List some common processes that you perform as a student. How can you use the knowledge from this chapter, such as identifying bottlenecks, to improve them?
> Find, describe, and draw an organization’s sup- ply chain and identify the types of inventory in it and, if possible, their purpose and how they are monitored and controlled. (The example could be a place you worked such as a call center, restaurant, fac
> Identify and describe a queueing system of interest to you. Draw a picture of the system.
> In what queueing situations might you apply only analytical models? Only simulation models? Can you think of a situation where you might apply both types of models to a real-world problem?
> What are the analogies between Little’s Law and a single server queueing model?
> Select a service process and draw the flowchart using no more than 10 process steps. The service process can be based on your work experience, such as in accounting or human resource management, or a familiar process such as a quick-service auto- mobile
> Identify one example of a resource with a very low average utilization rate and a second example with a very high average utilization rate. Consider both service and manufacturing organizations. Write a short (one page typed) paper that describes these s
> What types of jobs are best suited to apply learning curves? How would you determine this?
> Research and write a short paper (two pages maximum) on two examples of revenue management applications not in the text and explain how they help organizations.
> Briefly describe a business you are familiar with and explain how it might use each of the five ways to adjust its short-term capacity levels.
> How might a college or university with growing enrollment use the capacity expansion strategies in Exhibit 10.6? Discuss the pros and cons of each of these.
> Define useful capacity measures for a(n) a. brewery. b. airline. c. movie theater. d. pizza restaurant. e. amusement park.
> Provide some examples of short- and long-term capacity decisions different from Exhibit 10.1.
> Luke Steffie owns a balloon store and must fill balloons with helium and assemble them into certain configurations today for six major parties. His six customer jobs all need to use the same helium tank (that is, the single-re- source processor). Each jo
> Can you identify a focused factory in a service facility? Explain.
> Research and write a short paper (2 pages maximum) on organizations that have successfully used the focused factory concept.
> Provide and discuss some examples of economies and diseconomies of scale in a college environment.
> Search the Internet for some time-series data that relates to sustainability, for example, environmental emissions. What types of patterns do these data exhibit? Apply forecasting techniques in this chapter to forecast ten years into the future.
> Research and write a short paper (two pages maximum) that summarizes the capabilities of commercial software available for forecasting. How does such software compare with using Excel?
> Interview a current or previous employer about how he or she makes forecasts. Document in one page what you discovered, and describe it using the ideas discussed in this chapter.
> Looking back at the chapters you have studied so far, discuss how good forecasting can improve operations decisions in these areas.
> If a manager asked you whether to use time-series forecasting models or regression-based forecasting models, what would you tell him or her?
> Suppose that you were thinking about opening a new restaurant. How would you go about forecasting demand and sales?
> Discuss some forecasting issues that you encounter in your daily life. How do you make your forecasts?
> 1. Customer demand (weekly visits) at Hudson Jewelers is highly seasonal, as shown in the worksheet Hudson Jeweler Demand Case Data in MindTap (these data were used in Chapter 9 for forecasting). In the context of aggregate planning options (Section 14.2
> Research and write a short report (maximum of two typed pages) on green facility design making sure that you incorporate some of the key topics in this chapter.
> How might sustainability issues be incorporated into the design of facilities and workplaces? Provide examples and explain your reasoning.
> List the ergonomic features of your automobile’s interior and discuss any improvements that you can identify.
> What is the role of ergonomics in job design? What factors do you think are the most important?
> Research and write a short paper (1-page maximum) on the advantages and disadvantages of virtual teams in today’s digital environment.
> What do you think of Cargill Kitchen Solutions’ 20-minute job rotation approach? Would you want to work in such an environment, or one in which you performed the same tasks all day. Why?
> Do you think the following jobs require standard times? Explain your reasoning. • Carpet installers • Software programmers • Cable T.V. installers • Hotel maids • Bank tellers • Airline flight attendants • Dentists • Medical Doctors • Restaurant reserv
> How is assembly line efficiency related to unit cost? Explain.
> What type of layout is typically used in a home kitchen? Can you suggest an alternative layout that might have some different advantages?
> Many company cafeterias are changing from the traditional cafeteria (process) layout to a product layout in which food items are arranged into stations (salads, Italian, cold sandwiches, roast beef and ham, etc.). What types of layouts are these? Discus
> The process of obtaining a mortgage for a house or condominium is more complex than most people think. It starts with an application that contains all pertinent information about the borrower that the lender will need. The bank or mortgage company then i
> Visit a manufacturer or service organization and critique their facility design. What are the advantages and disadvantages? How does the layout affect process flows, customer service, efficiency, and cost? Describe the basic types of materials-handling s
> Research and write a short paper illustrating how an organization uses one of the following types of facility layouts: • Product layout • Process layout • Cellular layout • Fixed position layout
> Describe the layout of a typical fast-food franchise such as McDonald's. What type of layout is it? How does it support productivity? Do different franchises (e.g., Burger King or Wendy's) have different types of layouts? Why?
> Discuss the type of facility layout that would be most appropriate for: a. printing books, b. performing hospital laboratory tests, c. manufacturing home furniture, d. a hospital, e. a photography studio, and f. a library.
> What are the advantages and disadvantages of each of the major types of layout patterns? Provide one example of each type of layout for goods-producing and service-providing firms.
> Identify several sources of errors as a student or in your personal life. Develop some poka-yokes that might prevent them.
> Develop a value stream map for the process you flowcharted in Question #27 to identify the value-added and non-value-added activities. How can you estimate costs and/or revenue for the process steps?
> Draw a flowchart for a process of interest to you, such as a quick oil-change service, a factory process you might have worked in, ordering a pizza, renting a car or truck, buying products on the Internet, or applying for an automobile loan. Identify the
> What sustainability issues are present in the example restaurant order fulfillment process example (Exhibits 7.6 and 7.7)? What other restaurant processes need to include sustainability criteria in their design and day-to-day management?
> Discuss how sustainability might be incorporated into a process or value chain improvement initiative. Try to find an example and summarize it in a manner similar to that in the box feature on Alfa Laval.
> The BOM, current inventory, and lead time (in months) for the in-line skates in Rocker Industries (A) case is shown in Exhibit 14.37. Using the chase demand strategy, you developed in Rocker Industries (A), develop a complete MRP week-by-week schedule us
> Design a process for one of the following activities: a. Preparing for an exam b. Writing a term paper c. Planning a vacation
> Provide some examples of customer- and provider-routed services that you have encountered that are different from those described in this chapter. Can you identify any improvements to these processes?
> Use the product-process matrix to explain the implications for Boeing in changing from a project focus to more of a flow shop process as explained in the box "Rethinking Airplane Manufacturing Processes. Limit your discussion to one typed page.
> What type of process – project, job shop, flow shop, and continuous flow – would most likely be used to produce the following? a. Gasoline b. Air-conditioners c. Specialized machine tools d. Ships e. Producing many flavors of ice cream
> What type of process—project, job shop, flow shop, and continuous flow—would most likely be used to produce the following? Explain your reasoning. a. Personal computers b. Weddings c. Paper d. Paper books e. Tax preparation
> Find an article describing the application of optimization models in supply chain design and summarize how the models are used and the benefits that resulted from them. A good journal to search is Interfaces, which should be available in your school lib
> How can satellite-based global positioning systems improve the performance of supply chains in the following industries: (a) trucking, (b) farming and food distribution, (c) manufacturing, and (d) ambulance service?
> Select a firm such as Taco Bell (www.tacobell.com), Bank of America (www.bankofamerica.com), Walmart (www.walmart.com), or another service-providing organization of interest to you and write a short analysis and list of location and multisite management
> Define the principal criteria that might be used for locating each of the following facilities: • hospital • chemical factory • fire station • coffee shop • regional automobile parts
> Rocker Industries (RI) produces recreational in-line skates (see Exhibit 14.36). Demand is seasonal, peaking in the summer months, with a smaller peak demand during December. For one of their more popular models that is being introduced with some cosmeti
> Rapido Burrito is a small, regional chain of quick service restaurants. Rather than wait in a cafeteria-style line, customers check boxes for their choice of ingredients, sauce, and so on paper menus at their table. The food is prepared quickly and then
> Research the topic of “reshoring” in the United States and evaluate its impact. Develop an incentive system for U.S. firms to bring work back to the United States. Be ready to present to the class.
> Research a U.S. company that recently moved a corporate headquarters or factory or research and development center from the United States to another country. What were the advantages and disadvantages for the company in their offshoring decision? Develo
> Explain why it is important for operations managers to understand the local culture and practices of the countries in which a firm does business. What are some of the potential consequences if they don’t?
> If a small U.S. business with sales of $300 million wanted to expand into global markets, develop a check sheet with a list of twenty questions (and decisions) they might have to answer (make) regarding their supply chains. Be ready to present to the cla
> How does globalization impact the supply chain design process?
> One study that focused on the impact of China trade on the U.S. textile industry noted that 19 U.S. textile factories were closed and 26,000 jobs lost in the early 2000s. If these factories had not closed, it would have cost U.S. consumers $6 billion mo
> Do you think you will be working in manufacturing or services when you graduate? What do you think will be the role of manufacturing in the U.S. economy in the future?
> How would you rate the following service encounter experience? Negative and positive reactions?
> Find an example of a service guarantee and explain its strengths and weaknesses.
> Characterize the following goods and services on the low-high-customer-contact continuum and justify your answer in a sentence or two. a. participating in a case study classroom discussion b. listening and taking notes in a classroom lecture c. machining
> The Hudson Jewelers case study found in MindTap integrates material found in each chapter of the book. Case Questions for Discussion: 1. Research short- and long-term risks in the global diamond supply chains and write a short paper (maximum of three pag
> Is it easier to management a high- or low-customer-contact business? Explain.
> Identify a service-provider job and associated service encounters and design and write a job description for it. (Consider desired customer-contact skills and behaviors, education and training requirements, empowerment capabilities, hiring criteria, and
> Propose an explicit service guarantee for a fast-food restaurant. Clearly explain why you included the features of your service guarantee (maximum of one page). Do you think that a restaurant would adopt it? Why or why not?
> Identify a job in an organization and describe how the four elements of service-encounter design are designed and managed for this job. (The job you select could be in a professional organization such as a dentist or tax advisor, or in a routine service
> Select a service at your school, such as financial aid, bookstore, curriculum advising, and so on. Propose a redesign of this service and its service delivery system. First, baseline the current service and system and then suggest how to redesign and imp
> Define lean and elaborate servicescapes and give an example not in the textbook.
> Choose a servicescape for a business with which you are familiar and list key physical attributes of the servicescape and their impact on customer service and value. Explain how the servicescape establishes the behavioral setting for your example.
> Research and write a short paper (maximum two typed pages) illustrating an example of how a company applies concepts of Design for Environment (DfE).
> Explain how the goal post view of conforming to specifications differs from Taguchi’s loss function. Would you rather buy an automobile where suppliers used the goal-post or Taguchi models? Why?
> In building a House of Quality, what departments or functions should be involved in each step of the process?
> Jake and Lilly Gifford founded J&L Packaging, Inc. (J&LP) in 1995 after graduating from the University of Cincinnati. Jake earned a degree in robotics and mechanical engineering, while Lilly graduated with a degree in computer science. They met a
> What lessons can be learned from the LaRosa’s Pizzeria boxed example?
> How might modern technology, such as the Internet, be used to understand the voice of the customer?
> Research and write a short paper about how business analytics or advances in information systems influence the use of technology and decision making in operations management.
> Research and write a short paper (maximum of two typed pages) on the advantages and disadvantages of “technology transfer” when a firm partners with a firm in another country.
> Research what jobs are most and least likely to be replaced by technology and automation.
> Identify and describe (maximum of two typed pages) two apps for your cell phone or electronic reader and how they improve your productivity and quality of life.
> Research and write a short paper (maximum of two typed pages) on the impact of electric vehicles on the three dimensions of sustainability.
> How can social media enhance the sale of a physical good? A service? Provide examples. Explain.
> Describe a situation where self-service and technology help create and deliver the customer benefit package to the customer. Provide examples of how such a system can cause a defect, mistake or service upset.
> Discuss each of these statements. What might be wrong with each of them? a. “We’ve thought about computer integration of all our manufacturing functions, but when we looked at it, we realized that the labor savings wouldn’t justify the cost.” b. “We’ve h
> LCC Medical Manufacturing, located in Punta Gorda, Florida, produces medical devices for orthopedic surgery including replacement parts for human knees, hips, and elbows, and surgical tools. One component LCC out- sources is the meta tibial component. Th
> Explain how manufacturing and service technology, and business analytics strengthen the value chain.
> Identify and describe (maximum of two typed pages) a business that uses ERP to manage its value chain (if possible, draw a picture of key elements of the value chain such as sourcing, production, shipping, sales, billing, and so on). What benefits and c
> How do the “Veja Company: Sneakers with a Conscience” operations and supply chain decisions and practices support their mission and strategy? Provide examples and explain. Report your findings in a short paper (maximum of two typed pages).
> Research Apple and define its strategic mission, vision, corporate strategy, competitive priorities, and operations strategy. What can you say about Apple’s strategy and practices regarding sustainability? You might use the Internet or visit the library.
> Identify two competing organizations (e.g., AT&T and Verizon, TaylorMade and Callaway golf club manufacturers, or Starbucks and Panera). Explain the differences in their missions, strategies, and competitive priorities, and how their operations strategie
> Apply Hill’s strategy framework to a goods producing or service-providing organization of your choice. This will require research to identify corporate objectives and competitive priorities. See the McDonald’s example in the chapter for guidance and make
> Research and write a short paper on a company that has a clear strategy based on social and ethical sustainability.
> Identify two firms that endorse sustainability as part of their corporate strategy and discuss how sustainability is integrated into their strategies.
> Why is sustainability a strategy and not a competitive priority? Explain your reasoning.
> Is it possible for a world-class organization to achieve superiority in all five major competitive priorities—price (cost), quality, time, flexibility, and innovation? Explain your reasoning.
