembly (at least 6 items). 3. There are options available to cater to different palettes and tastes (i.e. vegetarian, nonvegetarian, vegan, etc) 4. Basically most of the menu items should require prep, baking and/or assembly time required. 5. Guests won’t be happy if the food is not arranged in some orderly manner (hint: what kind of layout to be used). ​​​​​​​------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Some pointers to build upon: ​​​​​​​------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. First you have to estimate the number of guests: Tell me how you intend to do this. If you have this information, how can you use this information? 2. Next you may decide on a menu: What would be the constraints that you will have to deal with? What you want to do and what you do may be different? 3. Is the food going to be store bought or made in house or catered? Make or Buy options 4. Timing of food – i.e. when to make it – on the day or before? Be sure that the item arrives on table on time 5. Scheduling the food/servers on the day of the event