Chapter 33 Flashcards
Value-chain analysis assumes that the basic economic purpose of a firm is to create value and it is a useful
framework for analyzing the strengths and weaknesses of the firm.
T. Value-chain analysis views the organization as a sequential process of value-creating activities. It
provides greater insights into analyzing the competitive position of a firm than SWOT analysis does by
itself.
In value-chain analysis, value is measured by the market value of the total stock outstanding of the
company.
F. Value is the amount that buyers are willing to pay for what a firm provides them and is measured by total
revenue, a reflection of the price the product of the firm commands and the quantity it can sell.
When is a firm considered profitable?
A) When its total revenue is greater than its total costs.
B) When the value it receives exceeds the total cost of creating its product or service.
C) When its consumer surplus is maximized.
D) When its fixed costs are minimized.
B
What are primary activities according to Porter?
A) Activities that support the overall strategy of the firm.
B) Activities that directly contribute to the creation, sale, and support of a product or service.
C) Activities that focus on financial management.
D) Activities that involve human resource development.
B
What does inbound logistics refer to?
A) Managing the delivery of products to customers.
B) Transforming raw materials into finished goods.
C) Managing the receipt, storage, and distribution of inputs.
D) Promoting and selling products to customers.
C
Which of the following is a support activity in Porter’s framework?
A) Outbound logistics
B) Service
C) Technology development
D) Marketing and sales
C
What is the main focus of human resource management as a support activity?
A) Managing logistics and distribution.
B) Recruiting, training, and retaining talent.
C) Enhancing product features.
D) Developing marketing strategies.
B
Which activity is responsible for delivering products or services to customers?
A) Operations
B) Inbound logistics
C) Outbound logistics
D) Service
C
What role does general administration play in Porter’s framework?
A) It focuses on product design.
B) It manages overall firm operations and strategy.
C) It enhances customer relationships.
D) It oversees supply chain management.
B
In assessing its primary activities, an airline would examine
A. employee training programs.
B. baggage handling.
C. criteria for lease versus purchase decisions.
D. the effectiveness of its lobbying activities.
B
Inbound logistics include
A. machining and packaging.
B. repair and parts supply.
C. promotion and packaging.
D. warehousing and inventory control
D. Inbound logistics is associated primarily with receiving, storing, and distributing inputs to the product. It
includes material handling, warehousing, inventory control, vehicle scheduling, and returns to suppliers.
Advertising is a __________ activity. Supply of replacement parts is a __________ activity.
A. support;
primary
B. primary;
primary
C. primary;
support
D. support;
secondary
B
Which of the following examples demonstrates how successful organizations manage their primary
activities?
A. Motorola has revised its compensation system to reward employees who learn a variety of skills.
B. Wal-Mart implemented a sophisticated information system that resulted in reduced inventory
carrying costs and shortened customer response times.
C. National Steel improved its efficiency by reducing the number of job classifications.
D. Hewlett Packard has cut lead time from five days to one by employing JIT inventory management.
D
The value-chain concept assumes that both primary and support activities are capable of producing
value for customers.
T
Inbound logistics include all activities associated with transforming inputs into the final product form
such as machining, packaging, assembly, equipment, testing, printing, and facility operations.
F. Inbound logistics is primarily associated with receiving, storing, and distributing inputs to the product.
Operations include all activities associated with transforming inputs into the final product form, such as
machining, packaging, assembly, testing, printing, and facility operations.
Support activities provide support for primary activities, but not each other.
F. Support activities (procurement, technology development, human resource management, and general
administration) either add value by themselves or add value through important relationships with both
primary activities and other support activities.
Establishing a customer service hotline to handle customer complaints would be considered a primary
activity in value-chain analysis.
T. Service is a primary activity which includes all actions associated with providing service to enhance or
maintain the value of the product, such as installation, repair, training, parts supply, and product
adjustment.
In value-chain analysis, finance and accounting are considered part of the general administration of a
firm
T
What is an important reason for firms to analyze both internal and external value creation?
A) To maximize profits without considering customer needs.
B) To ensure that their internal processes align with the value expectations of suppliers, customers, and partners.
C) To focus only on product development and ignore market trends.
D) To simplify their operations by reducing external partnerships.
B
Which of the following is an example of value addition?
A) Reducing employee training programs
B) Enhancing collaboration with suppliers
C) Cutting costs across all departments
D) Minimizing communication with customers
B
Which of the following is not an advantage of Just-In-Time inventory systems?
A. reduced raw material storage costs
B. minimized idle production facilities and workers
C. reduced work-in-process inventories
D. reduced dependence on suppliers
D. With JIT inventory systems, parts deliveries arrive at the assembly plants only hours before they are
needed. This requires greater reliance on superior performance of suppliers.
XYZ Corp. is focusing on the objective of low-cost, high quality, on-time production by minimizing idle
productive facilities and workers. The XYZ Corp. is taking advantage of a __________ system.
A. Last In, First Out (LIFO)
B. Highly mechanized
C. First In, First Out (FIFO)
D. Just-In-Time (JIT)
D. Just-in-time (JIT) inventory systems were designed to achieve efficient inbound logistics, which is one of
the five primary activities in value-chain analysis. With JIT inventory systems, parts deliveries arrive at
the assembly plants only hours before they are needed, which reduces idle production capacity.
Inbound logistics include
A. machining and packaging.
B. repair and parts supply.
C. promotion and packaging.
D. warehousing and inventory control
D
Which of the following strategies is NOT mentioned as a method for managing inbound logistics effectively?
A) Implementing a Just-in-Time (JIT) inventory system
B) Locating assembly plants near suppliers
C) Developing long-term supplier contracts
D) Creating an efficient layout for raw materials
C