{"id":231960,"date":"2018-02-20T23:50:30","date_gmt":"2018-02-20T23:50:30","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/essaysparlor.com\/?p=192594"},"modified":"2018-10-24T09:14:58","modified_gmt":"2018-10-24T09:14:58","slug":"425-final-exam","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.benedictsol.com\/blogs\/425-final-exam\/","title":{"rendered":"425 final exam"},"content":{"rendered":"
    \n
  1. Electronic line judges <\/strong>are devices used in tennis to automatically detect where a ball has landed on the court or players have committed foot faults since the early 1970s. In 1950, the first electronic devices were used in calling balls and strikes for a player at bat during batting practice.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

     <\/p>\n

    Now, in year 2016, both sports continue to use live, human umpires to make the calls on faults, ball location, balls or strikes,\u00a0 along with base running and other player actions\u00a0 during professional matches.\u00a0\u00a0 Other sports such as cricket and football have also witnessed amazing technological developments along the same lines.<\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

    Why do sports, especially professional baseball and tennis, still use human umpires to make the calls in spite of the advances in technology since the first introductions of electronic monitoring?\u00a0 <\/strong><\/p>\n

    \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

    \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

      \n
    1. One of the most important aspects of modern technological innovation is that so many of the most up to date machines use the most basic techniques to accomplish their function. In other words, if you were to look at a \u201cmodern\u201d version of a pant\u2019s presser, you would see something that is faster, more compact, easier to use in today\u2019s factory or cleaning store, but the basic function of the actual putting steam and pressure on the garment is the same today as it was 75-100 years ago.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

       <\/p>\n

      Agriculture in ancient China developed a method of pushing seeds into the ground using hand labor and a stick and a way to cut the mature plant using a hand knife.\u00a0 Modern machines still push seeds into the ground and use the same harvest-cutting actions (how the cutting blade hits the plant), in the same way as was done thousands of years ago.\u00a0 Only in today\u2019s machines, we do it with hydraulics and engines instead of the human hand waving a machete or scythe.\u00a0 We have many machines all around us, even in the home, that the basic way in which they perform their function is similar to the way that function was done hundreds of years ago, but with electric power doing the heating, the moving, hydraulics doing the carrying, or other function.\u00a0 The basic work function has remained the same over many years, but its performance measures changed.<\/p>\n

       <\/p>\n

      Identify a machine that performs the same basic function today as it did 50-100 years or more ago and tell what performance measures applicable to it changed as the machine evolved into its present form.\u00a0 Discuss how the machine developed from its incarnation (birth) to the present and what likely innovations were made to increase performance numbers.<\/strong><\/p>\n

       <\/p>\n

       <\/p>\n

        \n
      1. A 60-year-old individual working for an airline became instantly obsolete when the jet-powered airliners took to the air and pushed piston-engined aircraft out of the skies. In his case, he had been the world\u2019s greatest expert in low voltage direct current systems used on the piston-engined planes and he was absolutely left at technological ground zero when the new jets came with high voltage alternating current generators.\u00a0 He suffered instant obsolescence as soon as the jets came into commercial airline service in 1957.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

         <\/p>\n

        Assume you are advising a 55-year-old auto mechanic who has been repairing cars since he was just a kid hanging around auto shops and learning by doing.\u00a0 He used to be expert at everything from repairing engines, fixing steering, electric power systems, dashboard instruments and systems, collision repair, repainting, seat repair, and more.\u00a0 You and he work for a dealer of the most advanced cars and the elder auto mechanic is finding himself helpless in the face of computer controls, video screens, electronic troubleshooting, etc.<\/p>\n

         <\/p>\n

          \n
        1. How would you plan a program for him to put his talents to use as best as possible on the new cars and their hi-tech computers, electric drives, new batteries, etc.? <\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

          \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

            \n
          1. How might you choose what duties you would channel him into so that he can narrow his focus and development?<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

            \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

              \n
            1. How would you pick the training classes he should take in automotive school to sharpen up his knowledge and experience in those specialties? What specialties would you pick?<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

              \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

                \n
              1. You join a mid-size 1000-person machine shop company. The owner calls you in and shows you the following cost curve he has just finished plotting for the nine years his firm has been in business.\u00a0 His curve starts with what he calls his year zero at 2003 and he is terribly worried about the fact that his costs per unit of production are now rising after years of reducing them.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

                 <\/p>\n

                He has been working with the firm\u2019s cost control engineers, accountants, and shop personnel to remove\/reduce every penny of waste costs he could achieve.\u00a0 It seems, however, that by year five, he hit a level bottoming out of his costs.\u00a0 He could not achieve any more savings from his operation.\u00a0 His workers are the best and they have contributed all their ideas and all their efforts.<\/p>\n

                 <\/p>\n

                Now, he tells you: You are an outsider.\u00a0 Look at this curve and tell me what\u2019s happening.\u00a0 The costs are in dollars per unit produced, but the amounts are not as important as is the shape of the curve and how it changed from the first years to the last few years.\u00a0 <\/strong><\/p>\n

                \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

                You have to explain to him what the curves reveal and suggest ways to start reducing costs again.\u00a0 It\u2019s your job to analyze the situation and tell him what he needs to do.\u00a0 He wants, and needs, some specific suggestions\u2014not just airy \u201cget better equipment\u201d or other such meaningless suggestions.\u00a0 You are not dealing with the ordinary \u201cperson on the street\u201d who knows nothing of production.\u00a0 You are dealing with a smart operating chief who just needs help in aligning his technological operation to break away from this rising cost curve.<\/strong><\/p>\n

                \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

                 <\/p>\n

                He warns you not to show your analysis or recommendations to anyone because it has company confidential information on it.\u00a0 He does not want competitors to get your analysis.\u00a0\u00a0 <\/strong><\/p>\n

                \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

                His telling you not to discuss your individual work goes for your not showing your analysis to any other student as well.\u00a0\u00a0 <\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

                 <\/p>\n

                As you develop your thoughts about what he should do, you must provide the references so that if he wants to read the sources of your ideas, he can retrieve the articles himself.\u00a0 So, provide full format footnotes of your sources.<\/u><\/p>\n

                \u00a0<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

                \u00a0<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

                  \n
                1. You work for GAS PRODUCTION COMPANY that sits on 10 acres (a huge area) of barren land 10 miles out of a small town, at the end of a private road you own, with no one living nearby. It\u2019s all barren land around your plant, so the plant is isolated from anyone who has no business with your firm.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

                   <\/p>\n

                  Your boss makes all his decisions about technological change by doing Return on Investment\u00a0 (ROI) analyses.\u00a0 He calls in his cost analysts and peppers them with dollar figures, gets their calculators going and gets the answers.\u00a0 Now, however, he is confronted with a decision in which ROI analyses don\u2019t seem to hold.\u00a0 He has to make a decision on what type of equipment to buy to reduce toxic Dioxin gas emissions from the plant.<\/p>\n

                   <\/p>\n

                  The EPA says GAS PRODUCTION COMPANY must reduce its emissions of Dioxin gases to 50% of present values within the next year, another 50% in three years after that, and another 50% in the three years after that. Diagram the problem with a C & S analysis.<\/em><\/p>\n

                   <\/p>\n

                  Your boss sends out letters to companies in the toxic gas waste disposal business and gets back proposals from 25 different firms for the equipment he needs.<\/p>\n

                  The ZERO Corporation sends him a consultant to help your boss decide which firm\u2019s equipment to buy.\u00a0 They tell him that this consultant is unbiased and would give your boss a completely objective<\/em> report.<\/p>\n

                   <\/p>\n

                  Here is the final evaluation analysis ZERO\u2019s consultant gives your boss.\u00a0 He gives the boss the following table and tells him that the analysis objectively <\/strong>shows that ZERO is the best company for what the boss needs.\u00a0 Moreover, he says the advantages of ZERO are so great, the decision is NOT sensitive.\u00a0 He is very proud for having used the Cost-Effective<\/em> method to handle the decision and hopes you will agree that ZERO Corp. deserves the contract from your firm.\u00a0 He gives the boss the following chart (and nothing more).<\/p>\n

                   <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
                  Alternative<\/td>\nNoise level\u00a0 Wght\u00a0\u00a0 8<\/td>\nCompactness<\/p>\n

                  Wght\u00a0 6<\/td>\n

                  		Operating\u00a0 Cost<\/p>\n

                  Wght\u00a0 4<\/td>\n

                  		Equipment cost<\/p>\n

                  Wght\u00a0 1<\/td>\n

                  		Total<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
                  ZERO Corp.<\/td>\nExcellent<\/td>\nExcellent<\/td>\nGood<\/td>\nFair<\/td>\n70 points<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
                  Gas Dynamo Co.<\/td>\nGood<\/td>\nPoor<\/td>\nPoor<\/td>\nExcellent<\/td>\n27 points<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
                  Gas Reduction Co<\/td>\nGood<\/td>\nPoor<\/td>\nFair<\/td>\nGood<\/td>\n41 points<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
                  Slambang Equip.<\/td>\nPoor<\/td>\nFair<\/td>\nFair<\/td>\nPoor<\/td>\n29 points<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

                   <\/p>\n

                  Your boss looks at this table and tells you that he guesses that he will go with ZERO Corp because it came out the best with the highest total of the evaluations.<\/p>\n

                   <\/p>\n

                  Tell why you agree (or disagree) that C\/E analysis is the way to handle the decision making for your company.\u00a0 Was this an objective<\/em><\/strong> analysis?\u00a0 Tell what you DO NOT SEE supplied here\u2014that you want to see in order to assure that the consultant did not rig the criteria to favor Zero, and did not do other things that made the decision table come out the way the consultant wanted it to come out.<\/p>\n

                   <\/p>\n

                  After you look this over, you see that you can punch it so full of holes it would sink to the lowest level that can possibly be measured\u2014a level that makes the consultant look like either he is incompetent or dishonest because he rigged the analysis to make it come out in favor of ZERO.<\/p>\n

                   <\/p>\n

                  Write up your analysis of why this is a terrible piece of work. What\u2019s missing from the report?\u00a0 You set up an analysis to show what should have been done to make this a truly worthwhile analysis.\u00a0 <\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

                  Electronic line judges are devices used in tennis to automatically detect where a ball has landed on the court or players have committed foot faults since the early 1970s. In 1950, the first electronic devices were used in calling balls Read More …<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-231960","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.benedictsol.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/231960","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.benedictsol.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.benedictsol.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.benedictsol.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.benedictsol.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=231960"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.benedictsol.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/231960\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.benedictsol.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=231960"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.benedictsol.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=231960"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.benedictsol.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=231960"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}