Name Abebayehu G/Selassie

ID# GR/1047/22
BUSA 510
Operations Management
Assignment 6 (Chapter 6)
1. What are the seven layout strategies presented in this chapter?
- Office layout
- Retail layout
- Warehouse layout
- Fixed-position layout
- Process-oriented layout
- Work-cell layout
- Product-oriented layout
2. What are the three factors that complicate a fixed-position layout?
- Limited space at site
- Different materials required at different stages of the project
- Volume of materials needed is dynamic
3. How is process layout applied to supermarkets layout? What are the advantages and disadvantages of this
type of layout for customers?
A process layout is a type of facility layout. Organizations often use process layouts to design floor plans
and arrange equipment for maximized efficiency. Plants with a process layout may arrange work stations,
machinery, tools and other equipment in groups according to the functions they perform. Typically, pieces
of equipment that perform a similar function fall in the same group, which is why professionals often term
these layouts as "functional layouts.
A well-planned supermarket layout has to be functional besides being visually appealing in nature. It
should cover all aspects from comfort and convenience to safety to ensure the success of the supermarket
business. it is more efficient to group resources based on their function. The products are then moved from
one resource to another, based on their unique needs.
Customers often visit the supermarket to grab a few things quickly if it is well designed supermarket.
Every aspect of a store's layout, be it the product display is important to have a nice layout to ensure better
customer satisfaction.
The challenge in process layouts is to arrange resources to maximize efficiency and minimize waste of
movement. If the process layout has not been designed properly, many products will have to be moved
long distances, damage may occur and often on a daily basis.
4. What are the advantages and disadvantages of product layout?
Product layout efficiency is often enhanced through the use of line balancing. Line balancing is the assignment
of tasks to workstations in such a way that workstations have approximately equal time requirements. This
minimizes the amount of time that some workstations are idle, due to waiting on parts from an upstream
process or to avoid building up an inventory queue in front of a downstream process.
Advantages of product layouts include:
- Output. Product layouts can generate a large volume of products in a short time.
- Cost. Unit cost is low as a result of the high volume.
- Labor specialization results in reduced training time and cost.
- A wider span of supervision also reduces labor costs.
- Accounting, purchasing, and inventory control are routine. Because routing is fixed, less attention is
required.
- Utilization. There is a high degree of labor and equipment utilization.
Disadvantages of product layouts include:
- Motivation. The system's inherent division of labor can result in dull, repetitive jobs that can prove to be
quite stressful.
- Also, assembly-line layouts make it very hard to administer individual incentive plans.
- Flexibility. Product layouts are inflexible and cannot easily respond to required system changes—
especially changes in product or process design.
- System protection. The system is at risk from equipment breakdown, absenteeism, and downtime due to
preventive maintenance.
5. What are the four assumptions (or preconditions) of establishing layout for high volume, low-variety
products?
High equipment utilization,
demand must be predictable and stable,
investment in specialized equipment must be pre-justified,
raw materials must be adequate
6. What are the advantages and disadvantages of work cells?
Reduced work in process inventory
Less floor space ruined
Reduced raw material and finished goods inventories
Reduced direct labor cost
Heightened sense of employee participation
Increased equipment and machinery utilization
Reduced investment in machinery and equipment
What are the main requirements of work cells?
Efficient work cells ensure a continuous process flow while removing various types of waste. Work cells
are at the heart of lean manufacturing and must be designed so that all elements of the process function
smoothly. Work cells are also designed for minimal wasted motion.

7. What are the two major trends influencing office layout?

The two major trends influencing office layouts are
technology and virtual business or companies.
-Technology provides a convenience for the employees to work anywhere within the workplace through
the use of laptops, notebooks, tablets and even their smartphones.
- Virtual company refers to an organization that uses computer and telecommunications technologies to
extend its capabilities by working routinely with employees or contractors located throughout the country
or the world.
8. What are the key factors which should be considered in designing the hospital layout?
Designing a hospital building requires different considerations than just any commercial building because
of standard regulations and attention to patient privacy and safety.
Design an Efficient Space
The layout of the hospital should promote staff efficiency, which can be done by minimising the travel
distance between the frequently used spaces and creating an efficient logistics system for supplies of food.
Consider multi-purpose spaces that reduce travel time.
Compliance and Expandability
 The modes of treatments and medical needs change continuously in hospital; therefore, a modular space
planning and layout would be a great option. Using generic room sizes with easily accessed, modified
mechanical and electrical system with planned directions for any future expansion.
Choose The Right Materials
Hygiene and cleanliness are crucial factors for building a medical facility. Many people visit the hospital
and carry germs and viruses that can infect the hospital premises. So regular hygiene and cleaning are
necessary. To keep this in mind, consider the right materials when building a medical facility.
Security Concern
In medical facilities, people who are mentally ill are treated but sometimes such people can get aggressive
and could attack the doctors or staff. To handle such a situation, there is a need of having a secure space
in the hospital to treat such patient. So, if you allow the treatment of mentally ill people then safety should
be your prime concern.
Waste Management System
Medical facilities produce a lot of waste and require an extensive amount of energy. The waste could affect
the medical facilities and the health of patients. To avoid such a problem, there must be a waste
management system in the facilities.
Maintaining a clean environment in the facilities reflects a level of competent healthcare that must be
fulfilled for patient safety. If you’re planning to build a new medical facility, you need a trustworthy
consultancy just like Astron Health Care to get the exact idea of where and how to plan for the new medical
facilities. An experienced consultancy company can help guide you through the process and make it as
easy as possible for you.
9. What layout innovations have you noticed recently in retail establishments?
a. pinhole cameras in mannequins and displays.
b. RFID tags.
c. customer loyalty apps and programs.
d. interactive displays.
e. crowdsourced delivery.
f. mobile pos proliferation.
g. beyond mobile pos.
h. digital marketing services.
10. What are the variables that a manager can manipulate in a retail layout?
The operations manager can change exposure with store arrangement and the allocation of space to various
products within that arrangement.
• Low variable cost per unit.
• Low material handling costs.
• Reduced work-in-process inventories.
• Easier training and supervision.
• Rapid throughput.
A retailer's strategic manipulation of store layout is driven by an incentive to balance the shopping process
of "fit-uncertain consumers" and the pricing behavior of upstream suppliers.