OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT Quantitative Module C - Transportation Models

OPERATIONS MANAGEMENTQuantitative Module C - Transportation Models Classroom discussion questions to accompany Heizer/Render Principles of Operations Management, 6e and Operations Management, 8e (to be used in conjunction with wireless polling devices or other classroom interaction activities) Jay Heizer Barry Render Module C

The transportation model is a special class of: • Regression problems. • Decision tree problems. • Linear programming problems. • Waiting line models. Module C

To use the transportation model, we do not need to know: • The origin points and the capacity or supply per period at each. • The destination points and the demand per period at each. • The mode of transportation between origins and destinations. • The cost of shipping one unit from each origin to each destination. Module C

A balanced transportation model must have: • Total supply greater than total demand. • Total demand greater than total supply. • Total supply equal to total demand. Module C

The initial solution to a transportation problem can be generated in any manner, so long as: • It minimizes costs. • It ignores costs. • All supplies and demand are satisfied. • All cells are filled. Module C

Which method is most appropriate for finding the optimal solution to a transportation problem? • Northwest-corner rule. • Intuitive lowest cost method. • The stepping-stone method. Module C

When total demand is greater than total supply, which must be used? • A dummy source. • A dummy destination. • Both a dummy destination and dummy source. • A degenerate solution. Module C

When the number of shipments in a feasible solution is less than the number of rows plus the number of columns minus one: • The solution is optimal. • A dummy source must be created. • A dummy destination must be created. • There is degeneracy. • The closed path has a triangular shape. Module C

OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT Quantitative Module C - Transportation Models