SCMA 320 hw 1-4
Scenario B: Suppose you are given the process flowchart shown below. No buffer space between stations, so upstream task must wait if downstream task is busy or if downstream task is unable to start processing immediately. Each task can process 1 unit at a time. Using this, answer the next 3 questions: Task 1 (tbt cap = 2 units/hour) --> Task 2 (tbt cap = 4 units/hour) --> Task 4 (tbt cap = 3 units/hour) && Task 3 (tbt cap = 5 units/hour) --> Task 4 (same as above) && Task 4 --> FGI (1) Which task(s) would be starved? Check all that apply. Task 1 / Task 2 / Task 3 / Task 4 (2) Which task(s) would be blocked? Check all that apply. Task 1 / Task 2 / Task 3 / Task 4 (3) What is the actual throughput rate out of Task 4 (in customers per hour)? Pick the closest answer. 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
(1) Starving = after bottleneck Bottleneck = slowest Slowest = task 1 answer = Task 2 and Task 4 (2) blocking = before bottleneck answer = Task 3 (3) throughput rate = # outputs produced per unit time answer = 2 (idk why? maybe because there are two different tasks going to task 4?)
Suppose you have a two-activity sequential process: Task 1 --> Task 2. Task 1 has a throughput capacity of 10 units per hour; task 2 has a throughput capacity of 15 units per hour. (1) What is the cycle time for task 1 (in hours)? Pick the closest answer. .04 / .06 / .1 / .16 / 10 / 15 / 25 (2) What is the utilization for task 2? Pick the closest answer. 25% / 33% / 50% / 66% / 100% / 133% / 166%
(1) cycle time = time / units task 1 = 1 hour / 10 units = 0.1 answer = .1 (2) utilization = actual tpt / tpt capacity actual tpt = minimum time tpt capacity = maximum output (1) / (15/1) = 0.0666667 = 66%
Consider a housekeeper at a hotel. The housekeeper cleans rooms in batches - it batches rooms by floor (10 rooms per floor). Each room take 20 minutes to clean. Before cleaning each floor, the housekeeper must setup their cleaning materials by restocking cleaning supplies & linens, emptying the vacuum, changing mop heads, etc.; this takes 30 minutes. Suppose for this example that a housekeeper blocks off the entire floor when setting up and cleaning the rooms on that floor. Use this information to answer the next two questions: (1) What is the throughput time for cleaning a floor, in minutes? Pick the closest answer. 20 / 30 / 50 / 200 / 220 / 230 / 250 (2) What is the throughput capacity for housekeeping, in rooms per minute? Pick the closest answer. .03 / .04 / .05 / 20 / 25 / 30
(1) throughput time = minimum time 10 rooms x 20 minutes per room + 30 minute setup = 230 minutes answer = 230 (2) throughput capacity = maximum # of output units that can be produced per unit time 30 minutes / 10 rooms = 3 minutes added per room 1 room / 23 minutes = 0.0434 answer = 0.04
Scenario A: Consider the following process flowchart for a hypothetical quick service restaurant. Throughput times are listed in parentheses after the name of each activity. For all questions, answer using customers and/or minutes as your units of measure. There are no inventory buffers between any stations; instead, blocking occurs for upstream activities. Take Order (6.1 minutes) ----> Prepare drinks (4.7 minutes) ----> Prepare food (7.9 minutes) -----> Assemble order (5.2 minutes) ----> Take payment (5.5 minutes). Each activity uses its own workers & equipment. The Prepare Food activity can handle 2 customers at once; each of the others can handle 1 customer at a time. (1) What is the throughput time (in minutes) for the entire process (from the start of the take order activity through the end of the take payment activity)? Pick the closest answer. 5 / 10 / 15 / 20 / 25 / 30 (2) What is the cycle time for the prepare food activity, in minutes? Pick the closest answer. 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 (3) Which task is the bottleneck? Take order / Prepare drinks / Prepare food / Assemble Order / Take Payment (4) What is the actual throughput rate out of the Take Payment station, in customers per minute? Pick the closest answer. .25 / .5 / .75 / 1 / 2 / 4 / 10
(1) throughput time = minimum time 6.1 + 4.7 + 7.9 + 5.2 + 5.5 = 29.4 answer = 30 (2) cycle time = time / units 7.9 minutes / 2 customers = 3.95 answer = 4 (3) bottleneck = longest cycle take order = 6.1 / 1 = 6.7 prepare drinks = 4.7 / 1 = 4.7 prepare food = 7.9 / 2 = 3.95 assemble order = 5.2 / 1 = 5.2 take payment = 5.5 / 1 = 5.5 answer = take order (4) throughput rate = # outputs produced per unit time 1 customer / 5.5 minutes = 0.18 answer = .25
Which of these statements about processes is NOT true? Group of answer choices A process can require resources from several departments. A process can exist without customers. A process can have its own set of objectives. A process can involve work flow that cuts across departmental boundaries.
A process can exist without customers.
Which of the following is a clear indication that process improvements need to be made? A process flowchart that shows many branching paths A service blueprint that shows more back office activities than front office A process's competitive capabilities are misaligned with its competitive priorities A competitor performs a similar process at a lower cost
A process's competitive capabilities are misaligned with its competitive priorities
Why are services difficult to capture in a standard flowchart? In a service, each transaction is unique Customer interaction is not typically presented in a flowchart It is important to distinguish front and back office activities in a service Flowcharts are geared towards static, predictable processes A & B All of the above
All the above
Bic ballpoint pens are most likely which type of product? Functional Responsive Efficient Innovative
Functional
The procurement group in an organizations is primarily responsible for which of the following? Filling customer orders Identifying suppliers to purchase goods/service from Managing inventory in a warehouse Managing the transportation of goods C & D All of the above
Identifying suppliers to purchase goods/service from
Which of the following is NOT a cause of the bullwhip effect? Forecasting errors Human behavior Consumer demand Communication issues
Consumer demand
Which of the following production process structures would carry the highest levels of finished goods in its supply chain? Job shop Design to order Continuous flow Make to stock
Continuous flow
In a service blueprint, customer contact points are identified by: Crossing the line of interaction Crossing the line of visibility Crossing the line of internal interaction All of the above
Crossing the line of interaction
Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of a "good" (well-managed) bottleneck in a process? The bottleneck can be performed by relatively unskilled workers The bottleneck is expensive to have sit idle The bottleneck requires a large capital investment The bottleneck offers a competitive advantage
The bottleneck can be performed by relatively unskilled workers
For an innovative product, which of the following statements is best? Uncertainty must be eliminated at all costs Production costs should be the number one priority Uncertainty must be accepted, but anticipated Forecasts should strive for 100% accuracy
Uncertainty must be accepted, but anticipated
Process divergence is best described as Group of answer choices the extent to which the flow of items (or customers) throughout the process may vary from one to the next the extent to which a good or service may be customized the number of items (or customers) that a process can handle at once the physical distribution of any work being performed
the extent to which the flow of items (or customers) throughout the process may vary from one to the next
For a large, national restaurant chain (e.g., Outback Steakhouse) customers tend to expect the same service, ambience, menu, taste of food, dining experience, etc. regardless of which particular location they visit. This most closely relates to which of the following competitive priorities? Group of answer choices on-time delivery. delivery speed. top quality (i.e., performance quality) consistent quality (i.e., conformance quality)
consistent quality (i.e., conformance quality)
A job shop process should be preferred when: Group of answer choices customization is low and volume is high. customization is high and volume is low. workforce and equipment are specialized products are made to stock type.
customization is high and volume is low.
The product−process matrix used to analyze manufacturing operations brings together the elements of: Group of answer choices process divergence, intensity, and product design. volume, process divergence, and intensity. intensity, volume, and process divergence. customization, volume, and process divergence.
customization, volume, and process divergence.
The average amount of time it takes for a resource or activity to output one unit is called the cycle time throughput time throughput rate throughput capacity
cycle time
The three mainline functions (i.e., "Pillars") of any business organization are Group of answer choices operations, marketing, and management. operations, accounting, and management operations, marketing, and information technology. operations, marketing, and finance.
operations, marketing, and finance.
Jerry wants a haircut. But, Jerry can only spend $5 on it. Jerry finds 3 local barbers that are able to provide a haircut for $5. In this example, Jerry's use of the haircut's cost is best described as a(n) Group of answer choices order qualifier order winner competitive priority competitive capability
order qualifier
Following the previous question, suppose Jerry selects the one barber that also offers beard trims as well as hair cuts. In this case, product variety would appear to be a(n) Group of answer choices order winner order qualifier competitive capability competitive priority
order winner
Which of the following are likely to occur if an efficient supply chain design is used for an innovative product? Supply would often be out of sync with demand Excess inventory would exist The total cost of the product would be a low as possible A & B B & C All of the above
A & B
Which of the following are components of a supply chain? Suppliers Suppliers' suppliers Customers All of the above
All of the above
A service which emphasizes low cost should have which of the following appear in its service blueprint A large number of flows crossing the line of interaction A large presence of back office activities Relatively few customer contact points B & C All of the above
B & C
The process of restocking store shelves at walmart is best described as which of the following? Group of answer choices Back office Front office Make to stock Job shop
Back office
CustomInk produces custom shirts using a customer's design. Shirts which require embroidery have a minimum order size of 12 shirts; all shirts in the order are processed at the same time. For these, CustomInk provides customers with a set menu of options for shirt types and threading for embroidery. The process structure for making the embroidered shirts would be best described as: Group of answer choices Batch Job shop Make to order Assemble to order
Batch
Which of the following tends to occur, which is often helpful in identifying bottlenecks? Starvation occurs before and after the bottleneck Starvation occurs before the bottleneck; blocking occurs after the bottleneck Blocking occurs before the bottleneck; starvation occurs after the bottleneck Blocking occurs before and after the bottleneck
Blocking occurs before the bottleneck; starvation occurs after the bottleneck
The logistics function of an organization is primarily responsible for which of the following? Filling customer orders Identifying suppliers to purchase goods/service from Managing inventory in a warehouse Managing the transportation of goods Both managing inventory in a warehouse and managing transportation of goods All of the above
Both managing inventory in a warehouse and managing transportation of goods
Which of the following flows traditionally move downstream in a supply chain? Products Services Money Both products and services All of the above
Both products and services
Flowcharts and service blueprints most likely fall under which category of the six-sigma process improvement model (DMAIC)? Define Measure Improve Control
Define
There are three consecutive steps in a customer service process. The first two steps are each capable of serving 25 customers per hour while the third step can process only 20 customers per hour. Which of the following statements regarding this system is true? If all steps are run at full capacity (100% utilization), a line of customers would form in front of the first step. If all steps are run at full capacity (100% utilization), a line of customers would form in front of the second step. If all steps are run at full capacity (100% utilization), a line of customers would form in front of the third step. All of the above
If all steps are run at full capacity (100% utilization), a line of customers would form in front of the third step.
The bullwhip effect involves which of the following? Information distortions in the supply chain Fluctuations in actual demand Accurate forecasting Lower inventory levels
Information distortions in the supply chain
When properly executed, an efficient supply chain might have long lead times to make a product, yet would still be able to fill all of its customers' orders immediately. Why? It is able to expedite the manufacturing of goods when necessary It maintains high levels of volume flexibility It uses finished goods inventory as a buffer This is not possible
It uses finished goods inventory as a buffer
Time studies fall under which category of the six-sigma process improvement model (DMAIC)? Define Measure Improve Control
Measure
In a service blueprint, which of the following separates front office from back office activities? Line of interaction Line of visibility Line of indifference Line of internal interaction
Line of visibility
Which of the following competitive priorities should a responsive supply chain NOT pursue Low cost volume flexibility development speed delivery speed
Low cost
Following the previous question, which of the following would best describe CustomInk's production process strategy? Group of answer choices Make to order Batch Design to order Job shop
Make to order
An efficient supply chain would be most closely aligned with which of the following production strategies? Design to order Job shop Continuous flow Make to stock
Make to stock
To draw a service blueprint, you should typically start by: Identifying all of the physical items involved in the process Distinguishing front office from back office activities Mapping the customers' sequence of activities Listing the support systems needed
Mapping the customers' sequence of activities
How do the oscillations of the bullwhip effect change as you move upstream (i.e., from customers to suppliers)? Oscillations get larger Oscillations get smaller Oscillations remain constant Oscillations self-correct
Oscillations get larger
The chair used in a barbershop should appear under which component of a service blueprint? Physical evidence Line of interaction Front office (frontstage) activities Support process
Physical evidence
Which one of the following statements is more of a general characteristic of a service process, as compared to a manufacturing process? Check all that apply. Group of answer choices A service tends to have less customer contact. Quality is more difficult to measure for services. A service's output can be inventoried. Services take longer to respond to changes in customer demand.
Quality is more difficult to measure for services.
A design-to-order product would primarily carry which type of inventory in the supply chain? Raw materials Product subcomponents Partially finished products Finished products
Raw materials
High fashion goods would likely warrant which type of supply chain? Functional Innovative Efficient Responsive
Responsive
Suppose you have a two-activity sequential process: Task 1 --> Task 2. Task 1 has a throughput capacity of 10 units per hour; task 2 has a throughput capacity of 15 units per hour. Which of the following would be true? Task 1 would encounter blocking Task 2 would encounter blocking Task 1 would encounter starvation Task 2 would encounter starvation
Starvation = idle due to lack of inputs (after bottleneck) Blocking = idle due to lack of room for outputs (before bottleneck) Bottleneck = slowest Cycle time = time / units Task 1 cycle time = 1 hour / 10 units = 0.10 Task 2 cycle time = 1 hour / 15 units = 0.15 Slowest = task 1 (beginning) Task 2 would encounter starvation
DMAIC is an acronym which represents The steps necessary to develop a flowchart The symbols used in a flowchart The different components in a service blueprint The stages of the process improvement model
The stages of the process improvement model
When you buy a product from Walmart, it typically ships the item via FedEx. The role of FedEx in this case is: Third party logistics Fourth party logistics Procurement Warehousing
Third party logistics
Consider Chevrolet. Suppose they buy tires for new cars directly from Goodyear. Goodyear buys wire beads used in the tires from US Bead, company specializing in manufacturing wire beads. US Bead buys raw steel to make its wires from US Steel. US Steel in this example would be what, in relation to Chevrolet? Tier 1 supplier Tier 2 supplier Tier 3 supplier Tier 4 supplier
Tier 3 supplier
Which of the following tools would help you measure how long it takes to perform an activity? Service blueprint Flowchart Time study Work sampling
Times study
Describe how a time study and a flowchart/service blueprint can complement one another. (2 points, graded for completion)
Using a time study and a flowchart/service blueprint together can complement each other by helping to see both sides of services. You have the process itself represented with the flowchart/service blueprint, and the time study allows you to understand the time it takes to actually go through the process that the flowchart/service blueprint represents. It provides a measurable tool which is great to find improvements that can be made.
Suppose I wanted to estimate the satisfaction of drive-thru customers at McDonalds. To do this, I randomly poll 10 customers per day, over a 30 day span, and use the average across these transactions as my estimate. Which of the following would best describe this method? Service blueprinting Flowcharting Work sampling Time study
Work sampling
Service processes usually have Group of answer choices output that can be inventoried. low levels of customer contact. fast response times. physical, durable output.
fast response times.
What must all processes have? Group of answer choices inputs and outputs workers and managers equipment and facilities purchased materials and services
inputs and outputs
Which of the following is NOT true of a properly designed continuous flow process? Group of answer choices it has high levels of resource flexibility it has minimal customer involvement it has extremely high capital intensity it emphasizes cost as a competitive priority
it has high levels of resource flexibility
A workstation or activity in a process is a bottleneck if it has the lowest average utilization it processes the smallest total workload it has the smallest average capacity it has the lowest cycle time
it has the smallest average capacity
Back office services typically emphasize: Group of answer choices low cost operations and on-time delivery. high divergence and customization high customer contact and low cost operation on-time delivery and customization
low cost operations and on-time delivery.
A manufacturer that produces standard products in large volumes is likely to be using a(n): Group of answer choices assemble to order strategy make to order strategy design to order strategy make to stock strategy
make to stock strategy
Competitive priorities Group of answer choices may change over time. are used to distinguish between a service that is considered and one that is actually purchased. are developed by a review of internal operations capabilities. are the cost, quality, time and flexibility dimensions that a process or supply chain actually possesses and is able to deliver.
may change over time.
Throughput time is defined as the elapsed time from the start to the finish of a job, not including the time the job waits for processing. the elapsed time a job spends at a bottleneck. the average time between products completed on an assembly line. the total elapsed time from the start to the finish of a job being processed at one or more work centers.
the total elapsed time from the start to the finish of a job being processed at one or more work centers.
The maximum rate at which a resource or activity is capable of outputting units is called its throughput capacity throughput rate throughput time capacity
throughput capacity
In reverse logistics, the role of gatekeeping is _________ to avoid customer returns to ensure returned items are accurate and in saleable condition Transporting returned items from the customer to the warehouse Managing the inventory of returned items in a warehouse
to ensure returned items are accurate and in saleable condition
Using an airline example for competitive priorities, the process capability of handling service needs of all market segments and promotional programs would be best described by Group of answer choices top quality. variety. delivery speed. consistent quality.
variety
Manufacturing processes usually have Group of answer choices physical, durable output. output that cannot be inventoried. low levels of capital intensity. high levels of customer contact.
physical, durable output.