2.4 Flashcards
(47 cards)
Define job production
Job production- production of a single unit that is unique. Custom product made to specific order eg wedding cake
Adv and dis of job production
ADv of Job production
- High quality
- Skilled labour
- Highly flexible production
- High profit margins due to premium price
DIS of job production
- Labour intensive = increased costs of labour due to high skill
- High unit cost
- Production= slower= longer lead times= maybe decrease satisfaction
- Wide range of specialist tools needed
Define batch production
- Standaridised components can be made in relatively large quantities but system can be adjusted for specification. Made in groups
Adv and dis of batch
ADV of batch
- Lower unit cost than job production (due to economies of scale)
- Flexibility to produce different batches of products
- Machines not producing 24/7 like flow = increased choice for customers
DIS of batch
-Downtime when switching between batches as machines have to stop and change for next batch
- Reduced quality from job
- Decreased motivation due to boring task
Define flow production
Flow production- highly automated,standardised and continuous production of goods eg cars, bottled drinks
Adv and dis of flow
ADV of flow
-High productivity (large-scale, continuous production)
-Lower unit cost (due to economies of scale and automation)
-Consistent quality (thanks to automation)
DIS of flow
-Inflexible β limited ability to change product design quickly
-High initial investment in equipment and machinery
-Monotonous work for employees, potentially leading to low motivation
-Breaks in production= expensive
Cell production
Cell production- team of workers work together to produce an entire product or part of it eg phones,electronics
Adv and dis of cell
ADV of cell
- Workers are more motivated and engaged (teamwork, job rotation)
- Flexibility in product changes
- Reduced waste and shorter lead times
DIS of cell
- Time-consuming setup for each product change
- Higher labour costs if not managed effectively
- Can be difficult to maintain coordination across cells
Define productivity and give formula for labour productivity and capital productivity
Productivity is Output per unit of input in a specific time period
Labour productivity= total output/ number of employees
Capital productivity =output/ number of machines
Ways to increase productivity
- Motivate workers= increased willingness to work hard
-Educationa nd training= increased skill set - Working practise eg teamwork, quality management
- Introduce machines = increased output, decreased mistakes
- Specialisation= workers become professionals in their roles
Problems of increased labour productivity
- Decrease motivation
- Stress and burnout
- Reduce customer service
- Costly as increased mistakes made = decrease quality
Link Between Productivity and Competitiveness
- Increased output= EOS= decrease unit cost in SR = increased competitiveness as they can offer lower price or comp price
Define efficiency
Efficinecy is about making the best use of resources meaning that waste is minimised and average costs will be at their lowest
> Itβs about maximising output with minimal waste.
Average cost per unit=total costs/number of units
Factors Influencing Efficiency
- Employee skills
- Communication
- Management decision making
- Effective systems (machines)
- EOS
- Lean production techniques
Benefits of increased efficiency
- Increased labour productivity
- Decreased unit cost
- Increased profit margins
- Increased flexibility
- Increased competitiveness
Define labour and capital intensive
Labour intensive- high levels of human input in production process eg job production
Capital intensive- high level of capital investment eg machinery eg flow production
Adv and dis of labour intensive
Advantages:
-Flexibility in adjusting to changes in product or demand
-Lower initial investment compared to capital-intensive methods
-Higher quality (especially in services)
Disadvantages:
-Higher ongoing costs (wages, training, recruitment)
-Productivity may be lower than capital-intensive methods
Adv and dis of capital intensive
Advantages:
-High productivity due to automation and machinery
-Consistent quality (due to machine precision)
Disadvantages:
-High initial investment (for machinery and technology)
-Less flexible (difficult to change production quickly)
-Maintenance and repair costs for machinery
-Risk of over-reliance on machines if thereβs a technical failure
Ways to reduce wastage
Reduce:
-Inventory
-Defects
-Waiting times
-Overprocessing eg adding too many features to products
-Overproduction
-Transport- unnecessary movement of goods
Define capacity utilisation and give formula
Capacity utalisation measures the extent to which productive capacity is being exploited
Capacity Utilisation = (Current Output Γ· Maximum Possible Output) Γ 100
Implications of under capacity
Under- Capacity (When a business is producing less than its maximum potential)
Implications:
- Idle resources=inefficiency= not exploting EOS= increased average costs and unit costs
- Loss of market share due to them not operating at full capacity= may see a fall in sales = decreased percentage
-Lower profitability: Since capacity is not fully utilised, the business is not making the most of its resources and generating maximum revenue.
-Reduced competitiveness
Implications of over capacity
Over-Capacity (When a business is operating at or beyond maximum output)
Implications:
-Maintenance issues: Machines or equipment may break down more often if constantly pushed beyond their limits= delays = decreased satisfaction
-Staff= excessive pressure= increased mistakes due to burden= lower product quality or increased defects = increased cost per unit= decreased profitability and increased labour turnover
- Increased variable costs: To meet demand, the business may need to pay for overtime or use additional resources.
-Reduced flexibility: The business may struggle to adapt to sudden changes in demand
Ways of improving capacity
- Overtime payments eg zero hour or temporary contracts = increased productivity
- Outsource production from other firms = increased current output
- Decrease machine maintenance times = help decrease lead times and increase SR output
- Invest in technology
-Lean production: Implementing lean practices can reduce waste, improve process flow, and make full use of available capacity.
-Staff training
Ways to decrease capacity
- Rationalisation- redundancies of workers or sell assets
- Subcontract work from other firms meaning