The President of a Consulting Firm Wants to Minimize the Total

question 15

Multiple Choice

The president of a consulting firm wants to minimize the total number of hours it will take to complete four projects for a new client. Accordingly, she has estimated the time it should take for each of her top consultants-Charlie, Betty, Johnny, and Rick-to complete any of the four projects, as follows:

Assume there must be one-to-one matching between consultants and projects. After the row and column reductions, what is the resulting entry in the new table for assigning Rick to project D?

• A)0 hours
• B)8 hours
• C)10 hours
• D)9 hours
• E)22 hours

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Definitions:

Focused Cost Leadership

A strategy where a business aims to be the lowest cost producer in a specific niche or segment.

Competitive Advantage

The attributes that allow an organization to outperform its competitors, including cost structure, product offerings, brand reputation, and customer service.

Market Segment

A distinct group of customers within a broader market, defined by specific characteristics such as needs, preferences, or behaviors.

Cost Leadership Strategy

A business approach aimed at becoming the lowest-cost producer in an industry for a particular level of product quality.