Question 1

There are four perspectives on operations strategy. The term 'core competency' is most closely associated with which perspective?
A) Market requirements perspective
B) Operations resources perspective
C) Top-down perspective
D) Bottom-up perspective

Accepted Answer

The term 'core competency' is most closely associated with the operations resources perspective, which emphasizes the development of unique capabilities and resources within the operations function that can provide a competitive advantage. This perspective views operations as a source of strength and a potential source of differentiation. The other perspectives (market requirements, top-down, and bottom-up) focus on different aspects of operations strategy, such as understanding customer needs, aligning strategy with corporate goals, and involving employees in the strategy development process.

Question 2

A qualifying factor could be described as:
A) A factor which directly and significantly contributes to winning business
B) A factor which is at a higher level than the standard for the industry
C) A factor which has to be above a particular level to be considered by the customer
D) A factor which may be of significance in other parts of the organisation

Accepted Answer

A qualifying factor is a criterion or requirement that a potential customer has established and must be met in order for a supplier to be considered. Therefore, it must be above a particular level to be considered by the customer.

Question 3

In this question you need to match the competitive factor that customers value with the performance objective that the operation needs to excel at. If the customers value low price then
The operation will need to excel at:
A) Dependability
B) Cost
C) Quality
D) Flexibility (mix)
E) Flexibility (products/service) 
F) Flexibility (volume and/or delivery)
G) Speed

Accepted Answer

Customers who value low price prioritize cost competitiveness over other factors such as quality or speed. Therefore, the operation needs to excel at cost efficiency to be able to offer lower prices than competitors while still earning a profit.

Question 4

Strategic decisions are those which:
A) Only involve senior managers
B) Seek to move the whole organisation towards its overall long-term goals
C) Require the input of external consultants and management accountants.
D) Define the position of a business unit with respect to its operational capabilities

Accepted Answer

Strategic decisions are those that seek to move the entire organization towards its overall long-term goals. They are typically made by senior managers but may also involve input from external consultants and management accountants. Strategic decisions define the position of a business unit with respect to its operational capabilities, but they go beyond that to consider the organization as a whole. Therefore, B is the best answer.

Question 5

In the decline stage of the product/service life cycle the operation is likely to focus on which combination of performance objectives?
A) Cost.
B) Speed, Dependability and Quality.
C) Speed, Dependability and Cost.
D) Dependability, Quality and Cost.

Accepted Answer

In the decline stage, the focus is typically on cost reduction to maintain profitability as sales decrease.

Question 6

In this question you need to match the competitive factor that customers value with the performance objective that the operation needs to excel at. If the customers value a wide range of
Products and services then the operation will need to excel at:
A) Dependability
B) Flexibility (volume and/or delivery)
C) Speed
D) Flexibility (products/service)
E) Flexibility (mix) 
F) Cost
G) Quality

Accepted Answer

The answer of In this question you need to match...

Question 7

In this question you need to match the competitive factor that customers value with the performance objective that the operation needs to excel at. If the customers value high quality then
The operation will need to excel at:
A) Cost
B) Quality
C) Dependability
D) Flexibility (mix)
E) Flexibility (volume and/or delivery) 
F) Speed
G) Flexibility (products/service)

Accepted Answer

Customers who value high quality will expect the operation to excel at providing high quality products or services. Therefore, the performance objective that the operation needs to excel at is Quality.

Question 8

Which of the following stages is not included in the product/service life cycle?
A) Introduction
B) Decline
C) Growth
D) Maturity
E) Redundancy

Accepted Answer

Redundancy is not a stage included in the traditional product/service life cycle. The traditional stages are introduction, growth, maturity, and decline.

Question 9

In this question you need to match the competitive factor that customers value with the performance objective that the operation needs to excel at. If the customers value reliable delivery
Then the operation will need to excel at:
A) Speed
B) Quality
C) Dependability
D) Flexibility (volume and/or delivery)
E) Cost 
F) Flexibility (mix)
G) Flexibility (products/service)

Accepted Answer

Customers value reliable delivery, which means they want to be assured that the operation will deliver their goods or services as promised. Dependability, which is the ability to deliver goods or services on time and in full, is the performance objective that an operation needs to excel at to meet this competitive factor.

Question 10

There are four perspectives on operations strategy. The term 'emergent strategy' is most closely associated with which perspective?
A) Top-down perspective
B) Operations resources perspective
C) Market requirements perspective
D) Bottom-up perspective

Accepted Answer

Emergent strategy is most closely associated with the bottom-up perspective, which emphasizes the importance of flexibility and responsiveness to changing circumstances. This perspective views operations strategy as something that emerges over time through the interactions of the various elements of the organization, rather than being determined solely by top-level decision-makers or market requirements.

Question 11

An order-winning factor could be described as:
A) A factor which is at a higher level than the standard for the industry
B) A factor which may be of significance in other parts of the organisation
C) A factor which directly and significantly contributes to winning business
D) A factor which has to be above a particular level to be considered by the customer

Accepted Answer

An order-winning factor is a factor that directly and significantly contributes to winning business. This means that without this factor, a company may struggle to win over customers compared to their competitors. The other options listed do not accurately describe an order-winning factor.

Question 12

A less important factor may well be:
A) A factor which is at a higher level than the standard for the industry
B) A factor which may be of significance in other parts of the organisation
C) A factor which directly and significantly contributes to winning business
D) A factor which has to be above a particular level to be considered by the customer

Accepted Answer

A less important factor may still be significant in other parts of the organization, but may not directly contribute to winning business or have a specific level requirement by the customer.

Question 13

Which of the following competitive factors and performance objectives is unlikely to satisfy customers?
A) Reliable delivery leading to a need to excel at effective customer service.
B) A wide range of products and services underpinned by excellence at flexible operations.
C) Low quality leading to a need to excel at producing large quantities at low prices.
D) Low price leading to a need to excel at low cost.
E) Speed of operations leading to a need to excel at efficient distribution.

Accepted Answer

Low quality products are unlikely to satisfy customers, regardless of the ability to produce large quantities at low prices. Customers expect a certain level of quality from products and services, and if that is not met, they are unlikely to continue doing business with the company.

Question 14

In this question you need to match the competitive factor that customers value with the performance objective that the operation needs to excel at. If the customers value the ability to
Change the timing or quantity of products and services then the operation will need to excel at:
A) Flexibility (mix)
B) Cost
C) Speed
D) Quality
E) Flexibility (volume and/or delivery) 
F) Dependability
G) Flexibility (products/service)

Accepted Answer

Customers valuing the ability to change timing or quantity of products and services requires the operation to excel at flexibility in volume and/or delivery. This means that the operation must be able to quickly adjust to changes in customer demand for varying quantities and delivery times.

Question 15

In this question you need to match the competitive factor that customers value with the performance objective that the operation needs to excel at. If the customers value fast delivery then
The operation will need to excel at:
A) Cost
B) Dependability
C) Flexibility (products/service)
D) Speed
E) Flexibility (mix) 
F) Flexibility (volume and/or delivery)
G) Quality

Accepted Answer

Customers who value fast delivery require the operation to excel at speed, which involves minimizing the time it takes to fulfill orders and deliver the product or service to the customer.

Question 16

In operations management, inventory strategy does not include:
A) Where stocks should be located
B) What the composition of stocks should be
C) How stock sizes should be controlled
D) How much stock to have
E) How suppliers should be chosen

Accepted Answer

While selecting suppliers is an important aspect of operations management, it is not a part of inventory strategy. Inventory strategy is focused on managing and controlling the stock levels, composition, and location to ensure effective and efficient operations.

Question 17

Structural strategic decisions that do not influence facilities issues include:
A) What capacity should be allocated at each plant
B) What activities should be allocated to each plant
C) Where the operations facilities should be located
D) The number of geographically separate sites required
E) What broad types of technology should be used

Accepted Answer

The options A, B, C, and D directly relate to the location, size, and layout of facilities, while option E is concerned with the type of technology used and can be decided without considering facilities issues.

Question 18

The determination of performance priorities is normally influenced by:
A) The specific needs of the company's customer groups
B) The stage of the life cycle at which the product or service stands
C) The activities of the company's competitors
D) All of the above

Accepted Answer

The determination of performance priorities is influenced by all three factors listed in the options – the specific needs of the company's customer groups, the stage of the life cycle at which the product or service stands, and the activities of the company's competitors. All of these factors play significant roles in shaping the company's priorities to achieve superior performance in the market.

Question 19

In the maturity stage of the product/service life cycle the operation is likely to focus on which combination of performance objectives?
A) Dependability and Cost.
B) Speed, Dependability and Quality.
C) Speed, Quality and Cost.
D) Speed, Dependability and Cost.

Accepted Answer

In the maturity stage, the focus is often on maintaining a reliable product or service at a competitive cost, as the market becomes more saturated and competitive. Dependability ensures customer satisfaction and repeat business, while cost management is crucial to remain competitive.

Question 20

In this question you need to match the competitive factor that customers value with the performance objective that the operation needs to excel at. If the customers value low price then
The operation will need to excel at:
A) Flexibility (volume and/or delivery)
B) Quality
C) Cost
D) Flexibility (mix)
E) Flexibility (products/service) 
F) Speed
G) Dependability

Accepted Answer

The answer of In this question you need to match...

Quiz 3: Demand Forecasting

There are four perspectives on operations strategy. The term 'core competency' is most closely associated with which perspective?

A qualifying factor could be described as:

In this question you need to match the competitive factor that customers value with the performance objective that the operation needs to excel at. If the customers value low price then The operation will need to excel at:

Strategic decisions are those which:

In the decline stage of the product/service life cycle the operation is likely to focus on which combination of performance objectives?

In this question you need to match the competitive factor that customers value with the performance objective that the operation needs to excel at. If the customers value a wide range of Products and services then the operation will need to excel at:

In this question you need to match the competitive factor that customers value with the performance objective that the operation needs to excel at. If the customers value high quality then The operation will need to excel at:

Which of the following stages is not included in the product/service life cycle?

In this question you need to match the competitive factor that customers value with the performance objective that the operation needs to excel at. If the customers value reliable delivery Then the operation will need to excel at:

There are four perspectives on operations strategy. The term 'emergent strategy' is most closely associated with which perspective?

An order-winning factor could be described as:

A less important factor may well be:

Which of the following competitive factors and performance objectives is unlikely to satisfy customers?

In this question you need to match the competitive factor that customers value with the performance objective that the operation needs to excel at. If the customers value the ability to Change the timing or quantity of products and services then the operation will need to excel at:

In this question you need to match the competitive factor that customers value with the performance objective that the operation needs to excel at. If the customers value fast delivery then The operation will need to excel at:

In operations management, inventory strategy does not include:

Structural strategic decisions that do not influence facilities issues include:

The determination of performance priorities is normally influenced by:

In the maturity stage of the product/service life cycle the operation is likely to focus on which combination of performance objectives?

In this question you need to match the competitive factor that customers value with the performance objective that the operation needs to excel at. If the customers value low price then The operation will need to excel at: