20. Production and operations CHECK YOUR ENGLISH VOCABULARY FOR BUSINESS AND ADMINISTRATION

CHECK YOUR ENGLISH VOCABULARY FOR BUSINESS AND ADMINISTRATION

20. Production and operations

Exercise 1: Complete each sentence 1 – 15 with two words to make an expression connected with production and operations. The first word should come from the left-hand box, and the second word should come from the right-hand box. Each sentence is followed by a definition of the expression you need. Use each word once only. 1 Unless our supplier reduces its ______________ ______________, we will have to radically change the way we operate. (the length of time that lapses between placing an order for something and receiving it) 2 The recession has led to a drop in overall______________ ______________ , which means that we will have to reduce output on some of our less popular lines. (the quantity of goods or services which can be bought by a group of people, a sector, an organisation, etc) 3 We are currently operating at______________ ______________, which means that we can afford to keep prices lower for our clients. (the most efficient level of production or output, with the result that production costs are kept to a minimum) 4 She works on an ______________ ______________in a factory that makes electronic goods. (a production system where a product moves slowly through a factory as new parts are added to it) 5 We do not allow visitors to come onto the factory floor, but you can view our range of ______________ ______________ in the showroom. (complete products that are ready to sell) 6 The company had to put out a ______________ ______________ to its customers when several potentially dangerous faults were discovered. (the removal from sale of an item that might be dangerous to the people who have bought it) 7 We will be unable to compete successfully in the domestic market unless we reduce our costs by taking advantage of______________ ______________. (the manufacture of goods in another country for import to the domestic market) 8 Our company builds ______________ ______________ into most of its electronic products, so that our customers are forced or obliged to update them more often. (designing products so that they have a limited lifespan and so need to be replaced more often) 9 We make packaging for frozen food, and are an important part of the ______________ ______________ for the industry. (the manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors, etc, who make, deliver and sell products to customers) 10 None of our products are allowed to leave the factory unless there are ______________ ______________ present. (having no faults) 11 Without effective______________ ______________ , we will not be able to produce enough goods to keep up with demand. (assigning people and machines to projects in a way that optimises production and results) 12 The manufacture of most items relies on a reliable source of ______________ ______________ such as wood, iron ore or crude petroleum. (basic items which have to be treated in some way before they can be used) 13 If ______________ ______________ can be kept to a minimum, we can keep market prices at a minimum. (the money needed to make a product) 14 We don't check every item before we send it for sale. We usually find that ______________ ______________ gives us a good idea of quality. (testing a few items from one batch of products before they are sent for sale) 15 Our company takes ______________ ______________ very seriously: we never start a project without working out how many people it will need, and the equipment they will require. (measuring the amount of work that can be done within a certain amount of time, and how many people, machines, etc, it will need) Exercise 2: Look at the definitions in sentences 1 – 16, and decide what is being described in each case. The words you need are in the box (you will need to use some of these words more than once). There are 8 words that do not match any of the definitions. Write your answers in the appropriate space in the table on the next page. In cases where more than one word is needed, do not put any gaps between those words in the table. If you complete it correctly, you will reveal a three-word expression in the shaded vertical column that refers to a production system where work is split up into clearly defined tasks and areas of responsibility. 1 The process of attaching machine-readable lines on a product, product part or package, which can then be read by a computer. (2 words) 2 The task of managing the movement, storage and processing of materials and information in a supply chain. (1 word) 3 The servicing of factory machines and other equipment that is carried out before a fault develops. (2 words) 4 Goods that are bought for use in the production of other products. (2 words) 5 A situation where a particular component or part has been used up and has not been replenished (often as a result of poor inventory control). (1 word) 6 A period during which a machine is not available because it is being serviced or has broken down. (2 words) 7 An allowance made for the possibility of mistakes (for example, a miscalculation in a calculation) (3 words) 8 A production system in which goods are made or purchased just before they are needed. (3 words) 9 An item that is produced in response to the request of a particular client or customer. (3 words) 10 A method of stock control in which the stock of a product in store is used before more recently produced or purchased stock. (4 words) 11 The amount of goods available for sale and the level of consumer need for those goods. (3 words) 12 Finding out facts and information before making a new product, or improving a current one. (3 words) 13 A contract in which the supplier charges the customer the same price for delivery of goods anywhere in the world. (2 words) 14 The practice of obtaining services from other companies rather than using in-house services (including production services) (1 word) 15 Making production processes and products better over a period of time in order to increase quality and reduce waste. (2 words) 16 Pieces of machinery that are used to replace parts of a machine that are broken or faulty. (2 words) Exercise 3: Here are some more word pairs associated with production and operations. Match a word on the left with its 'partner' on the right. There are two words on the left that do not have a partner. automatic batch buffer bottleneck buying centralised cluster contract forward freight list order paced quality shop surplus warehousing assembly book capacity control floor forwarder line manager manufacturing price production purchasing sampling scheduling stock

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