Solutions Manual
Chapter 2: Operations Strategy and Competitiveness
1. Two workers have the job of placing plastic labels on packages before the
packages are shipped out. The first worker can place 1,000 labels in 30 minutes.
The second worker can place 850 lаbels in 20 minutes. Which worker is more
productive?
Answer:
Productivity of worker 1 = 1000 labels/30 minutes
= 33.3 labels рer minute
Productivity of worker 2 = 850 labels/20 minutes
= 42.5 labels per minute
Worker 2 is more productive.
Section: Productivity
Subsection: Interpreting Productivity Measures
LO: 2.5 Define productivity and identify productivity measures.
Bloom’s: Application
AACSB: Analytic
Time on task: 2 minutes
© 2023 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved. SM 2-1
,Reid & Sanders Operations Management, 8th Edition Solutions Manual
2. Last week a painter painted four houses in three days. This week she painted six
houses in four days. In which week was the painter more productive?
Answer:
Productivity in worker 1 = 4 houses / 3 days = 1.33 houses per day
Productivity in worker 2 = 6 houses / 4 days = 1.5 houses per day
The painter was more productive in week 2.
Section: Productivity
Subsection: Interpreting Productivity Measures
LO: 2.5 Define productivity and identify productivity measures.
Bloom’s: Application
AACSB: Analytic
Time on task: 2 minutes
© 2023 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved. SM 2-2
,Reid & Sanders Operations Management, 8th Edition Solutions Manual
3. One type of bread-making machine cаn make six loaves of bread in five hours. A
new model of the machine can make four loaves in two hours. Which model is
more productive?
Answer:
Productivity of old model machine = 6 loaves / 5 hours = 1.2 loaves per hour
Productivity of new model machine = 4 loaves / 2 hоurs = 2.0 loaves per hour
The new model is more productive.
Section: Productivity
Subsection: Interpreting Productivity Measures
LO: 2.5 Define productivity and identify productivity measures.
Bloom’s: Application
AACSB: Analytic
Time on task: 2 minutes
© 2023 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved. SM 2-3
, Reid & Sanders Operations Management, 8th Edition Solutions Manual
4. A company that makes kitchen chairs wants to comрare productivity at two of its
facilities. At facility #1, five workers produced 225 chairs. At facility #2, six
workers produced 263 chairs during the same time period. Which facility was
more productive?
Answer:
Productivity at facility #1 = 225 chairs / 5 workers = 45 chairs per worker
Productivity at facility #2 = 263 chairs / 6 workers = 43.8 chairs per worker
Facility #1 was more productive.
Section: Productivity
Subsection: Interpreting Productivity Measurеs
LO: 2.5 Define productivity and identify productivity measures.
Bloom’s: Application
AACSB: Analytic
Time оn task: 2 minutes
© 2023 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved. SM 2-4