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CAT RC Practice Sets

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R RC #17
 VARC 100: RC#17
Japanese firms have achieved the highest levels of manufacturing efficiency in the 3. It can be inferred from the passage that one
T world automobile industry. Some observers of Japan have assumed that Japanese problem associated with the production of huge
firms use the same manufacturing equipment and techniques as United States lots of cars is which of the following?
H firms but have benefited from the unique characteristics of Japanese employees (A) The need to manufacture flexible machinery
and the Japanese culture. However, if this were true, then one would expect
E Japanese auto plants in the United States to perform no better than factories run
and equipment
(B) The need to store extra components not
by United States companies. This is not the case; Japanese-run automobile plants
located in the United States and staffed by local workers have demonstrated required for immediate use
(C) The need for expensive training programs for
V higher levels of productivity when compared with factories owned by United
States companies. workers, which emphasize the development of
E Other observers link high Japanese productivity to higher levels of capital
facility in several production jobs
(D) The need to increase the investment per
R investment per worker. But a historical perspective leads to a different vehicle in order to achieve high productivity
conclusion. When the two top Japanese automobile makers matched and then levels
B doubled United States productivity levels in the mid-sixties, capital investment per
employee was comparable to that of United States firms. Furthermore, by the late
A seventies, the amount of fixed assets required to produce one vehicle was roughly
4. With which of the following predictive
statement regarding Japanese automakers would
equivalent in Japan and in the United States.
L the author most likely agree?
Since capital investment was not higher in Japan, it had to be other factors that (A) The efficiency levels of the Japanese
led to higher productivity. A more fruitful explanation may lie with Japanese automakers will decline if they become less
M production techniques. Japanese automobile producers did not simply implement flexible in their approach to production.
(B) United States automakers will originate new
conventional processes more effectively: they made critical changes in United
E States procedures. For instance, the mass-production philosophy of United States production processes before Japanese
automakers encouraged the production of huge lots of cars in order to utilize fully automakers do.
N expensive, component-specific equipment and to occupy fully workers who have (C) Japanese automakers will hire fewer workers
been trained to execute one operation efficiently. Japanese automakers chose to
T make small-lot production feasible by introducing several departures from United
than will United States automakers because each
worker is required to perform several jobs.
O States practices, including the use of flexible equipment that could be altered
easily to do several different production tasks and the training of workers in
(D) Japanese automakers will spend less on
equipment repairs than will United States
R multiple jobs. Automakers could schedule the production of different components
or models on single machines, thereby eliminating the need to store the buffer automakers because Japanese equipment can be
stocks of extra components that result when specialized equipment and workers easily altered.
are kept constantly active.
 VARC 100: RC#17
Japanese firms have achieved the highest levels of manufacturing efficiency in the 1. The author suggests that if the observers of
T world automobile industry. Some observers of Japan have assumed that Japanese Japan mentioned in line 2 were correct, which of
firms use the same manufacturing equipment and techniques as United States the following would be the case?
H firms but have benefited from the unique characteristics of Japanese employees (A) Japanese workers would be trained to do
and the Japanese culture. However, if this were true, then one would expect
E Japanese auto plants in the United States to perform no better than factories run
several different production jobs.
(B) Culture would not have an influence on the
by United States companies. This is not the case; Japanese-run automobile plants
located in the United States and staffed by local workers have demonstrated productivity levels of workers.
(C) The workers in Japanese-run plants would
V higher levels of productivity when compared with factories owned by United
States companies. have higher productivity levels regardless of
E Other observers link high Japanese productivity to higher levels of capital
where they were located.
(D) The production levels of Japanese-run plants
R investment per worker. But a historical perspective leads to a different located in the United States would be equal to
conclusion. When the two top Japanese automobile makers matched and then those of plants run by United States companies.
B doubled United States productivity levels in the mid-sixties, capital investment per
employee was comparable to that of United States firms. Furthermore, by the late
A seventies, the amount of fixed assets required to produce one vehicle was roughly
2. Which of the following statements concerning
the productivity levels of automakers can be
equivalent in Japan and in the United States.
L inferred from the passage?
Since capital investment was not higher in Japan, it had to be other factors that (A) Prior to the 1960’s, the productivity levels of
led to higher productivity. A more fruitful explanation may lie with Japanese the top Japanese automakers were exceeded by
M production techniques. Japanese automobile producers did not simply implement those of United States automakers.
(B) The culture of a country has a large effect on
conventional processes more effectively: they made critical changes in United
E States procedures. For instance, the mass-production philosophy of United States the productivity levels of its automakers.
automakers encouraged the production of huge lots of cars in order to utilize fully (C) The greater the number of cars that are
N expensive, component-specific equipment and to occupy fully workers who have produced in a single lot, the higher a plant’s
been trained to execute one operation efficiently. Japanese automakers chose to
T make small-lot production feasible by introducing several departures from United
productivity level.
(D) The amount of capital investment made by
O States practices, including the use of flexible equipment that could be altered
easily to do several different production tasks and the training of workers in
automobile manufacturers in their factories
determines the level of productivity.
R multiple jobs. Automakers could schedule the production of different components
or models on single machines, thereby eliminating the need to store the buffer
stocks of extra components that result when specialized equipment and workers
are kept constantly active.