1-1Chapter1Using Operations toCreate ValueDISCUSSION QUESTIONS1.Answering this question demonstrates that processes underlie all of our jobs. What mightbe surprising is how manystudents would put their job in the category of “other,”suggesting that many jobs do not fall neatly into any one functional area. Perhaps manyinthe“other”categorymightbest be called“operations”onfurther reflection.Customers, both internal and external, are part of each process, and the goal is to managethe processes to add the most value for them.2.Amazon.com offers a very broad range of services and products at competitive prices. Itscompetitive priorities would include fast delivery time, on-time delivery, customization,variety and low-cost operations. As a business, Amazon.com is actually assembling acustomized basket of goods that must be delivered in a short window of time in adependable fashion. Low-cost operations are needed to remain competitive. To remain inbusiness, Amazon.com needs to maintain high volumes of traffic. Operations strategymust focus on stock availability and quick, economical, and dependable delivery.3.The hospital’s commitmentto provide attention to patients arriving to the emergencyunit in less than 15 minutes and never to turn away patients who need to be hospitalizedimplies that the facility must be designed to have extra capacity in both beds andemergency room facilities. It must plan on having extra personnel in the emergencyroom and also plan on having additional emergency personnel on call to take care ofunprecedented heavy loads. In line with the mission statement, maximum utilization ofthe facilities (i.e., beds and emergency room personnel) would not be one of theperformance objectives for the hospital.4.FedEx traditionally has competed on the basis of fast, dependable delivery. Before theboom in Internet applications, many businesses relied on FedEx to get things to otherbusinesses overnight. Now, this need is beginning to diminish as sophisticated systemsare being installed to assist companies in planning operations better. And, the internetbased companies are adding more demands for low cost ground deliveries to specificcustomer doors. FedEx, in order to remain competitive with companies such as UPS, hasmovedintothedoor-to-doordeliverybusiness,perhapsthroughacquisition.Nonetheless, it will require changes to this company’s competitive priorities.5.Technology Management. To identify a market segment, we need to determineanswers to questions such as: Which colleges and departments currently offer thesubject? What do instructors desire in the way of textbook support? Is there a trendtoward Technology Management courses? Are there other Technology ManagementPreview Mode
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