Question 1

A lean system is also known as a push system.

Accepted Answer

A lean system is actually a pull system, in which products are produced based on customer demand rather than being pushed through the production process without regard for actual need. The idea is to avoid excess inventory and waste by only producing what is needed, when it is needed.

Question 2

When designing a manufacturing or service process, a Pareto chart would be an essential tool for evaluating the process in terms of its action elements, waiting periods, and process flow.

Accepted Answer

A Pareto chart is used to identify and prioritize problems or causes in a process by showing their frequency or impact, not for evaluating action elements, waiting periods, or process flow directly.

Question 3

A weakness of lean systems is that none of its practices are related to the environment or sustainability.

Accepted Answer

This statement is false. One of the key principles of lean systems is to eliminate waste, which includes environmental waste. Lean systems also prioritize efficiency and continuous improvement, which can lead to more sustainable practices. There are also variations of lean systems, such as eco-lean, that specifically focus on environmental sustainability.

Question 4

The primary design objective with lean layouts is to reduce wasted movements of workers, customers, and/or work-in-process.

Accepted Answer

Lean layouts are designed to minimize wasted movements which can improve efficiency and productivity.

Question 5

Lean thinking and Six Sigma quality are both concerned with achieving low cost and high quality throughout the supply chain.

Accepted Answer

Both lean thinking and Six Sigma aim to improve efficiency, reduce waste, and maintain high quality standards throughout the supply chain, leading to lower costs and higher customer satisfaction.

Question 6

The Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award recognizes firms for their quality achievements but is only given to U.S.firms.

Accepted Answer

The Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award is a national award in the United States and is only given to U.S. companies that have demonstrated excellence in quality management and performance.

Question 7

Lean production, JIT, and Six Sigma quality mean the same thing.

Accepted Answer

Lean production, JIT (Just-in-Time), and Six Sigma are different concepts, although they can all be used to improve efficiency and quality in manufacturing processes. Lean production aims to eliminate waste and improve flow, while JIT focuses on delivering materials and products just in time for production. Six Sigma is a methodology for reducing defects and improving quality.

Question 8

Statistical process control (SPC) allows firms to compare process performance to desired levels or required standards.

Accepted Answer

SPC is a method for monitoring and controlling a process to ensure it operates at desired levels or required standards. By using statistical techniques to analyze data, a firm can determine if a process is in control or out of control, and make adjustments as necessary to maintain the desired level of output. Therefore, the statement that SPC allows firms to compare process performance to desired levels or required standards is true.

Question 9

Deming, Crosby, and Juran are all prominent quality professionals whose ideas were vital to the development of Six Sigma.

Accepted Answer

Deming, Crosby, and Juran are three of the most important quality professionals whose ideas helped shape Six Sigma methodology. Deming, for instance, developed the Plan-Do-Check-Act model; Crosby developed the concept of “zero defects”; while Juran developed the “quality control handbook” and the concept of “fitness for use.” Together, their ideas laid the foundation for Six Sigma methodology.

Question 10

Toyota initially designed their JIT program on Ford's manufacturing system.

Accepted Answer

Toyota's Just-In-Time (JIT) production system was influenced by Ford's manufacturing system, but it was further developed and refined by Toyota to suit their specific needs and philosophies.

Question 11

Some of Deming's 14 points actually conflict with many Six Sigma concepts.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Some of Deming's 14 points actually conflict...

Question 12

When lean firms share their best practices with supply chain members, this is referred to as yokoten.

Accepted Answer

Yokoten is a term used in lean manufacturing to describe the dissemination of best practices and knowledge sharing within an organization and with its supply chain partners.

Question 13

Statistical process control uses control charts to monitor the outputs of a process to identify variations due to assignable causes and variations due to common causes.

Accepted Answer

This is the basic concept of statistical process control. Control charts are used to distinguish between random and non-random variations in a process, allowing for the identification of assignable causes and the implementation of corrective actions.

Question 14

Organizations practicing lean production often increase their inventory levels in order to create a cushion against variability so that they can investigate and eliminate the weaknesses in their systems.

Accepted Answer

Organizations practicing lean production aim to reduce inventory levels through just-in-time (JIT) delivery and production systems, rather than increasing them. They strive to identify and eliminate waste in their systems, including variability, to improve efficiency and reduce costs.

Question 15

Lean production is an operating philosophy or mindset that essentially attempts to minimize the impact of system variability and flaws in forecasting through the use of high safety stock inventories.

Accepted Answer

Lean production is an operating philosophy that aims to minimize waste, increase efficiency, and involve all employees in continuous improvement efforts. It achieves this through techniques such as just-in-time inventory and kanban systems, which reduce the need for high safety stock inventories. The goal is to create a flexible and responsive production system that can quickly adapt to changing customer demands and shifts in the marketplace.

Question 16

A type of card called a kanban is used to signal when a process is out of control in a JIT production process.

Accepted Answer

A kanban card is used in JIT production to signal the need to move materials or produce more parts, not to indicate a process is out of control.

Question 17

Acceptance sampling is a statistical technique that enables a shipment reject or accept decision to be made based on information obtained from a representative sample drawn from the population.

Accepted Answer

Acceptance sampling involves taking a representative sample from a population to make a decision about whether or not to reject or accept a shipment.

Question 18

A cause-and-effect diagram is a useful tool for presenting data in an organized fashion, indicating process problems from most to least severe.

Accepted Answer

A cause-and-effect diagram, also known as a fishbone diagram or Ishikawa diagram, is used to identify, sort, and display the possible causes of a specific problem or quality characteristic. It does not prioritize problems from most to least severe; rather, it organizes potential causes into categories.

Question 19

Manufacturing cells are often U-shaped to make operator and material movements easier within the cell.

Accepted Answer

Manufacturing cells are often designed in a U-shape as it makes material handling easier for the operators within the cell, reducing the distance they have to cover to access the different workstations. This layout reduces the chances of bottlenecks and improves the overall efficiency of the cell.

Question 20

The term "lean production" essentially refers to the Toyota Production System in its entirety.

Accepted Answer

The term "lean production" was coined by researchers studying the Toyota Production System, but it has since been adopted and adapted by numerous companies and industries around the world. However, the Toyota Production System remains the cornerstone of the lean production philosophy.

Quiz 8: Process Management: Lean and Six Sigma in the Supply Chain