English for Business Studies Introduction IntroductionUnit 8 OPERATIONS: EFFICIENCY,COSTS Unit 8 OPERATIONS: EFFICIENCY,COSTS AND QUALITYAND QUALITY Topics Topics efficiency in operations managementefficiency in operations managementJapanese management practices: lean production Japanese management practices: lean production techniques, TQMtechniques, TQM Vocabulary focus Vocabulary focussynonymssynonymsnouns from verbsnouns from verbsdefinitionsdefinitionscommon direction verbs in essay titles (common direction verbs in essay titles (discussdiscuss, , analyzeanalyze, ,evaluateevaluate, etc.), etc.) Skills focus Skills focus ReadingReadingunderstanding dependent clauses with passivesunderstanding dependent clauses with passivesWritingWritingparaphrasingparaphrasingexpanding notes into complex sentencesexpanding notes into complex sentencesrecognizing different essay types/structures: recognizing different essay types/structures: descriptive analytical comparison/evaluation descriptive analytical comparison/evaluation argumentargumentwriting essay planswriting essay planswriting essayswriting essays8.1 Vocabulary Lesson aims extend knowledge of synonyms and word sets (enables paraphrasing at word level) make nouns and noun phrases from verbs (enables paraphrasing at sentence level)1 What is meant by efficiency in operations1 What is meant by efficiency in operationsmanagement?management?2 What inefficiencies can there be in the items in 2 What inefficiencies can there be in the items in box a?box a?Exercise AExercise A1 1Having an efficient operation means keeping the costs of Having an efficient operation means keeping the costs of production as low as possible so that the biggest possible production as low as possible so that the biggest possible profits are achieved without a negative effect on the desired profits are achieved without a negative effect on the desired quality.quality.2 machinery:2 machinery: machinery may be old and liable to break down; machinery may be old and liable to break down; new machinery could possibly increase production speed or new machinery could possibly increase production speed or educe the workforce.educe the workforce. materials:materials: at any one time, a company may have too much raw at any one time, a company may have too much raw material for its needs, so money is tied up in stock material for its needs, so money is tied up in stock unnecessarily. unnecessarily. space: space: there may be too much (increasing overhead costs), or there may be too much (increasing overhead costs), or the design of the operation in the factory or company buildings the design of the operation in the factory or company buildings may be poor so that goods take a long time to move through may be poor so that goods take a long time to move through the production process.the production process. Exercise AExercise AExercise Atime: production of a good may be taking more time than it needs to, therefore involving people in unnecessary work.workforce: a company may have too many people doing a particular job, or the wrong people; or people with the wrong or outdated skills.Exercise BExercise BPossible answers:Possible answers:A A Several Several men men are are transporting transporting logs logs through through some some woods woods using using horses. horses. This This looks looks inefficient inefficient because because there there are are only only two two horses horses but but quite quite a a lot lot of of logs logs and and men. men. Tying Tying the the logs logs onto onto the the cart cart takes takes time. time. There There is is no no proper proper road road the the ground ground looks looks rough. rough. The The whole whole process looks very slow.process looks very slow.B B A A man man is is are are using using a a machine machine to to cut cut the the logs. logs. He He is is beginning beginning the the process process of of turning turning logs logs into into planks. planks. The The process process is is again again probably probably rather rather inefficient inefficient compared compared to to nowadays nowadays because because the the logs logs must must be be moved moved around around and and the the process process is is not not automatic. automatic. The The process process looks looks dangerous dangerous and and slow slow only only one one log log can can be be cut cut at at a a time. time. The The machine machine is is outside outside presumably presumably once once cut, cut, the the wood wood must be carried somewhere else. must be carried somewhere else. Exercise BExercise BC C Here Here we we can can see see several several people people involved involved in in the the process. process. Some Some are are only only watching watching and and doing doing nothing. nothing. Also Also we we can can see see that that the the machine machine looks looks rather rather old: old: its its likely likely that that it it works works rather slowly and inefficiently.rather slowly and ineffic