Question 1

What shape does the quality loss function exhibit?
A) quadratic
B) linear
C) S-shaped
D) concave
E) bell-curve

Accepted Answer

The quality loss function typically exhibits a quadratic shape, where the cost of quality loss increases exponentially as the deviation from the target value increases. This is because small deviations may have a minor impact on quality, while larger deviations can have a significant impact.

Question 2

________ selects a demonstrated standard of performance that represents the very best performance for a process or an activity.

Accepted Answer

The answer of ________ selects a demonstrated standard of performance...

Question 3

The process of identifying other organizations that are best at some facet of your operations and then modeling your organization after them is known as:
A) continuous improvement.
B) employee empowerment.
C) benchmarking.
D) copycatting.
E) patent infringement.

Accepted Answer

The process described is known as benchmarking, which involves identifying best practices and processes from other organizations and adapting them to improve one's own operations. Continuous improvement and employee empowerment are related concepts but do not specifically involve modeling after other organizations. Copycatting is a more negative term that implies simply copying without understanding or adapting, while patent infringement refers to illegal use of intellectual property.

Question 4

Which of the following statements regarding "Six Sigma" is TRUE?
A) The term has two distinct meanings-one is statistical; the other is a comprehensive quality system.
B) Six Sigma means that about 94 percent of a firm's output is free of defects.
C) The Six Sigma program was developed by Toyota in the 1970s.
D) The Six Sigma program is for manufacturing firms and is not applicable to services.
E) Six Sigma certification is granted by the International Standards Organization (ISO).

Accepted Answer

Six Sigma indeed has two distinct meanings: statistically, it refers to a process that produces 3.4 defects per million opportunities, and as a quality system, it is a methodology aimed at performance improvement by identifying and eliminating defects in manufacturing and service processes.

Question 5

Which of the following is TRUE regarding Taguchi concepts?
A) Taguchi emphasizes spec limit-oriented quality.
B) His idea is to remove the causes of adverse conditions instead of removing the effects.
C) Small variations in materials and process do not destroy product quality.
D) Conformance-oriented systems are better than target-oriented ones.
E) As the item output moves away from its target value, the quality cost will increase linearly.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which of the following is TRUE regarding...

Question 6

Identify the five steps of DMAIC.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Identify the five steps of DMAIC....

Question 7

Members of quality circles are:
A) paid according to their contribution to quality.
B) external consultants designed to provide training in the use of quality tools.
C) always machine operators.
D) all trained to be facilitators.
E) None of these; all of the statements are false.

Accepted Answer

Quality circles are typically voluntary groups of workers who meet regularly to discuss and solve problems affecting their work area, not necessarily fitting any of the descriptions given in options A, B, C, or D.

Question 8

Six Sigma was developed by ________ in the 1980s.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Six Sigma was developed by ________ in...

Question 9

________ is the Japanese word for the ongoing process of unending improvement.

Accepted Answer

The answer of ________ is the Japanese word for the...

Question 10

Suppose that a firm has historically been achieving "Three Sigma" quality. If the firm later changes its quality management practices such that it begins to achieve "Six Sigma" quality, which of the following phenomena will result?
A) The average number of defects will be cut in half.
B) The specification limits will be moved twice as far from the mean.
C) The average number of defects will be cut by 99.9997%.
D) The average number of defects will be cut by 99.87%.
E) The average number of defects will be cut by 99.73%.

Accepted Answer

Achieving "Six Sigma" quality means reducing the number of defects to 3.4 per million opportunities, which is a reduction of 99.9997%. Therefore, the average number of defects will be cut by 99.87%, which is closest to option D. Options A, B, and E are incorrect as they do not reflect the magnitude of improvement associated with Six Sigma quality.

Question 11

A group of employees that meet on a regular basis with a facilitator to solve work-related problems in their work area is a(n) ________.

Accepted Answer

The answer of A group of employees that meet on...

Question 12

Kaizen is a Japanese term meaning:
A) a foolproof mechanism.
B) just-in-time (JIT).
C) a fishbone diagram.
D) setting standards.
E) continuous improvement.

Accepted Answer

Kaizen is a concept of continuous improvement, involving everyone in an organization from top management to the front-line workers. The aim of Kaizen is to improve processes and eliminate waste.

Question 13

A manager tells her production employees, "It's no longer good enough that your work falls anywhere within the specification limits. I need your work to be as close to the target value as possible." Her thinking is reflective of:
A) internal benchmarking.
B) Six Sigma.
C) ISO 9000.
D) Taguchi concepts.
E) process control charts.

Accepted Answer

The manager's statement reflects a focus on minimizing variation and shifting the mean towards the target value, which is a core concept of Taguchi methods.

Question 14

Costs of dissatisfaction, repair costs, and decreased future demand are elements of cost in the:
A) quality loss function.
B) Pareto chart.
C) ISO 9000 quality cost calculator.
D) process chart.
E) Ishikawa diagram.

Accepted Answer

The quality loss function is a tool used for evaluating the costs associated with poor quality, including the costs of dissatisfaction, repair costs, and decreased future demand. The Pareto chart, ISO 9000 quality cost calculator, process chart, and Ishikawa diagram all have their uses in quality management, but do not specifically address these elements of cost.

Question 15

Building high-morale organizations and building communication networks that include employees are both elements of:
A) ISO 9000 certification.
B) Six Sigma certification.
C) employee empowerment.
D) Taguchi methods.
E) the tools of TQM.

Accepted Answer

Building high-morale organizations and communication networks that include employees are both key elements of employee empowerment, which is a central tenet of many Total Quality Management (TQM) programs. The other choices are not directly related to these concepts.

Question 16

Techniques for building employee empowerment include:
A) building communication networks that include employees.
B) developing open, supportive supervisors.
C) moving responsibility from both managers and staff to production employees.
D) building high-morale organizations.
E) All of these are techniques for employee empowerment.

Accepted Answer

All of the listed techniques are effective ways to build employee empowerment. Building communication networks that include employees promotes transparency and involvement, developing open and supportive supervisors encourages employees to take initiative, moving responsibility to production employees enhances their sense of ownership and control, and building high-morale organizations fosters a positive and empowering workplace culture. Implementing all of these techniques together can create a powerful and effective framework for employee empowerment.

Question 17

Total quality management emphasizes:
A) the responsibility of the quality control staff to identify and solve all quality-related problems.
B) a commitment to quality that goes beyond internal company issues to suppliers and customers.
C) a system where strong managers are the only decision makers.
D) a process where mostly statisticians get involved.
E) ISO 14000 certification.

Accepted Answer

Total quality management (TQM) emphasizes a commitment to quality that goes beyond internal company issues to suppliers and customers. TQM involves everyone in the organization working towards the common goal of improving quality and satisfying customers. It involves a continuous improvement process where all aspects of the organization are evaluated for opportunities to improve quality and eliminate waste. TQM also involves a focus on customer needs and expectations, and a commitment to meeting and exceeding those needs and expectations. ISO 14000 certification is related to environmental management, not quality management.

Question 18

A successful TQM program incorporates all EXCEPT which of the following?
A) continuous improvement
B) employee involvement
C) benchmarking
D) centralized decision-making authority
E) JIT

Accepted Answer

Centralized decision-making authority goes against the principles of TQM, which emphasizes collaboration and empowerment of employees to improve processes and make decisions. The other choices (continuous improvement, employee involvement, benchmarking, and JIT) are all key components of a successful TQM program.

Question 19

Enlarging employee jobs so that the added responsibility and authority is moved to the lowest level possible in the organization is called ________.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Enlarging employee jobs so that the added...

Question 20

If 10 million passengers pass through the St. Louis Airport with checked baggage each month, a successful Six Sigma program for baggage handling would result in how many passengers with misplaced luggage?
A) 3.4
B) 6.0
C) 34
D) 2700
E) 6 times the monthly standard deviation of passengers

Accepted Answer

The answer of If 10 million passengers pass through the...

Quiz 6: Managing Quality

What shape does the quality loss function exhibit?

________ selects a demonstrated standard of performance that represents the very best performance for a process or an activity.

The process of identifying other organizations that are best at some facet of your operations and then modeling your organization after them is known as:

Which of the following statements regarding "Six Sigma" is TRUE?

Which of the following is TRUE regarding Taguchi concepts?

Identify the five steps of DMAIC.

Members of quality circles are:

Six Sigma was developed by ________ in the 1980s.

________ is the Japanese word for the ongoing process of unending improvement.

Suppose that a firm has historically been achieving "Three Sigma" quality. If the firm later changes its quality management practices such that it begins to achieve "Six Sigma" quality, which of the following phenomena will result?

A group of employees that meet on a regular basis with a facilitator to solve work-related problems in their work area is a(n) ________.

Kaizen is a Japanese term meaning:

A manager tells her production employees, "It's no longer good enough that your work falls anywhere within the specification limits. I need your work to be as close to the target value as possible." Her thinking is reflective of:

Costs of dissatisfaction, repair costs, and decreased future demand are elements of cost in the:

Building high-morale organizations and building communication networks that include employees are both elements of:

Techniques for building employee empowerment include:

Total quality management emphasizes:

A successful TQM program incorporates all EXCEPT which of the following?

Enlarging employee jobs so that the added responsibility and authority is moved to the lowest level possible in the organization is called ________.

If 10 million passengers pass through the St. Louis Airport with checked baggage each month, a successful Six Sigma program for baggage handling would result in how many passengers with misplaced luggage?