3.2.1 - Industrial Engineering and Information Technology

What is considered an important element or key to achieving system integration?

• Raw materials

• Financial capital

• Information

• Human labor

Industrial Engineering, as a discipline, primarily focuses on guiding the design, development, and management of what type of systems?

• Standalone mechanical systems

• Complex interactive man-machine-material systems

• Simple electrical circuits

• Biological ecosystems

How does Information Technology (IT) help organizations improve coordination and information access?

• By reducing the need for human interaction

• By increasing physical storage space

• By enabling effective management of task interdependencies across units

• By limiting data sharing to top management

What should Industrial Engineers understand and exploit regarding Information Technology?

• Its limitations in data processing

• Its capabilities and opportunities in designing integrated systems

• Its role in creating isolated systems

• Its potential for reducing workforce size

The period from the 1950s to the 1970s in Industrial Engineering was characterized by what approach?

• Qualitative analysis

• Intuitive decision-making

• Quantitative management

• Manual data collection

What provided Industrial Engineering with a firm base during the 1950s-1970s, allowing for improved mathematical modeling?

• Psychology

• Biology

• Mathematics

• Literature

In the 1980s, Information Technology emerged as a new business tool due to the availability of what?

• Advanced robotics

• High-speed, stored program digital computers

• Global internet access

• Wireless communication devices

What were key benefits of IT for Industrial Engineers in the 1980s?

• Reduced need for data analysis

• High-speed calculation, comparison with stored data, and simulation capabilities

• Elimination of human error

• Decreased reliance on historical data

Which of the following was NOT mentioned as a specialty area that emerged in Industrial Engineering during the 1980s?

• Reliability Engineering

• Value Engineering

• Software Development

• Human Engineering

How was Information Technology primarily viewed in the 1990s regarding business?

• As a cost center

• As a business enabler

• As a minor support function

• As a source of entertainment