MIS 361-03 Fall 2008
Mid-term (October 19th) Study Guide
Page 1 of 2
Short Answer – 3 to 4 sentences; I will select 10 to 12 questions that will be on the
exam.
CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION TO OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT
1. What is operations management and how is it different from operations research?
2. What are the major factors leading to the resurgence of interest in OM today?
3. Explain the difference, from an operations management perspective, between cost
minimization and value maximization.
4. What do we mean by the expression value chain, as it applies to the transformation
process of a good or service?
CHAPTER 2 OPERATIONS STRATEGY: DEFINING HOW FIRMS COMPETE
5. Identify the different types of competitive priorities. How has their relationship to
each other changed over the years?
6. Describe the difference between order-qualifiers and order-winners. What is the
relationship between these two over time?
7. Why does the “proper” operations strategy keep changing for companies that are
world-class competitors?
8. What is meant by the expression “manufacturing is entering the information age?”
CHAPTER 3 THE ROLE OF TECHNOLOGY IN OPERATIONS
9. In what ways can technology affect an operation? Use examples in both
manufacturing and service operations.
10. What are the benefits of automation in a manufacturing company?
11. How is technology in operations affecting competition at the worldwide level?
12. Why do small upstarts sometimes have a technological advantage over some of the
enormous multinational organizations with equally gigantic budgets?
CHAPTER 4 SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT
13. What are the advantages and disadvantages to a firm having a small number of
suppliers?
14. Why does the old saying “a chain is only as strong as its weakest link” apply to
supply chains also?
MIS 361-03 Fall 2008
Mid-term (October 19th) Study Guide
Page 2 of 2
15. What are pros and cons associated with outsourcing a number of supply chain
activities?
16. What are the pros and cons associated with developing close ties with your suppliers
and logistics providers?
CHAPTER 6 NEW PRODUCT AND SERVICES DEVELOPMENT, AND PROCESS
SELECTION
17. Why is it important for a firm to have an effective new product (or service)
development process?
18. What are the benefits to the firm that can develop new products faster than its
competition?
19. Describe what is meant by the "voice of the customer."
20. Identify the two methods used by firms to generate new product ideas.
21. Why is it important that managers understand the relationship between the various
stages of a product’s life cycle and the different types of processes that are available
to manufacture that product?
22. List companies to whom you are loyal. How much does their new product
development ability in the past and/or the present play a part in your loyalty to that
company?
23. What are your favorite new products and services—things that you can’t live without
anymore—that were not at all available 2 to 5 years ago? Who is your favorite
provider of that product or service? Why? How or why was that product or service
developed?