2.4.1 Production, productivity and efficiency Flashcards
what is production?
the total amount of output that is produced in a time period
what are the types of production?
-job
-batch
-flow
-cell
what is job production?
production of one off items to meet the needs of each individual customer
(personalised cake)
what is batch production?
identical items are produced in groups (batches), each item passing through the production process at the same time
what is flow production?
the product moves continuously through the production process
what is cell production?
a form of flow production whereby the production line is split into a series of self contained cells
what are the benefits of job production?
-meets specific needs of customers
-products are higher quality so higher prices can be charged
-motivated and skilled workers
(job satisfaction)
what are the drawbacks of job production?
-expensive to produce
(high labour cost)
-time consuming
what are the benefits of batch production?
-allows for cheaper and quicker production of individual items
-uniform products
-reduced production
what are the drawbacks of batch production?
-quality variability
-potential for under/over production
-tasks may become boring
what are the benefits of flow production?
-consistent quality
-suitable mass production
-efficient process due to:
specialisation of workers
division of labour
use of machinery
what are the drawbacks of flow production?
-mistakes/problems can shut down process
-high initial costs of machinery
-repetitive
what are the benefits of cell production?
-increases quality, teamwork and motivation
-can improve communication between workers
-quality improvements as each cell has ownership
what are the drawbacks of cell production?
-depends on staff
-breakdown of machinery stops production
what is productivity?
the output per input (person or machine) per hour
what is the formula for productivity?
productivity =
total output / number of employees
what factors affect productivity?
-productivity bonus
-productivity deal
-staff training
-investment in new machinery and equipment
