(MGMT 339 - Managing Operations) Mid-Term Review (Examples)

Types of Standing Plans

- Plocy: broad guideline to taking action. -Procedure: outlines specific steps to accomplish a particular task. -Rule: states specifically what an individual can or cannot do.

Types of Single Use Plans

-Program -Budgets: carry out financial objectives over a specific period of time.

Types of Plans

-Standing Plan used over & over again because it focuses on situations that occur repeatedly. _Single Use Used to carry out special project not to be repeated.

The yacht maker's process structure can be described as: A) Divergent. B) Complex. C) Specialized. D) Line Flow

A) Divergent.

A manufacturer that produces standard products in large volumes is likely to be using a(n): A) Make-to-stock strategy. B) Make-to-order strategy. C) Assemble-to-order strategy. D) Engineer-to-order strategy.

A) Make-to-stock strategy.

ALB Corp. is in the middle of their monthly controlling process. After some benchmark checks and quality comparisons, they have found out that the quality of their weapon systems has gone down. To bring it back to its previous quality standards, ALB Corp. should next ________. A) take corrective action B) measure performance of other companies C) sell their weapons at a lower price D) compare their weapons against rival companies E) bring down their performance standards

A) take corrective action

The same employee in Question 1 above is in which possible category of the stage chosen above? A. Decline B. Establishment C. Exploration D. Maintenance

A. Growth

If you were to establish a standard of productivity for financial planners, what would it be? A. Number of New Clients added per month B. Number of hours worked C. Amount of time spent traveling D. Dollars spent per month in entertainment

A. Number of New Clients added per month

Great Lakes Packaging states "We are the most innovative, imaginative film developer for food processors" This is a type of A. Organizational Purpose B. Environmental Analysis C. Short Term Objective D. Tactical Plan

A. Organizational Purpose

Organizational Purpose -Bertha and Bob's Barbeque has a statement on the wall in the entry of their restaurant that states their purpose is to "provide happy customers through the relentless pursuit of perfecting Grandma Emma's southern smoke house recipes." This is an example of a (an): A. Organizational Purpose B. Emotional Purpose C. Business Purpose D. Operational Purpose

A. Organizational Purpose

Functions of Management (Organizing, Influencing, etc...) **Stephen is a manager actively engaged in a conversation with his production team regarding what has to be shipped out of his department today, exchanging information and encouraging them. He is using which function of management? A. Organizing B. Influencing C. Controlling D. Forcing E. All of the above

A. Organizing

Applied examples of planning steps. -When Royal Dutch Shell begins setting up an oil drilling platform in the South Atlantic Ocean after choosing the best alternative plan and developing that plan, they are __________________. A. Putting into action B. Choosing the best alternatives C. Dreaming D. Monitoring and controlling

A. Putting into action

Data and Information -The operations manager of Pegasus Inc. wants to know the return on investment on a recent promotional drive to develop the marketing strategy for next year. The marketing manager sends him a detailed report on all the personnel in his department and the salaries and bonuses paid to them over the past year. This information is likely to be useless to the operations manager because it is not ________. A. appropriate B. timely C. voluminous D. real E. expensive

A. appropriate

Market Analysis -The Gap, Inc. has targeted teenagers and young adults in need of casual clothes, and through its GapKids stores, the parents or guardians of infants through 12-year-olds. This is an example of: A. market segmentation. B. a collaborative effort between the company and its customers. C. a needs assessment. D. a mission statement.

A. market segmentation.

When does a company engage in planning? -When senior managers at St. John Knits engaged in discussions to start a new product line in the future, they were engaging in the management function of A. planning. B. organizing. C. leading. D. controlling.

A. planning.

The Marketing department is preparing a unique ad to coincide with the launch of a new energy drink 18 months from now. Is this coincidental plan an advantage or disadvantage of planning?

Advantage

Which level of manager do certain responsibilities exhibit (first line, middle, executive)? ________ managers are those who lead the entire organizations that produce the clothes we wear, the food we eat, and the automobiles we drive. A) Personnel B) Executive/Top Level C) Sales D) Accounting E) Human Resources

B) Executive/Top Level

Contrast Goods and Services characteristics (Measuring Quality, Customer Contact, etc...) -Which of the following statements is more of a general characteristic of a manufacturing organization, as compared to a service organization? A) Short-term demand tends to be highly variable. B) Operations are more capital intensive. C) Outputs are more intangible. D) Quality is more difficult to measure.

B) Operations are more capital intensive.

As part of the controlling process, you have finished measuring the performance of your team. What must you do next? A) take corrective action B) compare measured performance to standards C) establish unit of measure to gauge performance D) modify past plans E) restructure control systems and subsystems

B) compare measured performance to standards

In order to increase his/her personal power, a manager should ________. A) move up the organizational hierarchy B) demonstrate a high level of expertise C) downplay his authority over organizational resources D) minimize subordinates' perception that they are dependent on him or her E) focus on enhancing his position power

B) demonstrate a high level of expertise

Competitive Priorities -Admission to the prestigious school had become so competitive that a high GPA is no longer enough to separate one fresh-faced high school student from another. Today's outstanding candidate must also demonstrate their involvement in a myriad of extracurricular activities in order to be admitted. It seems that good grades are now: A) a needs assessment. B) order qualifiers. C) order winners. D) a mission statement.

B) order qualifiers.

Because Jamie is the manager, her subordinates follow her instructions. This is an example of ________. A) personal power B) position power C) total power D) social power E) absolute power

B) position power

Before taking a corrective action managers really need to make sure they have properly identified the correct ________. A) symptom B) problem C) standard D) threshold E) performance gap

B) problem

A ________ is a sign that a problem exists. A) standard B) symptom C) yardstick D) correction E) benchmark

B) symptom

Steps in the Control Process - Which of the following is the last step in the controlling process? A) comparing measured performance to standards B) taking corrective action C) measuring performance D) establishing standards E) establishing units for measuring performance

B) taking corrective action

Mary is spending time figuring out how to re-arrange the shipping department on the factory floor. Which type of major Activity of a Modern Manager is this? A. Task-related B. Change-related C. People-related D. Maintenance-related

B. Change-related

If someone from the Information Systems department sends you data with numbers indicating sales and commissions from financial planner's clients, you have just received: A. Information which will give you all the answers you need B. Data which must be interpreted to convert into information C. Data which is unrelated to the task you have been given D. Too much information, causing indecision

B. Data which must be interpreted to convert into information

You are sitting in a planning meeting to set an objective to make your company #2 in its line of business. Under what area of organizational objectives would this be categorized? A. Productivity B. Market Standing C. Innovation D. Worker Performance

B. Market Standing

Which would you say is a support process? A. Taking wax, dyes and other raw materials and turning them into products sold to wholesalers and retailers. B. Operation of the solar farm. C. Operating the distribution network to customers in China. D. Sourcing re-forested wood.

B. Operation of the solar farm.

Power -Dan thinks that just because he is the Senior Vice President of Marketing, he can get his support staff to work 70 hour weeks every week with no additional compensation. This is an example of: A. Abusive Power B. Position Power C. Personal Power D. Disfunctional Power

B. Position Power

Great Expectations Software company develops a software algorithm to define a trend line for future sales forecasting. This type of forecast would be defined as: A. Qualitative - 5 Year Moving Average B. Quantitative - Regression C. Qualitative - Sales Funnel D. Qualitative - Regression

B. Quantitative - Regression

Know examples of standing and single use plans. -Duraflame's recycling policy is best described as a: A. Single Use Plan B. Standing Plan C. Main Plan D. Variable Plan

B. Standing Plan

Which would be valid method of developing a global strategy? A. Shutting down all global operations. B. Technology Licensing C. Studying American buying habits. D. Eliminate any Joint Ventures

B. Technology Licensing

Type of Automation -Suppose that competitive priorities call for offering a wide variety of customized services. Which of the following process decisions would be more likely? A. more capital intensity B. more resource flexibility C. more process automation D. less customer involvement

B. more resource flexibility

The Director of Marketing is concerned about the number of people who can afford to buy a new proposed product. What element of the Five Forces Model is this?

Buyer Power

Processing types and their applications -Which of the following statements about process choice is BEST? A) A batch process typically has a standard sequence of operations through the facility. B) Automobiles and appliances are examples of products created using a continuous flow process. C) Continuous flow processes are very capital intensive. D) A custom cake operation is an example of a batch process

C) Continuous flow processes are very capital intensive.

Which one of the following statements about flexible automation is BEST? A) The price of a machine is less expensive when it handles many sizes and types of products. B) Chemical processing plants and oil refineries mainly utilize flexible automation. C) It is an automatic process that can be reprogrammed to handle various products. D) It achieves top efficiency; accommodating new products is difficult and costly.

C) It is an automatic process that can be reprogrammed to handle various products.

More fixed automation typically means: A) decreased labor productivity. B) longer cycle time. C) higher demand volumes. D) lower sales.

C) higher demand volumes

One method for a manufacturing facility to gain operational focus is to: A) build large enough factories to produce all products and services the company offers. B) hire more specialists and supervisors to control the operations. C) reorganize existing facilities to the plant-within-plant approach. D) remodel stores to create the effect of many small boutiques under one roof.

C) reorganize existing facilities to the plant-within-plant approach.

The level of activity established to serve as a model for evaluating organizational performance is known as a(n) ________. A) symptom B) problem C) standard D) correction E) incentive

C) standard

What type of organizational objectives are applicable in certain instances, Long Term, Intermediate, Short Term? -You are planning for a trade show 18 months from now. Your Organizational Objective is an example of: A. Short Term Planning B. Long Term Planning C. Intermediate Planning D. Operational Planning

C. Intermediate Planning

What form of market analysis is performed when Crayola tries to figure out what needs their competitors are addressing? A. Process B. Market Segmentation C. Needs Assessment D. None of the Above

C. Needs Assessment

Which Core Process is Crayola developing for the Chinese market? A. Human Resources B. Cost C. Order Fulfillment D. Accounting

C. Order Fulfillment

If you know the person who is responsible for all the financial planners on staff and you know that person would help you gain access to all relevant information for evaluation because of your relationship with that person, you are exercising: A. Position Power B. Executive Power C. Personal Power D. Flower Power

C. Personal Power

Robert is closely monitoring the feed cost on his calf ranch in Modesto, CA. He is watching which aspect of Organizational Resources? A. Capital B. Human C. Raw Material D. Influencing

C. Raw Material

Sarah is 27 years old and is developing her skill as an auditor in order to eventually become an expert. What type of skill is this? A. Conceptual B. Human C. Technical D. Change

C. Technical

Kings County Bearing and Hardware thrives through the constant rotation and vigilant watch of their in-stock items for which they either lose or gain a sale. This is an example of a _____________ Process.

Core

Jarius Enterprises has its employees share hotel rooms, fly coach, and limit meal expenses to $33.00 per day. They also locate their facilities in enterprise zones so as to minimize taxation and utilities costs. They limit executive company cars to Toyota Corollas or equivalent. They are competing through the Competitive Priority of _______________.

Cost

Porter's 5 forces -A company realizes that recent layoffs at its primary customers reflect potential falling demands for its customers' products, and hence for its own products. The company is concerned about: A) flow strategy. B) Market segmentation. C) mission statement redefinition. D) Buyer Power

D) Buyer Power

A yacht maker produces customized yachts for a clientele that wants a one-of-a-kind watercraft. This production and inventory strategy can be described as: A) Make to Stock B) Complex. C) Assemble to Order D) Designed to Order

D) Designed to Order

**Which level of manager predominantly uses technical skill, people/conceptual skills? -A lower level manager would use technical skills which involve ________. A) working with people, both individuals and groups, to achieve organizational goals B) understanding how the organization relates to its environment C) working with people, but not their attitudes and communication D) applying specialized knowledge and expertise to work-related techniques and procedures E) understanding how changes in one part of the organization affect the rest of it

D) applying specialized knowledge and expertise to work-related techniques and procedures

The extent to which an individual is able to influence others so they respond to orders is called ________. A) benchmark B) responsibility C) accountability D) power E) strength

D) power

Managers not only need to be concerned about how to measure performance toward goals, but they must also be concerned about ________ to measure. A) where B) why C) numbers D) what E) when

D) what

If you were evaluating the information you would like to gather on financial planner's performance what issues would you have to consider? A. The costs to obtain that information B. The depreciation of the information system equipment C. The value of that information after discounting for inaccuracy D. A. and C.

D. A. and C.

If you want to be successful in the task Brian Moynihan has assigned you to, you need to find someone who can: A. Help you tell what information is required B. How you can gather it C. Purposes of specific reports D. All of the above

D. All of the above

Which are Crayola's core processes? A. Taking wax, dyes and other raw materials and turning them into products sold to wholesalers and retailers. B. The development of washable markers C. Sourcing re-forested wood. D. All of the above

D. All of the above

An employee of yours is 57 years old and is taking an RS5000 class to learn how to program the next generation of Programmable Logic Controllers. This skill will enable him/her to lead a larger group of people. He is in which stage of his career? A. Decline B. Establishment C. Exploration D. Maintenance

D. Maintenance

Apple Computer has published a policy on ethical behavior. What type of plan would this be? A. Single Use B. Rule C. Strategic D. Standing Plan

D. Standing Plan

Jack spends most of his day in and out of planning meetings, neglecting his day-day duties of keeping the production facility from breaking down. This would be considered: A. an Advantage of planning B. Reaching objectives C. a Single use plan D. a Disadvantage of planning

D. a Disadvantage of planning

Management of your career -In a reasonably consistent, and hopefully successful career, the choices you make and their outcomes are: A. the responsibility of your employer B. completely random and put to chance C. the responsibility of your parents D. ultimately up to you and your decision to follow through

D. ultimately up to you and your decision to follow through

Components of Environmental Analysis -The Director of Marketing meets with the Chief Executive Officer and Vice President of Engineering at General Motors' Chevrolet division to discuss re-introducing the Camaro Z/28 as a 2022 model, and to determine if the auto market will really want a car like that by then. Which component of Environmental Analysis is most present here? A.Political B.Legal C.Technology D.Social-Demographic

D.Social-Demographic

________ standards are those associated with employee skill sets. A) Profitability B) Market position C) Productivity D) Product leadership E) Personnel development

E) Personnel development

Which of the following is a way in which a manager can develop a sense of identification with his subordinates? A) by moving up the organizational hierarchy B) by enhancing his position power C) by creating a perception that subordinates are dependent on the manager D) by demonstrating his control over organizational resources E) by espousing goals, values, and ideals commonly held by his subordinates

E) by espousing goals, values, and ideals commonly held by his subordinates

You work for Matson's Nutraceuticals and find that your job is really to figure out a way to accommodate constant changes in packaging and formulation of protein bars to capture available business. They are competing through the Competitive Priority of _______________.

Flexibility -increase or decrease the rate of production of services or products quickly to handle large fluctuations in demand.

The Engineering department meets with the Chief Executive Officer and Vice President of Engineering at Toyota USA to discuss re-introducing the Toyota MR2 Turbo as a 2024 model in Australia, and sets up a design studio there for further study. Which component of Environmental Analysis is present here in the Strategic Management Process?

International

Measure Productivity EX: Three employees process 600 insurance policies in a week. They work 8 hours per day, 5 days per week.

Labor productivity = Policies process ÷ Employee hours 600 policies ÷ (3 emp.)(40hrs/emp.) = 5 policies/hr

Your staff general counsel is reviewing a specific clause in the Clean Air Act on a future product's emissions. What component of Environmental Analysis is this in the Strategic Management Process?

Legal

The Marketing department meets with the President and Vice President of Engineering to discuss the potential of an emerging market forecasted 6 years in the future. What level of Organizational Objectives would this be?

Long-Term

Coca Cola spends a considerable amount of time and money identifying groups of customers to see if an existing product or new product can be effectively sold to that group. They are exercising what form of Market Analysis?

Market Segment -identifies groups of customers w/ enough in common to warrant design & provision of foods/services.

Measure Productivity EX: A team of workers makes 400 units of a product, which is sold in the market for $10 each. The accounting department reports that for this job the actual costs are $400 for labor, $1,000 for materials, and $300 for overhead.

Multifactor Productiveity= Value of output ÷ Labor +Material+OH cost (400 units)($10/unit) ÷ $400+1,000+$300= $4,000 ÷ $1,700= 2.35

Kia Manufacturing chose to provide a longer warranty than most of its competitors in order to help enter the US market approximately 10 years ago. If sales growth flattened after that period, Kia would be an example of an Order ________________.

Order Qualifier -meets a minimum requirements(of less critical competative priorities)

Porsche continues to sell 911's seemingly effortlessly since the mid-1960's with steady sales growth by exceeding critical competitive priorities. The 911 is an example of an Order ________________.

Order Winner -sells better (by achieving critical competitive priorities)

*The V.P. of Operations is listing the equipment and real estate which can be sold or spun off in a divestiture to raise cash. He is using which Area of Focus for Organizational Objectives (Market Standing, Innovation, Productivity, Physical and Financial Resources, Profitability, etc.....)?

Physical & Financial Resources

How do you Measure Productivity

Product=Output ÷ input

Rolex, which designs and manufactures world class time pieces, uses only the best materials in the construction of their products. They are competing through the Competitive Priority of _______________.

Quality

The sales department has a conference call next week to forecast sales. They want to use past history to develop a trend (or line) with which to forecast future sales. They wish to use which type of Quantitative Sales Forecasting?

Regression

* The Vice President of Finance meets with the President of Wells Fargo Bank to discuss refinancing $3.1 million in medium term financing by negotiating terms on bonds maturing in 7 months. What level of Organizational Objectives would this be?

Short-Term

The Production department holds production meetings every Monday morning to achieve weekly goals. What level of Organizational Objectives would this be?

Short-Term Goal

The project manager for a $2.0 million robotics project completes and presents an installation plan for a specific customer in North Carolina that is packaging ice cream. What type of plan is this?

Single Use Plan

The job site manager for a $34 million freeway expansion presents a way to re-route traffic off of the 91 freeway through Yorba Linda to upgrade a bridge. What type of plan is this?

Single use

Intralox manufactures plastic conveyor chain and typically provides solutions to customer inquiries within 5-10 minutes and ships most custom orders within 1-5 working days. They are competing through the Competitive Priority of _______________.

Time

John works for Trinity Manufacturing which puts considerable effort into quickly finding and developing consumer products that fill varying needs. They are competing through the Competitive Priorities of _______________and ____________.

Time & Flexibility

**Productivity calculations

Units ÷ $overhead+Materials Units ÷ dollar Input