Question 1

Which of the following was pioneered by Japanese firms during the country's remarkable economic transformation during the 1960s and 1970s?

Accepted Answer

Pioneered by Japanese firms during the country's remarkable economic transformation during the 1960s and 1970s,just-in-time inventory systems now play a major role in most manufacturing firms.

Question 2

According to the text,which is the system that allows suppliers,shippers,and the purchasing firm to communicate with each other with no time delay,thus increasing the flexibility and responsiveness of the whole global supply system?

Accepted Answer

One consequence of an EDI system is that suppliers,shippers,and the purchasing firm can communicate with each other with no time delay,which increases the flexibility and responsiveness of the whole global supply system.

Question 3

Suppliers typically use a(n)_____ link to send invoices to the purchasing firm.

Accepted Answer

Suppliers typically use an EDI link to send invoices to the purchasing firm.

Question 4

Firms now typically use _____ via the Internet to coordinate the flow of materials into manufacturing,through manufacturing,and out to customers.

Accepted Answer

Firms now typically use electronic data interchange (EDI)via the Internet to coordinate the flow of materials into manufacturing,through manufacturing,and out to customers.

Question 5

Discuss the overall objectives of international firms in terms of production and logistics.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Discuss the overall objectives of international firms...

Question 6

By tracking component parts as they make their way across the globe toward an assembly plant,_____ systems enable a firm to optimize production scheduling according to when components are expected to arrive.

Accepted Answer

By tracking component parts as they make their way across the globe toward an assembly plant,information systems enable a firm to optimize its production scheduling according to when components are expected to arrive.

Question 7

The major cost savings from JIT inventory systems comes from:

Accepted Answer

The major cost saving from JIT inventory systems comes from speeding up inventory turnover.This reduces inventory holding costs,such as warehousing and storage costs.

Question 8

In the context of materials management,the acronym EDI stands for:

Accepted Answer

Firms now typically use electronic data interchange (EDI)via the Internet to coordinate the flow of materials into manufacturing,through manufacturing,and out to customers.

Question 9

How can improved quality control reduce costs for a firm?

Accepted Answer

The answer of How can improved quality control reduce costs...

Question 10

Which of the following is an advantage of using a good EDI via the Internet to manage materials?

Accepted Answer

Good EDI systems can help a firm decentralize materials management decisions to the plant level by giving corporate-level managers the information they need for coordinating and controlling decentralized materials management groups.

Question 11

Under a more traditional system as opposed to a JIT system,warehousing parts for weeks before they are used:

Accepted Answer

Under a more traditional system,warehousing parts for weeks before they are used allows many defective parts to be produced before a problem is recognized.

Question 12

For the typical manufacturing enterprise,_____ costs account for between 50 and 70 percent of revenues,depending on the industry.

Accepted Answer

The potential for reducing costs through more efficient logistics is enormous.For the typical manufacturing enterprise,material costs account for between 50 and 70 percent of revenues,depending on the industry.

Question 13

Which of the following technological changes have made most of the proprietary solutions to implement EDI systems obsolete?

Accepted Answer

The ubiquity of the Internet and the availability of Web-based applications have made most proprietary solutions obsolete.

Question 14

What is total quality management (TQM)? What are the steps that should be part of any TQM program?
A.V.Feigenbaum.This philosophy was widely adopted,first by Japanese companies and then American companies during the 1980s and early 1990s.Deming identified a number of steps that should be part of any TQM program.He argued that management should embrace the philosophy that mistakes,defects,and poor-quality materials are not acceptable and should be eliminated.He suggested that the quality of supervision should be improved by allowing more time for supervisors to work with employees and by providing them with the tools they need to do the job.Deming recommended that management should create an environment in which employees will not fear reporting problems or recommending improvements.He believed that work standards should not only be defined as numbers or quotas,but should also include some notion of quality to promote the production of defect-free output.He argued that management has the responsibility to train employees in new skills to keep pace with changes in the workplace.In addition,he believed that achieving better quality requires the commitment of everyone in the company.

Accepted Answer

The ubiquity of the Internet and the availability of Web-based applications have made most proprietary solutions obsolete.

Question 15

In the context of materials management,the acronym JIT stands for:

Accepted Answer

The basic philosophy behind just-in-time (JIT)inventory systems is to economize on inventory holding costs by having materials arrive at a manufacturing plant just in time to enter the production process and not before.

Question 16

What system has a drawback that leaves a firm without a buffer stock of inventory?

Accepted Answer

The drawback of a JIT system is that it leaves a firm without a buffer stock of inventory.

Question 17

Discuss the Six Sigma methodology for improving product quality.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Discuss the Six Sigma methodology for improving...

Question 18

Under a _____ system,parts enter the manufacturing process immediately;they are not warehoused.

Accepted Answer

Under a JIT system,parts enter the manufacturing process immediately;they are not warehoused.This allows defective inputs to be spotted right away.

Question 19

Which of the following is a consequence of an EDI system?

Accepted Answer

One consequence of an EDI system is that much of the paperwork between suppliers,shippers,and the purchasing firm is eliminated.

Question 20

Define the term "logistics." Discuss the relationship between production and logistics.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Define the term "logistics." Discuss the relationship...

Quiz 14: Global Production,Outsourcing,and Logistics