Edexcel Business A Level Revision

Cell production - A form of flow production whereby the production line is split into a series of self contained cells which teams in these cells work together to create one unit of output. Each cell takes responsibility for the production of complete units of output. MASLOW AND HERZBERG ALERT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The members of the cell work as a team to achieve goals and ensure quality standards are met. Cell production often leads to increased productivity due to: Increased motivation (team spirit and added responsibility) Specialisation ( the process of concentrating on and becoming expert in a particular subject or skill)   CELL PRODUCTION ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES Increases quality, teamwork and motivation Depends on staff being well trained or experts in their role

Flow production - Items flow along the production line in a continuous process making high volumes of the exact same product. Once one task is finished the next task is started immediately, therefore time taken on each task must be the same. FLOW PRODUCTION ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES Costs per unit of production are reduced through improved work and material flow Very long set up time and reliant on high quality machinery, so if machinery breaks and therefore breaks the flow, production will be shut down Suitable for manufacture of large quantities High raw materials and finished stocks unless lean production is used Capital intensive which means it can work constantly without the interference of employees Goods are mass produced which means there is no customisation to meet specific needs for customers Less need for training and skill as most work is done by machines Uses specialist machinery so investm...

Batch production - Identical or similar items are produced together in groups (batches), each item passing through the production process at the same time, before moving onto the next Examples of batch production: Printers = printing a certain number of newspapers, magazines or books and then resetting their machines to produce a batch of another issue or titles Baker = produces a batch of 50 white loaves. Only after they are completed will he or she start baking 50 loaves of brown bread. Factory = produces a batch of size 14 t-shirts, then a batch of size 12 t-shirts Aims: Concentrate skills Achieve better use of equipment and so will produce good quality products more economically than manufacturing them individually.   BATCH PRODUCTION ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES Costs savings can be achieved when buying in bulk and allows for quicker and cheaper production of individual items Time consuming as it may take time to swi...

Job production - the production of one off items to meet the needs/specifications of each individual customer, often undertaken by small, specialist businesses. Examples of job production Artists = each picture will be unique Dental technicians = make plastic caps for teeth, each one molded to fit the patient's mouth Aircraft = built one at a time due to their size Architects = designs plans for buildings that are unique   JOB PRODUCTION ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES Cheap and easy to set up Individual cost of one unit may be much more expensive Customer requirements and changes can be managed so are more specific to customer needs Often labour-intensive so costs for labour are also extremely expensive Associated with higher quality as they are typically premium products Requires close consultation with the client to meet exact specification needs, as mistakes are extremely costly Employees can be bett...