Natural Designs

NATURAL DESIGNS, INC. What types of decisions must Jim McMaster make on a daily basis for Natural Designs to run smoothly? What kind of decisions must he make on a long-term basis? {draw:frame} LONG RANGE DECISIONS Satisfying the customer begins with product and service design. The various activities involved are: {text:list-item} {text:list-item} {text:list-item} {text:list-item} {text:list-item} {text:list-item} {text:list-item} Long term capacity often determines capital requirements as well as if demand will be satisfied or if facilities will be idle. Capacity planning involves: {text:list-item} {text:list-item} {text:list-item} {text:list-item} The objective of location decisions is to maximize the benefit of the location to the firm. {text:list-item} {text:list-item} {text:list-item} {text:list-item} When planning for the layout design, Natural Designs, Inc. should consider how to achieve the following: {text:list-item} {text:list-item} {text:list-item} {text:list-item} {text:list-item} SHORT RANGE DECISIONS Since Natural Designs, Inc. is mainly a process-focused facility (job shop), short-term decision making focuses on: {text:list-item} {text:list-item} {text:list-item} {text:list-item} {text:list-item} {text:list-item} Describe the operations strategy for Natural Designs. Has this strategy changed as a result of the custom bird feeder operation? If yes, how? What might have been done differently to facilitate the offering of custom bird feeders? Natural Designs might have chosen to utilize modular design in facilitating the offering of custom bird feeders. The main advantage of this form of standardization, in which component parts are grouped into modules that are easily replaced or interchanged, enables the quick assembly of products. {text:list-item}