Question 1

Structural operations management decisions include:
A)Workforce,capacity,and facilities.
B)Workforce,production planning,and materials controls.
C)Capacity,facilities,and technology.
D)Materials controls,supply chain,and value definition.

Accepted Answer

Structural operations management decisions typically involve long-term choices that affect the physical and technical framework within which operations are conducted. This includes decisions on capacity (how much of a product or service can be produced), facilities (where production or service delivery will take place), and technology (what equipment or systems will be used). These elements are foundational to the design and operation of the production system.

Question 2

Which of the following statements is NOT true regarding supply chain management?
A)Globalization has slowed the growth of supply chain management.
B)Supply chain management is a way of viewing operations management.
C)Supply chain management has grown as a result of a focus on core capabilities.
D)Supply chain management is about making the most of relationships with suppliers.

Accepted Answer

Globalization has actually accelerated the growth of supply chain management due to increased complexity and competition in global markets.

Question 3

During the "mass production" era,operations management focused primarily on:
A)Production and design.
B)Internal production.
C)The global supply chain.
D)Sales,production,and design.

Accepted Answer

During the "mass production" era, operations management primarily focused on internal production, including improving efficiency, reducing costs, and increasing output. The focus was on streamlining production processes and reducing waste, rather than sales or design. The global supply chain did not become a significant focus until later stages of production.

Question 4

To an operations manager,the "key customer" is:
A)The person who buys a product.
B)The person who has the greatest impact on design,sales,and growth opportunities for the product.
C)The Echelon 1 customer.
D)The person who uses the product.

Accepted Answer

The "key customer" for an operations manager is not just the person who buys the product, but rather the person who has the greatest impact on design, sales, and growth opportunities for the product. This could include someone who influences the buying decisions of others or provides important feedback on product performance. In other words, the key customer is the person who can help drive the success of the product and the company overall.

Question 5

Which of the following functions would NOT have to think about "processes"?
A)Logistics management
B)Production management
C)Supply management
D)Accounting
E)All of these have to think about "processes."

Accepted Answer

All of these functions involve processes as they each require a series of actions or steps to achieve their respective goals.

Question 6

Joe Jones was asked to undertake a project to determine the resources and capacity his firm would need in the next three to 10 years.These types of decisions are considered to be:
A)Infrastructural aspects of operations management.
B)Positional aspects of operations management.
C)Assessment aspects of operations management.
D)Structural aspects of operations management.

Accepted Answer

Structural aspects of operations management refer to decisions related to the design and configuration of the firm's resources and capabilities. Joe Jones is tasked with determining the resources and capacity the firm will need in the future, which falls under this category.

Question 7

Which functional activities are the most closely related to operations managers' attempts to manage the flow of materials and information in a firm?
A)Finance,accounting,and supply management
B)Logistics,finance,and supply management
C)Logistics,supply,and customer management
D)Customer,finance,and logistics management

Accepted Answer

Logistics involves the management of the flow of materials and information, while supply management involves the procurement of materials needed for production. Customer management involves managing customer demand and expectations, which can impact the flow of materials and information. Therefore, logistics, supply, and customer management are the most closely related functional activities to operations managers' attempt to manage the flow of materials and information in a firm. Finance and accounting are important functions for managing the financial aspects of the firm, but they are not as closely related to operations management in terms of material and information flow.

Question 8

Which of the following statements about operations management processes is NOT true?
A)Inputs to operations management processes can be materials,people,and/or information.
B)Outputs of operations management processes are always tangible goods.
C)Operations management processes involve transformation of inputs into valuable outputs.
D)Design of operations processes should reflect what customers want.

Accepted Answer

Outputs of operations management processes can be both tangible goods and intangible services. Services such as healthcare, education, and consulting are examples of intangible outputs of operations management processes.

Question 9

Which of the following statements is a reason why operations management is important?
A)Efficient and productive operations drive the economic well-being of nations.
B)Operations management is responsible for much of the value created by organizations.
C)Operations management is a key source of competitive differentiation among firms.
D)All of these are reasons why operations management is important.

Accepted Answer

Efficient and productive operations are crucial to the economic well-being of nations. Operations management is responsible for creating value for organizations through effective management of resources. Finally, operations management can provide a competitive advantage through innovation, quality, and cost-effectiveness. Therefore, all of these reasons make operations management important.

Question 10

Which of the following is NOT one of the processes included in operations management?
A)Design
B)Finance
C)Produce
D)Deliver

Accepted Answer

Operations management includes the design, production, and delivery of goods and services. Finance is not a process within operations management.

Question 11

Johnson Company makes widgets,which it then sends to Smith Company.Smith Company puts the widgets in packages.Smith Company is considered by Johnson to be a:
A)Key customer.
B)Upstream product supplier.
C)Aftermarket supplier.
D)Downstream product supplier.

Accepted Answer

Smith Company is downstream in the supply chain as it receives widgets from Johnson Company and packages them for the end customers, making it a downstream product supplier.

Question 12

A process is:
A)A set of planned steps used to achieve an objective.
B)A system of activities that transforms inputs into valuable outputs.
C)A system of decisions.
D)A combined effort by people who want to get something done.

Accepted Answer

The answer of A process is:
A)A set of planned steps...

Question 13

Operations management is:
A)The management of production.
B)The management of services.
C)The management of processes.
D)The management of physicians.

Accepted Answer

Operations management involves overseeing, designing, and controlling the process of production and redesigning business operations in the production of goods or services.

Question 14

Growth of the supply chain management perspective in operations management results from the advent of:
A)Technology and infrastructure advances.
B)Collaborative networks.
C)A focus on core capabilities.
D)All of these.

Accepted Answer

The growth of the supply chain management perspective in operations management can be attributed to various factors, including technology and infrastructure advances, collaborative networks, and a focus on core capabilities. Technology and infrastructure advances have enabled companies to manage supply chains more efficiently and effectively. Collaborative networks have allowed companies to work together to achieve common goals, such as reducing costs and improving quality. Finally, a focus on core capabilities has led companies to outsource non-core activities to specialized suppliers, which has further increased the importance of supply chain management. Therefore, all of these factors have contributed to the growth of the supply chain management perspective in operations management.

Question 15

Physical goods can be differentiated from services in the operations management process by:
A)Longer lead times and they can be inventoried.
B)More capital-intensive and shorter lead times.
C)More labor-intensive and longer lead times.
D)More expensive and easier to control.

Accepted Answer

Physical goods can be inventoried which means they can be stored for future use, while services cannot be stored. Also, physical goods typically have longer lead times to produce or deliver compared to services.

Question 16

While there is overlap between operations management and supply chain management,the two are different in that:
A)Operations management focuses on production,supply chain management focuses on supply and logistics.
B)Operations management focuses on tangible goods,supply chain management focuses on services.
C)Operations management focuses on processes,supply chain management focuses on relationships and flows.
D)All of these.

Accepted Answer

Operations management is concerned with designing and controlling the processes of production and delivery of goods and services. Supply chain management, on the other hand, deals with the flow of goods, services, information, and finance across the different stages of the supply chain network. It involves managing relationships with suppliers, manufacturers, distributors, retailers, and customers, and ensuring the timely and cost-effective flow of products and services. While there is some overlap between the two, the primary focus of operations management is on processes, whereas supply chain management is concerned with relationships and flows. Thus, the correct choice is C.

Question 17

Jones Manufacturing sells a part to Lear Corporation.Lear puts this part into a radio,which Lear then sells to Ford.From Ford's point of view,Jones Manufacturing is a(n)__________ supplier.
A)Echelon 1
B)Echelon 2
C)Tier 1
D)Tier 2

Accepted Answer

Jones Manufacturing is considered a Tier 2 supplier from Ford's perspective because it sells parts to Lear Corporation (a Tier 1 supplier), which directly supplies Ford.

Question 18

Every organization operates which of the following types of supply chains?
A)Product and tangible goods supply chains.
B)Information and personnel supply chains.
C)Direct and indirect supply chains.
D)Product and resource/technology supply chains.

Accepted Answer

The given options are not completely accurate in terms of describing the types of supply chains. Product and resource/technology supply chains best describe the different types of activities involved in managing the flow of goods and services from the original source to the end-user. These activities may include sourcing, procurement, production, transportation, inventory management, demand forecasting, and customer service, among others. While the other options touch upon some aspects of supply chain management, they do not fully capture the complexities of managing product and resource/technology supply chains. Therefore, option D is the best answer.

Question 19

A supply chain is a global network of organizations and activities involved in:
A)Producing,buying,servicing,and disposing of goods and services.
B)Designing,transforming,consuming,and disposing of goods and services.
C)Financing,producing,and marketing of goods and services.
D)Designing,financing,selling,and disposing of goods and services.

Accepted Answer

A supply chain encompasses the entire process of designing, transforming (producing), consuming, and disposing of goods and services, covering all aspects from initial concept to end-of-life disposal.

Question 20

Operations managers answer questions of what,how,when,where,and who by defining both the ___________ and _____________ aspects of the operations management system.
A)Financing and capacity
B)Marketing and delivery
C)Structural and infrastructural
D)Production and accounting

Accepted Answer

Operations managers need to define both the structural (organizational) and infrastructural (processes and technology) aspects of the operations management system in order to effectively answer questions of what, how, when, where, and who. Financing and capacity, marketing and delivery, and production and accounting may be important components of the operations management system, but they are not the primary considerations in answering these questions.

Quiz 1: Introduction to Managing Operations Across the Supply Chain

Structural operations management decisions include:

Which of the following statements is NOT true regarding supply chain management?

During the "mass production" era,operations management focused primarily on:

To an operations manager,the "key customer" is:

Which of the following functions would NOT have to think about "processes"?

Joe Jones was asked to undertake a project to determine the resources and capacity his firm would need in the next three to 10 years.These types of decisions are considered to be:

Which functional activities are the most closely related to operations managers' attempts to manage the flow of materials and information in a firm?

Which of the following statements about operations management processes is NOT true?

Which of the following statements is a reason why operations management is important?

Which of the following is NOT one of the processes included in operations management?

Johnson Company makes widgets,which it then sends to Smith Company.Smith Company puts the widgets in packages.Smith Company is considered by Johnson to be a:

A process is:

Operations management is:

Growth of the supply chain management perspective in operations management results from the advent of:

Physical goods can be differentiated from services in the operations management process by:

While there is overlap between operations management and supply chain management,the two are different in that:

Jones Manufacturing sells a part to Lear Corporation.Lear puts this part into a radio,which Lear then sells to Ford.From Ford's point of view,Jones Manufacturing is a(n) __________ supplier.

Every organization operates which of the following types of supply chains?

A supply chain is a global network of organizations and activities involved in:

Operations managers answer questions of what,how,when,where,and who by defining both the _ and ___ aspects of the operations management system.