What is the primary OM strategy during the 'Decline' stage of a product's life cycle?

Correct answer: Cost minimization and reduce capacity

Explanation

In the final stage of a product's life cycle, demand is falling, and the strategic focus for operations managers shifts to minimizing costs, reducing overcapacity, and potentially discontinuing the product to reallocate resources effectively.

Other questions

Question 1

Which of the following is listed as one of the six primary reasons for a domestic business to change to an international operation?

Question 2

What is the term for Mexican factories located along the U.S.–Mexico border that receive preferential tariff treatment?

Question 3

What is the primary purpose of an organization's mission statement?

Question 4

Which of the three strategic approaches to competitive advantage involves providing uniqueness to the customer?

Question 5

Engaging a customer with a product through the imaginative use of the five senses is known as what type of strategy?

Question 6

According to the text, a SWOT analysis is a formal review of what?

Question 7

What are activities or factors that are key to a firm achieving its goals called?

Question 8

Transferring activities that have traditionally been internal to external suppliers is known as what?

Question 9

Which global operations strategy has a high degree of centralization, with headquarters coordinating to seek standardization and learning between plants?

Question 10

What is the term for the global operations strategy that combines the benefits of global-scale efficiencies with the benefits of local responsiveness?

Question 11

What does the theory of comparative advantage suggest about outsourcing?

Question 12

Which of the following is identified as a potential disadvantage of outsourcing?

Question 13

In the context of the product life cycle, during which stage do competitive costs become a critical strategic issue for a company?

Question 14

Which of the four global operations strategies is most descriptive of a firm like Heinz, which decentralizes to accommodate local tastes?

Question 15

What is the relationship between Key Success Factors (KSFs) and Core Competencies?

Question 16

The European Union (EU) is described as a major U.S. trading partner with how many people?

Question 17

What is the term for a graphical link of competitive advantage, KSFs, and supporting activities, as exemplified by the analysis of Southwest Airlines?

Question 18

Which of the four global operations strategies is characterized as being the easiest to implement but the least advantageous?

Question 19

According to Porter's five forces model, which of the following is NOT one of the potential competing forces?

Question 20

The return of business activity to the originating country, partly due to political backlash and rising overseas costs, is known as what process?

Question 21

In the factor-rating method example for National Architects, three providers were evaluated. If the importance weight for 'Skilled personnel' is changed to 0.1 and the weight for 'Aligns with policy/philosophy/culture' is changed to 0.2, what is the new total weighted score for the provider Telco (Israel)?

Question 22

A firm that uses exports and licenses to enter global markets and has little local responsiveness and little cost advantage is using which type of strategy?

Question 24

The text uses Honda's focus on gas-powered engines for a wide variety of products as an example of what?

Question 25

Which trade agreement seeks to phase out all trade and tariff barriers among Canada, Mexico, and the U.S.?

Question 26

A transnational company like Nestlé is described as a 'world company' because of what characteristic?

Question 27

According to the text, competing on response includes which three aspects?

Question 28

What is the primary reason that roughly half of all outsourcing agreements fail?

Question 29

In the context of operations strategy, what is a strategy?

Question 30

The WTO has helped accelerate global trade by reducing average tariffs from 40 percent in 1940 to what level today?

Question 31

One of the reasons to internationalize operations is to attract and retain global talent. Why does a global firm have an advantage in this area?

Question 32

Which of the following firms is used as the primary example of a low-cost leadership strategy in the airline industry?

Question 33

During the 'Growth' stage of the product life cycle, which OM strategy becomes particularly critical?

Question 34

A method managers use to evaluate the resources at their disposal and manage or alter them to achieve competitive advantage is called the:

Question 35

What is the key element of the low-cost strategy for the Belgian food retailer Franz Colruyt?

Question 36

In the factor-rating problem for Claudia Pragram Technologies, the criteria weights are: Price 0.1, Nearness 0.6, Technology 0.2, and History 0.1. England's ratings are 2, 3, 1, 1, and Canada's are 3, 1, 3, 2. Which country should be selected and what is its score?

Question 37

Using the data for Ranga Ramasesh's outsourcing decision (Problem 2.9), with weights of Trust 0.4, Quality 0.2, Religious 0.1, Individualism 0.1, Time 0.1, and Uncertainty 0.1, which of the four countries has the highest rating?

Question 38

In the outsourcing decision for Walker Accounting Software, with weights of Flexibility 0.5, Trustworthiness 0.1, Price 0.2, and Delivery 0.2, which provider has the best rating?

Question 39

What is the key characteristic of Boeing's strategy for its 787 Dreamliner that is highlighted in the Global Company Profile?

Question 40

The competitive advantage of Southwest Airlines is built on its low-cost strategy. Which of the following is NOT an activity mentioned in its activity map (Figure 2.8) that supports this strategy?

Question 41

What distinguishes core competencies from key success factors (KSFs)?

Question 42

When a firm expands the life cycle of a mature domestic product by selling it in a less-developed country, it is pursuing which reason for internationalizing operations?

Question 43

A firm that operates as a subsidiary or franchise with substantial independence and decentralized authority in each country it operates in is using which global strategy?

Question 44

Which of the following would be an appropriate OM strategy during the 'Introduction' stage of a product's life cycle?

Question 45

What is the most common reason cited in the text for the failure of outsourcing agreements?

Question 46

The text states that in the airline industry, scheduling is an OM activity but is tied to marketing. Why is this integration necessary?

Question 47

A low-cost leadership strategy requires a relentless effort to drive down costs while also doing what?

Question 48

The firm Caterpillar is used as an example of which global operations strategy?

Question 49

Which of the following is an example of an OM strategy decision a firm would make during the 'Maturity' stage of a product's life cycle?

Question 50

How does a firm like Walmart or Franz Colruyt achieve a cost advantage through its facility strategy?