Question 1

Products of different sizes, types, and customer requirements freely intermingling on the assembly line is an advantage of lean manufacturing.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Products of different sizes, types, and customer...

Question 2

Perrow was most concerned with two aspects of technology: variety and interdependence.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Perrow was most concerned with two aspects...

Question 3

Compared with traditional mass production technologies, FMS has a narrow span of control, few hierarchical levels, adaptive tasks, low specialization, and decentralization, and the overall environment is characterized as organic and self-regulative.

Accepted Answer

FMS (Flexible Manufacturing System) is designed to be more agile and adaptable than traditional mass production technologies, with a focus on flexibility, innovation, and customer responsiveness. This results in a flatter organizational structure with fewer levels of hierarchy, more cross-functional teams, and a greater emphasis on decentralized decision-making and self-regulation. Therefore, the statement is true.

Question 4

Failing to adopt appropriate technologies to support strategy, or adopting a new technology and failing to realign strategy to match it, can lead to poor performance.

Accepted Answer

Failing to align technology with strategy can result in poor performance.

Question 5

"Technology" could be considered to be the tools, techniques, and actions that are used to transform organizational inputs into outputs.

Accepted Answer

Technology refers to the methods and tools used to transform inputs into outputs in an organizational setting.

Question 6

Span of control is the number of employees who report to a single manager or supervisor and is normally influenced by departmental technology.

Accepted Answer

Span of control can be affected by departmental technology as it can influence the ability of a manager to oversee and manage a larger number of employees efficiently. For example, technology such as communication software can enhance a manager's ability to monitor and communicate with a large team, allowing for a broader span of control.

Question 7

Boundary roles are used extensively in manufacturing firms, but rarely used in service organizations.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Boundary roles are used extensively in manufacturing...

Question 8

In a service firm, the quality of a service is perceived and cannot be directly measured and compared in the same way that the quality of a tangible product can.

Accepted Answer

The quality of a service is subjective and perceived based on the customer's experience and expectations, and cannot be directly measured or compared with the same accuracy as a tangible product.

Question 9

Large-batch production is considered to have greater technical complexity than small-batch production on Woodward's scale.

Accepted Answer

Large-batch production involves more intricate planning, coordination, and management of resources than small-batch production. This complexity is reflected in Woodward's classification system, where large-batch production falls under the category of continuous process production that is the most technically complex type of production.

Question 10

Service technologies are considered to be labor and knowledge intensive, while manufacturing technologies tend to be capital asset intensive.

Accepted Answer

Service technologies require skilled labor and knowledge to provide services to customers, while manufacturing technologies require large capital investments in machinery and equipment.

Question 11

A mediating technology provides products or services that mediate or link clients from the external environment and, in doing so, allows each department to work independently.

Accepted Answer

A mediating technology, as the name suggests, acts as a mediator between different departments or clients and enables them to work independently without much interaction. It is a technology that facilitates communication and collaboration between different parties and helps in achieving shared goals. Examples of mediating technologies include email, chat apps, project management tools, CRM software, and more.

Question 12

Perrow's study is classified as pertaining to organization-level technology, while Woodward's is classified as pertaining to department-level technology.

Accepted Answer

Woodward's study is classified as pertaining to organization-level technology,while Perrow's is classified as pertaining to department-level technology.

Question 13

Research suggests that FMS can become a competitive burden, rather than a competitive advantage, unless organizational structures and management processes are redesigned to take advantage of the new technology.

Accepted Answer

Research indicates that without proper organizational and management changes, FMS technology may not provide a competitive advantage and could instead become a burden on the organization.

Question 14

The management systems in both unit production and continuous process are characterized as mechanistic, whereas mass production is seen as organic.

Accepted Answer

The management systems in unit production and continuous process are organic, while mass production is mechanistic.

Question 15

Mass customization refers to the separation of one product from the mass production line so that it can be adapted to the needs of a particular market.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Mass customization refers to the separation of...

Question 16

Engineering technologies tend to be low in analyzability and high in variety.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Engineering technologies tend to be low in...

Question 17

Core-technology is a department work process that is important to the organization but is not directly related to its primary mission.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Core-technology is a department work process that...

Question 18

An integrated information network refers to a computerized system with a common database linking all areas of the organization such as accounting, inventory control, design, marketing, production, etc.

Accepted Answer

An integrated information network does refer to a computerized system with a common database linking all areas of the organization such as accounting, inventory control, design, marketing, production, etc.

Question 19

Routine technologies are characterized by little task variety and the use of objective, computational procedures, whereas engineering technologies tend to be complex because there is substantial variety in the tasks performed.

Accepted Answer

Routine technologies involve repetitive and standardized tasks that can be performed using objective and computational procedures, whereas engineering technologies involve complex and varied tasks that require specialized knowledge and problem-solving skills.

Question 20

The production of tangible outputs from service technology, rather than intangible ones from manufacturing technology, is the most obvious difference between the two technologies.

Accepted Answer

The statement is false. The production of intangible outputs from service technology (such as a hotel stay or a consulting service) and tangible outputs from manufacturing technology (such as cars or appliances) are the main differences between the two technologies.

Quiz 7: Manufacturing and Service Technologies