Maximizing Profitability Through Effective Waste Management

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| By Thames

Thames

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Quizzes Created: 7153 | Total Attempts: 9,522,946

| Questions: 17 | Updated: Aug 4, 2025

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1. What is a process?

A process is a stationary object.

A process is a form of currency.

A process is a type of food.

Simply stated…A process is a series of steps and decisions involved in the way work is completed

A process refers to a series of steps and decisions involved in completing work, not a stationary object, type of food, or form of currency.

Explanation

A process refers to a series of steps and decisions involved in completing work, not a stationary object, type of food, or form of currency.

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About This Quiz

Maximizing Profitability Through Effective Waste Management - Quiz

Explore powerful strategies to enhance profitability through waste reduction. This educational tool sharpens practical skills, translating theoretical knowledge into real-world applications, making it essential for professionals and students in sustainability and business management.

2. What's your name?

We’ll put your name on your report, certificate, and leaderboard.

2. What should be focused on in terms of Waste?

Looking for ways to increase waste production.

These are the three Waste categories to focus on

Ignoring waste management completely.

Focusing only on one type of waste while neglecting others.

The question is asking for the specific focus related to waste management, which are the three waste categories. The incorrect answers provided are misleading and do not align with the goal of effective waste management.

Explanation

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3. What is Unevenness?

An emotional state of being happy

A type of weather condition

A physical feature of being lopsided or uneven

Variation of Work Content in a Process ExamplesCall Centre receives 20 calls per day to enquire about their application status.... Variation of Work Content in a Process ExamplesCall Centre receives 20 calls per day to enquire about their application status. Within the next few days they received 80 calls per day causing backlogs and customer issues. Subsequently these calls drop to 5 per day leaving agents idle.

Unevenness refers to the variation in work content within a process, leading to inconsistencies in workload and productivity.

Explanation

Unevenness refers to the variation in work content within a process, leading to inconsistencies in workload and productivity.

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4. What is Waste?

Excess resources that can be reused

Efficient use of time and resources

Recyclable materials

Non value activities adding to the product or service in the eyes of the customer Examples•A mortgage application runs through... Non value activities adding to the product or service in the eyes of the customer Examples•A mortgage application runs through a ten step process which ideally could be done in less steps•A production line is producing high volume of products which are out of customer specifications

Waste refers to non-value activities that do not contribute to the product or service in the eyes of the customer. It is about identifying and eliminating unnecessary steps, processes, or products that do not add value.

Explanation

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5. What is Overburden?

An ancient method of irrigation used in agriculture

A term used in literature to describe a character's emotional burden

Excessive work content above the capacity of the process Examples•Work received is far more than the team could handle causing... Excessive work content above the capacity of the process Examples•Work received is far more than the team could handle causing mistakes and overtime.•Rate of feeding a production line is more than its capacity to process causing machine breakdown and waste.

A type of rock formation found deep underground

Overburden specifically refers to work content exceeding process capacity, leading to issues such as mistakes, overtime, machine breakdowns, and waste.

Explanation

Overburden specifically refers to work content exceeding process capacity, leading to issues such as mistakes, overtime, machine breakdowns, and waste.

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6. What three factors should be looked at to improve a process?

Speed, Innovation, Technology

Cost, Quality, Efficiency

Training, Communication, Leadership

Look at Waste, Overburden and Unevenness to improve a process

The correct answer highlights the key areas, waste, overburden, and unevenness, that need to be addressed to enhance a process efficiency and effectiveness.

Explanation

The correct answer highlights the key areas, waste, overburden, and unevenness, that need to be addressed to enhance a process efficiency and effectiveness.

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7. What is one potential downside of running a campaign to increase mortgage applications?

Mortgage ProcessingThe marketing seem to run a campaign to get more applications for the next 10 days. This could cause... Mortgage ProcessingThe marketing seem to run a campaign to get more applications for the next 10 days. This could cause large swings in the application volumes received this putting pressure on the team to finish them in time. The result could be errors, delays and ultimately impact to customer.

Higher profits due to increased applications

No impact on customer satisfaction

Decreased workload for the team processing applications

Running a campaign to increase mortgage applications can lead to potential challenges such as errors, delays, and ultimately impact to customer due to the pressure on the team to process a large volume of applications in a short period of time.

Explanation

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8. What are some challenges faced by organisations that rely on hiring temporary staff to run low skilled tasks on a packaging line?

Lack of proper training for temporary staff leading to errors in packaging

Insufficient raw materials for packaging resulting in production delays

Inefficient machinery causing delays in the packaging line

Manufacturing-Packaging lineSome organisation follow the practice of hiring temporary staff everyday to run the low skilled task on packaging line.... Manufacturing-Packaging lineSome organisation follow the practice of hiring temporary staff everyday to run the low skilled task on packaging line. On a particular day, there are less temp staff available and the entire operation falls on the few people operating causing slow down, defects, stress.

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9. What can cause spikes in the incoming business impacting team capacity, errors, delays, and customer issues?

Internal team training sessions

Cost cutting measures

Marketing Campaigns or month end activities can cause spikes in the incoming business impacting team capacity, errors, delays and customer... Marketing Campaigns or month end activities can cause spikes in the incoming business impacting team capacity, errors, delays and customer issues

New software implementations

Marketing Campaigns or month end activities are external factors that can unexpectedly increase the workload and impact team capacity. New software implementations, internal team training sessions, and cost cutting measures are unlikely to cause such spikes in business activity.

Explanation

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10. What is the acronym used to remember the 7 wastes?

Six Sigma

KANBAN

LEAN

Use the Acronym TIMWOOD to remember the 7 waste

The correct answer is TIMWOOD, which stands for Transport, Inventory, Motion, Waiting, Overproduction, Over-processing, and Defects - the 7 wastes in manufacturing. The other options, Lean, Six Sigma, and Kanban are methodologies or concepts related to process improvement but not specific to the 7 wastes.

Explanation

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11. What does inventory represent?

Stocking or Piling up of anything is waste. Watch for: Obsolete goods, Unused goods occupying space, month end write-offs, Unread... Stocking or Piling up of anything is waste. Watch for: Obsolete goods, Unused goods occupying space, month end write-offs, Unread emails, Incomplete work piled up, good bough but never used

Inventory represents the most popular items in stock.

Inventory represents the number of employees in a company.

Inventory represents the total cost of goods available for sale.

Inventory is not just about having items in stock; it also involves managing and monitoring the flow of goods to prevent wasted resources.

Explanation

Inventory is not just about having items in stock; it also involves managing and monitoring the flow of goods to prevent wasted resources.

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12. What is considered motion in a customer service setting?

Answer: Completing a task efficiently and effectively without moving.

Answer: Providing excellent customer service through fast-paced movement.

Any movement of people, that does not add value to the CustomerWatch for : Excessive walking to do a particular... Any movement of people, that does not add value to the CustomerWatch for : Excessive walking to do a particular task, toggling multiple screens to get information or do a task.

Answer: The act of remaining stationary while assisting a customer.

Motion in a customer service setting refers to any unnecessary movement that does not directly benefit the customer. This can include excessive walking or switching between multiple screens without adding value to the customer interaction.

Explanation

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13. What is considered waste in a manufacturing process?

Waiting for anything – People, Material, Machines or Information – is Waste.Watch for: delays, networks slow down, waiting for information... Waiting for anything – People, Material, Machines or Information – is Waste.Watch for: delays, networks slow down, waiting for information from customer, waiting for approvals

Working efficiently to meet production quotas

Maintaining a high level of product quality

Implementing just-in-time inventory management

Waiting for anything in a manufacturing process is considered waste as it leads to delays and inefficiencies in the production process.

Explanation

Waiting for anything in a manufacturing process is considered waste as it leads to delays and inefficiencies in the production process.

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14. What is overproduction?

Producing more than what customer requires Watch for: Production of goods more than the order due to batch processing, forwarding... Producing more than what customer requires Watch for: Production of goods more than the order due to batch processing, forwarding emails to “everyone

Producing less than what customer requires

Producing at the same rate as customer demand

Producing exactly what customer requires

Overproduction refers to producing an excess amount of goods beyond what is actually needed by the customer, leading to waste and inefficiency in the production process.

Explanation

Overproduction refers to producing an excess amount of goods beyond what is actually needed by the customer, leading to waste and inefficiency in the production process.

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15. What is considered over processing in a business context?

Putting more work than required by the customer is waste. Watch for: Creating reports that are not required, Collecting excessive... Putting more work than required by the customer is waste. Watch for: Creating reports that are not required, Collecting excessive information from customer, Application forms being cumbersome, excessive inspection of goods

Completing tasks efficiently to ensure customer satisfaction.

Reducing paperwork and streamlining processes to save time and resources.

Providing only the necessary information required by the customer.

Over processing is considered wasteful in Lean manufacturing principles as it involves doing more work than necessary, which adds no value to the customer.

Explanation

Over processing is considered wasteful in Lean manufacturing principles as it involves doing more work than necessary, which adds no value to the customer.

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16. What does the term 'defects' refer to in the context of goods and services?

Goods/Services that are not needed by the customers

Goods/Services that does not meet customer specifications!! Watch for: Delays, Incompletes, Incorrect product or information, Missing information, absenteeism, Employee... Goods/Services that does not meet customer specifications!! Watch for: Delays, Incompletes, Incorrect product or information, Missing information, absenteeism, Employee attrition, Rework, Reissues

Goods/Services that are highly priced

Goods/Services that exceed customer specifications

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17. What is the Waste Category Template to Use in Lean Manufacturing?

Quality Control Measures

Employee Training Program

Value Stream Analysis

Waste CategoryDo you see it?( Yes/No)Describe itActions to Mitigate itImprovement(Do you see it?)Transportation Inventory ... Waste CategoryDo you see it?( Yes/No)Describe itActions to Mitigate itImprovement(Do you see it?)Transportation Inventory Motion Waiting Overproduction Over processing Defects

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