MNGT CH 14
A production process where component parts are produced throughout the factory and then brought to the production area for final assembly is known as a ________ layout. A) process B) product C) fixed-position D) kanban
C) fixed-position
The attributes of an organization's outputs are determined by its ________ system. A) production B) quality control C) efficiency D) distribution
A) production
Under a JIT inventory system, parts and supplies arrive at the organization A) prior to work-scheduling. B) two weeks prior to being needed. C) when needed. D) twice a week.
C) when needed.
A fixed-position production layout would be particularly recommended if A) there are no self-managed teams. B) the product is easily moved on a conveyor belt. C) you are making jet airlines or gas turbines. D) products have simple, lightweight parts.
C) you are making jet airlines or gas turbines.
A ________ system is one that an organization uses to obtain inputs, convert them into outputs, and then dispose of these outputs. A) production B) quality control management C) reengineering D) line management
A) production
Chauncey takes a job with a manufacturing firm and is appointed to a self-managed work team. As a member of a this type of team, he should expect to be involved in A) learning all team tasks. B) setting the company vision. C) closely supervising the team. D) reducing job-to-job movement.
A) learning all team tasks.
Client computers that are linked directly to a server constitute a A) local area network (LAN). B) management information system (MIS). C) wide area network (WAN). D) management network system (MNS).
A) local area network (LAN).
In today's office environment, a group of interlinked computers that exchange information are collectively referred to as a(n) A) network. B) conglomerate. C) Ethernet. D) medium.
A) network.
In measuring the total factor productivity of an organization, which of the following is an example of the contribution of the raw materials to output production? A) number of tons of iron ore required to make one ton of steel B) total number of units of energy consumed C) number of man hours required to process raw materials D) total number of employees required to operate the machinery
A) number of tons of iron ore required to make one ton of steel
What is the advantage of maintaining buffer stocks of inventory? A) It brings down storage costs. B) It supports a JIT inventory system. C) It helps deal with unpredictable supplies. D) It helps quickly identify defective stocks.
C) It helps deal with unpredictable supplies.
The total amount of raw materials and component parts that an organization has on hand is known as A) material supply. B) in-stock goods. C) inventory. D) raw stock.
C) inventory.
In her capacity as an analyst for Hardy Brothers, which sells living room and bedroom suits to retail consumers, Terri monitors a wide variety of information from worldwide sources. Her focus is on issues that affect pricing, in particular the availability and cost of various types of wood, cloth, and other materials. This is an example of the fact that managers need information in order to A) make effective decisions. B) control the activities of the organization. C) monitor the marketplace. D) coordinate the company's activities.
A) make effective decisions.
All About Town is a chain of clothiers with locations in malls around the country. It maintains records on the average customer traffic at each location month by month, as well as sales at each facility, net profits for each, and so on. This type of recordkeeping is an example of a(n) ________ system. A) management information B) information technology C) decision support D) artificial intelligence
A) management information
The way that demand for a product changes in a predictable pattern over time is known as the ________ cycle. A) product maturity B) marketing development C) product life D) marketing fluctuation
C) product life
A production process in which the product goes to whichever workstation is needed to perform the next operation is known as a ________ layout. A) process B) fixed-position C) product D) cellular
A) process
Which type of layout is best suited for custom-made products? A) process layout B) product layout C) fixed-position layout D) batch layout
A) process layout
In a self-managed work team A) the typical team consists of 5 to 10 members. B) each member specializes in any one area of work. C) team members delegate responsibility to supervisors. D) a tall organizational hierarchy is created.
A) the typical team consists of 5 to 10 members.
A JIT system A) increases inventory turnover. B) reduces inventory holding costs. C) decreases total labor costs. D) increases buffer stock of inventory.
B) reduces inventory holding costs.
The management at Sea Bass Fishing Charters, which has several facilities on the Florida coast, is considering opening a new one in Cocoa Beach. Before doing so, they need to look at figures on the number of customers there who chartered fishing boats—as opposed to boats for sightseeing or other purposes—last year. This is an example of the need for ________ information. A) timely B) relevant C) complete D) quality
B) relevant
The idea of flexible manufacturing systems is chiefly based on reducing A) inventory costs. B) setup time. C) employee fatigue. D) machine-worker interface.
B) setup time.
Praxis Technologies' supplier is in a country that was recently affected by a natural disaster, with the result that production was completely halted for several weeks. However, their competitor, Burnham, was much more adversely affected because of the fact that, unlike Praxis, Burnham uses a system in which they receive supplies only as they need them. What was Praxis able to do in response to the crisis that Burnham was not? A) They were able to use their buffer stock of inventory to fulfill back orders until production resumed. B) They were able to use CRM technology to let their customers know that orders would be delayed. C) They were able to quickly farm out production of their stock to several smaller, local factories. D) They were able to hire a factory manufacturing generic components to produce them using the Praxis brand.
A) They were able to use their buffer stock of inventory to fulfill back orders until production resumed
A fixed-position layout is most likely to be used in production of A) prefab homes. B) patio furniture. C) food packaging. D) soft home goods.
A) prefab homes.
Although a process layout often reduces efficiency, it is preferred for manufacturing custom products because A) it is more cost effective. B) it provides increased flexibility. C) standardization is impossible. D) it reduces mistakes made by workers.
B) it provides increased flexibility.
Ricardo, the CEO of Sunflower Organics, hires a consultant, Saadia, to analyze his production process. Ricardo has been using the same production process for the nearly twenty years he's been in business. His employees are essentially specialists, with each well-trained in performing one specific task or set of tasks. Saadia notes that, because of this, there is a high level of employee boredom, leading to turnover, and when someone is out sick, there is no one able to take over their duties. She suggests he switch to a self-managed team model for his production-line employees. After a few months, what does Ricardo most likely observe about the results of this switch? A) The lack of accountability is a problem; without direct supervision, workers slack off more. B) The team still looks to higher management for direction in terms of its decision-making processes. C) Efficiency is better than ever; team members feel empowered and work better and faster as a result. D) Although the team members have more flexibility in their jobs, their efficiency does not notably improve.
C) Efficiency is better than ever; team members feel empowered and work better and faster as a result.
In production process, a mainframe computer assembly line is an example of a ________ facilities layout. A) product B) process C) fixed-position D) flexible manufacturing
C) fixed-position
In the production process, assembly of a mainframe computer would most likely use a ________ layout. A) flexible B) process C) fixed-position D) product
C) fixed-position
The people in the best position to identify opportunities for improving efficiency are A) top-level managers. B) staff managers. C) functional-level managers. D) workers.
C) functional-level managers.
A JIT inventory system is likely to result in A) a buffer stock of inventory. B) additional inventory holding costs. C) increased inventory turnover. D) decreased service levels.
C) increased inventory turnover.
A manufacturing organization using a JIT system can achieve major cost savings as a result of ________ inventory holding costs. A) decreasing inventory turnover and decreasing B) increasing inventory turnover and increasing C) increasing inventory turnover and decreasing D) decreasing inventory turnover and increasing
C) increasing inventory turnover and decreasing
The stock of materials, inputs, and parts an organization has on hand at a particular time is called its A) total assets. B) intangible assets. C) inventory. D) material assets.
C) inventory.
One of the major advantages of a JIT system is that it A) helps identify sources of defects in outputs. B) ensures production lines have required inputs. C) lets organizations spot defective inputs quickly. D) eliminates inventory holding costs.
C) lets organizations spot defective inputs quickly.
Parts arrive at the stage of the production process just when they are needed with a ________ inventory system. A) raw materials B) work-in-process C) finished goods D) JIT
D) JIT
A disadvantage of a JIT system is that it A) increases inventory turnover. B) reduces inventory holding costs. C) ties up much capital in inventory. D) leaves no buffer stock in inventory.
D) leaves no buffer stock in inventory.
Flexible manufacturing is a technique that attempts to reduce ________ in the production system. A) total manufacturing time B) number of workers needed C) production-line errors D) machine setup costs
D) machine setup costs
The radical redesign of the way work is done in order to achieve dramatic improvements in critical measures of performance is known as A) continuous improvement. B) kanban. C) kaizen. D) process reengineering.
D) process reengineering.
Ford Motor Company reorganized its procurement process by simplifying and streamlining the process itself and as a result was able to cut the size of the accounts payable department by 95 percent. This is an example of A) retrenchment. B) kanban. C) kaizen. D) reengineering.
D) reengineering.
When demand for a product has peaked and there are relatively few first-time buyers, the product has entered the ________ stage of the product life cycle. A) maturity B) decline C) saturation D) peak
A) maturity
The term data is best defined as a set of facts that A) are organized in a meaningful fashion. B) have not been summarized or analyzed. C) are available to a variety of users. D) have been collected from various sources.
B) have not been summarized or analyzed.
Organizing machines in the production process so that each operation is performed at workstations in a fixed sequence is known as a ________ layout. A) process B) circular C) product D) flexible
C) product
Which of the following will typically lead to making the highest profits? A) higher prices and higher costs B) lower prices and lower costs C) higher prices and lower costs D) lower prices and higher costs
C) higher prices and lower costs
The four factors that determine the usefulness of information to managers are quality, timeliness, ________, and relevance. A) completeness B) variety C) detail D) consistency
A) completeness
A technique that uses IT to develop an ongoing relationship with buyers to maximize the value an organization can deliver to them over time is A) customer relationship management. B) total quantity management. C) customer database management. D) customer-technology interface.
A) customer relationship management.
A system that gives managers a model-building capability and provides them with the ability to manipulate information in a variety of ways in order to make nonprogrammed judgments is a(n) ________ system. A) decision support B) artificial intelligence C) expert D) real-time
A) decision support
In a fixed-position production layout A) different teams assemble different component parts. B) the product is moved from one workstation to the next. C) component parts are made in the assembling area. D) products that are heavy are more difficult to make.
A) different teams assemble different component parts.
Which of the following describes self-managing work teams? A) Members are too specialized to fill in for absent coworkers. B) Each member reports to two first-line managers. C) Cost savings arise from eliminating supervisors. D) Members misuse the greater autonomy given to them.
C) Cost savings arise from eliminating supervisors.
What is one way in which a reputation for offering high quality products benefits a company? A) It allows the company to remain competitive in its market B) It leads to the company attracting more and better investors C) It allows the company to charge more for its products D) It leads to a happier and more productive workforce
C) It allows the company to charge more for its products
Lambretti and Sons is an international manufacturer and retailer of luxury pens and writing instruments based in Rome, Italy. The company has been in business for 100 years and has a reputation as being "the best of the best." Their pens are status symbols used by high-profile businessmen and celebrities. In recent years, several other luxury pen manufacturers have entered the market. SwissPen's goods are less expensive and are of a quality equivalent to that of Lambretti and Sons. Should Lambretti be overly worried about competition from SwissPen? A) No, because price is not a factor that affects the buying choices and preferences of Lambretti's clients. B) Yes, because regardless of prestige, customers will always go with a company that offers products for a lower price. C) No, because the brand's long history and singular reputation allow it charge higher prices for its products. D) Yes, because brand loyalty only goes so far, and SwissPen offers novelty, a very desirable attribute.
C) No, because the brand's long history and singular reputation allow it charge higher prices for its products.
Hashimodo Technologies has enjoyed enormous success with its ID Touch Phone, which spurred brisk sales by first-time buyers for several years. Today, brand-name recognition is over 80 percent, and sales remain strong because existing users continue to purchase replacements. The CEO, Mr. Matsui, believes that in light of its profitability, improvements on the ID Touch Phone should remain the focal point of the company's efforts in coming years. However, his son Jiro, still just a junior manager, takes issue with this and says that Hashimodo should put all the resources it can into new product development, even if doing so results in losses for the next few quarters. Most likely Jiro is A) right, because the ID Touch Phone is clearly obsolete, and its sales are likely to diminish in the near future. B) wrong, because the company cannot afford to shift its focus from its winning number-one product. C) right, because the ID Touch Phone has reached a point where its customer base is no longer expanding. D) wrong, because the company cannot afford to experience several quarters of losses.
C) right, because the ID Touch Phone has reached a point where its customer base is no longer expanding
To participate in B2B marketplaces, companies have to adopt a common A) software standard so that they can meet international requirements. B) set of ethical standards so that they can do business fairly and equitably. C) software standard so that they can search for and share information with each other. D) set of ethical standards so that they can keep out unfair competitors.
C) software standard so that they can search for and share information with each other.
Which of the following describes the product layout? A) It is efficient only when products are created in large quantities. B) Workers move from workstation to workstation. C) A conveyor belt is usually not used. D) Assembling a product is easily achieved in this layout.
D) Assembling a product is easily achieved in this layout.
From the 1850s until the 1960s, the only real management information system was the organizational hierarchy. Which of the following best describes this system? A) Managers used the railroads to travel to headquarters on a semiannual basis in order to report in to company leadership regarding the activities of employees. B) A multi-tiered structure of reporting levels and system checks provided for a regular flow of information between managers and employees. C) Telegraph lines connected offices in various cities, making it possible for railroad superintendents and other leadership to receive real-time information. D) Reports went up the management chain, then decisions were made at the top and relayed back down the chain to employees.
D) Reports went up the management chain, then decisions were made at the top and relayed back down the chain to employees
When a company implements after-sales service and support CRM software, salespeople A) have more time to focus on increasing sales because the system does customer support for them. B) have instant access to a record of everything that occurred during online customer interactions. C) are required to manually track and document every customer's case history and preferences. D) are in a much better position to respond to customers' needs and build customer loyalty.
D) are in a much better position to respond to customers' needs and build customer loyalty.
Personal computers and laptops, connected through Ethernet in a network, are known as A) servers. B) customers. C) satellites. D) clients.
D) clients.
In today's office environment, the term network is best identified as A) a group of interlinked computers that exchange information. B) the relationship between the organization and its customer base. C) a number of computers that together feed in to a common system. D) the company's website, as well as its telephone system.
A) a group of interlinked computers that exchange information.
In the product life cycle, a product has yet to gain widespread acceptance, the customers are unsure what it product has to offer, and demand for it is minimal in the ________ stage. A) embryonic B) introduction C) rollout D) unveiling
A) embryonic
A system that makes use of human knowledge embedded in computer software to solve problems that ordinarily require human expertise is known as a(n) ________ system. A) expert B) intelligent C) sentient D) learning
A) expert
Much time is lost when a washer ring manufacturer changes the settings in the equipment from those for cars to those for trucks. Which of the following will help it save time? A) flexible manufacturing B) self-managed teams C) process layout D) product layout
A) flexible manufacturing
Shoe Zoo, Inc., is a company that has chosen to use a JIT system. Their productivity will improve because the company can now A) give quick feedback to suppliers of defective goods. B) respond quickly to increased customer demand. C) have a buffer stock of inventory available. D) store more raw material in less space.
A) give quick feedback to suppliers of defective goods.
Generally, other things being equal, most customers prefer products with A) good after-sales service. B) fewer and simpler features. C) standardized features. D) cost-effectiveness.
A) good after-sales service.
Both e-commerce and business-to-customer (B2C) commerce involve the use of technology and the Internet; the difference is that e-commerce A) involves trade between companies and between companies and individual customers, whereas B2C commerce only involves trades between companies and individual customers. B) is exclusively related to the marketing of wholesale products, whereas B2C commerce involves the sale of both wholesale and retail products. C) only involves trade between companies and individual customers, whereas B2C commerce involves trades between companies and individual customers, as well as trade between companies. D) encompasses the sale of both wholesale and retail products, whereas B2C commerce involves only the sale of retail products.
A) involves trade between companies and between companies and individual customers, whereas B2C commerce only involves trades between companies and individual customers.
Sundeep is the owner of Celebration Florists, a chain of flower shops, and has been in business for five years. While Celebration is known for its quality arrangements and low prices, an older chain, Ruth's Flowers, consistently outperforms them on customer satisfaction measures. Celebration has a great website and a robust social media presence. The marketing department frequently sends out discount offers, generic follow-up letters, and conducts customer surveys by mail, but the business still receives only average customer service ratings. Meanwhile, Ruth's is known for having a loyal base of long-time, repeat customers. After using a new automated CRM system to collect customer data, Celebration's marketing manager, Celia, discovers that customers feel Celebration's service is a little "cold" and "by the numbers." What should Celebration do to improve its customer relationships? A) offer personalized service to existing customers, such as specially designed arrangements and discounts B) run more ads on the local television stations so customers can see how beautiful Celebration's flowers are C) reduce employee hours so that Celebration can offer even lower prices than Ruth's D) focus on targeting corporate customers who are more likely to order multiple arrangements at once
A) offer personalized service to existing customers, such as specially designed arrangements and discounts
Which of the following calculates labor productivity? A) outputs divided by direct labor B) inputs divided by total outputs C) direct labor times total inputs D) direct labor times specific outputs
A) outputs divided by direct labor
Business-to-business (B2B) commerce increases profitability because it A) reduces operating costs and may improve overall quality. B) allows companies to make use of technology and the Internet. C) reduces the number of companies in the supply chain and may improve overall quality. D) allows companies to market their products directly to end users.
A) reduces operating costs and may improve overall quality.
Reduced setup times lead to reduced A) setup costs and increased efficiency. B) efficiency and increased labor costs. C) inventory costs and increased setup costs. D) efficiency and increased inventory costs.
A) setup costs and increased efficiency.
The operations management technique that has a goal of designing the machine-worker interface to increase production efficiency is A) the facilities layout. B) quality circles. C) flexible manufacturing. D) production system improvement.
A) the facilities layout.
The job of encouraging improvements by emphasizing the need for continuous improvement or reengineering is the role of A) top management. B) middle management. C) first-line supervisors. D) customers.
A) top management.
The outputs of an organization divided by all of its inputs is called its ________ productivity. A) total factor B) total labor C) partial D) total capital
A) total factor
What is one way a CRM system can improve marketing? A) It allows IT employees to secretly infiltrate and target customers' social media accounts. B) It allows marketing manager access to detailed customer profiles and purchase histories. C) It gives managers a general idea of the changes they need to make to improve efficiency. D) It reduces the time needed for compiling customer data, giving staff more free time.
B) It allows marketing manager access to detailed customer profiles and purchase histories.
For the last decade, KayJay Toys has been using an overseas factory to make their hard plastic toys. However, the quality of the products has been in decline for the last several years. In addition to using cheaper materials, the factory uses an assembly process that is very quick but often results in uneven quality, with retailers returning 5 out of every 100 units as detective. The decreased quality is beginning to negatively impact KayJay's bottom line. What is KayJay's best course of action in order to save money and increase their profits? A) KayJay should keep the manufacturer, but use a different method of packaging and shipping the toys. B) KayJay should switch to a different factory that uses better materials and processes, improving quality. C) KayJay should close their brick and mortar shops and switch to an online-only shopping model. D) KayJay should consult with the factory about using a different assembly method for the products.
B) KayJay should switch to a different factory that uses better materials and processes, improving quality
Partial productivity measures the efficiency of ________in the production of a given output A) an input ratio B) a specific input C) a production unit D) total labor cost
B) a specific input
The quality of information is determined by its A) timeliness and reliability. B) accuracy and reliability. C) timeliness and detail. D) accuracy and detail.
B) accuracy and reliability.
The main responsibility of operations managers is to manage the three stages of production ranging from A) acquisition of inputs to control of conversion processes. B) acquisition of inputs to disposal of goods and services. C) control of conversion processes to disposal of goods and services. D) disposal of goods and services to customer relationship management.
B) acquisition of inputs to disposal of goods and services.
How might a service organization best increase the quality of its products or services? A) by cutting services in order to reduce the cost to consumers B) by following up after purchase with a personal phone call C) by focusing on the speed with which service is delivered D) by outspending competitors on advertising and branding
B) by following up after purchase with a personal phone call
A product layout is most likely to be used in making A) custom furniture. B) cars. C) jet engines D) mining equipment.
B) cars.
Ramelle, an executive with AmericaMoves Mini-Storage, wants to compare her firm's efficiency to that of its competitors. To do so, she should A) assess the financial ratios of the firm versus the competition. B) compare the firm's labor productivity to that of the competition. C) compare the amount of materials used to that of the competition. D) conduct a survey of customers' opinions about the firm's efficiency.
B) compare the firm's labor productivity to that of the competition.
The management of Antonio's Pizzeria, a nationwide chain, has set a goal regarding average delivery time for its drivers. Over the next six months, data comes in from stores all over the country, and once it has been processed into information, the company leadership reviews it and sees how well various stores are doing at meeting companywide goals. Using its findings, they will reward some local managers and drivers for exceeding the goals, and they will encourage others to pick up the pace. This is an example of the fact that management needs information in order to A) make effective decisions. B) control the activities of the organization. C) monitor the marketplace. D) coordinate the company's activities.
B) control the activities of the organization.
The management of efficiency is an extremely important issue in most organizations, because increased efficiency generally helps A) decrease employee turnover. B) decrease production costs. C) increase customer satisfaction. D) decrease total labor costs.
B) decrease production costs.
Advanced Software Defense Systems sells a variety of products to protect against spyware, malware, viruses, and other dangers to computer users. Operating primarily from its website, it serves a range of clients, from large companies with full service package to individual users. This is an example of A) B2B commerce. B) e-commerce. C) a B2B marketplace. D) an e-commerce marketplace.
B) e-commerce.
The way in which machines, robots, and people are grouped together in the production process is known as A) kanban. B) facilities layout. C) kaizen. D) TQM.
B) facilities layout.
Which of the following typically represents the impact of increased quality on organizational performance? A) increased reliability that leads to lower prices B) increased productivity that leads to lower costs C) higher prices that lead to lower profits D) higher costs that lead to higher profits
B) increased productivity that leads to lower costs
The best way to describe the difference between a transaction-processing system and an operations information system is that a transaction-processing system processes routine transactions, whereas an operations information system provides A) large amounts of data that can then be compiled in a meaningful format. B) information managers can use in nonroutine decision-making and other kinds of tasks. C) organizations with the ability to track various functions and divisions in real time. D) models that help managers make better nonprogrammed decisions.
B) information managers can use in nonroutine decision-making and other kinds of tasks.
The set of methods or techniques used to acquire, organize, store, manipulate, and transmit information is known as A) management information systems (MIS). B) information technology (IT). C) management in technology (MIT). D) information systems (IS).
B) information technology (IT).
Tamora and her work team are preparing a set of graphs and charts showing their company's performance over the past four quarters as compared with that of their three leading competitors. This is an example of A) data. B) information. C) systems. D) facts.
B) information.
In the typical organization, increased efficiency leads to A) higher operating costs. B) lower production costs. C) lower partial productivity. D) higher maintenance costs.
B) lower production costs.
Managers need information in order to do three things: ________ the organization's activities. A) keep abreast of changes, and control and coordinate B) make effective decisions, and control and coordinate C) keep abreast of changes, and qualify and quantify D) make effective decisions, and qualify and quantify
B) make effective decisions, and control and coordinate
A specific form of IT that managers use in order to have access to the specific information they need to perform their job effectively is known as ________ systems. A) decision support B) management information C) decision analysis D) management analysis
B) management information
A production process where the workers are stationary and a moving conveyor belt takes the product on to the next workstation so that it is assembled in a fixed sequence is known as A) pull production. B) mass production. C) batch production. D) lean manufacturing.
B) mass production.
CustomCraft, an industrial fabricator, wants to measure the efficiency of the energy inputs at its factory. It needs to use a formula to calculate ________ productivity. A) employee B) partial C) total factor D) labor
B) partial
SmokeMaster Grills, a maker of home and commercial outdoor grills, shrank its ordering and delivery team by taking most of its operations online and increased its fleet of trucks to decrease delivery time. These actions can be described as A) a JIT system. B) process reengineering. C) flexible manufacturing. D) total factor productivity.
B) process reengineering.
At a manufacturing unit for leather handbags, there are many stations located in a row. At the first station, the pattern pieces are cut; at the second, the bag body is sewn together; at the third, the straps and fasteners are attached; at the fourth, seams are checked; and at the fifth, the product is packed. This unit is an example of ________ layout. A) process B) product C) fixed-position D) flexible
B) product
When setup times for complex production equipment is reduced A) efficiency of the production unit goes down. B) time spent in producing something will increase. C) flexible manufacturing techniques become irrelevant. D) employees have to be paid for nonproductive time.
B) time spent in producing something will increase.
When a supermarket uses technology to record the sale of items and track inventory levels, this is an example of a(n) ________ system. A) operations information B) transaction-processing C) decision support D) e-commerce
B) transaction-processing
When software programs are able to "watch" a manager sort through data and "learn" that manager's preferences when reviewing such information, this is an example of a(n) ________ system. A) expert B) decision support C) artificial intelligence D) enterprise resource planning
C) artificial intelligence
What is one way that CRM can maximize the value delivered to customers over time? A) by increasing productivity and decreasing costs throughout the company B) by monitoring the number of products that are returned or exchanged C) by breaking down how much revenue came from sales to existing customers D) by ensuring greater accountability of support staff through quantifiable measures
C) by breaking down how much revenue came from sales to existing customers
When advancing technology makes old products obsolete, the ________ stage of the product life cycle has begun. A) maturity B) obsolescence C) decline D) seniority
C) decline
The product life cycle is the way that ________ over time. A) the supply of a product changes in predictable patterns B) technological developments alter the design of particular products C) demand for a product changes in predictable patterns D) technological developments create new design challenges
C) demand for a product changes in predictable patterns
Labor productivity is most commonly used to A) calculate the total cost of production. B) set wage standards per unit of production. C) draw efficiency comparisons between different organizations. D) define recruiting parameters for new candidates.
C) draw efficiency comparisons between different organizations.
Total factor productivity is a measure of an organization's A) responsiveness. B) process design standard. C) efficiency. D) raw material usage.
C) efficiency.
A multimode application software package that allows a company to link and coordinate the entire set of functional activities and operations necessary to move products from the initial design stage to the final customer stage is called a(n) ________ system. A) decision support B) e-commerce C) enterprise resource planning D) artificial intelligence
C) enterprise resource planning
In measuring the total factor productivity of an organization, an example of a measure of the amount of energy consumed in output production is the number of A) units produced. B) hours worked. C) kilowatt-hours consumed. D) employees required.
C) kilowatt-hours consumed.
The management of any aspect of production that transforms inputs into finished outputs is known as ________ management. A) quality control B) production system C) operations D) reengineering
C) operations
The managers who are responsible for managing the organization's production system are known as ________ managers. A) TQM B) JIT C) operations D) inventory
C) operations
Total factor productivity equals A) raw materials divided by labor costs. B) all inputs times all outputs. C) outputs divided by all inputs. D) capital expenditures divided by all inputs.
C) outputs divided by all inputs.
The efficiency of an organization with reference to the contribution of an individual input is known as (the) ________ productivity. A) total factor B) cumulative C) partial D) unit
C) partial
Higher product quality can increase efficiency, increase profits, and decrease A) production time. B) employee turnover. C) production costs. D) customer complaints.
C) production costs.
Frequently updated information that reflects current changes in business conditions is called ________ information. A) timely B) on-time C) real-time D) time-sensitive
C) real-time
The best explanation for the difference between operating system software and application software is that operating system software A) is developed for a specific purpose, and application software tells the hardware how to run. B) has to be operated by certified professionals, whereas anyone can use application software. C) tells the hardware how to run, and application software is developed for a specific purpose. D) can run on its own, whereas application software requires an operating system.
C) tells the hardware how to run, and application software is developed for a specific purpose.
A plastic toy manufacturer gets orders from customers with different size, material, and thickness requirements, forcing the workers to frequently change the equipment. Flexible manufacturing will be ideal in this case because A) large numbers of the same type may be produced. B) cheaper raw material may now be used. C) the time required to set up equipment is reduced. D) customers will now agree to use caps of the same size.
C) the time required to set up equipment is reduced.
A computer system that is designed to handle a large volume of routine and recurring transactions is called a(n) ________ system. A) decision support B) artificial intelligence C) transaction-processing D) operations information
C) transaction-processing
For years, the Louie Parola car dealership has been dividing its advertising budget between the top four television stations in the city. Now, the company managers, Jan, Lucian, and Alejandro, are considering various scenarios for redistributing the company's advertising dollars in order to capture various new markets. What will help Jan, Lucian, and Alejandro make the best possible decision? A) a market analysis performed by an outside company that knows the area, but has little experience with car dealerships B) an information system that gives them raw data on sales, costs, and profits for automobile dealerships and other companies that have advertised with each station. C) the type of software that can perform functions akin to watching and learning, so it can quickly respond to car buyers' feedback without requiring the three managers' input D) a set of models based on demographics, viewership, and other data so that they can run and compare a variety of scenarios using different advertising options
D) a set of models based on demographics, viewership, and other data so that they can run and compare a variety of scenarios using different advertising options
Vanderbilt Imperial Hotels is a luxury chain with facilities and resorts at some forty locations across the United States. Every day, its housekeeping staff changes enough sheets to cover several baseball stadiums, its bell staff transports a volume of luggage that would fill a few jumbo jets, and its wait staff serves prodigious quantities of food. Yet as important as all this physical work is, the whole chain would break down without management making sure that each location has the resources it needs to meet the challenges of each day. This is an example of the fact that management needs information in order to A) make effective decisions. B) control the activities of the organization. C) monitor the marketplace. D) coordinate the company's activities.
D) coordinate the company's activities.
Management writers recommend that an organization should define its business in terms of its A) technology. B) company vision. C) branding. D) customer needs.
D) customer needs.
A problem associated with total factor productivity is that A) some inputs cannot be factored in. B) the calculation is too cumbersome. C) it focuses on specific inputs. D) each input is measured in different units.
D) each input is measured in different units.
The stages of the product life cycle are A) design, growth, maturity, and obsolescence. B) embryonic, growth, and decline. C) design, maturity, and obsolescence. D) embryonic, growth, maturity, and decline.
D) embryonic, growth, maturity, and decline.
The responsibilities of a member of a self-managed work team are generally those of ________ in a non-self-managed work team. A) assembly line workers B) non-managerial employees C) top-level managers D) first-line managers
D) first-line managers
Kasim is preparing for an important meeting, and tells his assistant, Toni, that he needs information regarding the company's recent financial performance. This information must be of the highest possible quality and usefulness, he says. To meet his requirement, what should Toni provide him with? A) receipts, bills of lading, check stubs, and other documentation to account for each sale and expenditure B) spreadsheets containing detailed data on sales and profits day by day C) a white paper in which she lays out the company's overall financial picture D) graphs showing revenues and profits for the past four quarters
D) graphs showing revenues and profits for the past four quarters
In the product life cycle, many consumers are entering the market and buying the product for the first time and demand increases rapidly in the ________ stage. A) acceleration B) maturity C) demand D) growth
D) growth
Changes in meaning that occur as information passes through a series of senders and receivers are referred to collectively as A) data corruption. B) information overload. C) data misinterpretation. D) information distortion.
D) information distortion.
Business-to-business (B2B) commerce is best defined as trade that takes place between companies using technology and the Internet for the purpose of A) meeting the demands of various companies along the supply chain. B) enabling companies to gain a competitive advantage. C) consolidating functions into as few companies as possible along the value chain. D) linking and coordinating the value chains of different companies.
D) linking and coordinating the value chains of different companies.
Designing a production system that creates saleable, low-cost products is the responsibility of ________ managers. A) production B) top-level C) first-line D) operations
D) operations
A system that gathers comprehensive data, organizes it, and summarizes it in ways that are useful to managers is known as a(n) ________ system. A) transaction-processing B) e-commerce C) expert or artificial intelligence D) operations information
D) operations information
Wings Over America, an airline with flights connection 62 U.S. cities, uses technology to keep track of how many flights were on time over a given period, as well as average revenues and profits per passenger, flight, and airport. This is an example of a(n) ________ system. A) enterprise resource planning B) transaction-processing C) decision support D) operations information
D) operations information
The term information is best defined as facts that have been A) collected from a variety of sources. B) organized according to source. C) collected using specific methods. D) organized in a meaningful fashion.
D) organized in a meaningful fashion.
Goods and services that are dependable, reliable, able to do what they were designed for and satisfying characterize A) efficiency. B) service support. C) responsiveness. D) quality.
D) quality.
"The actions taken to meet the needs of customers" refers to A) a mission statement. B) quality assessment. C) quality control. D) responsiveness.
D) responsiveness.
Since the mid-1990s, many brick-and-mortar stores have seen a decline in sales while many online retailers have prospered. This situation is best identified as an example of the fact that A) when change comes, one can never predict who the winners and losers will be. B) the companies that adapt to the latest IT developments are the ones that win out in the long run. C) advancing IT has provided a great number of jobs in the customer-service industries. D) some companies have benefited from advancing IT, while others have been threatened by it.
D) some companies have benefited from advancing IT, while others have been threatened by it.
Information technology (IT) is best defined as a set of A) computing principles applicable to end users in a network. B) techniques or methods used for setting up networks or senders and receivers. C) computing principles applicable to main-frame and networking systems. D) techniques or methods used for obtaining, processing, and sending information.
D) techniques or methods used for obtaining, processing, and sending information.
Barry is an analyst for Sunshine Groves and Cannery, which sells canned fruit products. One of his jobs is to keep track of weather reports, with a particular focus on predicted tropical storms and hurricanes, because the management at Sunshine Fruit particularly needs ________ information. A) quality B) complete C) relevant D) timely
D) timely