1. Explain how the seven differences between goods and services would be applied to a major airline service. Provide airline examples that illustrate each difference.

2. Explain why a bank teller, nurse, or flight attendant must have service management skills. How do the required skills differ for someone working in a factory? What are the implications for hiring criteria and training?

3. Do you think you will be working in manufacturing or services when you graduate? What do you think will be the role of manufacturing in the U.S. economy in the future?

4. Choose one of the following services and explain, using specific examples, how each of the ways that services differ from manufactured goods applies.

A family practice medical office

A fire department

A restaurant

An automobile repair shop

5. Explain how the customer benefit package is enhanced from the customers viewpoint by adding digital content to a physical good such as an automobile, cell phone, or appliance? How is value increased?

6. Draw the customer benefit package (CBP) for one of the items in the following list and explain how your CBP provides value to the customer. Make a list of a few example processes that you think would be necessary to create and deliver each good or service in the CBP you selected and briefly describe issues that must be considered in designing these processes.

A trip to Disney World

A new personal computer

A credit card

A fast-food restaurant

A wireless mobile telephone

A one-night stay in a hotel

7. Why is process thinking important in operations management? Thinking of yourself as an operations manager for your education, how could process thinking improve your performance as a student?