Consider the Nine Activities That Follow

question 61

Essay

Consider the nine activities that follow.
1. Microsoft: Developing computer coding for a new spreadsheet package
2. General Mills: Painting the office of a maintenance supervisor at a plant that produces cereal
3. Mayo Clinic: Examining a new patient
4. American Airlines: The 90 minutes that a Boeing 757 sits idle on the ground between flights
5. Office Depot: Moving cases of paper from one location to another in the same warehouse
6. Rolex: Attaching a watch band to the watch's face
7. United States Postal Service: Reprocessing mail that had been sorted incorrectly on a malfunctioning sorting machine.
8. Fidelity Investments: Correcting errors made by company personnel in customer accounts
9. Marriott: Upgrading the quality of bedding used at hotels in very competitive marketplaces
10. Dell Computer: Re-working defective units found during quality control inspection
Required:
Categorize each of the activities as either value-added or non-value-added for the companies noted.

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Definitions:

Picketing

A form of protest or demonstration by workers, often involving carrying signs and marching at the workplace's entrance, aimed at drawing public attention to issues like unfair labor practices.

Mainstream Economics

The body of economic thought and theory that is widely accepted and taught across major universities and colleges, focusing on market equilibrium, demand and supply, and the role of government interventions.

Wagner Act

Another name for the National Labor Relations Act of 1935, which established the legal right for workers to form unions and engage in collective bargaining in the United States.

Monopoly Power

The ability of a company or entity to control or dominate an industry or sector, making it the primary or sole provider, often leading to limited competition and higher prices for consumers.