Question 1

Some companies will locate their production facilities near their suppliers.

Accepted Answer

This is true because locating production facilities near suppliers can help reduce transportation costs and improve supply chain efficiency.

Question 2

When considering the issue of facility location, it is important to find an isolated location so that work can get done without interruption from customers.

Accepted Answer

When considering the issue of facility location, it is important to find a convenient location that is easily accessible to customers, suppliers, and employees. An isolated location may lead to difficulty in attracting customers and may not be practical for transportation and logistics.

Question 3

Operations management planning is concerned with finding the ideal location for a business and also with materials requirement planning. It leaves decisions about purchasing and inventory control to marketing.

Accepted Answer

Operations management planning involves several activities, including location selection, capacity planning, process design, quality control, and inventory management. Materials requirement planning is a component of inventory management, which is usually handled by operations management. However, purchasing decisions and inventory control involve coordination between marketing and operations management. Therefore, the statement is false.

Question 4

Many state and local governments offer tax incentives and government services to attract businesses.

Accepted Answer

State and local governments often provide tax incentives, subsidies, and other services to attract businesses in order to create jobs and boost local economies.

Question 5

In making a location decision, businesses seldom consider "quality of life" in various locations, because factors that influence quality of life have little or no impact on profits.

Accepted Answer

Businesses do consider quality of life in various locations because a good quality of life can help them attract and retain employees, which indirectly affects profits. Additionally, businesses that are focused on sustainability and social responsibility may prioritize locations with a higher quality of life for ethical reasons.

Question 6

B&B Brothers Manufacturing typically creates large batches of standardized products used by plumbers, such as pipefittings and valves that must be produced in standard sizes. A continuous production process would work well for B&B.

Accepted Answer

A continuous production process is suitable for large batches of standardized products that are produced in standard sizes because it allows for consistent and efficient production without the need for frequent changeovers.

Question 7

Manufacturing firms that want to minimize time-to-market are likely to choose facility sites that give them easy access to their preferred modes of transportation.

Accepted Answer

Easy access to preferred modes of transportation can help manufacturing firms reduce time-to-market by enabling them to quickly transport raw materials and finished products.

Question 8

BeltIn, Inc., is a seat belt manufacturer about 8 miles from two major auto assembly plants. Every two hours, BeltIn delivers seatbelts to each of the plants. The assembly plants only accept the number of seatbelts that they will use in cars during the next two hours after delivery. The auto plants embrace lean manufacturing.

Accepted Answer

The statement mentions that the auto plants embrace lean manufacturing, which focuses on reducing waste and increasing efficiency. Therefore, it is likely that they only accept and use the necessary amount of seatbelts during the next two hours.

Question 9

The production of a bridge, ship, or large airplane usually involves a variable-position facility layout.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The production of a bridge, ship, or...

Question 10

For service-intensive businesses, facility layout is usually designed to centralize the decision-making process.

Accepted Answer

Facility layout for service-intensive businesses is usually designed to decentralize the decision-making process, allowing employees to make quick and efficient decisions to satisfy customer needs.

Question 11

Facility location is the process of selecting a geographic location for a company's operations.

Accepted Answer

Facility location is indeed the process of selecting a geographic location for a company's operations.

Question 12

Today, e-commerce uses social media to make online transactions even easier.

Accepted Answer

Social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest are increasingly being used by e-commerce businesses to advertise products, engage with customers, and provide easy links for online transactions. This makes online shopping more convenient and accessible for consumers.

Question 13

Telecommuting has diminished in popularity as a strategy for linking employees with work.

Accepted Answer

Telecommuting has actually increased in popularity due to advances in technology and the COVID-19 pandemic forcing many employees to work from home.

Question 14

Fuzzy Fabrics, Inc. is a specialty manufacturer that produces custom blankets according to customer specifications. Fuzzy Fabrics should probably use an intermittent process in production.

Accepted Answer

Since Fuzzy Fabrics produces custom blankets according to customer specifications, the demand for each order is likely to be different. An intermittent process allows for flexibility and customization, making it a suitable choice for this type of production.

Question 15

Tina's Tiny Treats bakes an assortment of cookies and candies for corporate accounts and restaurants. On a good day, Tina's receives orders for from 600 to 800 custom cookies, with a variety of uniqueness, although the company is famous for delicate shortbread and butter cookies. Some cookies have round shapes, but others are elongated rectangles, and yet others are triangles. The bakers can quickly change the cookie cutting machine to reflect the orders for the day, while computers program the ovens bake each cookie to perfection. Refrigeration is also computer controlled. Tina's Tiny Treats embraces flexible manufacturing and mass customization.

Accepted Answer

The passage states that Tina's Tiny Treats receives orders for custom cookies and that the bakers can quickly change the cookie cutting machine to reflect the orders for the day. This indicates that the company embraces flexible manufacturing and mass customization.

Question 16

Tim and Eric recently started a company focused on rehabbing old houses. Before they buy a house, they use software to create and design the renovation of each room. The program provides them with an estimate of how much of each kind of material is needed, and the orderly progression of tasks that need to be completed. Tim and Eric use computer-aided design.

Accepted Answer

The passage states that Tim and Eric use software to create and design the renovation of each room, which is an example of computer-aided design. Additionally, the software provides them with estimates and a plan for the renovation process.

Question 17

Online-focused strategies don't affect operations managers since it is not essential for operations managers to negotiate in an interfirm environment.

Accepted Answer

Online-focused strategies can have a significant impact on operations managers since they are responsible for managing the production and logistics of goods and services, which are often influenced by online channels. Additionally, operations managers may need to negotiate with suppliers, partners, and other stakeholders in an interfirm environment to execute online-focused strategies effectively.

Question 18

Facility layout is the function of operations management that considers the physical arrangement of resources (including people) in the production process.

Accepted Answer

Facility layout is a function of operations management that deals with the arrangement of resources in the production process. It includes the physical layout of machines, equipment, and people, as well as their placement and design within a facility.

Question 19

For many firms, operations management has become an interfirm process.

Accepted Answer

With the increased globalization of production and supply chains, firms often work with other firms and suppliers to manage their operations effectively. This has led to many firms adopting interfirm processes for their operations management.

Question 20

When it comes to location decisions, labor costs are no longer an important consideration for most manufacturing firms.

Accepted Answer

While technological advancements and automation have reduced some labor costs, they are still a significant consideration in location decisions for many manufacturing firms. Other factors, such as transportation costs, infrastructure, tax incentives, and access to markets, also play important roles.

Quiz 9: Production and Operations Management