Q&A Hero

Q: The Logistics Uncertainty Index has been established to identify uncertainty sources that can affect the risk exposure for logistics activities.

Q: ISO 9000 involves organizations benchmarking themselves against organizations from outside their particular industry.

Q: The integration of Six Sigma with the Lean approach refers to Lean Six Sigma.

Q: ISO 14000 is a set of generic standards used to document, implement, and demonstrate quality management and assurance systems.

Q: Logistics service quality relates to a firm's ability to deliver products, materials and services without defects or errors to both internal and external customers.

Q: Excess capacity, or unused available space, can be unproductive because it may result in the purchase of additional equipment or space.

Q: Wireless communications, global positioning systems, and graphical information systems offer tremendous opportunities to improve driver productivity. .

Q: The odometer is a recording instrument that produces a continuous, timed record of the truck, its speed, and its engine speed.

Q: As a general rule, the same types of supervision can be used for both warehouse workers and truck drivers.

Q: Union work rules are often very specific in the sense that job descriptions spell out the responsibilities associated with a particular job.

Q: Productivity efforts in logistics are often directed at increasing the amount of output while holding input constant.

Q: Productivity can be defined as the amount of output divided by the amount of input.

Q: The postponement of product assembly and labeling until exact customer requirements are known is an example of responsiveness.

Q: Responsiveness refers to satisfying current and emerging customer needs.

Q: From a logistics perspective, a network organizational design in logistics is manifested in terms of relevancy, responsiveness, and flexibility.

Q: A matrix organizational design can be very responsive to customer requirements.

Q: Societal changes are relatively easy to accommodate in a hierarchical, or functional, organizational design.

Q: The majority of Fortune 500 companies employ a chief logistics officer.

Q: A decentralized logistics organization means that logistics-related decisions are made at the divisional or product group level and often in different geographic areas.

Q: A centralized logistics organization generally results in better customer responsiveness than a decentralized logistics organization.

Q: In a unified logistics structure, multiple logistics activities are combined into, and managed as, a single department.

Q: One problem with a fragmented logistics structure is because logistics activities are scattered throughout the firm, they likely remain subservient to the objectives of the departments in which they are housed.

Q: In a decentralized logistics structure, logistics activities are managed in multiple departments throughout an organization.

Q: The organization of logistics activities within a firm depends on a number of factors, including the number and location of customers and an organization's size.

Q: ____ complexity centers on the implications associated with the increasing number of products that most companies continue to face in an effort to differentiate themselves with their customers. a. process b. range c. network d. system

Q: ____ complexity refers to the growing number nodes and the associated changes to the links in the logistics system. a. process b. range c. network d. system

Q: Which of the following is not one of the three critical factors associated with the process of managing returned goods? a. why products are returned b. whether returned goods should be managed internally or outsourced to a third party c. how to optimize reverse logistics d. how many products are returned

Q: Transportation accounts for approximately ____ of all petroleum consumption in the United States. a. three-quarters b. two-thirds c. one-half d. one-third

Q: With respect to the design of warehouses, one suggestion for energy savings is to make sure that dock doors are not placed on the ____ of a building. a. west b. east c. north d. south

Q: The two areas in logistics systems where most energy costs occur are ____ and ____. a. warehousing; transportation b. packaging; transportation c. materials handling; packaging d. warehousing; materials handling

Q: The concept of logistics social responsibility, or corporate social responsibility issues that relate directly to logistics, did not emerge until which decade? a. 1970-1979 b. 1980-1989 c. 1990-1999 d. 2000-2009

Q: What is the primary difference between pilferage and theft? a. there is no difference between the two b. pilferage involves a firm's own employees, while theft involves efforts from outsiders c. theft refers to stolen merchandise worth more than $500 d. pilferage refers to stolen merchandise worth more than $500

Q: The materials stolen in ____ are usually for the employee's own use. a. theft b. demurrage c. non-monetary compensation d. pilferage

Q: All of the following are reasons why logisticians should be concerned about theft, except: a. stolen products may reappear to compete with other products b. the time and costs associated with theft aren"t always covered by insurance c. some organizations will avoid locating their facilities in areas characterized by high crime rates d. theft can lead to stockouts in the distribution channel e. all of the above are reasons to be concerned about theft

Q: The Importer Security Filing (ISF) rule requires importers to file ____ pieces of information and carriers to file ____ pieces of information. a. 10; 2 b. 5; 5 c. 2; 10 d. 4; 8

Q: The ____ is responsible for the security of the U.S. transportation system. a. Department of Commerce b. Department of Transportation c. Transportation Security Administration d. U.S. State Department

Q: From a logistics perspective, two of most important government agencies incorporated into the Department of Homeland Security were the Transportation Security Agency and ____. a. Department of Transportation b. Federal Maritime Commission c. Surface Transportation Board d. Customs and Border Protection

Q: The ____ has been established to identify uncertainty sources that can affect the risk exposure for logistics activities. a. Logistics Uncertainty Index b. Logistics Uncertainty Pyramid Model c. Logistics Risk Consortium d. Logistics Risk Factor

Q: What is a key difference between IS0 9000 and the Baldrige Quality Award? a. only the Baldrige Award focuses on quality b. the Baldrige Award is more externally focused than is ISO 9000 c. ISO 9000 is more externally focused than the Baldrige Award d. ISO 9000 focuses more on lean practices than does the Baldrige Award

Q: ____ refers to the integration of Six Sigma and the Lean approach. a. ISO 9000 b. quality management c. supply chain management d. Lean Six Sigma

Q: ____ is a set of generic standards used to document, implement, and demonstrate quality management and assurance systems. a. benchmarking b. Six Sigma c. ISO 9000 d. ISO 14000

Q: A ____ is a device used to monitor and control the actions taken by a driver and his/her vehicle. a. tachograph b. tachometer c. speedometer d. regulator

Q: What is the most important purpose of warehouse work rules? a. to control pilferage b. to keep employees from engaging in unproductive and potentially destructive activities c. to protect companies from union grievance procedures d. to give managers control over warehouse workers

Q: Productivity improvement efforts in logistics are often directed towards ____. a. reducing input while increasing output b. increasing output by a greater percentage than inputs are increased c. reducing input while holding output constant d. increasing output while holding input constant

Q: ____ refers to the amount of output divided by the amount of input. a. control b. monitoring c. productivity d. input-output analysis

Q: ____ can be defined as an organization's ability to address unexpected operational situations. a. relevancy b. flexibility c. accommodation d. responsiveness

Q: ____ refers to satisfying current and emerging customer needs. a. responsiveness b. flexibility c. relevancy d. accommodation

Q: A key attribute of network organizational design is a shift from ____ to ____. a. function; process b. centralization; decentralization c. process; function d. decentralization; centralization

Q: A ____ organizational design attempts to create an organization that is responsive to the parameters of the contemporary business environment. a. matrix b. network c. decentralized d. unified

Q: ____ organizational design has its foundations in the command-and-control military operation, where decision-making and communication often follow a top-down flow. a. centralized b. unified c. matrix d. hierarchical

Q: Which of the following is an advantage of a centralized logistics organization? a. less expensive than a decentralized organization b. good opportunities for freight consolidation c. can be responsive to customer service requirements d. easier to manage than a decentralized organization

Q: Which of the following is an advantage of a decentralized logistics organization? a. less expensive than a centralized organization b. good opportunities for freight consolidation c. better control over company data d. can be responsive to customer service requirements

Q: A primary advantage of ____ logistics is its relative efficiency, whereas a primary advantage of ____ logistics is its customer responsiveness. a. unified; fragmented b. unified; decentralized c. centralized; decentralized d. fragmented; centralized

Q: A ____ logistics organization means that logistics-related decisions are made separately at the divisional or product group level. a. fragmented b. decentralized c. flexible d. agile

Q: A ____ logistics organization implies that the corporation maintains a single logistics department that administers the related activities for the entire company from the home office. a. centralized b. hierarchical c. unified d. command-and-control

Q: In a ____ logistics structure, multiple logistics activities are combined into, and managed as, a single department. a. hierchical b. centralized c. matrix d. unified

Q: One problem with a ____ logistics structure is that because logistics activities are scattered throughout a firm, they likely remain subservient to the objectives of the department in which they are housed. a. fragmented b. matrix c. decentralized d. hierarchicial

Q: In a ____ logistics structure, logistics activities are managed in multiple departments throughout an organization. a. unified b. fragmented c. decentralized d. matrix

Q: ____ and ____ are the two basic organizational structures associated with logistics. a. centralized; hierarchical b. fragmented; centralized c. fragmented; unified d. unified; hierarchical

Q: What are some types of complexity that are affecting logistics activities in a firm?

Q: Discuss the Customs Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT).

Q: In what ways is the legislation requiring 100 percent scanning of U.S.-bound containers likely to be disruptive to international trade?

Q: What are some ways in which the Transportation Security Administration is attempting to improve the security of the U.S. transportation system?

Q: What questions should be asked after a returned item has been counted and recorded?

Q: Discuss reasons why products might be returned.

Q: How can warehouses control their energy usage in terms of design, lighting, and roofing considerations?

Q: Describe some potential logistics social responsibility dimensions.

Q: Explain why piracy attacks on ships are a serious issue for today's logistics manager.

Q: How can logistics managers attempt to control pilferage?

Q: Discuss the reasons why logisticians might be concerned with theft.

Q: What are some potential challenges to improving productivity by getting more output from existing assets?

Q: Discuss how technological considerations can help in managing truck drivers and their productivity.

Q: In what ways can unionized workforces be a challenge to improving productivity?

Q: Define what is meant by productivity and discuss the ways in which productivity can be improved.

Q: From a logistics perspective, how is network organizational design manifested in terms of relevancy, responsiveness, and flexibility?

Q: Describe the hierarchical and matrix organizational design.

Q: What are the differences between a centralized and a decentralized logistics department?

Q: Compare and contrast the fragmented and unified logistical organizational structures.

Q: Discuss several issues that influence the organization of logistics activities within a firm.

Q: Logistics measurement systems have been traditionally designed to include information on how many types of performance? a. two b. three c. four d. five