What are the disadvantages of ERP?
> Dave Fletcher (see Problem 3.12) was able to determine the activity times for constructing his laser scanning machine. Fletcher would like to determine ES, EF, LS, LF, and slack for each activity. The total project completion time and the critical path s
> Describe the differences between joint ventures and alliances.
> What is time-based competition?
> Once a product is defined, what documents are used to assist production personnel in its manufacture?
> In what ways is product strategy linked to product decisions?
> What techniques do we use to define a product?
> As an approach to inventory management, how does MRP differ from the approach taken in Chapter 12 , dealing with economic order quantities (EOQ)?
> What are the typical benefits of ERP?
> Identify five specific requirements of an effective MRP system.
> Master schedules are expressed in three different ways depending on whether the process is continuous, a job shop, or repetitive. What are these three ways?
> MRP is more than an inventory system; what additional capabilities does MRP possess?
> The following is a table of activities associated with a project at Rafay Ishfaq’s software firm in Chicago, their durations, and what activities each must precede: a) Draw an AON diagram of the project, including activity durations.
> What are the similarities between MRP and DRP?
> Once a material requirements plan (MRP) has been established, what other managerial applications might be found for the technique?
> What is the difference between a gross requirements plan and a net requirements plan?
> What are major limitations of using the transportation method for aggregate planning?
> Why are graphical aggregate planning methods useful?
> What is the relationship between the aggregate plan and the master production schedule?
> Define mixed strategy. Why would a firm use a mixed strategy instead of a simple pure strategy?
> What is level scheduling? What is the basic philosophy underlying it?
> What information is necessary for random stocking to work?
> What layout variables would you consider particularly important in an office layout where computer programs are written?
> The activities described by the following table are given for the Howard Corporation in Kansas: a) Draw the appropriate AON PERT diagram for J.C. Howard’s management team. b) Find the critical path. c) What is the project completion t
> What are the advantages and disadvantages of work cells?
> What are the four assumptions (or preconditions) of establishing layout for high-volume, low variety products?
> What are the advantages and disadvantages of product layout?
> How would an analyst obtain data and determine the number of trips in: (a) a hospital? (b) a machine shop? (c) an auto-repair shop?
> What are the advantages and disadvantages of process layout?
> Explain the concept of cross-docking.
> Manufacturers locate near their resources, retailers locate near their customers.” Discuss this statement, with reference to the proximity-to-markets arguments covered in the text. Can you think of a counter-example in each case? Support your choices.
> What are the three steps to locational cost–volume analysis?
> What are the major factors that firms consider when choosing a country in which to locate?
> Contrast the location of a food distributor and a supermarket. (The distributor sends truckloads of food, meat, produce, etc., to the supermarket.) Show the relevant considerations (factors) they share; show those where they differ.
> Task time estimates for the modification of an assembly line at Jim Goodale’s Carbondale, Illinois, factory are as follows: a) Draw the project network using AON. b) Identify the critical path. c) What is the expected project length?
> Explain what a flexible manufacturing system (FMS) is.
> Describe briefly what an automatic identification system (AIS) is and how service organizations could use AIS to increase productivity and at the same time increase the variety of services offered.
> What are numerically controlled machines?
> Identify the competitive advantage of each of the four firms identified in Discussion Question 11.
> Identify the competitive advantage of each of the four firms identified in Discussion Question 9.
> Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of 3D printing.
> Of the several points where inspection may be necessary, which apply especially well to manufacturing?
> Which 3 of Deming’s 14 points do you think are most critical to the success of a TQM program? Why?
> In this chapter, we have suggested that building quality into a process and its people is difficult. Inspections are also difficult. To indicate just how difficult inspections are, count the number of E s (both capital E and lowercase e ) in the OM in Ac
> What strategic advantages does computer-aided design provide?
> Roger Ginde is developing a program in supply chain management certification for managers. Ginde has listed a number of activities that must be completed before a training program of this nature could be conducted. The activities, immediate predecessors,
> Describe four organizational approaches to product development. Which of these is generally thought to be best?
> Why are documents for service useful? Provide examples of four types.
> Use the Web or other sources to identify what an ERP vendor (SAP, PeopleSoft/Oracle, American Software, etc.) includes in these software modules: a) Customer relationship management. b) Supply-chain management. c) Product life cycle management.
> Use the Web or other sources to: a) Find stories that highlight the advantages of an ERP system. b) Find stories that highlight the difficulties of purchasing, installing, or failure of an ERP system.
> What are the distinctions between MRP, DRP, and ERP?
> What is the rationale for (a) a phantom bill of material, (b) a planning bill of material, and (c) a pseudo bill of material?
> What functions of the firm affect an MRP system? How?
> What are the options for the production planner who has: a) scheduled more than capacity in a work center next week? b) a consistent lack of capacity in that work center?
> What impact does ignoring carrying cost in the allocation of stock in a DRP system have on lot sizes?
> James Lawson has decided to run for a seat as Congressman from the House of Representatives, District 34, in Florida. He views his 8-month campaign for office as a major project and wishes to create a work breakdown structure (WBS) to help control the de
> Which is the best lot-sizing policy for manufacturing organizations?
> How does MRP II differ from MRP?
> The structure of MRP systems suggests “buckets” and infinite loading. What is meant by these two terms?
> How does aggregate planning in service differ from aggregate planning in manufacturing?
> What are the advantages and disadvantages of varying the size of the work force to meet demand requirements each period?
> How does revenue management impact an aggregate plan?
> What can purchasing do to implement just-in-time deliveries?
> What are blanket orders? How do they differ from invoice less purchasing?
> How does Walmart use drop shipping?
> What is the difference between postponement and channel assembly?
> The work breakdown structure (WBS) for building a house (levels 1 and 2) is shown below: a) Add two level-3 activities to each of the level-2 activities to provide more detail to the WBS. b) Select one of your level-3 activities and add two level-4 act
> George Kyparisis (using data from Problem 1.5) determines his costs to be as follows: Labor: $10 per hour Resin: $5 per pound Capital expense: 1% per month of investment Energy: $0.50 per BTU Show the percent change in productivity for one month last yea
> How does Darden Restaurants, described in the Global Company Profile, find competitive advantage in its supply chain?
> Research and briefly describe the Delphi technique. How would it be used by an employer you have worked for?
> Briefly describe the steps that are used to develop a forecasting system.
> CEO John Goodale, at Southern Illinois Power and Light, has been collecting data on demand for electric power in its western sub region for only the past 2 years. Those data are shown in the table below. To plan for expansion and to arrange to borrow pow
> What are the three time estimates used with PERT?
> What are dummy activities? Why are they used in activity on arrow= (AOA) project networks?
> Define earliest start, earliest finish, latest finish, and latest start times.
> How can we determine the probability that a project will be completed by a certain date? What assumptions are made in this computation?
> What global operations strategy is most descriptive of McDonald’s?
> Describe the meaning of slack, and discuss how it can be determined.
> Briefly describe the contributions of the four individuals identified in the preceding question.
> Describe how expected activity times and variances can be computed in a PERT network.
> How must an operations strategy integrate with marketing and accounting?
> Grace Greenberg, production planner for Science and Technology Labs, in New Jersey, has the master production plan shown below: Lead time = 1 period; setup costs = $200; holding cost = $10 per week; stockout cost = $10 per week. Develop an ordering pla
> M. de Koster, of Rene Enterprises, has the master production plan shown below: Lead time = 1 period; setup cost = $200; holding cost = $10 per week; stockout cost = $10 per week. Your job is to develop an ordering plan and costs for: a) Lot-for-lot. b)
> Develop a POQ solution and calculate total relevant costs for the data in the preceding table. Data Table for Problems 14.22 through 14.25* 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 PERIOD Gross requirements 30 40 30 70 20 10 80 50 *Holding cost = $2.50/unit/week;
> Develop an EOQ solution and calculate total relevant costs for the data in the preceding table. Data Table for Problems 14.22 through 14.25* 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 PERIOD Gross requirements 30 40 30 70 20 10 80 50 *Holding cost = $2.50/unit/week;
> Heather Adams, production manager for a Colorado exercise equipment manufacturer, needs to schedule an order for 50 UltimaSteppers, which are to be shipped in week 8. Subscripts indicate quantity required for each parent. Assume lot-for-lot ordering. Bel
> You have just been notified via fax that the lead time for component G of product A (Problem 14.15 and Figure 14.14) has been increased to 4 weeks. a) Which items have changed, and why? b) What are the implications for the production plan? c) As producti
> Based on the data in Figure 14.13, complete a net material requirements schedule for: a) All items (10 schedules in all), assuming the requirement for each BOM item is 1. b) All 10 items, assuming the requirement for all items is 1, except B, C, and F, w
> As the production planner for Xiangling Hu Products, Inc., you have been given a bill of material for a bracket that is made up of a base, two springs, and four clamps. The base is assembled from one clamp and two housings. Each clamp has one handle and
> Does Boeing practice a multinational operations strategy, a global operations strategy, or a transnational operations strategy? Support your choice with specific references to Boeing’s operations and the characteristics of each type of organization.
> As a library or Internet assignment, find the U.S. productivity rate (increase) last year for the (a) national economy, (b) manufacturing sector, and (c) service sector.
> Southeastern Airlines’s daily flight from Atlanta to Charlotte uses a Boeing 737, with all-coach seating for 120 people. In the past, the airline has priced every seat at $140 for the one-way flight. An average of 80 passengers are on each flight. The va
> Refer to the CPA firm in Problem 13.24. In planning for next year, Cohen estimates that billable hours will increase by 10% in each of the 6 months. He therefore proceeds to hire a fifth CPA. The same regular time, overtime, and outside consultant (i.e.,
> Forrester and Cohen is a small accounting firm, managed by Joseph Cohen since the retirement in December of his partner Brad Forrester. Cohen and his 3 CPAs can together bill 640 hours per month. When Cohen or another accountant bills more than 160 hours
> Dwayne Cole, owner of a Florida firm that manufactures display cabinets, develops an 8-month aggregate plan. Demand and capacity (in units) are forecast as follows: The cost of producing each unit is $1,000 on regular time, $1,300 on overtime, and $1,8
> José Martinez of El Paso has developed a polished stainless steel tortilla machine that makes it a “showpiece” for display in Mexican restaurants. He needs to develop a 5-month aggregate plan. His forecast
> Yu Amy Xia has developed a specialized airtight vacuum bag to extend the freshness of seafood shipped to restaurants. She has put together the following demand cost data: Yu decides that the initial inventory of 250 units will incur the 20¢
> Southeast Soda Pop, Inc., has a new fruit drink for which it has high hopes. John Mittenthal, the production planner, has assembled the following cost data and demand forecast: QUARTER………â
> The S&OP team (see Problem 13.9) is considering two more mixed strategies. Using the data in Problem 13.9, compare plans C and D with plans A and B and make a recommendation. Plan C: Keep the current workforce steady at a level producing 1,300 units per
> Consuelo Chua, Inc., is a disk drive manufacturer in need of an aggregate plan for July through December. The company has gathered the following data: **Note that there is no holding cost for June. What will each of the two following strategies cost? a
> Rao Technologies, a California-based high-tech manufacturer, is considering outsourcing some of its electronics production. Four firms have responded to its request for bids, and CEO Mohan Rao has started to perform an analysis on the scores his OM team
