Exam 18: Managing Operations

Value chain management is internally oriented and focuses on efficient flow of incoming materials to organizations.

High productivity can come solely from good people management.

Since value chain management relies heavily on substantial information technology infrastructure, ________ should always be addressed.

Ideally, when managers outline expectations for what's involved in the organization's pursuit of value chain management, they should start with ________.

Better demand forecasting is necessary and possible because of closer ties with customers and suppliers.

________ is allowing organizations to control costs particularly in the areas of predictive maintenance, remote diagnostics, and utility cost savings.

________ is externally oriented and focuses on both incoming materials and outgoing products and services.

Where did the modern era of manufacturing primarily begin?

Value is provided to customers through transforming raw materials and other resources into some product or service that end users need or desire when, where, and how they want it.

A Lesson in Operations Management (Scenario) Hana had been asked to attend training in operations management. Her background and training had previously been in accounting, but with the reorganization looming, it was either learn a new skill or be downsized. She was actually looking forward to the training. She felt her background with numbers should prove valuable in operations management, but she admitted that she knew little about the field. Until now, she had been in a support staff function and had little feel for how the organization's product went from raw materials to finished product. Hana's first class would be tonight at Central University, and she was excited about the opportunity. -Before making any recommendations, Ramzy informed Jassem that a ________ is the entire series of organizational work activities that add value at each step, beginning with the processing of raw materials and ending with finished product in the hands of end users.

Unsupportive cultural attitudes-especially trust and ________-can be obstacles to value chain management.

It is easy to see the operations management process at work in ________.

The ________ is the entire series of organizational work activities that add value at each step, beginning with the processing of raw materials and ending with finished product in the hands of end users.

Jassem asked Ramzy about the role of human resources in the value chain management process. Ramzy replied, "Employees are the most important resource of any organization, so not surprisingly, employees play a vital role in value chain management. The three main human resource requirements for value chain management are flexible job design, an effective hiring process, and ________."

In companies such as Dubai Aluminum, improvements in quality would be aided by employee empowerment, although such empowerment is not a necessity.

A Lesson in Operations Management (Scenario) Hana had been asked to attend training in operations management. Her background and training had previously been in accounting, but with the reorganization looming, it was either learn a new skill or be downsized. She was actually looking forward to the training. She felt her background with numbers should prove valuable in operations management, but she admitted that she knew little about the field. Until now, she had been in a support staff function and had little feel for how the organization's product went from raw materials to finished product. Hana's first class would be tonight at Central University, and she was excited about the opportunity. -Ramzy told Jassem that the value chain management approach radically changes organizational processes. Jassem asked Ramzy if he could elaborate on this point a bit more. Ramzy said, "When managers decide to manage operations using value chain management, old processes are no longer appropriate. Managers must critically evaluate all organizational processes to determine ________."

The goal of value chain management is to create a value chain strategy that meets and exceeds customers' needs and desires and allows for full and seamless integration among all members of the chain.

The main human resource requirements for value chain management include ________.

Which of the following is an obstacle in managing the value chain?

The better the ________ the various chain participants, the better the ________.