Deck 4: Process Selection

Question 1

A make-to-order operation would be primarily concerned with:

A)Forecasting demand
B)Production planning
C)Balancing inventory and service
D)Lead-time

Answer 1

Lead-time

Question 2

The type of processing system that is used for complex jobs with a unique or creative set of activities and where automation is virtually impossible is:

A)Mass production
B)Continuous production
C)Project
D)Batch

Answer 2

Project

Question 3

Which of the following is/are among the factors that appear to influence process selection?

A)Capital requirements
B)Labor
C)Technology
D)a,b,and c

Answer 3

a,b,and c

Question 4

Process efficiency is usually highest in which type of process?

A)Assembly line
B)Batch
C)Project
D)Job shop

Question 5

Service level and capacity utilization are performance measures of a _____ process.

A)Make-to-stock
B)Make-to-order
C)Assemble-to-order
D)All of the above

Question 6

An example of an industry that produces a few major discrete products and uses a product layout is:

A)Commercial printer
B)Heavy equipment
C)Automotive assembly
D)Sugar refinery

Question 7

The throughput ratio (TR)is the ratio of the total processing time for the job divided by:

A)Total waiting time
B)Utilization
C)Total waiting time plus total processing time
D)100

Question 8

The type of processing system that has high product variety and moderate capital investment is:

A)Line
B)Continuous production
C)Project
D)Batch
E)Mass production

Question 9

An important lesson from the product-process matrix is:

A)Give importance to product choice decisions over process choice decisions
B)Give importance to process choice decisions over product choice decisions
C)Give importance to aligning product choice decisions and process choice decisions
D)Most firms should operate off the diagonal to achieve competitive status

Question 10

An entrepreneur is planning to start a factory to produce high-tech plastic containers in high volumes.She will use either an assembly line or batch process and has selected two possible sites,one in a small town and one in a big city.She has discovered the following: $$\begin{array}{l}\begin{array} { l l l } &\text { Small Town}& City \\\text { Capital } & \text { Not readily available } & \text { Readily available } \\\text { Labor } & \text { Unskilled available } & \text { All types of labor } \\\text { Market } & \text { Small } & \text { Large }\end{array}\end{array}$$ Based on the information just presented,which of the following should be chosen?

A)Assembly line in city
B)Assembly line in small town
C)Batch process in city
D)Batch process in small town

Question 11

A large office with a copy department,a drafting department with all of the engineers located together,and all of the managers located together in a large suite of offices is an example of:

A)An assembly line process
B)A batch process
C)A project process
D)A continuous process

Question 12

The type of processing system that is used for highly standardized products such as oil and gasoline is:

A)Mass production
B)Continuous process
C)Project
D)Batch

Question 13

Which of the following are the three forms of mass customization:

A)Modular production,postponement,and efficient customer response
B)Fast changeover,modular production,and make-to-stock
C)Modular production,postponement,and fast changeover
D)Assemble-to-order,modular production,and value analysis

Question 14

Referring to the product-process matrix,if a company has a few major products with high demand and a jumbled flow (job shop)process,we know the company:

A)Has a company strategy
B)Is on the diagonal of the matrix
C)Is further in its product life cycle than its process life cycle
D)Is further in its process life cycle than its product life cycle

Question 15

A company makes necklaces with attached letters.Department A manufactures the necklace chains and letters ahead of demand.Department B assembles the necklaces for specific names when orders are received.Departments A and B are,respectively:

A)Make-to-stock,make-to-stock
B)Make-to-stock,assemble-to-order
C)Make-to-order,make-to-stock
D)Make-to-order,assemble-to-order

Question 16

A _____ operation uses a process layout,while a ______ operation uses a product layout.

A)Batch,line
B)Line,batch
C)Job shop,batch
D)Continuous,line

Question 17

An example of a business/industry that uses batch flow and makes to stock is:

A)Oil refining
B)Machine shop
C)Customized paintings
D)Hospital

Question 18

Identify the correct statement from the following.

A)A batch process is characterized by jumbled flow while an assembly line process is characterized by a sequential flow.
B)A project process is characterized by difficult planning and scheduling.
C)A job shop process is used to produce to customer order.
D)All of the above

Question 19

Mass customization is defined as:

A)Producing whatever the customer wants
B)Making a small variety of products by use of mass production
C)Producing a large variety of products at approximately the same cost as mass production
D)Customizing products using economies of scale

Question 20

Mass customization makes use of the concept of:

A)Economies of scale
B)Economies of scope
C)Economies of variety
D)Economies of customization

Question 21

Most batch and job shop operations have throughput ratios of 90 to 100%.

Question 22

Mixing a variety of products with different volumes and different levels of standardization leads to a lack of focus.

Question 23

What are the major cross-functional issues related to process selection decisions?

Question 24

In an assemble-to-order operation,the order penetration point is after fabrication and before final assembly.

Question 25

In a batch operation,each product must have the same flow path and must pass through all of the same work centers.

Question 26

Apply the concepts of plant-within-a-plant (PWP)and mass customization to service organizations.Discuss.

Question 27

An assembly line process requires high labor skills and high pay.

Question 28

The key performance measure of a make-to-order process is the lead-time.

Question 29

Continuous processes and assembly lines are very efficient but have little flexibility.

Question 30

What are the three areas of process selection decisions that affect environmental impact?

Question 31

In a make-to-stock operation,the order penetration point is after fabrication and before final assembly.

Question 32

In an assemble-to-order process,the sub-assemblies are made-to-order,while final assembly is made-to-stock.

Question 33

Hayes and Wheelwright argued that it is profitable for firms to operate along the diagonal of the product-process matrix.Justify the reason surrounding their argument.Can you think of situations in which firms could move away from the diagonal and yet remain profitable?

Question 34

Job shop operations typically use special-purpose equipment.

Question 35

Mass customization uses a make-to-stock process.

Question 36

What are the six types of focus?

Question 37

Classify the following examples as continuous,line,batch,or project flow processes.Identify the type of Labor (skills,task type,& pay),Capital (investment,inventory,& equipment),Control and Planning (production and inventory control)requirements for these processes.Explain your choices.