Apply the value chain model to FlexTime. FlexTime does have some inventory, principally fruit and soft drinks, energy bars, and other health food that it sells at its juice bar.
But, fundamentally, FlexTime is a service business. It provides facilities, equipment, and skilled personnel to teach classes and provide personal training to clients. It also provides towels, soap, shampoo, and showers for clients to use after working out.
a. Describe how each of the primary value chain activities pertains to FlexTime. Rank the importance of that activity to FlexTime's success on a scale of 1 (low) to 5 (high). Justify your ranking.
b. Describe how each support value chain activity pertains to FlexTime. Rank the importance of that activity to FlexTime's success on a scale of 1 (low) to 5 (high). Justify your ranking.
c. Diagram two business processes that support the primary activities you identified as most important in part a. Use Figures 3-8 and 3-9 as a guide.
d. Explain how each of the business processes in your answer to part c adds value to FlexTime. How does the business process need to be designed to support FlexTime's competitive strategy of a highintensity workout? How would the value chain be different if FlexTime wanted to be the lowest-cost provider of healthcare services?
e. Describe an information system that would support the business process you identified in your answer to part d. How would that information system differ for a company with FlexTime's competitive strategy, as compared to a company with a lowest-cost competitive strategy?
