Case on Home

Case on Home-Style Cookies Questions and Answers Que 1: Briefly describe the cookies production process? Ans 1: The production process of bake cookies are as follows: 1. It begins with as soon as management gets orders from distributors. 2. These orders are used to schedule the production. 3. Each shift a list of the cookies to be made that day is delivered to the person in charge of mixing. 4. That person checks the master list which indicates the ingredients needed for each type of cookies. 5. That information is entered into the computer. Then computer determines the amount of each ingredient needed according to the quantity of cookies ordered. 6. The ingredient are automatically sent giant mixing machine where the ingredients are combine with proper amounts egg, water, and flavorings. 7. The ingredients have been mixed; the batter is poured into cutting machines where it is cut into individual cookies. 8. The cookies are then dropped onto a conveyor belt and transported through one of two ovens. 9. Filled cookies such as apple, date, and raspberry, require an additional step for filling and folding. 10. The non-filled cookies are cut on a diagonal rather then round. 11. As the cookies emerges from the oven then are fed on to spiral cooling racks 20 feet high and 3 feet wide. 12. The cookies come off the cooling racks, workers place the cookies into boxes manually, removing any broken or deform cookies in the process. Que. 2 what are two ways that the company has increased productivity? Why did increasing the length of the oven result in a faster output rate? Ans: The two ways are as follows: 1. The diagonal cut cookies required less space than straight cut cookies and the result is higher level of productivity. 2. The company recently increased the length of each oven by 25 feet, which also increased the rate of production. The increasing the length of the oven result in faster output rate because it will increase the number of quantity of baked cookies which directly leads to the higher production. Que 3: What factor causes the company to carry minimal amount of certain inventories? What benefits result from this policy? Ans: Following are the factors that help to minimal amount of inventory: 1. A small percentage is stored temporary in the company warehouse but they must be shipped shortly because of their limited shelf life.

2. Labels are reordered frequently in small batches because FDA label requirement are subject to change and the company want to get stuck with labels it can’t use. 3. The bulk silos are refilled two or three time a week, depending on how quickly supplies are used. Benefits are as follows of this policy: 1. Cookies are baked in a sequence that minimizes downtime for cleaning. 2. This permits the company to avoid having to clean the processing equipment every time a different type of cookies is produced. 3. The short or temporary inventory stock will minimize the cost of handling. Que 4: As a consumer, what things do you consider in judging the quality of cookies you buy in a supermarket? Ans: There are following things that we are considering while judging the quality of cookies in supermarket: 1. The taste and consistency are satisfactory. 2. They baked the cookies in proper degree. 3. Workers are responsible for removing defective cookies when they spot them. 4. X-ray machine on the line that can detect small bits of metal filling that may have gotten into cookies during the production process. Que 5: What advantages and what limitations stem from the companies not using preservatives in cookies? Ans: The advantages are as follows: 1. It helps to restore handling cost. 2. No need to require extra workforce. 3. It helps to produce concentrate their daily requirement with full efficiency. The disadvantages are as follows: 1. Cookies will lose their freshness. 2. It results the waste of cookies. 3. It carries costly affairs. Que 6: Briefly describe the company’s strategies? Ans: There are following strategies company follows: 1. The company’s only product is soft cookies of which it makes over 50 verities. 2. The cookies have no additives and preservatives- this appeal to a health conscious segment of the market. 3. The high quality of the cookies has enabled the company to developed strong market niche for its product. 4. They concentrate on minimal amount of scrap. Que 7: Do you think that the company is making the right decision by not automating the packing of cookies? Explain your reasoning. What obligations does a company have to its employees in a situation such as this? What obligation does it have the community? Is the town is a factor? Would it make a difference if the company was located in a large city? Is the size of the company is factor? What if it was a larger company?

Ans: No, the company do not take the right the decision by not automating the packing of the cookies because the automatic technique for packing the cookies save the time and cost of production during operation. If the companies adopt the automatic techniques for packing the cookies they have to provide training program to operate those machines for the employees which will increase the efficiency of production. In this situation company reduce its workforce for efficient working of operation which directly affects the cost of production because the machines replace the manpower of the company. The communities have the obligation related to the termination of employees in the company which affect their life or source of income. Yes, the town is a factor because its size matter the labour cost. If it is much then the labour cost is high. If it is less then the labour cost is low. Yes, the size of the company also matters because if it is in large production scale then it requires more workforces for their operations.

Pragati Joshi PGDM III Trimester Group A