Question 1

Which country has the largest ecological footprint?

Accepted Answer

The USA has the largest ecological footprint due to its high levels of consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.

Question 2

Companies such as Royal Dutch/Shell can never be ethically sound bearing in mind what they do.

Accepted Answer

Ethical practices depend on how a company operates, including its commitment to environmental sustainability, social responsibility, and governance. A company like Royal Dutch Shell can adopt ethical practices and improve its operations to be more ethically sound.

Question 3

If the entire world lived like the North Americans, it would take three Planet Earths to support the
present world population.

Accepted Answer

North Americans consume more natural resources per capita than any other region in the world. Therefore, if the rest of the world adopted the same lifestyle, it would require three Earths to meet the demand for resources. This estimation is based on ecological footprint measurements.

Question 4

After being interpreted through a process of judgement and values, it is:

Accepted Answer

Knowledge is data or information that has been processed and interpreted through a process of judgment and values, giving it meaning and context.

Question 5

Tacit knowledge is knowledge that:

Accepted Answer

Tacit knowledge includes skills, intuition, and experience, which cannot be easily codified, explained verbally, or written down.

Question 6

Total quality management is an essential element in ISO 9000.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Total quality management is an essential element...

Question 7

Ethical investment funds will invest in tobacco companies if the companies' staff welfare policies
are sound.

Accepted Answer

Ethical investment funds typically avoid investing in tobacco companies due to the harmful impact of smoking. Staff welfare policies may be one factor taken into consideration, but they are unlikely to outweigh the greater ethical concerns surrounding tobacco.

Question 8

Objective facts independent of any context are:

Accepted Answer

Objective facts independent of any context are raw and unprocessed information that are collected and recorded. These are known as data. In order to make sense of the data and draw conclusions, it must be processed and analyzed to create meaningful information and knowledge. Therefore, B and C are incorrect choices as they require further processing of the data to be considered as such.

Question 9

Ethical issues that arise in operations strategies normally do NOT affect which one of the following?

Accepted Answer

Senior citizens' pensions are typically not directly affected by operations strategies of a company, as these strategies are more focused on the production, procurement, and distribution aspects of a business rather than financial benefits or pension plans for retirees.

Question 10

Facts that have been analysed are:

Accepted Answer

Facts become information when they are processed, organized, structured or presented in a given context. Knowledge, on the other hand, includes understanding and insights that are gained through experience and learning. Data refers to raw, unprocessed facts and figures.

Question 11

Which of the following types of operation need NOT consider the impact of new technologies on their operations?

Accepted Answer

All the mentioned operations (education, movie making and cinemas, professional services like accountants, and hospitals and healthcare) need to consider the impact of new technologies on their operations to improve efficiency, enhance service delivery, and stay competitive.

Question 12

The three important management issues for operations managers dealing with their international network of operations are:

Accepted Answer

Culture, co-ordination, and communication are critical factors for operations managers who deal with an international network of operations. They must navigate cultural differences, coordinate operations across borders, and effectively communicate with stakeholders across different languages and time zones. While frequent flyer schemes, expense accounts, and lightweight luggage may be useful for international travel, they are not the most important management issues for operations managers dealing with an international network of operations. Similarly, customers, suppliers, and transformation resources are important considerations for all operations managers, not just those with an international network of operations.

Question 13

An international organisation that divides the company's international markets into self-contained areas is adopting:

Accepted Answer

The international organisation that divides the company's international markets into self-contained areas is adopting a regional configuration. This means that the organisation is grouping markets based on geographic regions, rather than treating them all as a single global market or organising them according to the home country's configuration.

Question 14

Globalisation is seen by all as the root cause of exploitation and corruption.

Accepted Answer

While globalisation has its drawbacks and challenges, it is not universally considered as the sole root cause of exploitation and corruption. There are various factors and actors involved in these issues.

Question 15

Understanding EB = P x A x T leads to the conclusion that sustainability can only be achieved
through consuming less.

Accepted Answer

The equation EB = P x A x T (Environmental Impact = Population x Affluence x Technology) suggests that sustainability can be achieved not only by consuming less (reducing A, Affluence) but also by managing population growth (P) and improving technology (T) to reduce per capita environmental impact.

Question 16

The apprentice mode of learning is called:

Accepted Answer

The apprentice mode of learning is socialisation, as it involves learning and gaining skills through observation, interaction and immersion in the social environment of the workplace or community. Choice A, Combination, does not reflect a specific learning mode. Choice B, Internalisation, refers to the process of incorporating new information or skills into one's existing knowledge and abilities, but does not necessarily involve social interaction. Choice D, Externalisation, refers to the process of expressing one's tacit knowledge or expertise in a tangible form, such as documents or tools, but again does not necessarily involve social interaction.

Question 17

Some ethical considerations of operations management decisions about process technology would NOT normally include:

Accepted Answer

The ethical considerations related to process technology would normally include staff safety, waste disposal, noise pollution, and repetitive/alienating work. However, customer safety is not directly related to the decisions about process technology in operations management. Direct customer safety concerns are typically addressed through product design, labeling, and warnings, rather than process technology.

Question 18

In the Pakistan soccer-ball example, a company with a well known brand, such as Nike, had much to gain from improving the conditions of its suppliers. Why might a smaller company, providing
Cheaper non-branded products, have more difficulty with the type of improvements described in
The example?

Accepted Answer

Smaller companies providing cheaper non-branded products have smaller profit margins and may have difficulty absorbing the costs necessary to improve the conditions of their suppliers. This may make it more challenging for them to address supplier working conditions compared to larger brands like Nike, who have more resources to invest in such improvements.

Question 19

RSI is caused by workplace stress.

Accepted Answer

RSI, or Repetitive Strain Injury, is primarily caused by repetitive motions, excessive force, or awkward positions during activities, not directly by workplace stress.

Question 20

Technology and telecommunications have helped to increase globalisation.

Accepted Answer

Technology and telecommunications have made it easier for people and businesses from different parts of the world to communicate and interact, resulting in increased globalisation.

Quiz 21: Working With the Normal Distribution