Question 1

Experience curves are the opposite of learning curves-as one rises,the other falls.

Accepted Answer

Experience curves and learning curves both describe how costs decrease as experience and production increase, but they are not opposites. Both suggest that as more units are produced, the cost per unit decreases due to increased efficiency and learning.

Question 2

On an ordinary graph,unit times decrease at a decreasing rate,but on a log-log graph,the learning "curve" appears as a straight line.

Accepted Answer

On a log-log graph, the x and y-axes are both logarithmic, so a learning "curve" that decreases at a decreasing rate will appear as a straight line.

Question 3

The arithmetic approach (or successive doubling approach)to learning curve calculations allows us to determine the hours required for any unit.

Accepted Answer

The arithmetic approach (or successive doubling approach) is not used for learning curve calculations, which typically involve a percentage reduction in time or cost for each doubling of units produced, indicating a geometric or exponential decrease, not an arithmetic or linear one.

Question 4

A firm that successfully pursues a steeper-than-industry-average learning curve and manages costs down may still fail if,by underestimating a strong competitor,it fails to gain the added volume necessary for the learning curve to exist.

Accepted Answer

This statement is true. Even if a firm has a competitive advantage through a steeper learning curve and cost management, if it underestimates a strong competitor and fails to gain the necessary volume to sustain the curve, it may still fail. Competition plays a critical role in the success or failure of a business, even if other factors are in place.

Question 5

Experience curves may be valid for industrial applications,but have no role in services such as health care procedures.

Accepted Answer

Experience curves can also be relevant in services such as health care procedures, as repeated exposure and practice can lead to improvements in efficiency and quality.

Question 6

A project manager bases his time and labour estimates on a learning curve of 86%.The actual learning curve turns out to be 89%.The manager,because of the decreased learning,will complete his project in more time and with more labour use.

Accepted Answer

A higher learning curve (89%) means the project will take more time and resources than initially estimated for a lower learning curve (86%). Therefore, the manager's project will take more time and require more labor use.

Question 7

Learning curves can be used to establish budgets.

Accepted Answer

Learning curves can be used to predict the time and cost required for a task as more experience is gained. This information can be used to establish budgets for future projects.

Question 8

The earliest application of learning curves appears in the work of architect Frank Lloyd Wright.

Accepted Answer

The earliest application of learning curves was actually during World War II by the U.S. Air Force in order to improve production efficiency in the manufacturing of airplanes. Frank Lloyd Wright did not use or apply learning curves in his work.

Question 9

Learning curves can only be applied to labour.

Accepted Answer

Learning curves can be applied to any process, not just labor. They reflect the improvement in efficiency or reduction in time required to complete a task as experience is gained. This concept can be applied to machines, technologies, and software as well.

Question 10

The logarithmic approach to learning curve calculations allows us to determine the hours required for any unit.

Accepted Answer

The logarithmic approach to learning curve calculations involves using a logarithmic equation to calculate the hours required to produce a certain unit after a certain number of production cycles. Therefore, this approach enables us to determine the hours required for any unit.

Question 11

A 90% learning curve implies that each time the production volume is doubled the direct time per unit is reduced to 90% of its previous value.

Accepted Answer

The definition of a 90% learning curve states that each time production volume doubles, the direct time per unit decreases by 10%. This means that the direct time per unit will be 90% of its previous value. Therefore, the statement is true.

Question 12

The learning curve in the steel industry and the learning curve in heart transplant operations have both been estimated at 79%.

Accepted Answer

The statement is true. Both the steel industry and heart transplant operations have been estimated to have a learning curve of 79%.

Question 13

The learning curve may not be permanent;it can be disrupted by changes in process,personnel,or product.

Accepted Answer

The learning curve is not a fixed phenomenon and can be disrupted by various factors such as changes in process, personnel, or product. Therefore, the statement is true.

Question 14

If the first unit in a series of units takes 200 days to complete,and the learning curve is 80%,then the second unit will take 160 days.

Accepted Answer

The formula for the learning curve is Y = aX^b, where Y is the time/unit, X is the number of units produced, "a" and "b" are constants that represent the initial time/unit and the rate of improvement, respectively. If the learning curve is 80%, then "b" would be a negative value (usually around -0.32). Using this formula, we can find that the second unit will take approximately 160 days to complete.

Question 15

The learning curve coefficient approach may be simpler to use than the logarithmic approach,but it requires the presence of a table of learning coefficients.

Accepted Answer

The statement accurately reflects the differences between the two approaches.

Question 16

In the logarithmic approach formula to compute the time for the Nth unit,TN = T1Nb,the exponent b is the learning curve rate L,expressed as a decimal.

Accepted Answer

The exponent b in the logarithmic approach formula is not the learning curve rate L; it is related to the learning rate but is calculated as b = log2(L), where L is the learning curve rate.

Question 17

If the learning curve for a process is 100%,then each unit in a series of units will have the same labour requirements.

Accepted Answer

If the learning curve for a process is 100%, it means that there is no improvement or decline in the labour requirements for each unit. Therefore, each unit in a series will have the same labour requirements.

Question 18

Learning curves are based on the premise that people and organizations become better at their tasks as the tasks are repeated.

Accepted Answer

Learning curves show that as tasks or processes are repeated, individuals or organizations become more efficient and effective in performing them, resulting in lower costs, shorter cycle times, or better quality outcomes. This phenomenon is also known as experience curves, progress functions, or productivity improvement curves, and can be applied to various domains such as manufacturing, education, healthcare, or finance.

Question 19

Reevaluation of learning curves is inappropriate.

Accepted Answer

Reevaluation of learning curves is appropriate in order to track progress and identify areas for improvement. It allows for adjustments to be made to the learning process and can lead to better outcomes.

Question 20

An 80% learning curve means that with each unit increase in production,labour requirements fall by 20%.

Accepted Answer

The answer of An 80% learning curve means that with...

Quiz 25: Learning Curves