Question 1

Any group, designing a quality information system (QIS) to collect product data, must consider which of the following items?

Accepted Answer

D

Question 2

For TQM success, what structure sequence should be followed?

Accepted Answer

B

Question 3

What is the highest form of partnering with employees?

Accepted Answer

Employee involvement is the highest form of partnering with employees as it involves employees in decision-making processes, encourages open communication, and empowers them to take ownership of their work. Task teams and cost reduction projects may involve employee participation, but employee involvement is a broader and more comprehensive approach to partnership. Stock option plans involve financial incentives but do not necessarily promote true collaboration and partnership between employees and the organization.

Question 4

Which of the following are likely to be positive actions in obtaining a supplier's commitment to quality improvement?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which of the following are likely to...

Question 5

A company is planning to completely change its employee performance, appraisal and reward system. Which of the following is NOT viable for consideration in the new system?

Accepted Answer

Requiring less frequent performance reviews goes against the trend of frequent feedback and continuous improvement. Utilizing many rating categories may also lead to confusion and lack of clarity in the evaluation process. Therefore, this option is not viable for consideration in the new system.

Question 6

Which of the following is NOT considered a prevention cost?

Accepted Answer

Calibrating test equipment is a detection cost, not a prevention cost.

Question 7

The ideal results of a quality training effort would NOT include which of the following?

Accepted Answer

The ideal results of a quality training effort would involve improving the quality of work, reducing defects, increasing productivity, improving job satisfaction, and reducing employee turnover. Increased cost-of-quality results would not be considered an ideal result as it indicates a higher cost of addressing quality issues, rather than preventing them.

Question 8

In order to implement a continuous improvement strategy, a company may institute a steering committee or improvement council. Which of the following would generally NOT be a task performed by this council?

Accepted Answer

The answer of In order to implement a continuous improvement...

Question 9

What are the major disadvantages of having an improvement team that is too large?

Accepted Answer

The answer of What are the major disadvantages of having...

Question 10

Information that is received by upper management, is often distorted. Which of the following actions is effective in countering this problem?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Information that is received by upper management,...

Question 11

Benchmarking might be defined as any of the following EXCEPT:

Accepted Answer

Benchmarking involves comparing performance against best-in-class standards or practices, not just comparing to another company's performance without a standard.

Question 12

A pre-award evaluation of a supplier's quality system capability should NOT include consideration of

Accepted Answer

The supplier's geographical location is not relevant to their quality system capability and should not be a factor in a pre-award evaluation. The other options listed do relate to the supplier's quality system capability and should be considered in a pre-award evaluation.

Question 13

Which of the following is NOT a method for customer service data collection?

Accepted Answer

Internal surveys are conducted within an organization and do not involve collecting data directly from customers, unlike the other options.

Question 14

The Malcolm Baldrige award is open for competition among which of the following?

Accepted Answer

The answer of The Malcolm Baldrige award is open for...

Question 15

A product failure in the customer's hands is bad for the company. Why do only 4% of the customers normally file a complaint?

Accepted Answer

Many customers do not believe that filing a complaint will make any difference or lead to any action being taken, so they choose not to bother.

Question 16

In most cases, an improvement team facilitator will NOT normally:

Accepted Answer

The improvement team facilitator's main role is to guide the group through problem-solving techniques, encourage participation, summarize key ideas, and provide feedback to the group. However, they should not function as the group leader as this is the responsibility of the team members themselves.

Question 17

Which of the following quality gurus was very critical of merit-pay and individual bonuses? He discouraged management by objectives and the ranking of employees by performance.

Accepted Answer

Dr. Deming was critical of merit-pay, individual bonuses, management by objectives, and ranking of employees by performance as he believed these practices promote competition rather than cooperation and hinder overall productivity and quality improvement.

Question 18

An improvement in quality costs is MOST clearly indicated when:

Accepted Answer

The answer of An improvement in quality costs is MOST...

Question 19

During the building phase of improvement team development, which of the following properly describes team activities?

Accepted Answer

During the building phase, the team leader is often directive to provide guidance and structure (I), may delegate tasks to empower team members (II), and team members start to prioritize and perform duties as they gain clarity (III). However, uncertainty about duties (IV) is more characteristic of earlier phases.

Question 20

Which of the following is the BEST method to developing materials for a training program on the gaps in performance?

Accepted Answer

Reviewing a record of activities is the best way to identify and understand performance gaps. This will allow for the development of materials that accurately address the specific areas in need of improvement. The other options may be useful in implementing a training program, but do not address the initial step of identifying the gaps.

Exam 3: Certified Quality Engineer