Hazel CASE Hazel had worked for the same fortune 500 company for almost searching she was no closer to finding a job than the day she 15 years. Although the company had gone through some tough started. Her funds were being depleted and she was getting more times, things were starting to turn around. Customer orders were discouraged. There was one bright spot though: She was able to up, and quality and productivity had improved dramatically from bring in a little money by mowing lawns for her neighbors. She got what they had been only a few years earlier due to a companywride involved quite by chance when she heard one neighbor remark quality improvement program. So it came as a real shock to Hazal that now that his children were on their own, nobody was around and about 400 of her coworkers when they were suddenly termi to cut the grass. Almost jokingly. Hazel asked him how much nated following the new CEO's decision to downsize the company he'd be willing to pay. Soon Hazel was mowing the lawns of five After recovering from the initial shock, Hazel tried to find neighbors Other neighbors wanted her to work on their lawns, employment elsewhere. Despite her efforts, after eight months of (continued Chapter One Introduction to Operations Management 37 Iconcluded) What scheduling must she do? What things might occur to but she didn't feel that she could spare any more time from her disrupt schedules and cause Hazel to reschedule? job search. d. How important is quality assurance to Hazel's business? However, as the rejection letters began to pile up, Hazel knew Explain she had to make a decision On a sunny Tuesday morning, she . What kinds of maintenance must be performed? decide, like many others in a similar situation, to go into business 3. What are some of the trade-offs that Hazel probably consid- for herself-taking care of neighborhood lawns. She was relieved Bred relative to: to give up the stress of job hunting, and she was excited about the a. Working for a company instead of for herselt? prospect of being her own boss. But she was also fearful of being 5. Expanding the business? completely on her own. Nevertheless, Hazel was determined to c. Launching a Web site? make a go of it 4. The town is considering an ordinance that would prohibit At first, business was a little slow, but once people realized putting grass clippings at the curb for pickup because local Hazel was available, many asked her to take care of their lawns. landfils cannot handle the volume. What options might Hazel Some people were simply glad to turn the work over to her, others consider if the ordinance is passed? Name two advantages switched from professional lawn care services. By the end of her and two drawbacks of each option first year in business, Hazel knew she could earn a living this way 5. Hazel decided to offer the students who worked for her a bonus She also performed other services such as fertilizing lawns, weed- of $25 for ideas on how to improve the business, and they pro ing gardens, and trimming shrubbery. Business became so goud vided several good ideas. One idea that she initially rejected that Hazel hired two part-time workers to assist her and even now appears to hold great promise. The student who proposed then, she believed she could expand further if she wanted to the idea has left, and is currently working for a competitor. Should Hazel send that student a check for the idea? What are Questions the possible trade-offs? 1. In what ways are Hazel's customers most likely to judge the 6 All managers have to cope with variation quality of her lawn care services? #. What are the major sources of variation that Hazel has to 2. Hazel is the operations manager of her business. Among her contend with? responsibilities are forecasting, inventory management, sched- How might these sources of variation impact Hazel's ability uling, quality assurance, and maintenance. to match supply and demand? a. What kinds of things would likely require forecasts? c. What are some ways she can cope with variation? 1. What inventory items does Hazel probably have? Name one 7. Hazel is thinking of making some of her operations sustainable inventory decision she has to make periodically What are some ideas she might consider? Hazel had worked for the same Fortune 500 company for almost searching she was no closer to finding a job than the day she 15 years. Although the company had gone through some tough started. Her funds were being depleted and she was getting more times, things were starting to turn around. Customer orders were discouraged. There was one bright spot, though: She was able to up, and quality and productivity had improved dramatically from bring in a little money by mowing lawns for her neighbors. She got what they had been only a few years earlier due to a companywide involved quite by chance when she heard one neighbor romark quality improvement program. So it came as a real shock to Hazel that now that his children were on their own, nobody was around and about 400 of her coworkers when they were suddenly termi to cut the grass. Almost jokingly. Hazel asked him how much nated following the new CEO's decision to downsize the company he'd be willing to pay. Soon Hazel was mowing the lawns of five After recovering from the initial shock, Hazel tried to find neighbors Other neighbors wanted her to work on their lawns, employment elsewhere. Despite her efforts, after eight months of (continued) Chapter One Introduction to Operations Management 37 (concluded c. What scheduling must she do? What things might occur to but she didn't feel that she could spare any more time from her disrupt schedules and cause Hazel to reschedule? job search d. How important is quality assurance to Hazel's business? However, as the rejection letters began to pile up, Hazel knew Explain she had to make a decision On a sunny Tuesday morning, she e. What kinds of maintenance must be performed? decided, like many others in a similar situation, to go into business 3. What are some of the trade-offs that Hazel probably consid- for herself-taking care of neighborhood lawns. She was relieved ered relative to: to give up the stress of job hunting, and she was excited about the a. Working for a company instead of for herself? prospect of being her own boss. But she was also fearful of being b. Expanding the business? completely on her own. Nevertheless, Hazel was determined to c. Launching a Web site? make a go of it 4. The town is considering an ordinance that would prohibit At first, business was a little slow, but once people realized putting grass clippings at the curb for pickup because local Hazel was available, many asked her to take care of their laws. landfills cannot handle the volume. What options might Hazel Some people were simply glad to turn the work over to her, others consider if the ordinance is passed? Name two advantages switched from professional lawn care services. By the end of her and two drawbacks of each option. first year in business, Hazel knew she could earn a living this way. 5. Hazel decided to offer the students who worked for her a bonus She also performed other services such as fertilizing lawns, weed of $25 for ideas on how to improve the business, and they pro ing gardens and trimming shrubbery. Business became so good vided several good ideas. One idea that she initially rejected that Hazel hired two part-time workers to assist her and, even now appears to hold great promise. The student who proposed then, she believed she could expand further if she wanted to. the idea has left, and is currently working for a competitor. Should Hazel send that student a check for the idea? What are Questions the possible trade-offs? 1. In what ways are Hazel's customers most likely to judge the 6. All managers have to cope with variation quality of her lawn care services? a. What are the major sources of variation that Hazel has to 2. Hazel is the operations manager of her business. Among her contend with? responsibilities are forecasting, inventory management, sched- 6. How might these sources of variation impact Hazel's ability uling, quality assurance, and maintenance. to match supply and demand? a. What kinds of things would likely require forecasts? c. What are some ways she can cope with variation? 5. What inventory items does Hazel probably have? Name one 7. Hazel is thinking of making some of her operations sustainable inventory decision she has to make periodically. What are some ideas she might consider