Question 1

Which of the following statements about productivity is TRUE?
A)It is a measure of efficiency.
B)It is an economic index of value.
C)It has different levels and forms.
D)It is related to quality in a positive way.
E)All of these choices

Accepted Answer

All of the statements are true. Productivity measures the efficiency of output per unit of input, such as labor or capital. It is an economic index of value since it reflects the amount of goods or services produced relative to the resources used. Productivity levels and forms can vary greatly depending on the industry and the type of task being performed. Higher productivity can also lead to higher quality output, indicating a positive relationship between the two.

Question 2

Boeing sent change management consultants to a newly acquired company to learn how that company managed change in the past.This is an example of
A)benchmarking.
B)conformance sampling.
C)acceptance sampling.
D)in-process sampling.
E)outsourcing.

Accepted Answer

This is an example of benchmarking, which involves learning from other companies' practices and processes to improve one's own performance. Boeing is studying the change management practices of the newly acquired company to learn from their experiences and incorporate their successful strategies into their own change management processes.

Question 3

Which of the following factors is NOT included in the formula for computing total factor productivity?
A)Cost of labor
B)Cost of capital
C)Cost of materials
D)Cost of energy inputs
E)Cost of inflation

Accepted Answer

Total factor productivity is calculated by dividing the total output by the total input of factors of production, including labor, capital, materials, and energy inputs. Inflation is not included in the formula for total factor productivity.

Question 4

When Intel assesses the productivity of each of its chip plants,it is determining ____ productivity.
A)unit
B)individual
C)company
D)industry
E)functional

Accepted Answer

Intel is specifically assessing the productivity of each individual chip plant, therefore it is determining unit productivity.

Question 5

Which of the following countries has the highest level of productivity?
A)France
B)Japan
C)Korea
D)United States
E)Germany

Accepted Answer

The United States has consistently ranked among the top countries in terms of productivity, with high levels of innovation, advanced technology, and a skilled workforce. Japan and Germany are also highly productive countries, but the United States has a larger economy and a more diverse range of industries. France and Korea have relatively lower levels of productivity compared to the other options.

Question 6

Toyota installed a flexible manufacturing assembly line in its plant outside Columbus,Ohio.It can make a variety of cars one after the other,switching production by using scanners that read codes.This is an example of
A)just-in-time inventory control.
B)employee involvement.
C)operations improvement.
D)research and development enhancement.
E)CIM.

Accepted Answer

The installation of a flexible manufacturing assembly line is an example of operations improvement, as it allows for increased efficiency and flexibility in the production process. Just-in-time inventory control and employee involvement are related concepts but not directly applicable to this specific example. Research and development enhancement and CIM (Computer Integrated Manufacturing) may also be relevant to the implementation of such a system, but the specific example given does not provide enough information to determine if they are applicable.

Question 7

Which of the following is classified as a partial productivity ratio?
A)Individual productivity
B)Company productivity
C)Capital productivity
D)Industry productivity
E)Aggregate productivity

Accepted Answer

Capital productivity is a partial productivity ratio as it measures the output produced in relation to the amount of capital used, such as labor or machinery. Individual productivity, company productivity, industry productivity, and aggregate productivity are all measures of total productivity, not partial productivity.

Question 8

____ productivity ratios are most useful to the manager for determining how to change operations to improve productivity.
A)Aggregate
B)Company
C)Total factor
D)Partial
E)Individual

Accepted Answer

Partial productivity ratios measure the output of a single input factor, such as labor or materials, and are therefore most useful for managers when determining how to improve productivity. By identifying which specific input factor is not performing effectively, managers can focus on making targeted changes to improve overall productivity.

Question 9

When General Mills looked for ideas on how to reduce the time it took to convert its production lines from one cereal to another,it sent a team to observe the pit crews at the Indianapolis 500.As a result of using ____,General Mills cut its plant changeover time by more than 50 percent.
A)benchmarking
B)conformance sampling
C)acceptance sampling
D)in-process sampling
E)outsourcing

Accepted Answer

Benchmarking involves studying the practices of industry leaders and adapting them to one's own company. In this case, General Mills observed the efficient practices of pit crews at the Indianapolis 500 and used them to improve their own production line changeovers.

Question 10

An organization can manufacture 10,000 widgets with 10 hours of direct labor.What is its labor productivity?
A)100 units per labor hour
B)10 units per labor hour.
C)10 units per labor hour
D)1,000 units per labor hour
E)Cannot be determined from the information given

Accepted Answer

The answer of An organization can manufacture 10,000 widgets with...

Question 11

Ephraim is analyzing the productivity of his section.Last week his crew worked 4,000 hours and produced 600,000 units of product.The average hourly wage was $7 per hour,and 200 hours were lost to absenteeism.The sale price for the items produced is $2 per unit.What is the labor productivity index?
A)21.43
B)42.86
C)150.00
D)157.89
E)300.00

Accepted Answer

Labor productivity index = (Total units produced / Total hours worked) x 100

First, we need to adjust the total hours worked for absenteeism:
Adjusted hours worked = Total hours worked - Absenteeism hours
Adjusted hours worked = 4,000 - 200
Adjusted hours worked = 3,800

Next, we can calculate the labor productivity index:
Labor productivity index = (600,000 / 3,800) x 100
Labor productivity index = 15,789.47

However, we need to convert this to a per hour basis by dividing by the average hourly wage:
Labor productivity index = 15,789.47 / 7
Labor productivity index = 2,255.64

Therefore, the labor productivity index is 157.89 (rounded to two decimal places).

Question 12

Operations management can BEST be used to improve speed by
A)maximizing the number of approvals needed so that mistakes are caught beforehand, then moving ahead at full speed.
B)using individual work assignments because of the clear accountability that results.
C)starting from scratch, which usually enhances speed more than modifying current systems.
D)rigidly adhering to schedules.
E)eliminating elements of the organization culture that have been ineffective.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Operations management can BEST be used to...

Question 13

Which of the following is NOT one of the units of analysis used to calculate productivity by level?
A)Total factor
B)Industry
C)Unit
D)Individual
E)Aggregate

Accepted Answer

Total factor productivity is a measure of efficiency, not a unit of analysis.

Question 14

Which of the following statements about the importance of productivity is TRUE?
A)It is important to a firm's profitability.
B)It is important to a firm's ability to survive.
C)It contributes to our overall quality of life.
D)It contributes to a country's standard of living.
E)All of these choices

Accepted Answer

All of these choices are true. Productivity plays a crucial role in a firm's profitability and survival. It also contributes to our overall quality of life by enabling us to produce more goods and services with limited resources. Additionally, productivity is a major component of a country's standard of living, as increased productivity leads to economic growth and higher standards of living for its citizens.

Question 15

Al Lovata,CEO of Be Our Guest Inc.,rented a CFO from Milestone Advisors LLC to help cut cost during the economic downturn.Be Our Guest used
A)benchmarking.
B)conformance sampling.
C)acceptance sampling.
D)in-process sampling.
E)outsourcing.

Accepted Answer

Be Our Guest Inc. rented a CFO from Milestone Advisors LLC, which involves outsourcing the role of CFO.

Question 16

Statistical quality control is
A)a computerized quality control monitoring service.
B)a team approach to quality control.
C)useful only in determining completed items to reject.
D)most useful in service organizations.
E)a set of specific statistical techniques used to monitor quality control.

Accepted Answer

Statistical quality control is a set of specific statistical techniques used to monitor quality control. It involves the use of tools like control charts, process capability analysis, and acceptance sampling to identify and control sources of variation in a process. It is applicable in both manufacturing and service organizations.

Question 17

____ sampling is a type of statistical quality control that involves testing products as they are being made.
A)Total factor
B)Acceptance
C)In-process
D)Conformance
E)Component

Accepted Answer

In-process sampling involves testing products during the production process to ensure they meet quality standards before production is complete. The other options listed either do not relate to quality control or are not specific to testing products during production.

Question 18

According to the text,the major problem associated with total factor productivity is that
A)the data are too hard to obtain.
B)all ingredients must be expressed in the same terms.
C)it does not tell the manager what to do to correct a problem.
D)it is not compatible with standard accounting procedures.
E)it is nothing more than a cost-benefit analysis.

Accepted Answer

The answer of According to the text,the major problem associated...

Question 19

A consulting firm calculates an efficiency index for each of its consultants by dividing each consultant's total hours of work by the number of billable hours.This is a measure of ____ productivity.
A)unit
B)company
C)individual
D)labor
E)differential

Accepted Answer

The efficiency index being calculated for each consultant is based on their individual productivity, making it a measure of individual productivity (choice C). The fact that it is being calculated for each consultant specifically rules out choices A (unit), B (company), and D (labor). Choice E (differential) is not a relevant term for this scenario.

Question 20

At a UTC facility the quality control people sample 5 percent of the finished Carrier air conditioners to check for adherence to more than 25 quality standards.This is an example of
A)benchmarking.
B)acceptance sampling.
C)in-process sampling.
D)conformance sampling.
E)outsourcing.

Accepted Answer

This is an example of acceptance sampling, which involves sampling a portion of a batch or lot of products to determine if the entire batch can be accepted or rejected based on quality standards. The fact that only 5 percent of the finished products are sampled suggests that this is a less intensive and less expensive form of quality control than in-process or conformance sampling, which typically involve more frequent monitoring throughout the production process. Benchmarking refers to the process of comparing one company's performance to that of others in the same industry, while outsourcing refers to the practice of hiring an external company to perform a task or service that could be done in-house.

Quiz 21: Managing Operations, Quality, and Productivity

Which of the following statements about productivity is TRUE?

Boeing sent change management consultants to a newly acquired company to learn how that company managed change in the past.This is an example of

Which of the following factors is NOT included in the formula for computing total factor productivity?

When Intel assesses the productivity of each of its chip plants,it is determining ____ productivity.

Which of the following countries has the highest level of productivity?

Toyota installed a flexible manufacturing assembly line in its plant outside Columbus,Ohio.It can make a variety of cars one after the other,switching production by using scanners that read codes.This is an example of

Which of the following is classified as a partial productivity ratio?

____ productivity ratios are most useful to the manager for determining how to change operations to improve productivity.

When General Mills looked for ideas on how to reduce the time it took to convert its production lines from one cereal to another,it sent a team to observe the pit crews at the Indianapolis 500.As a result of using ____,General Mills cut its plant changeover time by more than 50 percent.

An organization can manufacture 10,000 widgets with 10 hours of direct labor.What is its labor productivity?

Ephraim is analyzing the productivity of his section.Last week his crew worked 4,000 hours and produced 600,000 units of product.The average hourly wage was $7 per hour,and 200 hours were lost to absenteeism.The sale price for the items produced is $2 per unit.What is the labor productivity index?

Operations management can BEST be used to improve speed by

Which of the following is NOT one of the units of analysis used to calculate productivity by level?

Which of the following statements about the importance of productivity is TRUE?

Al Lovata,CEO of Be Our Guest Inc.,rented a CFO from Milestone Advisors LLC to help cut cost during the economic downturn.Be Our Guest used

Statistical quality control is

____ sampling is a type of statistical quality control that involves testing products as they are being made.

According to the text,the major problem associated with total factor productivity is that

A consulting firm calculates an efficiency index for each of its consultants by dividing each consultant's total hours of work by the number of billable hours.This is a measure of ____ productivity.

At a UTC facility the quality control people sample 5 percent of the finished Carrier air conditioners to check for adherence to more than 25 quality standards.This is an example of