operations management

1. (10 points): What factors enter into the choice of a value for the smoothing constant in exponential smoothing?

2. (15 points): Name at least 3 competitive advantages of concurrent engineering?

 

3. (10 points): A new order has come into your department. The capability of the process used for this type of work will enable virtually all of the output to be well within the specifications for your product.

a. (5 Points): What benefits might be derived from this situation?

b. (5 Points): What alternatives might be considered by the manager?

 

4. (20 points): What are the four main reasons for holding inventory?

 

5. (10 points): To be more competitive, many fast-food chains began to expand their menus to include a wider range of foods. Although contributing to competitiveness, this has added to the complexity of operations, including inventory management. Specifically,provide at least 2 different ways this expansion of menu offerings will most likely create problems for inventory management?

 

6. (20 points): In operations management, as in life, a balanced approach is often the best policy. One of the best examples of the benefits of this in operations management is the “lean approach”?. Explain at least four basic factors that must be in place in order to achieve a “balanced lean system”?.

 

7. (15 points): Provide at least 3 different factors when comparing the concept of viewing a firm’s suppliers as adversaries with viewing them as partners.

 

 

 

 

8. (10 points): (D&RQ 17.9)

Why might a probabilistic estimate of the project completion time base solely on the variance of the critical path be misleading? Under what circumstances would it be acceptable?

 

PART B: QUANTITATIVE EXERCISES:

50 Possible Examination Points

Instructions: Please download this portion of the final examination and provide your answers supported by your detailed calculations. The use of EXCEL is encouraged. If you use EXCEL, please provide a single worksheet with each exercise within a single file.

 

1. (10 Points):(Exercise 5.2): In a job shop, effective capacity is only 50% of design capacity, and actual output is 80% of effective output. What design capacity would be needed to achieve an actual output of 8 jobs per week?

 

2. (10 Points): (Exercise 7.8): A recently negotiated union contract allows workers in a shipping department 24 minutes for rest, 10 minutes for personal time, and 14 minutes for delays for each 4 hours worked. A time study analyst observed a job that is performd continuously and found an average time of 6.0 minutes per cycle for a worker she rated at 95%. What standard time is applicable for this operation?

3. (30 Points): (Ch 16.14): The production manager must determine the processing sequence for 7 jobs through the grinding and deburring departments. The same sequence will be followed in both departments. The manager’s goal is to move the jobs through the two departments as quickly as possible. The foreman wants the SPT rule to be used to minimize the work-in-process inventory in his department.

Processing Time (Hours)
Job Grinding Deburring
A 3 6
B 2 4
C 1 5
D 4 3
E 9 4
F 8 7
G 6 2

a. (15 Points) Prepare a schedule using the SPT for the grinding department and determine the total flow times for the Grinding and the Deburring and the overall processing time.

b. (15 Points) Determine the sequence that will minimize the total time needed to process the jobs in both departments. What flow time will result for the grinding department, the Deburring Departmant and the total time?

c.

Order this paper now

Operations Management

Rather than wait until you are next in a supermarket to check out the different types of work,
we brought some of the jobs at Whole Foods Market to you. Now that you have some background
in job evaluation, it is time to try it out. As a first step, Whole Foods has done job analysis
and prepared job descriptions. The results are shown below. Now a job structure is needed.
The manager has assigned this job to you.
1. Divide into teams of four to six each. Each team should evaluate the jobs and prepare a job
structure based on its evaluation. Assign titles to each job, and show your structure by title
and job letter. A broad hint: Recall from our discussion of Whole Foods’ business and pay
strategy that teams play an important role.
2. Your team should describe the process it went through to arrive at that job structure. The job
evaluation techniques and compensable factors used should be described, and the reasons for
selecting them should be stated.
3. Each team should give each job a title and put its job structure on the board. Comparisons can
then be made among job structures of the various teams. Does the job evaluation method
used appear to affect the results? Do the compensable factors chosen affect the results? Does
the process affect the results?
4. Evaluate the job descriptions. What parts of them were most useful? How could they be
improved?
JOB A (Team Member, Deli)28
Kind of Work
Provide excellent customer service. Follow and
comply with all applicable health and sanitation
procedures. Prepare food items: sandwiches,
slice deli meats and cheeses. Prepare
items on station assignment list and as predetermined.
Stock and rotate products, stock supplies
and paper goods in a timely basis; keep
all utensils stocked. Check dates on all products
in stock to ensure freshness and rotate
when necessary. Use waste sheets properly, as
directed. Operate and sanitize all equipment
in a safe and proper manner. Comply with and
follow Whole Foods Market Safety Procedures.
Follow established Weights and Measures procedures
(tares). Answer the phone and pages
to department quickly and with appropriate
phone etiquette. Practice proper use of knives,
slicer, trash compactor, baler (must be 18 years
of age or older), and all other equipment used
during food preparation and cleanup. Perform
other duties as assigned, and follow through
on supervisor requests in a timely manner.
Requirements
• Some deli experience preferred.
• Clear and effective communicator.
• Patient and enjoys working and mentoring
people.
• Ability to perform physical requirements of
position.
• Ability to learn proper use of knives, slicer,
baler (must be 18 years of age or older)
and all other equipment used during food
preparation and cleanup.
• Ability to work well with others as a team.
• Knowledge of all relevant Whole Foods
Market policies and standards.
• Understands and can communicate quality
goals to customers.

Is this the question you were looking for? If so, place your order here to get started!