Systems and Operations Management

QUESTIONS, PROBLEMS, ANSWERS, SOLUTIONS TO PROBLEMS
QUESTIONS
1. What is production/operations?
2. What factors distinguish between production and service operations?
3. What are the major decision areas in P/OM?
4. What are the major components of a production system? Give two examples.
5. List four basic operations strategies.
6. Explain the difference between total and partial productivity.
7. What is continuous improvement (CI)? What are the major tools for this philosophy?
8. How does productivity measurement differ between manufacturing and service operations?
9. Contrast the world class view with the traditional view in quality control.
10. List the types of quality costs.
11. Describe total quality management (TQM).
12. What is ISO-9000 Series Standards? List key quality awards.
13. What is the logic of Taguchi methods?
PROBLEMS
1. Donovan Furniture Company provided the following data. Compare the labor, materials, and total productivity of 20X1 and 20X2. | | 20X1 | 20X2 | | | | | Output: | Sales | $22,000 | $35,000 | | | | | Inputs: | Labor | 10,000 | 15,000 | | Materials | 8,000 | 12,500 | | Capital equipment | 700 | 1,200 | | Energy | 2,200 | 4,800 | | Total inputs | $20,900 | $33,500 |
2. Identify specific productivity and quality measures that would be useful in each of the following operations:
(a) Bus system.
(b) Department store.
(c) Post office.
(d) Hotel.
ANSWERS
1. Production/operations is the process by which goods and services are created.
2. Distinction between manufacturing and service operations is based on the following features: the nature and consumption of output; nature of work (jobs); degree of consumer contact; uniformity of output; quality assurance; measurement of performance.
3. Major decision areas in P/OM include: capacity planning, aggregate production planning and master