Chapter 1 Solution Manual

Chapter 1 Solution Manual

CHAPTER 1

Solution Manual

Discussion Questions

1. The intent of this question is to get the student to think about timing issues. The first of these issues is that the process of direction setting, planning, and execution all go on simultaneously. The distinction is that the direction setting and future planning may be for products that have not yet even been designed, while the detailed material and capacity planning is for products that will be made in the very near future, and the execution activities are for producing products that were planned some time ago. It is very difficult for the students to get that timing sequence down. Their examples should clearly illustrate they understand that the planning taking place today is for products that will be produced in the future.

1. Taken from the student's perspective, the breakdown is: major (front end), courses and sequence (engine) and performance (back end). Once the major is planned, a schedule of courses is required. This MPS is exploded into classes by term (frozen in the short run). The shop floor system monitors and adjusts for changes like failing, dropping courses, or having courses canceled.

1. This is obviously a question designed to let the class run loose. Among the things that they may come up with are: the population explosion, advances in information technology, new production technology, the emergence of China, developments in theory, and new organizational innovations.

1. Before asking questions, lash her soundly. She should be focusing on what type of business the company is in and what processes are used. Why is she going straight to software and system choice? This chapter stresses the need to fit the system to the needs of the firm, market and supply chain partners. Has she determined the specific tasks that need to be performed to do any of this? Only after she has worked on defining the MPC needs of the firm can she select the software and system choice.

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