Productivity & Product design

Productivity increases when:

• inputs increase while outputs remain the same

• inputs decrease while outputs remain the same

• outputs decrease while inputs remain the same

• inputs and outputs increase proportionately

• inputs increase at the same rate as outputs

Multi-factor productivity:

• remains constant

• is never constant

• usually uses substitutes as common variables for the factors of production

• always uses management as a factor

Productivity increases each year in the United States are a result of three factors:  

• Labor, capital, management

• engineering, labor, capital

• engineering, capital, quality control

• engineering, labor, data processing

• engineering, capital, data processing

Determine the multifactor productivity for the combined input of labor and machine time using the following data:

Output: 7,040 units

Input:

Labor: $1,000

Materials: $520

Overhead: $2,000

• 2

• 4

• 6

• 8

Productivity:

• Can use many factors as the numerator.

• is the same thing as production.

• increases at about 0.5% per year.

• is dependent upon labor, management, and capital.

• is the same thing as effectiveness.

Determine the productivity for the case: Four workers installed 720 square yards of carpeting in eight hours.  

• 22,5

• 180

• 90

• 33,4

Process design

• is a group of related tasks with specific inputs and outputs

• specifies the type of work stations to be used, the machines and equipment necessary to carry out the operations

• defines the appearance of the product, sets standards for performance, specifies which materials are to be used, and determines dimensions and tolerances

Perceptual maps –

• compare customer perceptions of a company’s products with competitors’ products

• refers to finding the best-in-class product or process, measuring the performance of your product or process against it, and making recommendations for improvement based on the results

• refers to carefully dismantling and inspecting a competitor’s product to look for design features that can be incorporated into your own product.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ETS1-2

Benchmarking

• compare customer perceptions of a company’s products with competitors’ products

• refers to finding the best-in-class product or process, measuring the performance of your product or process against it, and making recommendations for improvement based on the results

• refers to carefully dismantling and inspecting a competitor’s product to look for design features that can be incorporated into your own product.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ETS1-2

Reverse engineering

• compare customer perceptions of a company’s products with competitors’ products

• refers to finding the best-in-class product or process, measuring the performance of your product or process against it, and making recommendations for improvement based on the results

• refers to carefully dismantling and inspecting a competitor’s product to look for design features that can be incorporated into your own product.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ETS1-2