A characteristic of products that are mass-produced in a continuous fashion is that
a.the products are identical or very similar in nature.
b.they are grouped in batches.
c.they are produced at the time an order is received.
d.their costs are accumulated on job cost sheets.
The correct answer and explanation is :
Correct Answer:
a. The products are identical or very similar in nature.
Explanation:
Mass production in a continuous fashion refers to the manufacturing process where products are produced on a large scale without significant interruption. This method is commonly used in industries such as food production, automotive manufacturing, and electronics, where products need to be consistently produced with uniform quality and efficiency.
A key characteristic of continuous production is that the products are identical or very similar in nature. Since production is ongoing, companies focus on making standardized goods that require minimal variation. This allows for high efficiency, cost reduction, and economies of scale, as machines and assembly lines can be optimized for a single or limited set of designs.
Why Other Options Are Incorrect:
- b. They are grouped in batches.
- This statement describes batch production, not continuous production. In batch production, goods are made in groups or batches, which allows for some variety in production. However, continuous production does not stop or group items into batches—it runs non-stop.
- c. They are produced at the time an order is received.
- This describes a “make-to-order” or “just-in-time” system, where production starts only after receiving a customer order. Continuous production, however, operates continuously to build inventory rather than waiting for orders.
- d. Their costs are accumulated on job cost sheets.
- This describes job-order costing, which applies to customized or unique products. Continuous production typically uses process costing, where costs are spread across many identical units rather than tracked per individual job.
Overall, continuous production is designed for high-volume, standardized manufacturing, making option (a) the correct answer.