Question 1

Organizations that need the ability to provide a wide variety of services to customers with differing requirements usually use a _____.

Accepted Answer

A process layout is designed to handle a variety of services or products with different requirements. This type of layout groups together similar resources or equipment to perform a specific task or process. It is often used in service industries such as hospitals or hotels, where customers require different types of services. Cellular layouts and product layouts are more suited for manufacturing environments, while fixed-position layouts are used for large construction projects.

Question 2

The production of large goods such as ships is best accomplished using a _____.

Accepted Answer

Large goods such as ships require a fixed-position layout as it is not feasible to move them through a production line. Instead, the equipment and workforce are brought to the stationary ship to complete the production process.

Question 3

One of the differences between product layouts and process layouts is that unlike product layouts, process layouts:

Accepted Answer

Process layouts provide more flexibility in terms of the variety of products that can be produced and the sequence of operations. They are not focused on producing a specific product like product layouts, so they do not require specialized equipment or high levels of automation. However, they can result in higher materials-handling costs due to the need to transport materials and products between different workstations.

Question 4

Facility layout does not enhance sustainability in service-producing organizations.

Accepted Answer

Facility layout can enhance sustainability in service-producing organizations. For example, a well-designed facility layout can reduce energy consumption, improve use of natural light and ventilation, and increase the efficiency of operations. This can lead to cost savings and a reduction in the organization's environmental impact.

Question 5

The design of service facilities requires the clever integration of layout with the servicescape and process design to support service encounters.

Accepted Answer

The statement is true as efficient service facility design should consider the physical layout of the space, the servicescape (the environment in which the service is delivered), and the process design to facilitate effective service encounters.

Question 6

A Gallup study showed that there is no significant difference found in the productivities among workers who are allowed to personalize their workplaces and those who are not.

Accepted Answer

The Gallup study found that allowing employees to personalize their workplaces can lead to higher levels of productivity. Personalization helps in creating a sense of ownership and comfort, which can enhance employee engagement and efficiency.

Question 7

__________is concerned with improving productivity and safety by designing workplaces, equipment, instruments, computers, workstations, and so on that take into account the physical capabilities of people.

Accepted Answer

The description matches the concept of ergonomics, which studies how to adapt work environments and equipment to the physical and cognitive abilities and limitations of people, with the goal of enhancing performance, efficiency, and well-being while reducing injury and health risks. The other choices, such as employee motivation and job design, are related to other aspects of human resource management and organizational behavior, but not directly linked to the physical and physiological aspects of work design.

Question 8

An assembly line with 30 activities is to be balanced. The total amount of time required for all 30 activities is 45 minutes. The line will operate for 420 minutes per day. Which of the following must be the cycle time to achieve an output rate of 300 units/day

Accepted Answer

To achieve an output rate of 300 units/day with the line operating for 420 minutes per day, the cycle time must be calculated as the total operating time per day divided by the desired output rate per day. Thus, cycle time = 420 minutes / 300 units = 1.4 minutes.

Question 9

Research has shown that bringing the outdoor environment into the workplace lowers stress.

Accepted Answer

Studies have found that exposing workers to natural elements, such as plants and daylight, can reduce stress levels and increase productivity in the workplace.

Question 10

According to a study conducted by Software Advice, the likelihood of consumers buying a particular product remains unaffected even when the production of that product causes reduced environmental impact.

Accepted Answer

The statement contradicts the findings of the study. The study found that consumers are more likely to buy a particular product when its production causes reduced environmental impact.

Question 11

Process layouts require simple planning and control systems.

Accepted Answer

Process layouts are typically complex and require sophisticated planning and control systems in order to optimize the flow of materials and minimize bottlenecks.

Question 12

The objective of assembly-line balancing is to:

Accepted Answer

Assembly-line balancing aims to minimize the imbalance among workstations while trying to achieve a desired output rate. This means that the workload and tasks should be evenly distributed among the workstations to ensure efficient and effective production. Maximizing cost of operations or cycle time may not necessarily result in a balanced assembly line.

Question 13

Which of the following is true of fixed-position layouts

Accepted Answer

Fixed-position layouts are characterized by the movement of resources (materials, equipment, people) to the site of production. Therefore, automation potential is limited in such layouts. The changeover requirements can be high as different resources are required for producing each product. The volume of product demand can vary, and high demand may not necessarily be a characteristic of fixed-position layouts. Equipment utilization may also vary depending on the production process.

Question 14

__________is vertical expansion of job duties to give the worker more responsibility.

Accepted Answer

Job enrichment involves expanding the job responsibilities and giving the worker more autonomy and control over their work, which in turn can lead to greater job satisfaction and motivation. Employee empowerment involves giving workers more authority and decision-making power within their job, while job enlargement involves expanding the job duties horizontally to make it more diverse. Employee recognition is a process of acknowledging and rewarding employees for their contributions and achievements.

Question 15

In a cellular layout, additional floor space is required because machines are not very closely linked within a cell.

Accepted Answer

In a cellular layout, machines are closely linked within a cell in order to minimize material handling and increase efficiency, which can lead to a more compact layout and less floor space required.

Question 16

__________is a technique to group tasks among workstations so that each workstation has-in the ideal case-the same amount of work.

Accepted Answer

Assembly-line balancing is a technique used to balance the workload among workstations to achieve maximum efficiency. It involves grouping tasks in a way that each workstation has an equal amount of work, reducing the idle time and increasing the productivity of the overall process.

Question 17

One of the disadvantages of a product layout is that it has:

Accepted Answer

A product layout is designed to produce a specific product or product line at high volume and low cost. While this can result in efficient use of equipment and high throughput, it also means that the layout is inflexible and not easily adaptable to changes in product or process. Additionally, the high degree of specialization required for each step in the production process can lead to low worker utilization and a lack of cross-training opportunities. However, neither high materials handling nor high work-in-progress inventory are inherent disadvantages of a product layout, as these can be managed effectively with appropriate planning and control measures.

Question 18

Which of the following is a limitation of a process layout

Accepted Answer

Process layouts typically require workers to have a broader range of skills because the layout is organized by process, and workers may need to perform a variety of tasks.

Question 19

In a cellular layout, the procedure of classifying parts with similar processing requirements into families is called _____.

Accepted Answer

The procedure of classifying parts with similar processing requirements into families is called group technology.

Question 20

A _____ is an arrangement of physical facilities based on the sequence of operations that is performed during the manufacturing of a good or delivery of a service.

Accepted Answer

A product layout is designed based on the sequence of operations that are performed during the manufacturing of a product or delivery of a service, where workstations and equipment are arranged in a line according to the production sequence.

Quiz 8: Facility and Work Design