Question 1

A fishbone diagram is also known as a

Accepted Answer

A fishbone diagram is also known as a cause-and-effect diagram as it helps to identify and organize the various possible causes of a problem and their relationships. Other diagrams such as poka-yoke, Kaizen, Kanban, and Taguchi diagrams are different tools used in quality management for different purposes.

Question 2

A manager tells her production employees, "It's no longer good enough that your work fall anywhere within the specification limits. I need your work to be as close to the target value as possible." Her thinking is reflective of

Accepted Answer

The manager's statement reflects Taguchi concepts, which emphasize the importance of minimizing variation and reducing the distance of the process output from the target value. Taguchi's loss function suggests that even if the output falls within the specification limits, it still incurs a cost in terms of customer dissatisfaction or rework if it is far from the target value.

Question 3

Among the tools of TQM, the tool ordinarily used to aid in understanding the sequence of events through which a product travels is a

Accepted Answer

A flowchart is used to visually represent the sequence of events or steps involved in a process, including the flow of materials/products. This helps to identify areas of improvement and potential sources of errors or delays. Therefore, it is the best tool for understanding the sequence of events through which a product travels. The other tools listed are useful in different aspects of TQM, but not specifically for understanding product flow.

Question 4

The process improvement technique that sorts the "vital few" from the "trivial many" is

Accepted Answer

Pareto analysis is a technique used to separate the "vital few" from the "trivial many" by analyzing the frequency or impact of problems. It is based on the principle that 80% of the problems come from 20% of the causes. By identifying and addressing the vital few causes, significant improvements can be made in the process.

Question 5

Pareto charts are used to

Accepted Answer

Pareto charts are primarily used to organize errors, problems or defects based on their frequency or impact. While they can be used to identify inspection points in a process or show material flow, these uses are secondary to their primary purpose in identifying and prioritizing problems. Outlining production schedules is not a relevant use for Pareto charts.

Question 6

A quality loss function includes all of the following costs except

Accepted Answer

Sales costs are not directly related to quality loss, but rather to the overall cost of doing business. The other choices are all costs directly related to quality loss.

Question 7

"Kaizen" is a Japanese term meaning

Accepted Answer

"Kaizen" is a Japanese business philosophy that focuses on continuous improvement. It involves constantly making small changes and improvements to processes and procedures to increase efficiency and quality. Therefore, the best choice is E, continuous improvement.

Question 8

When a sample measurement falls inside the control limits, it means that

Accepted Answer

When a sample measurement falls inside the control limits, it means that the process is in control, assuming there are no other patterns detected in the samples. It does not necessarily mean that each unit manufactured is good enough to sell or that the process output exceeds the requirements. It also does not imply that the process output fulfills the requirements. It simply reflects that the process is stable and predictable within the control limits.

Question 9

Costs of dissatisfaction, repair costs, and warranty costs are elements of cost in the

Accepted Answer

The Taguchi Loss Function is a method of measuring the cost of poor quality, which includes costs of dissatisfaction, repair costs, and warranty costs. Therefore, these elements of cost are related to the Taguchi Loss Function, and not to the other options listed.

Question 10

The "four Ms" of cause-and-effect diagrams are

Accepted Answer

The "four Ms" of cause-and-effect diagrams are material, machinery/equipment, manpower, and methods.

Question 11

Members of quality circles are

Accepted Answer

None of the statements are completely true. Members of quality circles can come from a variety of positions and backgrounds, and are not always machine operators. They are not typically paid according to their contribution to quality, and while they may receive training, they are not external consultants. While some members may receive facilitation training, not all members are trained to be facilitators.

Question 12

Building high-morale organizations and building communication networks that include employees are both elements of

Accepted Answer

Building high-morale organizations and building communication networks that include employees are both elements of employee empowerment, which involves giving employees the authority and resources to make decisions and take actions that benefit the organization. This can lead to increased job satisfaction and motivation among employees, which in turn can improve overall organizational performance. ISO 9000 certification, Six Sigma certification, Taguchi methods, and the tools of TQM all involve specific processes and methodologies for quality management, but do not necessarily include a focus on employee empowerment or morale.

Question 13

Techniques for building employee empowerment include

Accepted Answer

All of the above techniques are effective in building employee empowerment. Building communication networks that include employees allows them to share their ideas and perspectives with management. Developing open, supportive supervisors creates a culture where employees feel comfortable expressing their thoughts and taking risks. Moving responsibility from both managers and staff to production employees gives them a sense of ownership and control over their work. Building high-morale organizations creates a positive work environment where employees feel valued and motivated to succeed. All of these techniques contribute to employee empowerment.

Question 14

A production manager at a pottery factory has noticed that about 70 percent of defects result from impurities in raw materials, 15 percent result from human error, 10 percent from machine malfunctions, and 5 percent from a variety of other causes. This manager is most likely using

Accepted Answer

A Pareto chart is a tool used for identifying and prioritizing problems or defects to focus on, based on their significance. The description given matches the use of a Pareto chart, where defects are categorized and visualized to highlight the most significant causes, in this case, impurities in raw materials being the most significant cause of defects.

Question 15

The process of identifying other organizations that are best at some facet of your operations and then modeling your organization after them is known as

Accepted Answer

Benchmarking is the process of identifying best practices from other organizations and modeling your own organization after them. Continuous improvement and employee empowerment refer to internal process improvement strategies, while copycatting and patent infringement imply unethical and potentially illegal practices.

Question 16

Which of the following statements regarding "Six Sigma" is true?

Accepted Answer

Six Sigma indeed has two distinct meanings: statistically, it refers to a process that produces 3.4 defects per million opportunities, and as a quality system, it is a methodology aimed at performance improvement by identifying and eliminating defects in manufacturing and service processes.

Question 17

A quality circle holds a brainstorming session and attempts to identify the factors responsible for flaws in a product. Which tool do you suggest they use to organize their findings?

Accepted Answer

An Ishikawa diagram, also known as a fishbone diagram, is a tool used for brainstorming and organizing potential causes of a problem. It visually displays the different categories of factors that could contribute to a specific issue. In this case, the quality circle is trying to identify the factors responsible for flaws in a product, and the Ishikawa diagram can help them organize and categorize their findings.

Question 18

ISO 9000 seeks standardization in terms of

Accepted Answer

ISO 9000 is a set of standards that focuses on providing guidelines and requirements for a quality management system. It seeks to standardize procedures to manage quality, including processes for monitoring, measuring, and improving the quality of products or services. While it may indirectly impact products, production procedures, and suppliers' specifications, its primary aim is to manage quality. Therefore, the best choice is D - procedures to manage quality.

Question 19

If a sample of parts is measured and the mean of the measurements is outside the control limits, the process is

Accepted Answer

If the mean of the measurements is outside the control limits, it indicates that there is assignable variation present in the process. Therefore, the process is out of control and should be investigated to identify and eliminate the assignable causes of variation. The other options do not accurately reflect the situation.

Question 20

A customer service manager at a retail clothing store has collected numerous customer complaints from the forms they fill out on merchandise returns. To analyze trends or patterns in these returns, she has organized these complaints into a small number of sources or factors. This is most closely related to the __________ tool of TQM.

Accepted Answer

The cause-and-effect diagram, also known as a fishbone diagram, is a tool used in TQM to identify potential causes of a problem. In this scenario, the customer service manager is using the complaints to identify common sources or factors contributing to returns, which is essentially creating a cause-and-effect diagram. The other tools listed are not directly applicable to this scenario.

Quiz 6: Managing Quality