Lean Production & Quality Management (DP IB Business Management: HL)

Exam Questions

56 mins20 questions
12 marks

Case Study

Hugg Boots, a premium footwear manufacturer, implemented a series of waste reduction strategies in 2024. The company aims to identify and eliminate seven different types of production waste in their production operations.

State two of the seven wastes in lean production.

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22 marks

Case Study

Canadian Construction Materials PLC produces prefabricated housing components. The company's lean production consultant has identified overproduction as their primary source of waste.

Define the term 'overproduction'.

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32 marks

Case Study

South African Mining Corporation, a platinum mining company, implemented Kaizen principles in 2023. This change has led to annual output increasing by 45%.

Define the term 'Kaizen'.

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42 marks

Case Study

Positano Furniture Ltd manufactures high-end furniture. In 2024, it implemented just-in-time stock management to reduce warehousing costs and improve efficiency.

Define the term 'just-in-time stock management'.

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52 marks

Case Study

Rio Pharmaceuticals, a Brazilian manufacturer of generic medicines, implemented just-in-time stock management in 2023. The company has identified several disadvantages during implementation in their production facilities.

State two disadvantages of just-in-time stock management.

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62 marks

Case Study

French Luxury Packaging SA produces cosmetics packaging. In 2024, FLP moved away from the traditional cradle to grave approach, implementing cradle-to-cradle design principles.

Define the term 'cradle to grave approach'.

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72 marks

Case Study

British Home Furnishings PLC designs and manufactures household furniture. In 2024, BHF adopted cradle to cradle design principles, most particularly responsible material selection.

State two principles of responsible material selection in cradle-to-cradle design.

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82 marks

Case Study

Spanish Hotel Group SA, a luxury hotel chain, implemented new quality measures in 2024. The company uses various metrics to measure the quality of their service delivery.

State two quantitative measures of service quality.

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92 marks

Case Study

Eastern Construction Ltd, a commercial building contractor, conducted research in 2024 to understand factors influencing customer perceptions of quality in their projects.

State two factors that influence customer perceptions of quality.

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102 marks

Case Study

Murcia Fruits, a premium juice producer, implemented quality assurance in 2024. The company has identified several advantages of this approach in their orchards, processing plants and warehouses.

State two advantages of quality assurance over quality control.

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112 marks

Case Study

Peruvian Coffee Exporters SA processes premium coffee beans. In 2024, the company established quality circles across the business.

Define the term 'quality circle'.

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122 marks

Case Study

Marriott Hotels International, a global hospitality chain, recently implemented principles of Total Quality Management to improve guest service standards.

Define the term 'Total Quality Management'.

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132 marks

Case Study

Scandinavian Furniture Design Ltd, a manufacturer of premium furniture, achieved quality accreditation in 2024. The company has identified several benefits from this achievement.

State two benefits of achieving quality standard accreditation.

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142 marks

Case Study

GreenHomes, a sustainable building company, follows the cradle-to-cradle (C2C) design approach. It uses recyclable materials and renewable energy in its manufacturing processes.

Describe one feature of cradle-to-cradle (C2C) design.

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14 marks

Case Study

PureCure is a pharmaceutical company committed to producing high-quality medicines. It implements total quality management (TQM) principles to ensure every stage of production meets stringent quality standards.

The company recently acquired ISO certification, demonstrating its commitment to international quality standards. PureCure is also exploring Six Sigma methodologies to further reduce defects and improve operational efficiency. However, these quality-focused initiatives come with high implementation costs and require significant employee training.

Explain one advantage and one disadvantage of PureCure acquiring ISO certification.

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24 marks

Case Study

PureCure is a pharmaceutical company committed to producing high-quality medicines. It implements total quality management (TQM) principles to ensure every stage of production meets stringent quality standards.

The company recently acquired ISO certification, demonstrating its commitment to international quality standards. PureCure is also exploring Six Sigma methodologies to further reduce defects and improve operational efficiency. However, these quality-focused initiatives come with high implementation costs and require significant employee training.

Describe two benefits of PureCure using TQM principles in its operations.

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36 marks

Case Study

Fresh Fleet is a grocery delivery service that specialises in delivering fresh produce directly to customers’ homes. The company prides itself on quick delivery times and maintaining the quality of its produce. Fresh Fleet uses a fleet of refrigerated vehicles to ensure perishable goods are kept fresh during transit.

To improve efficiency, Fresh Fleet has implemented just-in-time (JIT) stock management, ensuring produce is sourced and loaded onto vehicles only as orders come in. While this reduces waste, the company faces challenges in managing unpredictable demand and ensuring supplier reliability. Fresh Fleet also conducts regular quality checks at its distribution centre to maintain high standards, but this adds to operational costs.

Analyse two advantages and one disadvantage of Fresh Fleet using refrigerated vehicles in its operations.

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44 marks

Case Study

Fresh Fleet is a grocery delivery service that specialises in delivering fresh produce directly to customers’ homes. The company prides itself on quick delivery times and maintaining the quality of its produce. Fresh Fleet uses a fleet of refrigerated vehicles to ensure perishable goods are kept fresh during transit.

To improve efficiency, Fresh Fleet has implemented just-in-time (JIT) stock management, ensuring produce is sourced and loaded onto vehicles only as orders come in. While this reduces waste, the company faces challenges in managing unpredictable demand and ensuring supplier reliability. Fresh Fleet also conducts regular quality checks at its distribution centre to maintain high standards, but this adds to operational costs.

Explain one advantage and one disadvantage of Fresh Fleet conducting regular quality checks at its distribution centre.

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56 marks

Case Study

Green Grow is a sustainable farming company that produces vegetables using hydroponics, a soil-free farming method where plants are grown in nutrient-rich water. This method reduces the need for large land areas and allows for efficient use of resources like water and nutrients.

Green Grow is committed to minimising waste and improving efficiency, making lean production a core focus. The company uses just-in-time (JIT) stock management to avoid overstocking and reduce waste. However, it faces challenges with unreliable suppliers, which can disrupt production schedules. To ensure continuous improvement, Green Grow involves employees in Kaizen initiatives, where small, ongoing improvements are made to its farming processes.

Analyse two advantages and one disadvantage of Green Grow involving employees in Kaizen initiatives.

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64 marks

Case Study

Green Grow is a sustainable farming company that produces vegetables using hydroponics, a soil-free farming method where plants are grown in nutrient-rich water. This method reduces the need for large land areas and allows for efficient use of resources like water and nutrients.

Green Grow is committed to minimising waste and improving efficiency, making lean production a core focus. The company uses just-in-time (JIT) stock management to avoid overstocking and reduce waste. However, it faces challenges with unreliable suppliers, which can disrupt production schedules. To ensure continuous improvement, Green Grow involves employees in Kaizen initiatives, where small, ongoing improvements are made to its farming processes.

Describe two ways Green Grow could minimise waste in its farming operations.

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