Question 1

The fundamental premise underlying learning curve analysis is that

Accepted Answer

A)  tasks can be easily learned in organizations 
B)  organizations and people become better at their tasks as the tasks are repeated 
C)  learning takes place when people in organizations change 
D)  total labor costs decrease as the number of production units increases 
E)  doubling output cuts labor requirements per unit in half 
A)  tasks can be easily learned in organizations 
B)  organizations and people become better at their tasks as the tasks are repeated 
C)  learning takes place when people in organizations change 
D)  total labor costs decrease as the number of production units increases 
E)  doubling output cuts labor requirements per unit in half

Question 2

The first unit of a product took 832 hours to build, and the learning curve is 75%. How long will it take to make the 10th unit? (Use at least three decimals in the exponent if you use the logarithmic approach.)

Accepted Answer

A)  less than 250 hours 
B)  from 251 to 275 hours 
C)  from 276 to 300 hours 
D)  from 301 to 325 hours 
E)  325 or more hours 
A)  less than 250 hours 
B)  from 251 to 275 hours 
C)  from 276 to 300 hours 
D)  from 301 to 325 hours 
E)  325 or more hours

Question 3

A learning curve

Accepted Answer

A)  plots man-hours per dollar versus time 
B)  is mathematically described by a parabola 
C)  should be plotted on polar coordinate graph paper 
D)  is based on the premise that organizations learn from experience 
E)  follows a normal distribution 
A)  plots man-hours per dollar versus time 
B)  is mathematically described by a parabola 
C)  should be plotted on polar coordinate graph paper 
D)  is based on the premise that organizations learn from experience 
E)  follows a normal distribution

Question 4

The first unit of a product took 50 hours to build, and the learning curve is 85%. How long will it take to make the 10th unit? (Use at least three decimals in the exponent if you use the logarithmic approach.)

Accepted Answer

A)  less than 24 hours 
B)  from 25 to 30 hours 
C)  from 30 to 35 hours 
D)  from 35 to 40 hours 
E)  more than 40 hours 
A)  less than 24 hours 
B)  from 25 to 30 hours 
C)  from 30 to 35 hours 
D)  from 35 to 40 hours 
E)  more than 40 hours

Question 5

The first product took 10 hours to build and the learning curve is estimated to be 90%. How long with it take to make the fourth unit?

Accepted Answer

A)  10 hours 
B)  9 hours 
C)  8.1 hours 
D)  7.5 hours 
E)  none of the above 
A)  10 hours 
B)  9 hours 
C)  8.1 hours 
D)  7.5 hours 
E)  none of the above

Question 6

A contractor builds large ships for the Department of Defense. A recent contract called for 12 amphibious landing platforms. It was originally estimated that the first of these would cost $1 billion and that 80 percent learning would be appropriate. In fact, the first ship cost $1.6 billion and the second $1.12 billion. What is the revised learning rate? What will be the total cost of the twelve ships? Is it higher or lower than the original estimates? If the defense department cuts the contract from 12 ships to 9, what happens to the average cost per ship?

Accepted Answer

The original estimates called for $1 bil

Question 7

Companies pursuing a learning curve strategy must increase

Accepted Answer

A)  employee training 
B)  costs 
C)  quality 
D)  volume 
E)  all of the above 
A)  employee training 
B)  costs 
C)  quality 
D)  volume 
E)  all of the above

Question 8

The learning curve in the steel industry and the learning curve in heart surgery have both been estimated at 79 percent.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 9

When comparing a 70% learning curve versus a 90% learning curve, which one results in a more rapid reduction in labor requirements? Why?

Accepted Answer

Learning curves are defined in terms of

Question 10

The first unit of a product took 832 hours to build, and the learning curve is 75%. How long will it take to make the 30th unit? (Use at least three decimals in the exponent if you use the logarithmic approach.)

Accepted Answer

A)  less than 200 hours 
B)  from 200 to 225 hours 
C)  from 225 to 250 hours 
D)  from 2501 to 275 hours 
E)  275 or more hours 
A)  less than 200 hours 
B)  from 200 to 225 hours 
C)  from 225 to 250 hours 
D)  from 2501 to 275 hours 
E)  275 or more hours

Question 11

In the Learning-Curve Coefficients table for 70 percent learning, the sixth unit has a unit time value of 0.398. Verify that table entry by use of the logarithmic formula. Use five decimals in your work.

Accepted Answer

The factor b for 70 percent learning is

Question 12

Why do different organizations have different learning curves?

Accepted Answer

The rate of learning varies de

Question 13

Your firm has expertise with a special type of hand-finished furniture. The learning rate is known to be 82%. If the first piece of furniture took 6 hours, use the logarithmic approach to determine how long it will take to do the third unit.

Accepted Answer

For 82% learning, the factor b

Question 14

Learning curves are based on the premise that people and organizations become better at their tasks as the tasks are repeated.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 15

Learning curves (or experience curves) were first applied to industry by __________ who was studying __________.

Accepted Answer

A)  Frank Lloyd Wright; architecture 
B)  Frank Gilbreth; worker efficiency 
C)  T. P. Wright; air frame manufacture 
D)  Lilian Gilbreth; factory efficiency 
E)  Frederick W. Taylor; scientific management 
A)  Frank Lloyd Wright; architecture 
B)  Frank Gilbreth; worker efficiency 
C)  T. P. Wright; air frame manufacture 
D)  Lilian Gilbreth; factory efficiency 
E)  Frederick W. Taylor; scientific management

Question 16

The logarithmic approach to learning curve calculations allows us to determine the hours required for any unit.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 17

The learning curve for a product is 90 percent. The first unit took 10 hours to complete. The manufacturer wants to determine how many hours the fourth unit will take by using the logarithmic method. The coefficient b for that calculation is approximately

Accepted Answer

A)  -.1053 
B)  -.1520 
C)  -.3219 
D)  .6931 
E)  8.1 
A)  -.1053 
B)  -.1520 
C)  -.3219 
D)  .6931 
E)  8.1

Question 18

A company negotiates a price for two aircraft that includes a reduction in labor on the second aircraft consistent with a 70% learning curve. Suppose the first aircraft took 100 hours. If the improvement rate changes to 20%, how will the total time to complete both aircraft change?

Accepted Answer

A)  no change 
B)  -10 hours 
C)  + 10 hours 
D)  -50 hours 
E)  + 50 hours 
A)  no change 
B)  -10 hours 
C)  + 10 hours 
D)  -50 hours 
E)  + 50 hours

Question 19

Learning curves have a variety of purposes, which can be placed into these broad categories:

Accepted Answer

A)  services, industry, and military 
B)  internal, external, and strategic 
C)  wholesale, distribution, and retail 
D)  arithmetic, logarithmic, and learning coefficients 
E)  positive learning, neutral learning, and negative learning 
A)  services, industry, and military 
B)  internal, external, and strategic 
C)  wholesale, distribution, and retail 
D)  arithmetic, logarithmic, and learning coefficients 
E)  positive learning, neutral learning, and negative learning

Question 20

You are a cost accountant for a firm that specializes in "small" (under 10 billion dollars) defense contracts for specialty electronics products, such as fully portable, miniaturized CD-ROM imaging stations and global positioning transmitters/transponders. Your company is well respected in this field. One project up for competitive bids is a Field Service, Hands-Free, Individual Multi-Protocol Secure Communicator (a battlefield version of a cellular telephone, but built into each soldier's helmet, and containing necessary encryption technology). The Department of Defense wants 8 of these experimental devices to test their practicality. You have reviewed the contract specifications, and estimated that the first FSHFIMPSC should require 2350 hours, and that the product is subject to a 75% learning rate. All costs of the project (machine purchase, machine time, direct and indirect labor, and materials) have been bundled (allocated) into an hourly labor rate of $172 per hour. Determine the total project cost using the provided data.

Accepted Answer

From Table E.3, 2350 * 4.802 =

Exam 22: Vehicle Routing and Scheduling

The fundamental premise underlying learning curve analysis is that

The first unit of a product took 832 hours to build, and the learning curve is 75%. How long will it take to make the 10th unit? (Use at least three decimals in the exponent if you use the logarithmic approach.)

A learning curve

The first unit of a product took 50 hours to build, and the learning curve is 85%. How long will it take to make the 10th unit? (Use at least three decimals in the exponent if you use the logarithmic approach.)

The first product took 10 hours to build and the learning curve is estimated to be 90%. How long with it take to make the fourth unit?

Companies pursuing a learning curve strategy must increase

The learning curve in the steel industry and the learning curve in heart surgery have both been estimated at 79 percent.

When comparing a 70% learning curve versus a 90% learning curve, which one results in a more rapid reduction in labor requirements? Why?

The first unit of a product took 832 hours to build, and the learning curve is 75%. How long will it take to make the 30th unit? (Use at least three decimals in the exponent if you use the logarithmic approach.)

In the Learning-Curve Coefficients table for 70 percent learning, the sixth unit has a unit time value of 0.398. Verify that table entry by use of the logarithmic formula. Use five decimals in your work.

Why do different organizations have different learning curves?

Your firm has expertise with a special type of hand-finished furniture. The learning rate is known to be 82%. If the first piece of furniture took 6 hours, use the logarithmic approach to determine how long it will take to do the third unit.

Learning curves are based on the premise that people and organizations become better at their tasks as the tasks are repeated.

Learning curves (or experience curves) were first applied to industry by __________ who was studying __________.

The logarithmic approach to learning curve calculations allows us to determine the hours required for any unit.

The learning curve for a product is 90 percent. The first unit took 10 hours to complete. The manufacturer wants to determine how many hours the fourth unit will take by using the logarithmic method. The coefficient b for that calculation is approximately

A company negotiates a price for two aircraft that includes a reduction in labor on the second aircraft consistent with a 70% learning curve. Suppose the first aircraft took 100 hours. If the improvement rate changes to 20%, how will the total time to complete both aircraft change?

Learning curves have a variety of purposes, which can be placed into these broad categories:

Operations and Productivity

Operations Strategy in a Global Environment

Project Management

Forecasting

Design of Goods and Services

Managing Quality

Process Strategy

Location Strategies

Layout Strategies

Human Resources, Job Design, and Work Measurement

Supply-Chain Management

Inventory Management

Aggregate Planning

Material Requirements Planning Mrp and Erp

Short-Term Scheduling

Just-In-Time and Lean Options

Maintenance and Reliability

Statistical Tools for Managers

Acceptance Sampling

The Simplex Method of Linear Programming

The Modi and Vam Methods of Solving Transportation Problems

Managing Quality

Process Strategy

Supply-Chain Management

Vehicle Routing and Scheduling

Filters

Learning curves (or experience curves) were first applied to industry by who was studying .