Manufacturing site location is an important consideration in determining the optimal deployment of a firm’s production resources, but one that is usually given only limited attention. Decisions about location are often based purely on quantitative analyses that trade off transportation costs, economies of scale, and other cost-based variables. This practice, however, can lead to suboptimal results, as decision-makers tend to focus only on easily quantifiable factors. A further disadvantage of strictly cost-based methods is that they tend to focus on cost advantage factors, which are often transitory Government regulations, tax systems, and exchange rates can quickly change. Strategies based on such parameters may eventually be rendered obsolete by the very factors that first created an advantage. In contrast, qualitative issues, which are frequently neglected in choosing manufacturing site locations, are often central to creating and supporting a competitive advantage. For example, the level of skill possessed by the local workforce varies with location; consequently, location can affect the ability of firms to implement skill-based process technologies. When formulating a site location strategy, companies should therefore emphasize qualitative factors to ensure that the chosen strategy supports the company’s overall business strategy. Only after establishing a set of desirable location options should companies refine choices using cost-based factors. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Q13. The passage suggests which of the following concerning qualitative methods used in choosing manufacturing sites? A. They are more likely than are quantitative methods to identify issues crucial to maintaining a competitive advantage B. They are least useful to companies with relatively low levels of manufacturing technology C. They have little value when applied to decisions other than choice of site D. They are more risky for decision makers than are quantitative methods E. They are used more frequently by multinational corporations than by companies with strictly domestic operations. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Q14. According to the passage, analysis of quantitative factors is best used for which of the following? A. Determining strategies for offsetting qualitative disadvantages in manufacturing site locations B. Evaluating manufacturing site-location parameters affecting long-term competitive advantage C. Choosing manufacturing site locations that have access to optimal workforce populations D. Narrowing manufacturing site location options arrived it through qualitative analysis E. Making decisions about business considerations other than location of manufacturing sites
When formulating a site location strategy, companies should therefore emphasize qualitative factors to ensure that the chosen strategy supports the company’s overall business strategy. Only after establishing a set of desirable location options should companies refine choices using cost-based factors.
The author states that workforce quality is one of the aspects of qualitative analysis, and quantative analysis may neglect such consideration and lead to a competitive disadvantage. Therefore, quantative analysis can be used after determining the workforce variation among locations.
However, choice C confines itself to a specific example of workforce choice; clearly, there are many other qualitative factors.
I choose C It is said in the artical that the quantitative analysis can used in the narrowing thing, but we totally have no clue whether it's the best or not, cause the artical ia an argument merely about 2 factors, the quanlitative analysis and the quantitative analysis, maybe there is one or more superior choices for a company to narrow their options.
Option C states exaclty the detail which introduces that the quantitative analysis is central toXXXXXX in the argument, this conforms strictly, therefore is the best choice.
A. Determining strategies for offsetting qualitative disadvantages in manufacturing site locations排除，没提到qualitative disadvantages，只说了优点 B. Evaluating manufacturing site-location parameters affecting long-term competitive advantage 不符，long-term 不是quantitative的特点 C. Choosing manufacturing site locations that have access to optimal workforce populations 不符，是qualitative的特点 D. Narrowing manufacturing site location options arrived it through qualitative analysis符合 E. Making decisions about business considerations other than location of manufacturing sites没提到 所以也只能选D. Narrowing=refine, arrived it through qualitative analysis，这个it确实有点晕，去掉还比较好理解，肯定不是指代options，不知道是指代哪个的？难道是代narrowing？谁来说说呀~
这一题选C. 文章最后得出结论说要先用了qualitative方法后,再用quantitative才是好的. 第二段的optimal workforce population 是qualitative方法. 所以C选项,在Have Access to optical workforce populations(是qualitative法)完成后,再用quantitative法.与文章最后一句意思相符~ps: have access to意味着已经使用了workforce...了
这一题选C. 文章最后得出结论说要先用了qualitative方法后,再用quantitative才是好的. 第二段的optimal workforce population 是qualitative方法. 所以C选项,在Have Access to optical workforce populations(是qualitative法)完成后,再用quantitative法.与文章最后一句意思相符~ps: have access to意味着已经使用了workforce...了
-- by 会员 dxyl (2010/11/13 20:40:42)
不对，have access to sth 是一个固定短语, 意思是 可以获得。。。。， C. Choosing manufacturing site locations （that have access tooptimal workforce populations）后面修饰locations的，意思是选择一个可以获得优化劳动力的地点 答案是C，但我没想通为什么
京公网安备11010202008513号 京ICP证101109号 京ICP备12012021号
发表于 2010-4-11 23:06:06
收藏
收藏
