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Level 2 Management Report
Level 2 Management Project
Semester 2
2014 – 2015
Assessment Booklet
Integrated Assessment Rationale
By assessing two modules, which have a specific operations focus, at stage 2 together you will be able to gain a deeper knowledge of supply chain management and decision making.
It is intended that by completing this assessment students will not only have the required understanding to pass each of the three modules but also have a greater understanding of how operations affect businesses and the way we manage them.
Listed below are the learning outcomes for each of the courses involved with this integrated assessment:
BA (Hons) Business Management
The intended learning outcomes of the BA (Hons) Business Management course are to enable graduates to:
Have a wide knowledge and understanding of the broad range of areas of business and management, and the detailed relationships between these, their application and importance in an integrated framework.
Consistently demonstrate a command of subject specific skills including application of knowledge, as well as proficiency in intellectual skills.
Have a view of business and management which is influenced by a variety of learning sources including [but not limited to] guided learning, team work and independent study.
Be distinguished from the threshold category as defined by the QAA (2007) by their enhanced capacity to develop and apply their own perspectives to their studies, to deal with uncertainty and complexity, to explore alternative solutions, to demonstrate critical evaluation and to integrate theory and practice in a wide range of situations.
Module Combinations
As part of this integrated form of assessment you will need to be studying both of the following modules.
Business Management
238SAM Contemporary Supply Chain Management
251SAM Consultancy Management Techniques
Learning Outcomes
This integrated assessment looks to achieve the following specific learning outcomes from each of the three modules:
Business Management
238SAM Contemporary Supply Chain Management
LO3. Understand and apply appropriate management frameworks which can be used for the planning and control of materials and services, from the viewpoints of quality, quantity and cost analysis. LO4. Understand the range of tools and techniques available to aid efficient and effective Supply chain managerial decision making.
251SAM Consultancy Management Techniques
LO1. Identify and select sources of data and information relevant to the decision making processLO2. Analyse and present information to support decision makingLO3. Communicate results of information analysis and decision makingLO4. Select appropriate tools and techniques to support managerial decision making.
Task
Consider the following hypothetical scenario in regards to Jaguar Land Rover.
As consumers and automotive manufacturers become more aware of environmental issues, the pressure to develop new alternative fueled cars has become of strategic importance.
Jaguar Land Rover is committed to meeting the needs of their consumers and therefore has taken the decision to add an all electric vehicle to their existing line up. To reach this objective, JLR will have to implement new supply chains. This report will focus on the creation of supply chain networks from internationally based suppliers to the UK.
You will have to gather information and subsequently make decisions regarding the location of new JLR suppliers according to decision-making systems.
You will have to:
Identify and select sources of data and information regarding suppliers (you will need to consider the entire supply chain)
Identify the legal requirements relating to the collection use and storage of data and information
Select and apply appropriate decision-making frameworks to support the selection of the suppliers
Analyse and present information to support the decisions regarding suppliers selection
Consider how the supply chain for the new vehicle may differ to previous vehicles at JLR.
Consider how quality, quantity and cost will be addressed when making decisions throughout the supply chain.
Analyse the role of the customer in the supply chain.
Identify and discuss potential areas of difficulties in the new supply chain, offering ideas for constructive solutions.
Introduction, Conclusion / Recommendations, and reference list all need to be supplied in your final report.
Instructions
Your report needs to be presented in full report format with all sections included.
Please ensure that your report contains:
Title Page
An Executive Summary
Contents
Introduction
Discussion / Main Body
Recommendations and Conclusions
Full List of References
The word count for each of the main report is 3000 words with roughly 1500 words for each of the two modules. Please note that material outside of this, such as your introduction etc, are not included in the word count but are marked. Please refer to the marking criteria for details of how marks are allocated and determined for this piece of work.
Please remember that this piece of work is integrated across two modules and therefore you should ensure that your introduction, recommendations, conclusions and reference list reflect this.
Submission date: 1st of May 2015 at 23:55 via Turnitin only.
Failure to submit work on or before the deadline will result in a mark of 0 being awarded in line with current University policy.
IMPORTANT – PLEASE READ THIS WARNING REGARDING PLAGIARISM
Assessments must be all your own work and must not have been copied in part or in whole from any other source, such as books or the internet, or from other students’ work. If you wish to use another author’s exact words in a short quotation this must be clearly marked up in inverted commas with the exact source given, including page number, so that the reader can clearly see which words have been copied and are not your own. Just quoting references used at the end is not sufficient.
Please see your course handbook or the Faculty website for more information on referencing and university regulations on plagiarism.
Background Reading
The below case study should be considered when beginning your research into JLR, it should however be noted that this information is relevant to the current state of JLR and does not reflect the hypothetical scenario that you need to consider for this assignment.
Case Study
1.0 JLR
www.jaguarlandrover.com
The Jaguar Land Rover PLC is a huge company and a key player within the automobile industry. The company operates indirectly and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Tata Motors Limited. Jaguar Land Rover is built around two iconic British brands, Jaguar Cars Limited and Land Rover, which invent, engineer and produce cars in the UK with different target market within the industry. The former is branded as one of the premier producers of sports cars and luxury sports saloons in the world and the latter is a renowned producer of premium 4x4s all-terrain vehicles (Jaguar Land Rover n.d.). In addition, the company has attained a unique global image through a defined sales and distribution network of cars, related parts and accessories. The two top brands merged together in one world-class business, offers a portfolio of cars that are highly recognised as leaders in their sector. As a result, Jaguar Land Rover continues to falsify ahead in design excellence and technological innovation with the launch of its award winning Range Rover Evoque deemed as the “Car Design of the Year” (Range Rover n.d.). Other countries accolade for the Evoque includes ‘Auto Design and Styling’ and ‘Best SUV of 2011’ from Czech publication and Motor Press Editorial Group in Portugal respectively (Range Rover n.d.).
1.1 History
Jaguar Cars Ltd
Founded in 1922 by Sir William Lyons as the Swallow Sidecar Company, Jaguar Cars Ltd simply named in 1945, originated from motorcycle sidecars before moving into passenger car productions. In 1968, the company merged with the British Motor Corporation of which expanded the business’ operations. This gave Jaguar the opportunity to be listed on the London Stock Exchange in 1984 under the FTSE 100 Index, prior the acquisition of the company by Ford in 1989 for £1.6 billion.
After the purchase, the company became part of the Premier Automotive Group in 1999 collectively with HYPERLINK “http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aston_Martin”Aston Martin and HYPERLINK “http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volvo_Cars”Volvo Cars. Land Rover then joined the group after a year.
Jaguar has been known in recent years as a car manufacturer for prime ministers with the most recent one being the XJ model (Autoblog 2010). Also, the stylishly designed and luxurious Jaguar cars hold Royal Warrants from HM Queen Elizabeth II and HRH Prince Charles (Motor Quote Direct 2011). Currently, Jaguar operates from the Whitley plant in Coventry and the Gaydon site in HYPERLINK “http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warwickshire”Warwickshire where the cars are designed with a highly urbanized research and development centre since 1985 and the high-technology design and engineering centre since 2000 respectively. The Gaydon site also incorporate business functions such as Finance, Marketing, Sales, Human Resources and other services. The company manufactures from two plants which includes, Browns Lane which is known as the Jaguar veneer manufacturing centre since 1951and the Castle Bromwich which operates as the “Body in White Assembly and Paint, Trim and Final Assembly of all XJ, XF and XK model” (Jaguar n.d.).
The proximity of the plants enables the company to simply split the car body development from its assembly thereby creating a platform for a prompt manufacturing process. An additional plant which operates like the Castle Bromwich however, for Freelander 2 and X-TYPE models is the Halewood located in Liverpool. In order to offer an intriguing glimpse into the history of the company and create a positive public image, the company opened the Jaguar Heritage Museum which serves as a promotion centre and a home to about 160 Jaguar and Daimler displays from 1896 to the present (Jaguar n.d.). The museum was established in 1998.
One of flaws that Jaguar faced was the introduction of the X-TYPE to battle its rival, BMW 3 series, of which became a huge disappointment from their fans. The decision made by Ford to produce the car was based on Ford Mondeo’s platform. Jaguar’s X-type was described by customers as re-modelled Mondeo but their major drawback was the conservative styling and an uninspiring interior compared to competitors (Auto Express 2011). This resulted in the lack of sales hence losses incurred.
Land Rover
The company was founded by Maurice Wilks, chief designer at the Rover Company, who designed the original Land Rover through an inspiration from an American World War II Jeep used during his holiday (The Telegraph 2011). As a result, the first Land Rover was manufactured on a Jeep chassis. As part of its history, Land Rover was launched by Rover in 1948 and became part of the Leyland Motor Corporation in 1967 until 1968 when the British Leyland was formed after the merger of the British Motor Holdings and Leyland Motor Corporation. British Aerospace acquired the Rover Group in 1988 and six years after, BMW made an offer to overtake the company. The deal was successful and BMW became the sole owners of the company. The rapid change of ownership shows that the company was less profitable. To this effect, Land Rover was sold to Ford Motor Company in 2000 for £1.85 billion (3 billion euros) and became part of the Premier Automotive group (BBC 2010). Ever since Land Rover begun, the company has grown into a renowned brand which comprises of a range of four-wheel-drive models. The models include the series, defender, discovery, freelander, range rover, range rover sport and range rover evoque.
1.2 JLR Today
Jaguar Land Rover has undergone structural changes during its growth and development coupled with the rapid ownership changes elaborated above. The era has seen a recent divestiture by Ford when Jaguar became a financial drain on the company for years hence, making loss despite the £4 billion invested in Jaguar and Land Rover (AutoMotto 2006). Following the closure of Jaguar’s plant at Browns lane in Coventry, which led to unemployment issues, Ford decided to sell off Jaguar so as to reduce its costs and keep up with the rising competition in the US market (AutoMotto 2006). Although Land Rover was profitable, it did not have a huge impact on the company. In effect, Ford intended to use a ‘BOGOF’ strategy by selling Jaguar and throwing in Land Rover so as to attract buyers.
When the deal was announced, Tata, India’s biggest car vehicle maker showed an interest and negotiated based on the price and supply network systems. Ford and Tata agreed on a half price deal of £1.5 billion ($2.3 billion) for the two British marques in June 2008 (BBC NEWS 2011). The sale was crowned with a satisfactory statement from the executive chairman of Ford that it was “not a mistake” since there were rumors regarding the deal (BskyB 2011).
Apart from these rumors and the widespread scepticism in the market regarding an Indian company possessing Britain’s luxurious brands, other stakeholders were concerned about the takeover’s impact on the economy. This was partly due to the cost cutting measures taken by Ford, during the recession such as downsizing. However, Tata confirmed that there will be no significant changes instead, the takeover would enhance and expand their international presence and competition especially in the market of passenger cars. At this stage it is important to realise that although JLR was loss making company, Tata had 90% of their sales in the Indian market and looked to expand its market concentration internationally across different and customer segments and geographies. As a result, the company has penetrated into the UK market and emerging ones by acquiring the loss making firm. Aside the opportunities and strengths of the takeover, there were challenges faced by the entire Tata Group. Although the long term profitability of JLR seemed feasible to Tata’s management, a conflict of interest was demonstrated by shareholders’ dissatisfaction. This was mainly due to the negative market reaction of value investors when the takeover deal was announced.
Also industry analysts predicted that the major issues that could disturb the foresight of the company were the funding risks, currency risks and economic downturn in markets in Europe and America (IBS Centre of Management Research n.d.). In response to the issues at hand, the global investment bank UBS stated that “This (the debt) could increase Tata Motors’ interest costs by Rs 650-700 crore per annum and reduce the earnings per share for 2008-09 by Rs 12-13, or 19-20 per cent (Business today 2011).” Standard & Poor’s assessment of Tata’s outstanding debt of $850 million for JLR purchase resulted in a downgrade of its credit ratings from B+ to B (Bloomberg Business week 2011).
As employees of JLR were not happy about the takeover due to the risk of downsizing, the company revived their confidence by signing an agreement with Unite, JLR’s trade union group, with the intention of safeguarding jobs for three years till 2011(Business today 2011).
The agreement included other packages such as pensions and sourcing agreements of which are very beneficial to the UK automotive industry. After some time, the company was at risk of shutting down some of its plants such as those in solihull, Halewood, Castle Bromwich and Coventry due to the 10 months loss of about £280 million in 2009 which is 32% fall in sales. Consequently, the government expressed its willingness to support JLR, stating that the company is a viable business with future prospects (BBC NEWS 2011). The management of the company, therefore, requested for £1 billion bailout.
This request was subject to the government’s scrutiny of which the business secretary Lord Mandelson added his thoughts stating that “The car sector – car manufacturing – is a centre of real excellence and competitive strength in our country” (Haymarket Media Group 2011). It is apparent that, the company could not withstand the competition at hand and was dramatically facing cash flow problems with the inability to meet their debt obligations as they fell due such as payment to suppliers and lenders.
The crowning victory that has long been waiting for was the renaissance of the JLR brand. Following a high degree of investment in research and development to rebuild the brand image, the classic and luxurious Jaguar XF and XK was revealed. JLR has invested more than £1 billion per year over the five forthcoming years to create thrilling and contemporary models that will, ultimately, fortify JLR’s position internationally. Subsequently, signs of immediate results were reflected where sales were up 95% and 25% for the XF and XK models respectively. This comprised of an increase in sales in emerging markets like China and India recording a 43% sales rise in China. Overall, JLR sales rose by 51% from £6.6 billion to £9.9 billion which was aided by a favourable foreign exchange rates. Annual profits of more than £1.1 billion were recorded. Ralf Speth, chief executive of JLR, said: “This is a solid performance but we must remain focused on delivering a strong, sustainable business model for the future (Dennis Publishing Limited 2011).” Professor Bailey of Coventry University Business School also added that JLR is focussing on doubling production over the next four years.
He also stated that car productions target for JLR has been set at 300,000 rather than 150,000 by 2015 (Birmingham Post.net 2010). This creates a platform for low-cost importers from India to penetrate the market.
References
Autoblog (2010) Cameron gets a new Jag to go with the new job [online] available
from < HYPERLINK “http://uk.autoblog.com/2010/05/13/cameron-gets-a-new-jag-to-go-with-the-new-job/”http://uk.autoblog.com/2010/05/13/cameron-gets-a-new-jag-to-go-with-the-new-job/> [26 July 2011]
Auto Express (2011) Jaguar X-Type [online] available from
< HYPERLINK “http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/carreviews/usedcartests/51848/jaguar_xtype.html”http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/carreviews/usedcartests/51848/jaguar_xtype.html> [26 July 2011]
AutoMotto (2006) HYPERLINK “http://www.automotto.com/entry/fords-offer-buy-jaguar-get-land-rover-for-free/”Ford’s offer: Buy Jaguar, get Land Rover for free? [online]
available from < HYPERLINK “http://www.automotto.com/entry/fords-offer-buy-jaguar-get-land-rover-for-free”http://www.automotto.com/entry/fords-offer-buy-jaguar-get-land-rover-for-free> [26 July 2011]
BBC NEWS (2011) Tata buys Jaguar in £1.15bn deal [online] available from
< HYPERLINK “http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/7313380.stm”http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/7313380.stm> [27 June 2011]
BBC NEWS (2011) Jobs warning at Jaguar Land Rover [online] available from
< HYPERLINK “http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/8121056.stm”http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/8121056.stm> [28 June 2011]
BBC NEWS (2000) BMW, Ford seal Land Rover deal [online] available from
< HYPERLINK “http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/761794.stm”http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/761794.stm> [25 June 2011]
Birmingham Post.net (2010) Jaguar Land Rover throws lifeline to industry supply
chain [online] available from < HYPERLINK “http://www.birminghampost.net/birmingham-business/birmingham-business-news/automotive-business/2010/10/22/jaguar-land-rover-throws-lifeline-to-industry-supply-chain-65233-27527020/” l “ixzz1VUY4Qxlx”http://www.birminghampost.net/birmingham-business/birmingham-business-news/automotive-business/2010/10/22/jaguar-land-rover-throws-lifeline-to-industry-supply-chain-65233-27527020/#ixzz1VUY4Qxlx> [21 June 2011]
Bloomberg Business week (2011) Tata: Still Reeling from Its Jaguar-Land Rover Buy
< HYPERLINK “http://www.businessweek.com/globalbiz/content/aug2009/gb20090811_307608.htm”http://www.businessweek.com/globalbiz/content/aug2009/gb20090811_307608.htm> [25 July 2011]
BskyB (2011) Jaguar Land Rover Sale ‘No Mistake’: Mr Ford [online] available from
< HYPERLINK “http://news.sky.com/home/business/article/16000406″http://news.sky.com/home/business/article/16000406> [27 June 2011]
Business today (2011) Ratan Tata: In the driver’s seat [online] available from
< HYPERLINK “http://businesstoday.intoday.in/story/ratan-tata-in-the-drivers-seat/1/1896.html”http://businesstoday.intoday.in/story/ratan-tata-in-the-drivers-seat/1/1896.html> [20 July 2011]
Haymarket Media Group (2011) Jaguar Land Rover bailout [online] available from
< HYPERLINK “http://www.autocar.co.uk/News/NewsArticle/Jaguar-XF/236662/”http://www.autocar.co.uk/News/NewsArticle/Jaguar-XF/236662/> [21 June 2011]
IBS Center of Management Research (n.d.) Tata Motors’ Acquisition of Jaguar and
Land Rover [online] available from < HYPERLINK “http://www.icmrindia.org/casestudies/catalogue/Business strategy/BSTR313.htm”http://www.icmrindia.org/casestudies/catalogue/Business%20strategy/BSTR313.htm> [20 July 2011]
Jaguar Land Rover (n.d.) Main Page [online] available from
< HYPERLINK “http://www.jaguarlandrover.com/index.html”http://www.jaguarlandrover.com/index.html> [25 July 2011]
Jaguar (n.d.) Jaguar Locations [online] available from
< HYPERLINK “http://www.jaguar.com/gl/en/about_jaguar/corporate/locations”http://www.jaguar.com/gl/en/about_jaguar/corporate/locations> [26 June 2011]
Jaguar Land Rover (2010/11) Jaguar Land Rover 2010/11 Annual Report [online]
available from < HYPERLINK “http://www.jaguarlandrover.com/pdf/2010-2011_annual_report.pdf”http://www.jaguarlandrover.com/pdf/2010-2011_annual_report.pdf> [26 June 2011]
Motor Quote Direct (2011) Jaguar Car Insurance [online] available from
< HYPERLINK “http://www.motorquotedirect.co.uk/jaguar/car_insurance.html”http://www.motorquotedirect.co.uk/jaguar/car_insurance.html> [26 July 2011]
Range Rover (n.d.) Range Rover Evoque wins Car Design of the Year [online]
available from < HYPERLINK “http://www.cardesignnews.com/site/careers/design_positions/view/store188/item213364/”http://www.cardesignnews.com/site/careers/design_positions/view/store188/item213364/> [25 July 2011]
The Telegraph (2011) Land Rover: The sands of time [online] available from
< HYPERLINK “http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/2751397/Land-Rover-The-sands-of-time.html”http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/2751397/Land-Rover-The-sands-of-time.html> [27 June 2011]
Marking Criteria
Assessment Criteria for Undergraduate Integrated Assessment level 2
FIRST70 – 100 The output is well structured and communicated. It is coherent and shows an excellent level of analysis and evaluation with clear signs of originality and insight. Has read and synthesised extensively beyond the immediately relevant reading. The final report is well laid out and successfully brings together all of three of the individual modules.
TWO-ONE60 – 69
The project has relevant content which meets all criteria set in the assessment booklet. Clear evidence of independent inquiry and critical judgment in selecting, ordering, analysing and synthesising. Has read the immediately relevant literature and to a great extent beyond. Has successfully linked the three module topics together.
TWO-TWO50 – 59THIRD
40 – 49
MARGINAL FAIL35 – 39
Some appropriate theory plus an attempt at analysis but with basic linkage between theory and analysis. Has read the immediately relevant literature and beyond. Some attempt at bringing the three modules together has been made.
Makes only a basic attempt to answer the questions. Lacks focus and only a weak attempt at analysis. Has read some of the immediately relevant literature. Lacks synthesis between the discreet topic areas.
Fails to understand the basic requirements of the questions. Essentially descriptive work showing only limited understanding and application of ideas. Little evidence of having read the immediately relevant literature. No evidence that relevant subject knowledge has been understood. Little attempt at analysis.
POOR FAIL
0 – 34 Poorly organised superficial description with virtually no understanding or analysis of the issues involved. No attempt at synthesis. No evidence of having read the immediately relevant literature or understood basic theory.
Section Maximum Mark Marked by
Introduction 5 Decision Making
Supply Chain Management 90 Supply Chain Management
Decision Making 90 Decision Making
Recommendations and Conclusions 10 Supply Chain Management
Referencing and Layout 5 Decision Making
Total Marks 200
Bank 1 Case Study
BABOK: Bank 1 Case Study
Student’s Name
INF80014 Contemporary Issues in Business
Instructor
Date
BABOK: Bank 1 Case Study
Introduction
In this paper, the following knowledge areas of BABOK, i.e., enterprise analysis, elicitation, requirement analysis, and solution assessment and validation, will be applied as a lens when analyzing why the Bank 1 architects were unable to develop stakeholder support and commitment for the enterprise architecture implementation or EAI. The paper will apply the BABOK knowledge areas to show that the competencies linked with regular business analysis can also be used in other areas of IS practice, including enterprise architecture. This discussion will utilize the BABOK knowledge areas as a guiding tool for interventions in relational challenges between stakeholders and IS practitioners.
Case Study Description
The focus of the case study was examining the clash between architects contracted by Bank 1 to implement the Banks new strategy to make changes to its existing enterprise infrastructure. The key players and actors of this process included the bank’s executives, architects, and other bank stakeholders. The Architects were primarily involved in two main activities. First of all, they selected new hardware and software products to build the platforms and systems that have been specified in the enterprise architecture plans. This task was to run from June 2011 to December 2011. The architects presented the plans for their selected software and hardware products, including the work products, to senior executives within the bank’s business divisions to gain approval. The other main activity that the architects had been involved in was the Architecture Review Board. In mid-2011, the CIO set up the Architecture Review Board tasked with reviewing the software and hardware changes proposed by new and existing new technology projects within the bank. Some of the architects’ problems included not liaising with technology and business stakeholders when selecting the various software and hardware products. They believed that they should not focus on the business process and that their role was to first and all define the technology components and the implementation plans. The architects believed that they were supposed to build the technical capabilities the best way they knew how irrespective of what the business wanted. This led to some pushback from other stakeholders that felt that their views and preferences were not incorporated in the project. This discussion will apply the BABOK knowledge areas as an effective lens to analyze why the Bank I architects could not nurture stakeholder support and commitment for the enterprise architecture implementation or EAI.
Knowledge Areas of the BABOK
The acronym BABOK stands for Business Analysis Body of Knowledge and is associated with the following organizational bodies: business process management, agile development, and business architecture and business intelligence. It is a universally accepted standard developed after a rigorous consensus-driven standards process (Tătaru & Fleacă, 2019). It incorporates the collective experience and wisdom of experts in various fields from across the globe. It provides definitions of knowledge and skills needed by business analysis professionals that cover the key knowledge areas of a business analysis competency model (Nkomo & Marnewick, 2021). I believe that BABOK is necessary in evaluating and analyzing this case study because it contributes knowledge and practice from experts on business intelligence and architecture. It is, therefore, a viable tool to be used as a lens in this case study that discusses Enterprise Architecture Implementation. The knowledge areas of BABOK are business analysis planning and monitoring, elicitation and collaboration, requirements life cycle management, strategy analysis, requirements analysis, design definition, and solution evaluation.
Business Analysis and Planning
The architects got significant stakeholder support for the deliverables to be produced. This was done during the initial meetings with executives during the six months before the project formally commenced. However, there was no significant stakeholder support on the process to be followed, techniques to be used, and how the enterprise architecture implementation would be monitored. This was because the architects mainly believed that they should concentrate on the project’s architectural goals. They mapped the main architectural objectives to the available commercial-off-the-shelf hardware and software products. These were generic products that were not tailor-made to any specific project. They mostly worked amongst themselves and did not seek any external input from key stakeholders in the business after initial approval. The criteria they used emphasized performance and architectural goals that represented significant improvements to the existing bank’s technological portfolio. The organization’s technology and business staff were not involved during the design of the evaluation template. As a result, while these criteria could have reflected the architects’ concerns and values, they only represented a partial understanding of the requirements since they took minimal consideration of what was critical to the business, particularly when choosing the new hardware and software products.
Elicitation and Requirements Management and Communication
Elicitation and collaboration describe how the architects contracted for the project work with business stakeholders to elicit the key requirements. It allows them to understand the stakeholder concerns and needs. This BABOK knowledge area addresses ongoing communication and collaboration during the project analysis activities (Sousa et al., 2018). The architect’s task list for this particular knowledge area is made up of the following: preparation of the elicitation activities, meeting the stakeholders and carrying out the elicitation activity, documenting, confirming, and recording the elicitation results, and finally confirming and communicating elicitation results with the key stakeholders. The architects’ approach only enabled elicitation of stakeholders’ requirements when they met the stakeholders to conduct the elicitation activity. They only met the directors and executives at the beginning of the project. Once the project commenced, the architects were only consulting amongst themselves. Their requirements management approach could be described as a pragmatic and aloof approach. They only concentrated on the architectural and technological aspects of the project. They did not get insights on how to tweak the project according to the platform users’ unique requirements and demands as the project progressed.
Enterprise Analysis
In enterprise analysis, the architects are supposed to plan how to approach the business analysis effort. This stage includes templates, processes, and activities used when performing enterprise analysis in a specific context (Tătaru & Fleacă, 2019). These monitoring and planning activities are expected to take place throughout the lifecycle of the project. The architects did not make room to understand and realize that stakeholder requirements could change during the project. They isolated themselves from the bank employees, thus forming a wall between themselves and critical stakeholders.
Requirements analysis and solution validation and assessment
Requirement analysis, solution assessment, and validation describe how the architects should progressively elaborate, define, refine, organize, and prioritize the bank stakeholders’ requirements (Nkomo & Marnewick, 2021). In essence, the architects should take the elicited information and make sense of it to derive the real project requirements. Solution validation and assessment concentrate on assessing and validating proposed solutions before, during, and after the project’s life cycle. The architects’ attention in this case study should have been on the value that the solution would deliver to the bank and its stakeholders. The architects’ isolationist approach prevented them from understanding that the stakeholder requirements could change since they only took views from a small clique of stakeholders, the directors. They also failed to progressively monitor any business environment changes that could have elicited stakeholders’ preferences. The architects wrongly assumed that the initial project agreement with the directors is cast in stone or rigid and should not be flexible in design and scope. In principle, the architects understood the kind of solution that the business wanted but failed to incorporate the critical needs of other stakeholders. The EAI is one solution since it only solved the architectural or technological problem without incorporating the business and personnel solutions. This shows that enterprise architecture is difficult to formulate and change since it has numerous stakeholder interests and works in a dynamic business environment.
Why architects could not build stakeholder support and commitment
The key points from the analysis are that the architects were wrong in isolating themselves and only consulting amongst themselves. Their practices inhibited them from building a collaborative relationship with stakeholders since they put a lot of distance between them and the bank’s stakeholders. It is important that IS practitioners build collaborative relationships to ensure they accurately diagnose the problem and prescribe a working solution according to all the business and stakeholder needs (Nkomo & Marnewick, 2021). The outcome of failure by IS practitioners to give adequate attention to objectives, priorities, and stakeholder assumptions is that the project may fail to live up to its expected deliverables.
What you would do differently as an IS practitioner
As an IS practitioner, I would include a representative from different business stakeholders in our consultation rooms. This would enable me and other involved in the project to constantly have a finger on the pulse of the organizational needs and changing requirements. It would ensure that all the deliverables match the stakeholder preferences and business needs.
Conclusion
This assignment has enabled me to learn more about applying BABOK knowledge areas to enterprise architect implementation. It has provided me with an insight into the critical practices that should not be overlooked in the BABOK knowledge areas. I realized that a functioning new architectural infrastructure might fail to meet an organization’s expectations if the stakeholders are not involved throughout its development and deployment.
References
Nkomo, A., & Marnewick, C. (2021). Improving the success rate of business process re
engineering projects: A business process re-engineering framework. South African
Journal of Information Management, 23(1), 1-11.
Sousa, P., Tereso, A., Alves, A., & Gomes, L. (2018). Implementation of project management
and lean production practices in an SME Portuguese innovation company. Procedia
computer science, 138, 867-874.
Tătaru, I. M., & Fleacă, E. (2019). Technologies for Modeling Business Processes. FAIMA
Business & Management Journal, 7(2), 31-41.
Band of Brothers
Student’s Name
Professor’s Name
Course
Date
Band of Brothers
Band of Brothers is a true to life history that contains World War II organizations that incorporate paratroopers, Easy Company of the 506th Regiment, and 101st Airborne. The mix of these organizations brought the name ‘brand of brothers.’ Through a blend of account, meetings, maps, and portions from letters, Stephen E. Ambrose takes after the lives of this gathering of fighters from their preparation in 1942, their arrangements in Europe, and their lives after the war. By concentrating on the lives of individuals from one specific organization, Ambrose uncovers the truth of military life and the lives of the common men behind the ordinary expansive scale military accounts of the period.
Ambrose opens the book by portraying the men’s paratrooper preparing in Camp Toccoa, Georgia (U.S.) amid the last 50% of 1942, very nearly multi year after the United States entered the war in favor of the Allies. Amid their opportunity in Georgia, the men manufactured an organization character worked around their restriction to their boss, Herbert Sobel, and their responsibility to exceed expectations as paratroopers. In the wake of finishing their underlying preparing, the men kept preparing in eastern U.S. army bases and Aldbourne, England.
The first significance of Simple Company commitment was on the day an attack took place in Normandy, France. Essential identities for the organization rose amid activity, especially Richard Winters, who drove the organization and its contingent towards the end. Simple Company came back to Aldbourne in the mid year of 1944, short a few men who had been injured or slaughtered, and with a more mindful disposition that rose up out of their interest in fight. Their organization identity—fitness, teach, and a promise to taking care of business without superfluous heroics—rose now under the administration of Winters.
In 1944, Easy Company served in Holland as a piece of an absurd mission called MARKET-GARDEN. This mission tried the men since they were compelled to invest quite a bit of their energy in trenches and were just ready to move around during the evening. Toward the finish of this arrangement, the front they shielded had not moved. After a short rest in Mourmelon, France, Easy Company went to battle in the Ardennes, where they filled in as a major aspect of the ring resistance around the city of Bastogne, a vital site for the Battle of the Bulge. They later took Noville to remove the withdraw of the Germans. Badly arranged regarding hardware and weapons and compelled to get by in foxholes and snow, numerous individuals from Easy Company kicked the bucket in battle. Others broke under the weight of the battle conditions.
Their status as a major aspect of the amazing Screaming Eagles of the 101st Airborne was fixed amid the resistance of Bastogne, nonetheless, when their fruitful push to hold off the Germans while under attack was broadly revealed in daily papers. Ambrose relates in detail what a great many people don’t think about them, to be specific the toll those months in 1944 and 1945 went up against the initiative and officers of Easy Company. They went again to Noville, France, and in spite of proceeding to break under the weight of their long sending in battle zones, performed all around ok to enable Eisenhower to meet his objectives. In the most recent year of the war, Easy Company served nearer to the back in Haguenau, Germany, and invested energy recovering again in Mourmelon.
They last bit of their war got spent in Germany planning surrendering German troopers and removed individuals. They went up against reality of the Holocaust in a work and death camp. Basic Company was the first to arrive at Hitler’s Eagle’s Nest in the German Alps, at that point thought to be a high-esteem target on account of its representative significance as Hitler’s withdraw. Amid these fading long periods of the war, numerous G.I.s, Easy Company among them, invested their recreation energy plundering, drinking, and getting a charge out of the organization of ladies who encompassed them. Simple Company’s war finished in psyche.
The men of Easy Company began off via preparing at Camp Toccoa, Georgia. This is the place the majority of the men beginning framing their enduring connections they had with each other and that they will always remember. They experienced diligent work, however at last it was all justified, despite all the trouble. They at that point were sent to England where they prepared increasingly and removed numerous training bounces from planes to prepare for the D-day attack of Normandy.
D-day happened on June sixth, 1944 and it went poorly well, yet the men could get to the ground. They were exceptionally scattered yet in the end could regroup and secure the shorelines under the initiative of Lt. Dick Winters. Not long after D-Day, Easy got sent into Holland for Operation Market Garden. At that point, they get sent to Bastogne to get to Berlin.
The Battle of the Bulge, which occurred in Bastogne, was the most noticeably bad piece of the war the men needed to experience. Their undertaking was to hold the cutting edge in the dead, solidifying winter of Bastogne. In any case, they needed to do this with scarcely any sustenance, no winter dress, and little ammunition. The armed force lost a considerable measure of men because of wounds and demise here.
Through huge diligent work and commitment, they can proceed with their push towards Germany. When they achieve Germany, they go over an inhumane imprisonment which stuns, alarms, and irritates the greater part of the men. Simple is then entrusted to take the town of Berchtesgaden, the last fortress of the SS, and Hitler’s Eagle’s Nest. The German Army at long last surrenders and everybody is greatly eased that it is all finished and that they effectively finished their undertaking.
The reason for this book was to show to individuals how this gathering of men could meet up in the midst of war and the greater part of the battles they needed to experience. Ambrose completed an incredible activity accomplishing this reason. Since he utilized verifiable actualities and data from the men of Easy Company he talked with, this present book’s story turns out to be quite a lot more intriguing than composing a totally anecdotal book.
I figure Ambrose completed a great employment celebrating the men of Easy Company for the greater part of the hardships and battles they needed to experience to battle for the United States of America’s flexibilities and freedoms. Likewise, this book is an exceptionally engaging perused. You never need to put it down for the way that you generally need to recognize what occurs straightaway and if the men can remain alive and continue battling. The characters are extremely amiable and you begin to feel like you are associated with them since you learn and experience all of what they needed to experience.
Band of Brothers by Stephen Ambrose is an astounding book. It completes a remarkable activity uncovering what the men of Easy Company, 506th regiment, 101st Airborne division of the United States Army needed to experience in World War II from preparing camp the distance to how they celebrated after the war and for the ones who made it back, what they did after the war. Simple Company was one of the best powers in all of military history. This was an enormous book that shows how the men of Easy met up and endured the most noticeably awful circumstances conceivable, and how they really turned into a Band of Brothers.
Work Cited
BIBLIOGRAPHY Ambrose, Stephen E. Band of Brothers. New York: Touchstone (Simon & Schuster), 1992.