1. Why should one study operations management? 2. Identify four people who have contributed to the theory and techniques of operations management. 3. Briefly describe the contributions of the four individuals identified in the preceding question. 4. Figure 1.1 outlines the operations, finance/accounting, and marketing functions of three organizations. Prepare a chart similar to Figure 1.1 outlining the same functio for one of the following: Organizational Charts Commercial Bank Operations Marketing LORS Investments Check Clearing Collection Financial AGGounting esiniayout Vault operations Auditing Trust Department a. a newspaper b. a drugstore c. a college library d. a summer camp e. a small costume-jewelry factory 5. Answer Question 4 for some other organization, perhaps an organization where you have worked 6. What are the three basic functions of a firm? 7. Identify the 10 strategic operations management decisions. 8. Name four areas that are significant to improving labor productivity. The U.S., and indeed much of the rest of the world, has been described as a "knowledge society." How does this affect productivity measurement and the comparison of productivity between the U.S. and other countries? What are the measurement problems that occur when one attempts to measure productivity? Mass Customization and rapid product development were identified as challenges to modern manufacturing opera- tions. What is the relationship, if any, between these chal- lenges? Can you cite any examples? 12. What are the five reasons productivity is difficult to improve in the service sector? 13. Describe some of the actions taken by Taco Bell to increase productivity that have resulted in Taco Bell's ability to serve "twice the volume with half the labor." 14. As a library or Internet assignment, find the U.S. produc- tivity rate (increase) last year for the (a) national econ- omy. (b) manufacturing sector, and (c) service sector. 11.1 Productivity increases when: inputs increase while outputs remain the same. b) inputs decrease while outputs remain the same outputs decrease while inputs remain the same. d) inputs and outputs increase proportionately c) inputs increase at the same rate as outputs. LO 1.2 Services often: a) are tangible 1) are standardized. c) are knowledge based d) are low in customer interaction c) have consistent product definition LO 1.3 Productivity: a) can use many factors as the numerator b) is the same thing as production c) increases at about 0.5% per year. d) is dependent upon labor, management, and capital. e) is the same thing as effectiveness LO 1.4 Single-factor productivity: a) remains constant b) is never constant. c) usually uses labor as a factor. d) seldom uses labor as a factor e) uses management as a factor LO 1.5 Multifactor productivity: a) remains constant b) is never constant c) usually uses substitutes as common variables for the factors of production d) seldom uses labor as a factor e) always uses management as a factor LO 1.6 Productivity increases each year in the US are a result of three factors: a) labor, capital, management b) engineering, labor, capital c) engineering, capital, quality control d) engineering, labor, data processing e) engineering, capital, data processing