Question 1

Statistical quality control primarily involves:
A) maintaining a customer feedback log and making the necessary improvements in products whenever required.
B) checking each and every product for possible defects so as to reduce high costs related to poor quality.
C) looking for defects in parts, finished goods, or other outcomes selected through a sampling technique.
D) monitoring production quality on an ongoing basis and making corrections whenever the results show that the process is out of control.

Accepted Answer

Statistical quality control involves using statistical methods to monitor and control a production process. This typically involves selecting a sample of parts or finished goods and testing them for defects. By analyzing the data from the sample, manufacturers can identify trends or patterns that suggest the process is out of control, and take corrective action before too many defective products are produced. This approach is more efficient than inspecting every single product, which can be time-consuming and costly. Choice A is related to customer feedback, while choice B is about inspecting every single product. Choice D is somewhat related, but it only mentions monitoring without specifying the use of statistical methods.

Question 2

The most effective way supervisors can overcome the productivity constraint of management limitations is by:
A) collaborating with the labor union to build a sustainable organization.
B) demonstrating by their actions and words that they are interested in the department's productivity.
C) facilitating the formation of informal groups among the members of the production team.
D) encouraging the employees to overcome their resistance to change and adapt to new technologies.

Accepted Answer

By demonstrating their interest in the department's productivity, supervisors can help motivate employees to perform their best and work towards achieving the goals of the organization. This can also help create a culture of productivity and efficiency in the workplace. Collaborating with the labor union, forming informal groups, or encouraging employees to adapt to new technologies may not directly address the productivity constraint of management limitations.

Question 3

Joseph M.Juran,one of the experts who played an important role in spreading the idea of TQM,taught quality concepts to the Japanese.He emphasized the view that management should seek to maintain and improve quality through efforts on two levels: the organization as a whole and the:
A) department primarily formed to improve product quality.
B) human resource department of the organization.
C) most productive departments in the organization.
D) individual departments in the organization.

Accepted Answer

Juran emphasized the importance of improving and maintaining quality at two levels: the organization as a whole and individual departments within the organization. Therefore, the best choice is D, individual departments in the organization.

Question 4

The superstore supervised by Joanne had such high retail sales for the year that the company president decided to identify her store as the "premier store" for comparisons,not only in terms of gross sales,but also for efficiency in all areas of operations.This practice of determining the quality standards by measuring against the top performer of a particular process is popularly known as:
A) product control.
B) benchmarking.
C) free riding.
D) performance appraisal.

Accepted Answer

Benchmarking is the practice of comparing one's performance against the best practices or performance of top-performing organizations in the same industry or similar processes. In this case, the company president is using Joanne's store as a benchmark for measuring the quality standards of all other stores in the company. Product control is more focused on ensuring the quality and consistency of the products themselves. Free riding refers to a situation where individuals or teams in a group benefit from the efforts of others without contributing themselves, which is not relevant to this scenario. Performance appraisal is a process of evaluating an individual's job performance, which is not specifically related to measuring quality standards or benchmarking.

Question 5

Quality improvement directed toward value ideally begins when the:
A) supervisor makes decisions aimed at balancing present needs against the needs of future generations.
B) organization starts to recruit more people with sustainable skills.
C) organization's employees communicate with customers to determine their needs and wants.
D) organization sets up departments according to the goods or services produced.

Accepted Answer

Quality improvement directed towards value should start with understanding the needs and wants of customers, as they are the ones who ultimately determine the organization's success. Therefore, employees communicating with customers is the best option. A is incorrect because present needs vs. future needs is not directly related to value. B is incorrect because recruiting sustainable skills is just one aspect of value and not necessarily the starting point. D is incorrect because organizing departments according to goods or services produced does not necessarily focus on value or quality improvement.

Question 6

The zero-defects approach is best defined as the quality control technique:
A) designed to improve the product or service output to 99.97 percent perfect.
B) where an organization works toward making its goods and services free of problems.
C) in which the employees look for defects in parts, finished goods, or other outcomes selected through a sampling technique.
D) in which the top performer of a process is identified and imitated.

Accepted Answer

The zero-defects approach is a quality control technique where an organization strives to make its goods and services free of problems, i.e., a goal of producing 100 percent perfect products or services. This approach emphasizes preventing defects rather than detecting them after they occur. Therefore, option B is the best choice. Option A refers to achieving a 99.97 percent defect-free rate, which still leaves room for errors. Option C describes the inspection process, not the zero-defects approach. Option D refers to the best practices approach, not the zero-defects approach.

Question 7

Quality control is best defined as the company's efforts to:
A) prevent or correct defects in its goods or services or to improve them in some way.
B) produce goods that are of the same quality as the competitor's goods.
C) control all whistle-blowing activities so as to maintain the positive image of the company.
D) let employees know that they will be penalized for any complaints related to the quality of their goods or services.

Accepted Answer

Quality control is focused on identifying and preventing or correcting defects in goods or services to improve them in some way. It is not about matching the quality of competitors' products. Quality control is also not about suppressing employee complaints or penalizing them for reporting quality issues.

Question 8

The most accurate way to apply statistical quality control is to use a:
A) specific sample.
B) random sample.
C) quota sample.
D) stratified sample.

Accepted Answer

The most accurate way to apply statistical quality control is to use a random sample. This ensures that the sample chosen is representative of the entire population and reduces the chances of bias in the sample selection process. Specific, quota, or stratified samples may introduce bias or may not accurately represent the entire population.

Question 9

Productivity is best defined as the:
A) success rate of the efforts to prevent defects in a firm's goods or services.
B) amount of results an organization gets for a given amount of inputs.
C) statistical representation of the effectiveness of a quality control method.
D) organization-wide focus on satisfying lifelong customers.

Accepted Answer

Productivity is the measure of how efficiently an organization can produce output from a given set of inputs. It is calculated by dividing output by input, and organizations strive to improve productivity by increasing output while maintaining or reducing inputs.

Question 10

Employee involvement teams are most successful when:
A) a strict hierarchical structure is maintained.
B) supervisors make it mandatory for all employees to join the group.
C) all the group members are eager to participate.
D) the supervisor follows the essay appraisal method.

Accepted Answer

Employee involvement teams are most successful when all the group members are eager to participate. This creates a positive and enthusiastic environment where members can share their ideas and input without hesitation. A strict hierarchical structure may discourage open communication and limit creativity, whereas mandatory participation and essay appraisals may feel forced and ineffective.

Question 11

Which of the following is an annual award administered by the U.S.Department of Commerce and given to the company that shows the highest quality performance in seven categories-leadership; strategic planning; customer and market focus; measurement,analysis,and knowledge management; human resource focus; process management; and results?
A) Firestone Inner Circle of Quality Award
B) Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award
C) ISO 9000 certification
D) Golden Peacock Award

Accepted Answer

The Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award is administered by the U.S. Department of Commerce and recognizes companies that demonstrate excellence in leadership, strategic planning, customer focus, measurement and analysis, workforce development, operations management, and results. The award is given annually to one company in each of the manufacturing, service, small business, education, healthcare, and nonprofit sectors.

Question 12

Which of the following is a series of standards adopted by the International Organization for Standardization to spell out acceptable criteria for quality systems?
A) ISO 9000
B) Total quality management guidelines
C) Malcolm Baldrige guidelines
D) Benchmarking

Accepted Answer

ISO 9000 is a series of international standards that provide guidance on quality management systems and outlines acceptable criteria for quality systems.

Question 13

An operator who periodically measures some aspect of ongoing production and plots the results on a control chart is most likely using:
A) statistical quality control.
B) statistical process control.
C) the zero-defects approach.
D) the just in time approach.

Accepted Answer

The operator who periodically measures some aspect of ongoing production and plots the results on a control chart is using statistical process control. Statistical process control involves monitoring and controlling a process to ensure that it operates within its intended parameters and tolerances, and that it produces consistent, quality output. Control charts are a key tool in statistical process control, as they allow the operator to track and analyze the data from the production process over time, and to identify trends or patterns that may indicate a problem or an opportunity for improvement.

Question 14

Six Sigma is best defined as a:
A) process-oriented quality control method designed to improve the operations output to 99.9997 percent perfect.
B) process-oriented quality control method aimed at producing goods with zero percent defect.
C) product-oriented quality control method designed to reduce errors to 99.9997 percent perfect.
D) product-oriented quality control method aimed at producing goods with zero percent defect.

Accepted Answer

Six Sigma is a process-oriented quality control method aimed at improving the operations output to 99.9997 percent perfect. It focuses on reducing variation in a process and eliminating defects to improve the quality of the output. While the ultimate goal is not necessarily zero percent defect, achieving a level of 99.9997 percent perfection is considered the benchmark for Six Sigma. Therefore, option A is the correct choice.

Question 15

When a city's park district considers ways to upgrade its playground equipment or improve the programs it offers senior citizens,it is focusing on:
A) concurrent control.
B) process control.
C) method control.
D) product quality control.

Accepted Answer

Product quality control refers to the efforts of an organization to improve the product itself by enhancing it or adding better features to it. When a city's park district considers ways to upgrade its playground equipment or improve the programs it offers to senior citizens, it is focusing on product quality control.

Question 16

The practice of identifying the top performer of a process,then learning and carrying out the top performer's practices is called:
A) diversity training.
B) free riding.
C) total quality management.
D) benchmarking.

Accepted Answer

The practice described in the question is called benchmarking. It involves identifying the best performer in a particular process or industry, learning from their practices and implementing them to improve performance. Diversity training is a different practice that focuses on improving cultural sensitivity and understanding in the workplace. Free riding is the act of benefiting from a group effort without contributing to it. Total quality management is a comprehensive approach to organizational management that involves continuous improvement and customer satisfaction.

Question 17

Process control is best defined as the quality control method that emphasizes:
A) how to do things in a way that leads to better quality.
B) how to improve the product itself.
C) ways to improve the service itself.
D) the use of sampling techniques to find defects in products.

Accepted Answer

Process control focuses on ensuring that products or services are produced consistently and meet the desired level of quality through the use of control methods and process improvement techniques. It is not solely focused on finding defects through sampling, nor is it concerned with improving the product or service itself. Process control is all about improving the way things are done to achieve better quality outcomes.

Question 18

The primary objective of total quality management (TQM)is to:
A) meet or exceed customer expectations.
B) maximize profits for the company and the employees.
C) form a sustainable organization.
D) protect the employees from any form of discrimination.

Accepted Answer

The primary objective of total quality management (TQM) is to meet or exceed customer expectations. TQM is a customer-focused approach that aims to improve the quality of products and services as per customer requirements. By meeting or exceeding customer expectations, companies can achieve customer satisfaction, loyalty, and retention, which can ultimately lead to increased profits and a sustainable organization. TQM also emphasizes continuous improvement and employee involvement in the quality improvement process. However, the primary objective of TQM is to satisfy customers by providing them with high-quality products and services.

Question 19

Which of the following is most likely to be the first step the members of an employee involvement team would take?
A) Select the problems to focus on first
B) Identify quality problems related to the employees' areas of responsibility
C) Analyze the problem to identify the causes of poor quality
D) Identify possible solutions and select one to recommend to management

Accepted Answer

The first step for an employee involvement team is to identify quality problems related to their areas of responsibility, as this sets the foundation for addressing issues effectively.

Question 20

Poor quality work is most likely to lead to:
A) reduced recalls.
B) high profits.
C) low costs.
D) loss of revenues.

Accepted Answer

Poor quality work typically leads to customer dissatisfaction, which can result in loss of revenues as clients may seek out competitors who offer better quality products/services.

Quiz 2: Ensuring High Quality and Productivity

Statistical quality control primarily involves:

The most effective way supervisors can overcome the productivity constraint of management limitations is by:

Joseph M.Juran,one of the experts who played an important role in spreading the idea of TQM,taught quality concepts to the Japanese.He emphasized the view that management should seek to maintain and improve quality through efforts on two levels: the organization as a whole and the:

Quality improvement directed toward value ideally begins when the:

The zero-defects approach is best defined as the quality control technique:

Quality control is best defined as the company's efforts to:

The most accurate way to apply statistical quality control is to use a:

Productivity is best defined as the:

Employee involvement teams are most successful when:

Which of the following is a series of standards adopted by the International Organization for Standardization to spell out acceptable criteria for quality systems?

An operator who periodically measures some aspect of ongoing production and plots the results on a control chart is most likely using:

Six Sigma is best defined as a:

When a city's park district considers ways to upgrade its playground equipment or improve the programs it offers senior citizens,it is focusing on:

The practice of identifying the top performer of a process,then learning and carrying out the top performer's practices is called:

Process control is best defined as the quality control method that emphasizes:

The primary objective of total quality management (TQM) is to:

Which of the following is most likely to be the first step the members of an employee involvement team would take?

Poor quality work is most likely to lead to: