You will write a concise business report(2500 words) aims to report the latest trends of operations management (OM) and technology development. We know that industry has changed dramatically in the past two decades since the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) revolution, which has ushered in the era of Industry 4.0. Under Industry 4.0, mobile computers and machines are connected through the Internet, and Big Data are created through automatic identification physical sensors equipped with tiny computers. Data stored and located in physically separated places are processed and analysed quickly by numerous computers and applied to manufacturing and/or services, for example, computer-embedded machines and equipment enable the production of the right products/services to be delivered to the right customers at the right time. On the other hands, from the business perspective, Industry 4.0 drives management research towards creating new concepts and methodologies to realise synergy effects across industries that work together on the same business platform and/or system. To stay competitive, all firms need to consider and adopt new approaches of innovation, manufacturing, procurement, and logistics.
Please refer to the following Assignment 1 Briefing Note.
Assessment Submission
Assessment Due Date: Week 5 Friday (10-Aug-2018) 05:00PM AEST
Return Date to Students: Week 6 Thursday (23-Aug-2018)
Assessment Weighting
Weighting 40%
Assessment CriteriaYour report analysis, recommendations and presentation will be assessed according to the following criteria:

• Demonstrated understanding of operations management frameworks that are related to the questions posed:15%
• Able to evaluate and articulate practical implications, feasibility, justification and limitation: 20%
• Accurately explain the latest trends in operations management and make the linkage between practical and theoretical aspects: 15%
• Articulate appropriate and well-structured, concise and clear expression of operations management arguments in terms of theoretical and practical elements: 15%
• Provide a clear flow of thought throughout the business report, evidenced by succinct Executive Summary, Introduction, and Conclusion: 15%
• Critical evaluation and integration of relevant academic and literature to provide theoretical and practical aspects. Insights from a minimum of 15 academic journal articles must be incorporated in your critical analysis: 10%
• Adherence to APA Reference format: 5%
• Clarity of written expression, grammar, spelling: 5%
• Report length 2500-words (penalty of 1% per 100-words that exceed the maximum 2750-words)
• Submissions must be in Business Report format using Word with 1.5 line spacing and Times Roman 12-point font.
• Late submissions will also be penalised at the rate of “five percent of the total marks available for the assessment each calendar day (full or part) it is overdue” (Policy: Assessment of Coursework section 3.2.4)