Question 1

Professor Terry Hill has presented a four-loop framework for operations strategy through an iterative and integrated process. Decision loop #2:

Accepted Answer

A)  describes how operations evaluate the implications of competitive priorities in terms of process choices and infrastructure. 
B)  involves determining if process choice decisions and capabilities are consistent with infrastructure capabilities. 
C)  represents operations' input into corporate and marketing strategy. 
D)  ties together an organization's corporate strategy and marketing strategy. 
A)  describes how operations evaluate the implications of competitive priorities in terms of process choices and infrastructure. 
B)  involves determining if process choice decisions and capabilities are consistent with infrastructure capabilities. 
C)  represents operations' input into corporate and marketing strategy. 
D)  ties together an organization's corporate strategy and marketing strategy.

Question 2

Which of the following statements is NOT true of mass customization?

Accepted Answer

A)  Mass customization involves the commercialization of a device, method, or idea that differs from existing norms. 
B)  Flexibility is manifest in mass-customization strategies that are becoming increasingly prevalent today. 
C)  Mass customization requires companies to design goods, services, and operations around flexibility. 
D)  Mass customization requires companies to align their activities around differentiated customer segments. 
A)  Mass customization involves the commercialization of a device, method, or idea that differs from existing norms. 
B)  Flexibility is manifest in mass-customization strategies that are becoming increasingly prevalent today. 
C)  Mass customization requires companies to design goods, services, and operations around flexibility. 
D)  Mass customization requires companies to align their activities around differentiated customer segments.

Question 3

In an automobile, which of the following would NOT be considered an order winner?

Accepted Answer

A)  Self-parking capability 
B)  Voice-activated music system 
C)  Front-seat airbags 
D)  Collision avoidance system 
A)  Self-parking capability 
B)  Voice-activated music system 
C)  Front-seat airbags 
D)  Collision avoidance system

Question 4

Identify a true statement about corporate strategy at the top level of management.

Accepted Answer

A)  It defines the focus for strategic business units of an organization. 
B)  It provides the means by which business strategies are accomplished. 
C)  It is necessary to define the businesses in which an organization will participate. 
D)  It defines how an organization's processes are designed and organized. 
A)  It defines the focus for strategic business units of an organization. 
B)  It provides the means by which business strategies are accomplished. 
C)  It is necessary to define the businesses in which an organization will participate. 
D)  It defines how an organization's processes are designed and organized.

Question 5

The ease with which one can create original music compositions using a software package, such as Band in a Box or Apple's GarageBand, is an example of an experience attribute.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 6

The knowledge of a finance consultant can be classified as a(n) _____.

Accepted Answer

A)  search attribute 
B)  experience attribute 
C)  credence attribute 
D)  variant attribute 
A)  search attribute 
B)  experience attribute 
C)  credence attribute 
D)  variant attribute

Question 7

Identify a true statement about the role of quality in gaining a competitive advantage.

Accepted Answer

A)  Quality is unrelated to return on investment for most kinds of market situations. 
B)  A strategy of quality improvement is usually accompanied by increased short-run profitability. 
C)  Producers of high-quality goods usually charge low prices. 
D)  Businesses offering premium-quality goods usually have large market shares. 
A)  Quality is unrelated to return on investment for most kinds of market situations. 
B)  A strategy of quality improvement is usually accompanied by increased short-run profitability. 
C)  Producers of high-quality goods usually charge low prices. 
D)  Businesses offering premium-quality goods usually have large market shares.

Question 8

_____ sustainability is driven by ethics and human ideals of protecting the planet and its people for the well-being of future generations.

Accepted Answer

A)  Environmental 
B)  Social 
C)  Economic 
D)  Political 
A)  Environmental 
B)  Social 
C)  Economic 
D)  Political

Question 9

Innovation does not necessarily involve practical application or commercialization.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 10

Employee training is an example of a key competitive priority.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 11

A firm's ability to achieve market and financial superiority over its competitors is called _____.

Accepted Answer

A)  operations strategy 
B)  strategic planning 
C)  competitive advantage 
D)  competitive priority 
A)  operations strategy 
B)  strategic planning 
C)  competitive advantage 
D)  competitive priority

Question 12

Customer segments might be based on sales volume and profitability.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 13

Apple's primary competitive priority would probably be innovation, while Dell's would be flexibility.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 14

Operational capabilities must be built before a firm identifies competitive priorities.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 15

A(n) _____ defines how an organization will execute its chosen business strategies.

Accepted Answer

A)  operations strategy 
B)  functional strategy 
C)  competitive strategy 
D)  corporate strategy 
A)  operations strategy 
B)  functional strategy 
C)  competitive strategy 
D)  corporate strategy

Question 16

Reductions in flow time generally lead to a deterioration of quality.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 17

Professor Terry Hill's generic strategy framework can be applied to McDonald's. The operating design choices of resource scheduling, inventory placement and control, and standardized operational and job procedures best relate to the corporate objective of _____.

Accepted Answer

A)  profitable growth 
B)  operational excellence 
C)  operational sustainability 
D)  operational diversity 
A)  profitable growth 
B)  operational excellence 
C)  operational sustainability 
D)  operational diversity

Question 18

With regard to the three types of attributes customers use in evaluating the quality of goods and services, medical diagnosis would best be classified as high in _____.

Accepted Answer

A)  variant attributes 
B)  experience attributes 
C)  credence attributes 
D)  search attributes 
A)  variant attributes 
B)  experience attributes 
C)  credence attributes 
D)  search attributes

Question 19

_____ is being able to make whatever goods and services a customer wants, at any volume, at any time for anybody, and for a global organization, from any place in the world.

Accepted Answer

A)  Strategic planning 
B)  Mass customization 
C)  Enterprise resource planning 
D)  Business analytics 
A)  Strategic planning 
B)  Mass customization 
C)  Enterprise resource planning 
D)  Business analytics

Question 20

_____ represent the strategic emphasis that a firm places on certain performance measures and operational capabilities within a value chain.

Accepted Answer

A)  Competitive priorities 
B)  Order satisfiers 
C)  Value chain processes 
D)  Order winners 
A)  Competitive priorities 
B)  Order satisfiers 
C)  Value chain processes 
D)  Order winners

Exam 4: Operations Strategy

Professor Terry Hill has presented a four-loop framework for operations strategy through an iterative and integrated process. Decision loop #2:

Which of the following statements is NOT true of mass customization?

In an automobile, which of the following would NOT be considered an order winner?

Identify a true statement about corporate strategy at the top level of management.

The ease with which one can create original music compositions using a software package, such as Band in a Box or Apple's GarageBand, is an example of an experience attribute.

The knowledge of a finance consultant can be classified as a(n) _____.

Identify a true statement about the role of quality in gaining a competitive advantage.

_____ sustainability is driven by ethics and human ideals of protecting the planet and its people for the well-being of future generations.

Innovation does not necessarily involve practical application or commercialization.

Employee training is an example of a key competitive priority.

A firm's ability to achieve market and financial superiority over its competitors is called _____.

Customer segments might be based on sales volume and profitability.

Apple's primary competitive priority would probably be innovation, while Dell's would be flexibility.

Operational capabilities must be built before a firm identifies competitive priorities.

A(n) _____ defines how an organization will execute its chosen business strategies.

Reductions in flow time generally lead to a deterioration of quality.

Professor Terry Hill's generic strategy framework can be applied to McDonald's. The operating design choices of resource scheduling, inventory placement and control, and standardized operational and job procedures best relate to the corporate objective of _____.

With regard to the three types of attributes customers use in evaluating the quality of goods and services, medical diagnosis would best be classified as high in _____.

_____ is being able to make whatever goods and services a customer wants, at any volume, at any time for anybody, and for a global organization, from any place in the world.

_____ represent the strategic emphasis that a firm places on certain performance measures and operational capabilities within a value chain.

Goods, Services, and Operations Management

Value Chains

Measuring Performance in Operations

Technology and Operations Management

Goods and Service Design

Process Selection, Design, and Analysis

Facility and Work Designs

Supply Chain Design

Capacity Management

Forecasting and Demand Planning

Managing Inventories

Resource Management

Operations Scheduling and Sequencing

Quality Management

Appendix: Quality Management

Quality Control and Spc

Appendix: Queuing Analysis

Appendix: Modeling Using Linear Programming

Lean Operating Systems

Appendix: Simulation

Project Management

Appendix: Decision Analysis

Filters