5.2.3

Production Efficiency

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Lean Production

Lean production techniques are geared towards reducing waste during production. Two examples are (just in time, another method, will be covered later):

Cell production

Cell production

  • Workers are grouped into multi-skilled teams within cells.
  • Different teams are assigned to different aspects of the production process.
  • A cells passes on completed products to the next cell in the production process.
  • Efficiency may be improved because:
    • Workers are more motivated (because they work within a team with extra responsibilities).
    • Workers share expertise and skills.
Kaizen

Kaizen

  • The Japanese term kaizen means continuous improvement.
  • The process focuses on workers continuously making small improvements for overall progress and productivity gains in a firm.

Managing Stock - Just in Time

Just in time (JIT) is a method for managing stock that aims to keep stock levels very low at all times.

Benefits of JIT

Benefits of JIT

  • JIT can reduce costs because a business does not have to pay for storage space for the stock and the business is likely to have less unsold stock.
  • Storage also adds other costs, for example damage to stock, stock insurance and security to protect the stock.
Disadvantages of JIT

Disadvantages of JIT

  • JIT usually needs more frequent deliveries. More deliveries usually means higher transport and logistic costs. There may also be environmental costs and an impact on the local community. – Because a firm using JIT is buying in lower quantities, rather than in bulk, they will get smaller or no discounts on the materials that they are buying.
  • With JIT, there is a higher chance that the business will not be able to meet demand if there is an unexpected spike in demand. This is because they do not keep stock in reserve (buffer stock).
Jump to other topics
1

Business Organisation & Environment

1.1

Introduction to Business Management

1.1.1Why Businesses Exist & Sectors
1.2

Types of Organisation

1.2.1Sole Traders1.2.2Limited Liability1.2.3Non-Profit1.2.4Franchising1.2.5End of Topic Test - Franchising
1.3

Organisational Objectives

1.3.1External Environments1.3.2Business Mission & Corporate Objective1.3.3Mission, Corporate Objectives & Strategy1.3.4SWOT Analysis1.3.5End of Topic Test - SWOT Analysis
1.4

Stakeholders

1.4.1Stakeholders
1.5

External Environment

1.5.1Social & Technological Environment1.5.2Lifestyle & Technological Environment1.5.3Corporate Social Responsibility1.5.4Economic Environment1.5.5Political & Legal Change
1.6

Growth & Evolution

1.6.1Growth & Retrenchment1.6.2Challenges of Growth1.6.3Growth Models1.6.4End of Topic Test - Diseconomies of Scale1.6.5Internationalisation1.6.6Sourcing Resources & Entering Markets1.6.7End of Topic Test - Internationalisation1.6.8Managing Internationalisation1.6.9Impact of Internationalisation
1.7

HL Only: Organisational Planning Tools

1.7.1Organisational Planning Tools
2

Human Resource Management

2.1

Functions & Evolution of Human Resource Management

2.1.1Setting Human Resource Objectives2.1.2Human Resource Management2.1.3Labour Turnover & Retention2.1.4Labour Productivity
2.2

Organisational Structure

2.2.1Organisational Structures
2.3

Leadership & Management

2.3.1Managers2.3.2Management Theories2.3.3End of Topic Test - Management
2.4

Motivation

2.4.1Motivating & Engaging Employees2.4.2Taylor's Theory2.4.3Maslow's Theory2.4.4Herzberg's Theory2.4.5Different Incentives2.4.6Evaluating Incentives
2.5

Organisational (Corporate) Culture

2.5.1Managing Organisational Culture2.5.2Organisational Structures
2.6

HL Only: Industrial/Employee Relations

2.6.1Improving Employer-Employee Relations2.6.2Case Study - The Winter of Discontent
3

Finance & Accounts

3.1

Sources of Finance

3.1.1Internal Sources of Finance3.1.2External Sources of Finance3.1.3Factors for Financing3.1.4End of Topic Test - Debt
3.2

Costs & Revenues

3.2.1Costs & Revenues
3.3

Break-Even Analysis

3.3.1Profit3.3.2Break-Even Analysis
3.4

Profitability & Liquidity Ratio Analysis

3.4.1Profitability Analysis
3.5

Cash Flow

3.5.1Cash Flow3.5.2Solutions to Cash Flow Problems3.5.3Improving Cash Flow & Profits
3.6

HL Only: Investment Appraisal

3.6.1Investment Appraisal
3.7

HL Only: Budgets

3.7.1Cash-Flow & Budgets
4

Marketing

4.1

The Role of Marketing

4.1.1Setting Marketing Objectives4.1.2Market Calculations
4.2

Marketing Planning

4.2.1Marketing Mix4.2.2Segmentation4.2.3Niche & Mass Markets
4.3

Market Research

4.3.1Market Research4.3.2Market Mapping4.3.3Methods of Market Research
4.4

The 4 Ps

4.4.1Product Decisions4.4.2Pricing Decisions & Price Skimming4.4.3Pricing Decisions & Price Penetration4.4.4End of Topic Test - Pricing & Competition4.4.5Promotional Decisions4.4.6Promotional Decisions 24.4.7Promotional Decisions 34.4.8Digital Marketing4.4.9Evaluating Digital Marketing4.4.10Case Study - The Marketing Mix & Promotion4.4.11Place & Distribution
4.5

HL Only: The Extended Marketing Mix

4.5.1The Extended Marketing Mix
4.6

HL Only: International Marketing

4.6.1International Marketing
4.7

E-Commerce

4.7.1E-Commerce
5

Operations Management

5.1

The Role of Operations Management

5.1.1Setting Operational Objectives
5.2

Production Methods

5.2.1Production Processes Overview5.2.2Production Processes5.2.3Production Efficiency5.2.4Technology & Production
5.3

HL Only: Lean Prodution & Quality Management

5.3.1Importance of Quality5.3.2Measuring & Identifying Quality5.3.3Total Quality Management5.3.4Evaluating Total Quality Management5.3.5Case Study - Toyota Production System
5.4

HL Only: Production Planning

5.4.1Capacity5.4.2Productivity & Efficiency5.4.3Technology & Efficiency5.4.4Improving the Supply Chain5.4.5Inventory5.4.6Outsourcing
5.5

HL Only: Research & Development

5.5.1Organisational Planning Tools

Practice questions on Production Efficiency

Can you answer these? Test yourself with free interactive practice on Seneca — used by over 10 million students.

  1. 1
    Ways in which cell production may improve efficiency:Fill in the list
  2. 2
    Methods of lean production (excluding just in time):Fill in the list
  3. 3
    What does the Japanese term kaizen mean?Multiple choice
  4. 4
    Features of Cell ProductionPut in order
  5. 5
    For a lemonade business using JIT, what may happen in a heatwave?Multiple choice
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Production Processes

Technology & Production