Using benchmarking and best practices as a means of achieving operating excellence
A) is a four-step process that entails (1) benchmarking how well a company performs specific tasks and activities against best-in-industry or best-in-world performers, (2) adapting the various best practices to fit the company's situation and then implementing them, (3) continuing to benchmark company performance of activities against best-in-industry or best-in-world performers, and (4) continuing to improve and refine the company's performance of its activities and thereby move closer to operating excellence.
B) is essential if a company is to effectively and efficiently implement TQM and/or Six Sigma quality control systems.
C) needs to be directed chiefly at manufacturing and customer service activities, since these two areas are generally the most critical to good strategy execution.
D) is a prerequisite to effective reengineering of core business processes and to building strong core competencies.
E) is a potent tool for helping top managers set stretch performance targets and track a company's progress in executing its strategy.
Answer: A
Management
- First-time exporters and importers often employ a cautious strategy with respect to terms of sale. Because of this, which of the following terms of sale would be lease likely to be used by first-time exporters and importers?
- With respect to INCOTERMS, the seller transfers all risk of loss and all responsibility for expenses on the buyer at his loading dock in a(n) ______ transaction.
- Which of the following are not addressed by terms of sale?
- First-time exporters and importers often employ a cautious strategy with respect to terms of sale. Because of this, which of the following terms of sale would be least likely to be used by first-time exporters and importers?
- With respect to INCOTERMS, the seller transfers all risk of loss and all responsibility for expenses on the buyer at his loading dock in a(n) _____ transaction.
- Which of the following are not addressed by terms of sale?
- Logistics management encompasses more activities than does supply chain management.
- Inventory management is probably the single most important element of international logistics.
- A(n) _____ finds and services markets overseas on behalf of domestic manufactures.
- Water ports can be controlled and managed by _____.
- In terms of intermodal traffic, US railroads load more containers than barges.
- The best trading partners for the US are Canada and
- An emphasis on customer satisfaction was NOT one of the characteristics of the "early days" of logistics.
- Which one was NOT one of the characteristics of the "early days" of logistics?
- "Reverse logistics" deals with the activities involved in the return of products to the manufacturer, including the return of used packaging.
- Transportation decisions are more complicated in international logistics than they are in domestic logistics.
- International logistics includes activities that are not part of domestic logistics.
- "Supply chain management" is now considered to include not only the management of all of the activities that are part of "logistics," but also the management of the relationships of a company with its suppliers and customers.
- In 2012, the United States exported more goods than any other country in the world.
- Information on foreign countries, including their economic environment, their political environment, and their geography, can easily be found in several publications. Which is NOT one of the organizations that publishes background information on countries?
- The euro has replaced the currencies of all the other countries of the European Union.
- The North American Free Trade Association (NAFTA) includes only the United States and Canada.
- World trade in services represents a higher percentage of total world trade than does world trade in merchandise.
- The country that represents the largest share of international trade is China.
- A firm just beginning to ship internationally is recommended to _____.