Question 1

To develop a consistent lean enterprise, lean system thinking is incorporated in daily activities. Which of the following would you include in the cultural framework to help develop behavioral expectations for job performance?

Accepted Answer

You would include performance evaluations and job descriptions in the cultural framework to help develop behavioral expectations for job performance. A lean enterprise is driven by consistent reminders of the need to incorporate quality in daily work.

Question 2

The "part-whole relationship" explains that larger entities are built out of smaller ones. What is the best example of a part-whole relationship?

Accepted Answer

The best example of a whole part relationship is an automobile which is built with a frame, powertrain, and interior/exterior accessories. The automobile is built of three smaller systems which when combined comprise the total car.

Question 3

Dynamic thinking in lean means structuring business for dynamic stability. Which of the following does lean dynamics address?

Accepted Answer

Lean dynamic thinking addresses delays in the value flowing through operations. Dynamic thinking includes developing processes which are not static and continually improving the processes the organization performs.

Question 4

Closed-loop thinking uses which model of manufacturer-supplier-customer relationship?

Accepted Answer

Closed-loop thinking uses the collaborative and mutually supportive model. The closed-loop model is used to balance sustainability and innovation with market pragmatism.

Question 5

W. Edwards Deming's first point in his 14 point management method, often considered the birth of Total Quality Management (TCM)was which of the following?

Accepted Answer

Deming's first point in his 14 points was to establish a constancy of purpose plan. A constancy of purpose means to constantly change and evolve with customer expectation changes, product changes, and strategy changes. Deming concluded that for an organization to maintain constancy of purpose they needed to do four things: Be active in innovation, promote research and education, continuously improve products and services, and invest in the maintenance of equipment and production aids.

Question 6

The lean culture should focus on results. Which factor will have the greatest impact on employees in terms of results?

Accepted Answer

In a lean culture, the factor that would have the greatest impact on employees in terms of results would be for the employees to see management begin a 5S activity in their office area. This shows humility, a desire to see improvement, and the action of doing what you say and saying what you do.

Question 7

In the focus on waste elimination, which of the following is the progressive achievement of tasks along the value stream with no stoppages, scrap, or backflows?

Accepted Answer

Flow of the process is the progressive achievement of tasks along the value stream with no stoppages, scrap, or backflows. The concepts of value chain, flow, pull, and perfection are used to eliminate waste through kaizen, 5S, error-proofing, and value-stream mapping.

Question 8

One of the main principles in a consistent lean enterprise is a focus on value to the customer. The goal is to provide perfect value to a customer though a perfect value creation process. Where should waste be eliminated in processes?

Accepted Answer

Waste should be eliminated along entire value streams to provide perfect value to a customer.

Question 9

Lean has two main components - continuous improvement and respect for people. Social responsibility aligns with respect for people and for the environment. Which of the following is the ISO definition of social responsibility?

Accepted Answer

The ISO definition of social responsibility is the responsibility of an organization for the impacts of its decisions and activities on society and the environment. The focus is on ethical behaviors that contribute to sustainable development, consider expectations of stakeholders, comply with applicable law, and are integrated throughout the organization and practiced in relationships.

Question 10

Enterprise thinking processes in a lean environment means that the leadership views all of the following principles as important EXCEPT:

Accepted Answer

Enterprise thinking processes in a lean environment means that the leadership values eliminating steps that do not create value, creation of customer value, and reaching a state of perfection as important. They would not allow customers to push value. Customers pull value from the next upstream activity.

Question 11

Lean production processes should be organized around flow. Which tool is best for performing this type of analysis?

Accepted Answer

Lean production processes should be organized around flow, and the best tool for performing this type of analysis is value-stream mapping. A value stream is all of the actions required to change raw materials into a product delivered to the customer. The map separates the value-added activities of a system from the non-value-added activities. The non-value-added activities are opportunities for possible improvement within the system. The value stream shows the process flow from order to delivery.

Question 12

The integration of business systems and improvement systems will be successful if which of the following occurs?

Accepted Answer

The integration of business systems and improvement systems will be successful if leadership provides strong support. Other support mechanisms for successful integration are the articulation of a clear vision, respect stakeholder collaboration, and formal engaged teams.

Question 13

Which of the following examples is NOT a system that requires a reconciled reporting system?

Accepted Answer

Lean ordering systems are not a system that requires a reconciled reporting system. Lean ordering is facilitated by the lean purchasing system, which is controlled by Kanban controlled inventory.
Lean accounting is a streamlined method of accounting practices, and lean invoicing quickly reconciles invoices to receivables and posts them to the accounts payable.

Question 14

Successful lean requires adequate information management. Which of the following examples most closely relates to the idea that a manager needs to know what to do in the next 30 minutes based on what happened in the last 30 minutes?

Accepted Answer

That information should be sent in small, routine batches most closely relates to the idea that a manager needs to know what to do in the next 30 minutes based on what happened in the last 30minutes. In information management, most data retrieval is performed in batches over periods of time such as by shift, daily, or weekly. To be effective, information should be sent in small, routine batches.

Question 15

Policy deployment in the lean environment is crucial because?

Accepted Answer

Policy deployment in the lean environment is crucial because it dynamically links strategy with actionable items or plans. Policy deployment in a lean system sets the goals and behavioral expectations for the organization.

Question 16

An organization is evaluating their lean enterprise alignment under the guiding principles of creating a constancy of purpose and thinking systematically. The following tools are used for enterprise alignment with the EXCEPTION of which?

Accepted Answer

Control boards are not used as an enterprise alignment tool; they are a business results tool under dimension four. Business models, a mission statement, daily management standard work sheets, surveys, and meetings are all examples of enterprise alignment tools.

Question 17

The DMAIC methodology uses scientific thinking as a strategy process. Which example below shows using scientific thinking in problem solving?

Accepted Answer

Determining Y = f(x) using statistical analysis shows using scientific thinking in problem solving. The control charts, data collection plans, and process maps do not require scientific thinking to produce the results.

Question 18

Nested experiments are those which have concurrent or cascading requirements to complete. Hoshin teams are a good example of nested experiments because of what?

Accepted Answer

Hoshin teams are a good example of nested experiments because they utilize seven types of PDCA cycles nested one within the other. The result of each nested experiment leads to or incorporates the results of the next experiment, thereby nesting or linking the experiments in one another.

Question 19

In order to help build a consistent lean enterprise, a project team is building consensus by performing a benchmarking activity to reduce disagreement in measures. Benchmarking can be defined as all of the following EXCEPT?

Accepted Answer

Benchmarking can be defined as all of the following except the comparison of an individual organization to a set of industry standards and then against another organization's performance. The comparison is made organization to organization.

Question 20

Multivoting is used by teams to narrow a large list of possibilities for solutions to a smaller list of the top priorities or to a final selection. Which of these choices is NOT an application for multivoting?

Accepted Answer

A fishbone diagram is not an application to use for multivoting. Multivoting is used after the fishbone diagram has been completed and uses the information it develops.

Quiz 4: Enterprise Culture