Evaluate the usefulness to HCC of critical path analysis (CPA) as a management tool for operations planning.

Mark scheme

Marking points from the official mark scheme (Oct/Nov 2024). The mark or mark type is shown in brackets.

1. [K] Understanding of CPA – network diagram, critical path, floats, minimum duration.
2. [K] Benefits of CPA: knowing minimum project time.
3. [K] Benefits of CPA: start times for activities.
4. [K] Benefits of CPA: progress monitoring.
5. [K] Benefits of CPA: managing resources.
6. [K] Benefits of CPA: reducing costs.
7. [K] Benefits of CPA: assessing significance of delays and if necessary corrective actions.
8. [K] Limitations of CPA: analysis only as good as input data.
9. [K] Limitations of CPA: planning costs.
10. [K] Limitations of CPA: does not ensure effective management.
11. [APP] Operations Manager produced the CPA.
12. [APP] Six-week minimum time.
13. [APP] Reduces disruption to production during improvements to employee facilities.
14. [APP] Use of CPA for other projects e.g. development and launch of the Wonder Stove, expansion to international market.
15. [APP] Wonder Stove launched on schedule.
16. [APP] Target to export by January 2025.
17. [AN] CPA will help manage resources efficiently to ensure that resources are available when needed which will therefore reduce costs of HCC's operational changes and therefore support achievement of HCC's social objectives.
18. [AN] Identifying critical tasks of investing in the new employee facilities will ensure that those tasks are completed on time and therefore reduce disruption to production minimised which reduce the cost to HCC of the improvements.
19. [AN] Important to use CPA so that customers can be kept informed of any potential impact on orders. Important to avoid customer dissatisfaction as this could result in loss of sales.
20. [AN] Entering international market requires careful planning to get product to market on time and ensure products are available for customers to purchase thus increasing sales.
21. [EVAL] A judgement about the usefulness of CPA for operations planning.
22. [EVAL] Evaluation of the relative importance of different advantages/disadvantages of CPA as a tool for operations planning.
23. [EVAL] Elements that the evaluation/judgement might depend on – accuracy of the data used in CPA, need for constant monitoring of external events.
24. [EVAL] CPA only as good as data – is operations manager capable of completing accurate CPA for the factory development?
25. [EVAL] Other information is also important e.g. CPA needs to be interpreted.
26. [EVAL] Work progress has to match the CPA plan.
27. [EVAL] HCC would be wise to maintain constant check on progress before and after work starts.
28. [EVAL] Critical Path Analysis (CPA) is useful to HCC as it helps ensure that deadlines for the improvements to staff facilities are met.
29. [EVAL] By highlighting the essential sequence of activities, HCC can allocate resources and reduce delays to ensure future orders of their cook bags are still fulfilled.
30. [EVAL] In the long term, without CPA, HCC may fall behind their schedule and disappoint customers leading to a fall in brand image.
31. [EVAL] However, it will rely on the skill of the operations manager to effectively plan the sequence of works.