Work measurement technique suitability The statement “Sampling (work sampling) method of determining standard time is profitable for long-cycle operations.” Evaluate its correctness.

Introduction / Context:
Work measurement establishes standard times for planning and control. Two common techniques are direct time study (stopwatch) and work sampling. Selecting the appropriate method depends on cycle length, repetition, and variability of tasks.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Operations considered have long or irregular cycles, possibly with significant nonproductive elements.
• We seek reliable estimates of utilization and time standards.
• Statistical sampling with confidence bounds is acceptable.

Concept / Approach:
Work sampling observes activities at random intervals and estimates the proportion of time spent on defined categories. It is effective when cycles are long, irregular, or a mixture of tasks makes continuous timing impractical. Stopwatch time study excels for short, repetitive, well-defined cycles. Therefore, for long-cycle operations, work sampling is an efficient and “profitable” (cost-effective) approach to obtain standards and utilization data.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Define activity categories (productive, setup, delay, etc.).Plan a statistically valid sample size for desired confidence.Conduct random observations; compute proportions and standard times where applicable.

Verification / Alternative check:
Confidence intervals narrow as observations grow; when long cycles prevent many continuous timings, sampling yields robust estimates faster.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Restricting work sampling only to machine-paced or micro-cycles misunderstands its strength; direct time study suits micro-cycles better.

Common Pitfalls:
Nonrandom observation schedules bias results; unclear category definitions reduce usefulness.

Final Answer:
Correct