Question 1

A benchmarking team establishes goals and obtains support from the management team that agrees to provide resources for accomplishing the goals.This phase of the benchmarking process is called:
A)goal setting.
B)analysis.
C)integration.
D)action.

Accepted Answer

The answer of A benchmarking team establishes goals and obtains...

Question 2

Benchmarking studies must have:
A)a direct competitor for comparison.
B)a team composed of at least one member from each department in the organization.
C)a team composed of at least one member from each department in the organization plus one customer of each process output.
D)quantitative goals.

Accepted Answer

Benchmarking studies require quantitative goals to measure performance against specific metrics or standards. This allows for clear comparisons and assessments of where improvements are needed. Choices A, B, and C are not mandatory for all benchmarking studies, as the scope and focus can vary widely depending on the objectives.

Question 3

Gaps between actual and desired performance are called ________.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Gaps between actual and desired performance are...

Question 4

Which one of the following statements about benchmarking is TRUE?
A)Benchmarking is useful only when a company compares itself against other companies.
B)Because of the power of benchmarking,specific plans of action are not necessary.
C)Benchmarking is the same as the plan-do-check-act cycle in continuous improvement.
D)Benchmarking focuses on setting quantitative goals for continuous improvement.

Accepted Answer

Benchmarking focuses on setting quantitative goals for continuous improvement, but it does not necessarily require comparison with other companies. It involves identifying best practices in a particular area and setting goals to achieve those practices or exceed them. Specific plans of action are necessary for effective benchmarking, and it is not the same as the plan-do-check-act cycle, although it can be used in conjunction with that cycle.

Question 5

________ are performance measures that are established for a process and the steps within it.

Accepted Answer

The answer of ________ are performance measures that are established...

Question 6

An accounting firm realizes it is woefully inadequate at cultivating new clients.It is allowed to observe a law firm perform the new-client cultivation process in hopes of gleaning improved methods it can adopt.This is an example of:
A)competitive benchmarking.
B)functional benchmarking.
C)internal benchmarking.
D)generic benchmarking.

Accepted Answer

Functional benchmarking involves looking outside of the organization to identify best practices within a specific function or process. In this case, the accounting firm is observing a law firm's process for cultivating new clients with the intention of improving their own methods. This is not competitive benchmarking, as the two firms are not direct competitors. It is also not internal benchmarking or generic benchmarking, as they are not looking at their own internal processes or comparing them to completely unrelated industries.

Question 7

A voluntary system by which employees submit their ideas on process improvements is called a(n)________.

Accepted Answer

The answer of A voluntary system by which employees submit...

Question 8

Process ________ is the boundary of the process to be analyzed.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Process ________ is the boundary of the...

Question 9

Which of these benchmarking metrics is NOT suitable for an order fulfillment process?
A)finished goods inventory turnover
B)the company that actually makes the delivery to the customer
C)percent of orders shipped on time
D)value of plant shipments per employee

Accepted Answer

The company that actually makes the delivery to the customer is not a metric; it's an entity involved in the process. The other options are quantifiable metrics used to assess order fulfillment efficiency.

Question 10

An accounting professor realizes she is woefully inadequate at performing research.She discusses the art of research with a colleague and gains important insights that permit her to establish a research agenda.This is an example of:
A)competitive benchmarking.
B)functional benchmarking.
C)internal benchmarking.
D)generic benchmarking.

Accepted Answer

This is an example of internal benchmarking, as the professor is seeking advice and guidance from a colleague within her own organization to improve her research skills. Competitive benchmarking involves comparing performance to industry competitors, functional benchmarking involves comparing processes with similar functions in other organizations, and generic benchmarking involves comparing processes with unrelated organizations to identify best practices.

Question 11

A benchmarking team meets for the first time and decides to try to improve its order delivery time and selects another firm as a benchmarking partner.This phase of the benchmarking process is called:
A)planning.
B)selection.
C)integration.
D)action.

Accepted Answer

The answer of A benchmarking team meets for the first...

Question 12

Good process management should include:
A)a mechanism for identifying what goes wrong and who is responsible.
B)a method for creating self-directed work teams.
C)at least half time dedicated to each employee's self-actualization.
D)an infrastructure for continuous improvement.

Accepted Answer

Good process management should definitely have an infrastructure for continuous improvement. This means having systems in place that allow for ongoing evaluation and adjustment of processes to ensure that they are functioning at their best. While the other options may also be important in certain contexts, they are not as universally essential to good process management as having an infrastructure for continuous improvement.

Question 13

When managing processes,it is vital that:
A)attention is paid to competitive priorities and strategic fit.
B)design teams are allowed to function creatively and set their own charter.
C)design teams are not held accountable since their involvement ends once the new process rolls out.
D)the organization is not satisfied unless fundamental reengineering changes are made.

Accepted Answer

Attention to competitive priorities and strategic fit ensures that the processes are aligned with the overall goals of the organization and can help improve competitiveness. B, C, and D are not accurate statements when it comes to managing processes.

Question 14

The first step of the systematic approach to process analysis is ________.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The first step of the systematic approach...

Question 15

A benchmarking team develops improvement plans and team assignments.Once the plans are implemented it monitors progress and recalibrates benchmarks as improvements are made.This phase of the benchmarking process is called:
A)implementation.
B)analysis.
C)integration.
D)action.

Accepted Answer

This phase is called "action" because it involves implementing the improvement plans and monitoring progress. The other options (implementation, analysis, integration) do not fully capture this phase of the benchmarking process.

Question 16

An accounting firm realizes it is woefully inadequate at cultivating new clients.It is allowed to observe a rival firm perform the new-client cultivation process in hopes of gleaning improved methods it can adopt.This is an example of:
A)competitive benchmarking.
B)functional benchmarking.
C)internal benchmarking.
D)generic benchmarking.

Accepted Answer

Competitive benchmarking involves comparing one's own processes with those of direct competitors to identify best practices and areas in need of improvement. This is exactly what the accounting firm is doing by observing a rival firm's new client cultivation process. Functional benchmarking compares processes with those of companies in the same industry but not necessarily direct competitors. Internal benchmarking compares processes within a company's own departments or divisions. Generic benchmarking compares processes with those of companies in other industries.

Question 17

When managing processes,it is vital that:
A)design teams are allowed to function creatively and set their own charter.
B)the organization is not satisfied unless fundamental reengineering changes are made.
C)sound project management practices are used to implement the redesigned process.
D)people are redesigned at the same time the process is redesigned.

Accepted Answer

Sound project management practices are essential to ensure a successful implementation of the redesigned process. This includes defining objectives, creating a plan, identifying tasks, assigning responsibilities, establishing timelines, and monitoring progress. Option A is not relevant to managing processes, while Option B assumes that fundamental reengineering changes are always required, which may not be the case. Option D is not an appropriate approach as it ignores the human element and can lead to resistance and inefficiencies.

Question 18

A benchmarking team examines its own success with order delivery time and compares its metrics with a rival.This phase of the benchmarking process is called:
A)examination.
B)analysis.
C)integration.
D)action.

Accepted Answer

The phase of the benchmarking process where the team compares its metrics with a rival is called analysis. This involves analyzing the data and identifying areas for improvement. The other three options (examination, integration, and action) are not specifically related to this phase of benchmarking.

Question 19

________ is the documentation and detailed understanding of how work is performed and how it can be redesigned.

Accepted Answer

The answer of ________ is the documentation and detailed understanding...

Question 20

Which of these benchmarking metrics is NOT suitable for a support process?
A)average employee turnover rate
B)total cost of payroll processes per $1,000 revenue
C)the impression that applicants have as they submit applications
D)number of accepted jobs as a percent of job offers

Accepted Answer

The impression that applicants have as they submit applications is not suitable for a support process benchmarking because it does not directly relate to the performance of the support process. It may be more relevant to benchmarking processes related to recruitment and hiring. The other metrics (average employee turnover rate, total cost of payroll processes per $1,000 revenue, and number of accepted jobs as a percent of job offers) are more relevant to measuring the performance of support processes.

Quiz 4: Process Analysis

A benchmarking team establishes goals and obtains support from the management team that agrees to provide resources for accomplishing the goals.This phase of the benchmarking process is called:

Benchmarking studies must have:

Gaps between actual and desired performance are called ________.

Which one of the following statements about benchmarking is TRUE?

________ are performance measures that are established for a process and the steps within it.

An accounting firm realizes it is woefully inadequate at cultivating new clients.It is allowed to observe a law firm perform the new-client cultivation process in hopes of gleaning improved methods it can adopt.This is an example of:

A voluntary system by which employees submit their ideas on process improvements is called a(n)________.

Process ________ is the boundary of the process to be analyzed.

Which of these benchmarking metrics is NOT suitable for an order fulfillment process?

An accounting professor realizes she is woefully inadequate at performing research.She discusses the art of research with a colleague and gains important insights that permit her to establish a research agenda.This is an example of:

A benchmarking team meets for the first time and decides to try to improve its order delivery time and selects another firm as a benchmarking partner.This phase of the benchmarking process is called:

Good process management should include:

When managing processes,it is vital that:

The first step of the systematic approach to process analysis is ________.

A benchmarking team develops improvement plans and team assignments.Once the plans are implemented it monitors progress and recalibrates benchmarks as improvements are made.This phase of the benchmarking process is called:

An accounting firm realizes it is woefully inadequate at cultivating new clients.It is allowed to observe a rival firm perform the new-client cultivation process in hopes of gleaning improved methods it can adopt.This is an example of:

When managing processes,it is vital that:

A benchmarking team examines its own success with order delivery time and compares its metrics with a rival.This phase of the benchmarking process is called:

________ is the documentation and detailed understanding of how work is performed and how it can be redesigned.

Which of these benchmarking metrics is NOT suitable for a support process?