This questionnaire has been developed to assist us have a broad based understanding of your company’s

operations. Responses provided will only be used in the completion of the 2010 Operations strategy course
assignment of the same institution. Responses provided will be used responsibly and guided by the highest
ethical standards.

SECTION A – GENERAL:

1. When was General Paints incorporated?............................................

2. When did production commence? ............................................

3. Who is/are the promoters of GP? ............................................

4. What products does GP produce? ............................................

5. How many staff does GP have? ............................................

6. Please indicate number:

Executive............................................

Senior............................................

Junior............................................

7. Please indicate number:

Production staff............................................

Marketing staff............................................

Research and Development............................................

Quality Control............................................

Others..............................................

8. Where are raw materials sourced from? ............................................

9. Kindly describe the flow of activities/processes that results in the conversion of raw materials to finished
products. Kindly indicate process time at each station

OPERATIONS STRATEGY PROJECT

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SECTION B – COMPETITIVE STRATEGY:

1. Does General Paints have a mission statement? Yes ( ) No ( )

2. If Yes, what is the mission

statement? ............................................................................................................................................................
..............................................................................................................................................................................
..............................................................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................

3. Does GP pursue a low price strategy? Are products priced

cheaply? ...............................................................................................................................................................
.......................................................................................................................................................

4. How long does it take it take to fill an average order?

..............................................................................................................................................................................
........................................................................................................................................

5. Can the response time be described as: (Tick one)

Rapid – faster than competitors/industry average ( )
Normal – same as competitors/industry average ( )
Slow – slower than competitors/industry average ( )

6. Does GP offer a broad range/variety of products? Yes ( ) No ( )

7. Please provide further details

8. Does GP continuously improve its products and services through innovation and creativity?
Yes ( ) No ( )

9. Please provide further details

10. How many products do you innovate annually? Please provide an average number or range

11.Does GP allow disruptions to production in order to accomplish unplanned/unscheduled customer

requirements? Yes ( ) No ( )

12. Please provide further details

13. Can you describe GP products as high quality products?

14.Please provide further details

OPERATIONS STRATEGY PROJECT

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SECTION C – PRODUCTION:

1. What is the installed capacity of your production plant? ....................

2. What is the current capacity utilization rate? ...................

3. What is responsible for the difference between installed and actual capacity utilization? Please explain
further

4. Do you have a production schedule that guides production activities?

5. If Yes, is the production schedule strictly adhered to? (no allowance for interruptions by customer demands)

6. Is the flow of materials within the production plant continuous or is it in batches?

7. Do you maintain a raw materials inventory?

8. How large is your raw materials inventory? (in months of production)

9. Do you maintain a finished goods inventory?

10.Are your products .............. make to stock ( ) make to order ( ) combination ( )

11. What variables does GP compete on?

Quality – customer service, product quality ( ) Time – rapid response, reliable delivery ( )
Variety – degree of customization to customer satisfaction ( ) Price (cost) – low price strategy ( )

12. Does production drive marketing i.e. marketing responds to available products and production schedule?
OR Does marketing drive production i.e. production responds to market demands and requirements?
(Please tick applicable predominant alternative )

13. Please explain further

14. Are the personnel in your production unit able/assigned to perform other tasks apart from production
activities?

15. Does GP have a detailed production forecasting/scheduling system which anticipates customer demand OR
Does production respond to customer orders (Please tick either option NOT both)

16. Does GP run continuous production runs or is production intermittent?

OPERATIONS STRATEGY PROJECT

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SECTION D – MARKETING:

1. How do you market your products?

2. Do you use distributors?

3. What is the range of your products? In how many states or counties are GP products offered?

4. Do you have an e-marketing strategy? i.e. are your products offered over the web?

5. How are products conveyed to your distributors or customers?

6. Are your goods conveyed to these sites in the finished states or do your products require further processing
offsite?

7. Do you pay your marketers commission on sales or a fixed salary only? Please provide further details

8. Do your employees benefit from bonus rewards – periodic or adhoc? Please provide further details

9. Do you advertise? What media do you utilize for these adverts?

SECTION E – FINANCIALS

OPERATIONS STRATEGY PROJECT