QUESTION 1

(a) The management of quality in a service environment is, without doubt, different from that in a manufacturing situation.
Discuss why this is the case, illustrating your answer with suitable examples.

(b) The ISO 9000 series of quality management system standard is fast becoming a de facto requirement for doing business in many industries, despite the fact that it is a voluntary standard.

Critically evaluate the benefits and drawbacks of implementing such a system in the service industry

QUESTION 2

(a) Using a service organisation of your choice, explain how can service recovery from a service failure be a blessing in disguise?

(b) Discuss using a service organisation of your choice, the extent to which the principles of job design could contribute to the effective performance of an operating system

QUESTION 3

(a) A customer waiting in line is potentially a lost customer. Choose a service organisation of your choice, suggest and explain the strategies that operations managers could use to make waiting less painful

(b) Explain what is meant by capacity management and discuss its effect on the planning policies of a hotel administration?

QUESTION 4

(a) Location is always considered of particular importance in operations. Suppose the following businesses are considering locating in your community:

• A sporting goods store
• A fast-food restaurant

Discuss the positive and negative location factors for each of these businesses

(b) Using a service organisation of your choice, discuss any two of the following layouts-

• Process layout
• Product layout
• Fixed-position layout