Question 1

Mass customization is a strategy of convincing customers to choose from a relatively small number of alternatives in order to achieve the efficiencies of mass production.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Mass customization is a strategy of convincing...

Question 2

Mass customization is not exclusive to product-intensive businesses. Service businesses have learned how to use mass customization to serve their customers.

Accepted Answer

Mass customization can be applied in service industries as well, such as personalizing travel packages, financial services, and healthcare.

Question 3

Mass customization is tailoring products to meet the needs of a large number of individual customers.

Accepted Answer

Mass customization is the process of producing goods or services that meet individual customer needs with near mass-production efficiency.

Question 4

Businesses that provide services typically cannot use mass customization because services are not tangible products that can be customized.

Accepted Answer

Services can be customized through a variety of means such as tailoring to individual needs and preferences, adapting to changing circumstances and preferences, and using technology to personalize service delivery. Thus, mass customization can be applied to services just as it is applied to tangible products.

Question 5

Improvements in technology have significantly increased the quality of products, as well as helped reduce costs.

Accepted Answer

With advancements in technology, manufacturers are able to produce products with better quality and efficiency, leading to reduced costs. This has been evident in various industries such as electronics, automotive, and healthcare.

Question 6

Nanomanufacturing is when materials can be manipulated on a molecular or even atomic level.

Accepted Answer

Nanomanufacturing involves the manipulation of materials at the molecular or even atomic level.

Question 7

The higher productivity of U.S. plants is due to technological improvements.

Accepted Answer

Studies have shown that technological advancements play a significant role in the higher productivity of U.S. plants compared to other countries. These advancements include automation, robotics, advanced machinery, and innovative processes that increase efficiency and reduce costs.

Question 8

Manufacturers use computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) to create three-dimensional designs of products before they are built.

Accepted Answer

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Question 9

The main difference between process manufacturing and an assembly process is that process manufacturing uses sophisticated robots and automated machinery to produce a good or service, while an assembly process uses labor and simple tools to make a product.

Accepted Answer

The statement is incorrect. Process manufacturing involves combining raw materials or chemicals to create a final product through a series of steps or processes, while assembly process involves putting together different pre-made components to create a final product. Both types of manufacturing may use machinery and automation, but the level of sophistication and complexity differs.

Question 10

Process manufacturing involves taking raw materials and physically or chemically changing them into another form, while the assembly process takes the newly changed form and turns it back into the original form.

Accepted Answer

The statement is incorrect as the assembly process involves putting individual parts or components together to create a finished product, rather than turning the newly changed form back into the original form.

Question 11

To make its dry ice, Polar Caps Ice Company compresses carbon dioxide and cools it to an extremely low temperature. Polar Caps Ice Caps' method is an example of process manufacturing.

Accepted Answer

Process manufacturing involves using a formula or recipe to create a product through a series of steps or stages, as done by Polar Caps Ice Company in the production of dry ice.

Question 12

While mass customization works well for producers it is not used in the service sector.

Accepted Answer

Mass customization is actually used in the service sector, for example, in personalized financial services or customized vacation packages.

Question 13

Chinese companies use so many robots in its manufacturing sector that it may soon become the world's largest robot market.

Accepted Answer

According to a report by the International Federation of Robotics, China is currently the world's largest market for industrial robots and is expected to continue to grow rapidly in the coming years.

Question 14

Comfort Corners Home Furnishings specializes in producing custom-made residential furniture. The most efficient process for Comfort Corners to utilize would be a continuous production process.

Accepted Answer

Continuous production process is best suited for companies that produce large quantities of standardized goods. Comfort Corners, on the other hand, produces custom-made furniture, which means that each piece is unique and requires customization. Therefore, batch production process would be more suitable for Comfort Corners as it allows for customization and flexibility in production.

Question 15

Although lean manufacturing attempts to reduce the amount of labor used in the manufacturing process, it typically does so by increasing the amount of most of the other resources used in the production process.

Accepted Answer

Lean manufacturing focuses on reducing waste and improving efficiency in the production process, but this does not necessarily mean there is an increase in other resources used. The goal is to use resources efficiently and effectively to meet customer demand and reduce costs.

Question 16

Land, labor, capital, and knowledge are inputs into the production process.

Accepted Answer

This statement is true. Land refers to natural resources, labor refers to human resources, capital refers to physical resources such as buildings and equipment, and knowledge refers to the skills and expertise of individuals involved in the production process. These inputs are essential for production in any economy.

Question 17

Computers and robots are only useful in continuous production processes where the same type of product is produced many times.

Accepted Answer

Computers and robots can be programmed to handle a variety of production processes and can easily adapt to changes in production. They are not limited to only continuous production of the same product.

Question 18

When a company has the ability to produce the same amount of goods with only half the floor space and half the labor that it used in the past, the firm is practicing flexible manufacturing.

Accepted Answer

The answer of When a company has the ability to...

Question 19

Companies that employ lean manufacturing and flexible manufacturing produce better quality products, but have costlier production lines.

Accepted Answer

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Question 20

Actually, it is much easier to custom-design service programs than it is to custom-make goods.

Accepted Answer

Service programs can be customized based on the specific needs and preferences of the customer. In contrast, making custom goods often involves a more complex production process and may require specialized materials or equipment.

Quiz 9: Production and Operations Management