Question 1

On a log-log graph, learning curves appear as:

Accepted Answer

A)  upward-curving lines. 
B)  downward-curving lines. 
C)  straight lines. 
D)  lines which increase at a decreasing rate. 
E)  lines which decrease at a decreasing rate. 
A)  upward-curving lines. 
B)  downward-curving lines. 
C)  straight lines. 
D)  lines which increase at a decreasing rate. 
E)  lines which decrease at a decreasing rate.

Question 2

The more __________ a task, the less likely it is that a substantial learning curve will be in effect.

Accepted Answer

A)  strategic 
B)  capital intensive 
C)  routine 
D)  tactical 
E)  unusual 
A)  strategic 
B)  capital intensive 
C)  routine 
D)  tactical 
E)  unusual

Question 3

A job has an 80 percent learning curve. The second unit required 12 hours to complete. Approximately how many hours will be devoted to the first five units (including those already completed)?

Accepted Answer

A)  26 
B)  36 
C)  46 
D)  56 
E)  66 
A)  26 
B)  36 
C)  46 
D)  56 
E)  66

Question 4

If we have never made the first unit but only think we know how much the labor time will be, we cannot draw a learning curve.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 5

When are learning curves most relevant to managerial decision making in mass production settings?

Accepted Answer

A)  late in product life cycles 
B)  in the maturity phase 
C)  in the decline phase 
D)  before processes are stabilized 
E)  never 
A)  late in product life cycles 
B)  in the maturity phase 
C)  in the decline phase 
D)  before processes are stabilized 
E)  never

Question 6

A manager wants to analyze the learning curve associated with producing one of his company's products. Accordingly, he has gathered the following data: $$\begin{array} { | l | l | } 
\hline \text { UNIT PRODUCED } &{ \text { TIME REQUIRED } } \
\hline \text { Second } & 5 \text { hours } \
\hline \text { Fourth } & 4 \text { hours } \
\hline
\end{array}$$ Approximately how long will it take to produce the fifth through tenth units?

Accepted Answer

A)  15 hours 
B)  16 hours 
C)  18 hours 
D)  20 hours 
E)  21 hours 
A)  15 hours 
B)  16 hours 
C)  18 hours 
D)  20 hours 
E)  21 hours

Question 7

Sally suspects strongly that there is a learning curve associated with solving problems assigned for operations management. She notes that it took her approximately 33 minutes to solve the first problem and 17 minutes to solve the fifth problem.
(A) Estimate Sally's learning percentage.
(B) Using your answer from part A, estimate how long it will take Sally to finish the three remaining problems.

Accepted Answer

(A) T1 (unit factor 5) = T5. T

Question 8

Learning curves generally apply to situations in which there is a high degree of human involvement and tasks are fairly repetitive.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 9

To which of the following challenges are learning curves important considerations?

Accepted Answer

A)  capacity planning 
B)  product designs 
C)  process layouts 
D)  output-based compensation 
E)  demand forecasting 
A)  capacity planning 
B)  product designs 
C)  process layouts 
D)  output-based compensation 
E)  demand forecasting

Question 10

A manager wants to analyze the learning curve associated with producing one of his company's products. Accordingly, he has gathered the following data: $$\begin{array} { | l | l | } 
\hline \text { UNIT PRODUCED } &  { \text { TIME REQUIRED } } \
\hline \text { Second } & 5 \text { hours } \
\hline \text { Fourth } & 4 \text { hours } \
\hline
\end{array}$$ Approximately how long did it take to produce the first four units?

Accepted Answer

A)  15 hours 
B)  16 hours 
C)  18 hours 
D)  20 hours 
E)  21 hours 
A)  15 hours 
B)  16 hours 
C)  18 hours 
D)  20 hours 
E)  21 hours

Question 11

The decrease in time between the second and fourth units will be equal to the decrease in time between the first and second units.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 12

Once production is underway and the learning curve effect is occurring, successive changes made to the production process will cause the time per unit to:

Accepted Answer

A)  continue following the original learning curve without any impact. 
B)  cause a scallop effect. 
C)  increase the unit time and result in a higher percentage learning curve. 
D)  decrease the unit time and result in a higher percentage learning curve. 
E)  decrease the unit time and result in a lower percentage learning curve. 
A)  continue following the original learning curve without any impact. 
B)  cause a scallop effect. 
C)  increase the unit time and result in a higher percentage learning curve. 
D)  decrease the unit time and result in a higher percentage learning curve. 
E)  decrease the unit time and result in a lower percentage learning curve.

Question 13

In which of the following managerial activities would learning curves probably be the least useful?

Accepted Answer

A)  negotiated purchasing 
B)  manpower planning 
C)  location analysis 
D)  budgeting 
E)  pricing new products 
A)  negotiated purchasing 
B)  manpower planning 
C)  location analysis 
D)  budgeting 
E)  pricing new products

Question 14

The learning curve is a basic tool for mass production-type activities because it can deal with large volumes of output.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 15

An 80 percent learning curve means that with each doubling of repetitions there will be a 20 percent decrease in time per unit.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 16

Learning curves are used primarily for mass production applications.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 17

Suppose the first unit required 800 hours and the second unit required only 680. Which of the following times for the fourth unit would be consistent with a true learning curve scenario?

Accepted Answer

A)  492 
B)  587 
C)  578 
D)  603 
E)  583 
A)  492 
B)  587 
C)  578 
D)  603 
E)  583

Question 18

An order we just received has a 90 percent learning curve associated with it. The second unit of the total 25-unit order had a unit time of 36 minutes. What will the total time be for the entire order (all 25 units)?

Accepted Answer

The total time will

Question 19

Negotiated purchasing results in lower unit costs for smaller quantities.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 20

A manager wants to analyze the learning curve associated with producing one of his company's products. Accordingly, he has gathered the following data: $$\begin{array} { | l | l | } 
\hline \text { UNIT PRODUCED } & { \text { TIME REQUIRED } } \
\hline \text { Second } & 5 \text { hours } \
\hline \text { Fourth } & 4 \text { hours } \
\hline
\end{array}$$ Approximately how long will it take to produce the 10th unit?

Accepted Answer

A)  1 hour 
B)  2 hours 
C)  3 hours 
D)  4 hours 
E)  5 hours 
A)  1 hour 
B)  2 hours 
C)  3 hours 
D)  4 hours 
E)  5 hours

Exam 7: Extension: Learning Curves

On a log-log graph, learning curves appear as:

The more __________ a task, the less likely it is that a substantial learning curve will be in effect.

A job has an 80 percent learning curve. The second unit required 12 hours to complete. Approximately how many hours will be devoted to the first five units (including those already completed)?

If we have never made the first unit but only think we know how much the labor time will be, we cannot draw a learning curve.

When are learning curves most relevant to managerial decision making in mass production settings?

A manager wants to analyze the learning curve associated with producing one of his company's products. Accordingly, he has gathered the following data: UNIT PRODUCED TIME REQUIRED Second 5 hours Fourth 4 hours Approximately how long will it take to produce the fifth through tenth units?

Learning curves generally apply to situations in which there is a high degree of human involvement and tasks are fairly repetitive.

To which of the following challenges are learning curves important considerations?

A manager wants to analyze the learning curve associated with producing one of his company's products. Accordingly, he has gathered the following data: UNIT PRODUCED TIME REQUIRED Second 5 hours Fourth 4 hours Approximately how long did it take to produce the first four units?

The decrease in time between the second and fourth units will be equal to the decrease in time between the first and second units.

Once production is underway and the learning curve effect is occurring, successive changes made to the production process will cause the time per unit to:

In which of the following managerial activities would learning curves probably be the least useful?

The learning curve is a basic tool for mass production-type activities because it can deal with large volumes of output.

An 80 percent learning curve means that with each doubling of repetitions there will be a 20 percent decrease in time per unit.

Learning curves are used primarily for mass production applications.

Suppose the first unit required 800 hours and the second unit required only 680. Which of the following times for the fourth unit would be consistent with a true learning curve scenario?

An order we just received has a 90 percent learning curve associated with it. The second unit of the total 25-unit order had a unit time of 36 minutes. What will the total time be for the entire order (all 25 units)?

Negotiated purchasing results in lower unit costs for smaller quantities.

A manager wants to analyze the learning curve associated with producing one of his company's products. Accordingly, he has gathered the following data: UNIT PRODUCED TIME REQUIRED Second 5 hours Fourth 4 hours Approximately how long will it take to produce the 10th unit?

Introduction to Operations Management

Competitiveness, Strategy, and Productivity

Forecasting

Product and Service Design

Extension: Reliability

Strategic Capacity Planning for Products and Services

Extension: Decision Theory

Process Selection and Facility Layout

Work Design and Measurement

Location Planning and Analysis

Extension: The Transportation Model

Management of Quality

Quality Control

Extension: Acceptance Sampling

Aggregate Planning and Master Scheduling

MRP and ERP

Inventory Management

Jit and Lean Operations

Extension: Maintenance

Supply Chain Management

Scheduling

Project Management

Management of Waiting Lines

Linear Programming

Filters

A manager wants to analyze the learning curve associated with producing one of his company's products. Accordingly, he has gathered the following data: UNIT PRODUCED TIME REQUIRED Second 5 hours Fourth 4 hours Approximately how long will it take to produce the 10^th unit?