Question 1

The fact that human activities typically improve when they are done on a repetitive basis is described by a

Accepted Answer

A) normal distribution curve. 
B) binomial distribution curve. 
C) learning curve. 
D) Poisson distribution curve. 
E) repetition curve. 
A) normal distribution curve. 
B) binomial distribution curve. 
C) learning curve. 
D) Poisson distribution curve. 
E) repetition curve.

Question 2

A defence contractor has just started producing turbines for a new government contract.The first turbine took 7000 hours to produce.If the learning curve is 90%,how long will it take to produce the 10th turbine? (Use at least three decimals in the exponent if you use the logarithmic approach. )

Accepted Answer

A) less than 4800 hours 
B) from 4800 to 4900 hours 
C) from 4900 to 5000 hours 
D) from 5000 to 5100 hours 
E) over 5100 hours 
A) less than 4800 hours 
B) from 4800 to 4900 hours 
C) from 4900 to 5000 hours 
D) from 5000 to 5100 hours 
E) over 5100 hours

Question 3

If the learning rate for a process is 80%,that same process has a 20% ________.

Accepted Answer

The answer of If the learning rate for a process...

Question 4

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 5

Failure to consider the effects of learning can lead to ________ of labour needs.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Failure to consider the effects of learning...

Question 6

The earliest industrial application of learning curves came from a report by ________.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The earliest industrial application of learning curves...

Question 7

Companies pursuing a learning curve strategy must increase

Accepted Answer

A) employee training. 
B) costs. 
C) quality. 
D) volume. 
E) staffing levels. 
A) employee training. 
B) costs. 
C) quality. 
D) volume. 
E) staffing levels.

Question 8

Which of the following best conveys the essence of learning curves?

Accepted Answer

A) As the number of repetitions increases,time per unit increases. 
B) As the number of repetitions decreases,time per unit increases. 
C) As the number of repetitions increases,time per unit decreases. 
D) As the number of repetitions increases,time per unit remains constant. 
E) As the number of repetitions increases,time per unit doubles. 
A) As the number of repetitions increases,time per unit increases. 
B) As the number of repetitions decreases,time per unit increases. 
C) As the number of repetitions increases,time per unit decreases. 
D) As the number of repetitions increases,time per unit remains constant. 
E) As the number of repetitions increases,time per unit doubles.

Question 9

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 10

Which one of the following courses of actions would not be taken by a firm wanting to pursue a learning curve steeper than the industry average?

Accepted Answer

A) following an aggressive pricing policy 
B) focusing on continuing cost reduction 
C) keeping capacity equal to demand to control costs 
D) focusing on productivity improvement 
E) building on shared experience 
A) following an aggressive pricing policy 
B) focusing on continuing cost reduction 
C) keeping capacity equal to demand to control costs 
D) focusing on productivity improvement 
E) building on shared experience

Question 11

Joe's Manufacturing is considering bidding on a small order for 5 units.Based on similar products that they have made in the past,they believe that the first unit will take 500 labour hours.They also believe that there will be an 80% learning rate.How many hours of labour should Joe include for his bid?

Accepted Answer

From Table E.3,the total time

Question 12

On an ordinary graph,unit times decrease at a decreasing rate,but on a log-log graph,the learning "curve" appears as a straight line.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 13

A certain product under development took 200 hours for the production of its 2nd unit and 180 hours for its 4th unit.
a.What is the learning rate?
b.How much time did the first unit take?
c.How much time would the production of the 10th unit take? (Use both the logarithmic and the Table E.3 approach.Do the two versions agree?)

Accepted Answer

(a)90%; (b)222.2 hours; (c) @#IMG-DLM& =

Question 14

You are about to undertake manufacture of a labour-intensive electronics component.The first unit took 300 hours.You are not sure whether the learning rate is 70% or 80%.The initial phase of the contract calls for 6 of these components.
a.How much time will it take to complete all six at 70% learning?
b.How much time will it take to complete all six at 80% learning?

Accepted Answer

From Table E.3,70% learning,th

Question 15

A firm that successfully pursues a steeper-than-industry-average learning curve and manages costs down may still fail if,by underestimating a strong competitor,it fails to gain the added volume necessary for the learning curve to exist.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 16

Two manufacturers have very different learning rates;one is under 70% while the other is over 80%.What factors might lead to such a gap?

Accepted Answer

The two firms might not have the same la

Question 17

A small manufacturer that offers "hand crafted" furniture has developed a new style of desk that they believe will be very successful in the marketplace.It is expected that the first desk will take about 60 hours of craftsmen's time to complete.They expect a 90% learning curve for this desk.
How long will it take to make the 20th desk? The firm is considering accepting an order for 25 desks.How many hours of labour will this require for all 25?

Accepted Answer

The 20th desk will r

Question 18

When learning curves are plotted on ________ scales,the "curves" become straight lines.

Accepted Answer

logarithmi

Question 19

The learning curve rate is

Accepted Answer

A) the percentage of time it will take to make each unit when the production rate doubles. 
B) the log-log of the annual rate change divided by the average unit cost. 
C) always based on constant value dollars. 
D) only considered valid after one year of data is accumulated. 
E) always equal to at least 75%. 
A) the percentage of time it will take to make each unit when the production rate doubles. 
B) the log-log of the annual rate change divided by the average unit cost. 
C) always based on constant value dollars. 
D) only considered valid after one year of data is accumulated. 
E) always equal to at least 75%.

Question 20

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,estimate how long it will take to complete the third unit.

Accepted Answer

Using the arithmetic approach,the second

Exam 25: Learning Curves

The fact that human activities typically improve when they are done on a repetitive basis is described by a

A defence contractor has just started producing turbines for a new government contract.The first turbine took 7000 hours to produce.If the learning curve is 90%,how long will it take to produce the 10th turbine? (Use at least three decimals in the exponent if you use the logarithmic approach. )

If the learning rate for a process is 80%,that same process has a 20% ________.

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

Failure to consider the effects of learning can lead to ________ of labour needs.

The earliest industrial application of learning curves came from a report by ________.

Companies pursuing a learning curve strategy must increase

Which of the following best conveys the essence of learning curves?

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. )

Which one of the following courses of actions would not be taken by a firm wanting to pursue a learning curve steeper than the industry average?

On an ordinary graph,unit times decrease at a decreasing rate,but on a log-log graph,the learning "curve" appears as a straight line.

A firm that successfully pursues a steeper-than-industry-average learning curve and manages costs down may still fail if,by underestimating a strong competitor,it fails to gain the added volume necessary for the learning curve to exist.

Two manufacturers have very different learning rates;one is under 70% while the other is over 80%.What factors might lead to such a gap?

When learning curves are plotted on ________ scales,the "curves" become straight lines.

The learning curve rate is

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,estimate how long it will take to complete the third unit.

Operations and Productivity

Operations Strategy in a Global Environment

Project Management

Forecasting

Design of Goods and Services

Managing Quality

Statistical Process Control

Process Strategy and Sustainability

Capacity and Constraint Management

Location Strategies

Layout Strategies

Human Resources,job Design,and Work Measurement

Supply-Chain Management

Outsourcing As a Supply-Chain Strategy

Inventory Management

Aggregate Planning

Material Requirements Planning Mrpand Erp

Short-Term Scheduling

Jit and Lean Operations

Maintenance and Reliability

Decision-Making Tools

Linear Programming

Transportation Models

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