Case Hazel: Questions:
1.

In what ways are Hazels customers most likely to judge the quality of her lawn careservices?
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Hazels customers will most likely judge the quality of her lawn care services by thequantity of Hazels other customer, how efficient she does her work and her credibility.
2
. Hazel is the operations manager of her business
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Among her responsibilities areforecasting inventory management, scheduling, quality assurance, and maintenance
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a. What kinds of things would likely require forecasts?
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Weather and climate condition would likely require forecasts as well as thedemand for lawn mowing services.b. What inventory items does Hazel probably have? Name one inventory decision shehas to make periodically.
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The inventory items that Hazel probably has are rake, grass cutter, fertilizers,mower, seeds, and other lawn mower equipments.c. What scheduling must she do? What things might occur to disrupt schedules andcause Hazel to reschedule?
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It depends upon the demand of the customers. Basically, Hazel will accept one totwo customers five times a week. She will do her lawn services approximately once amonth. The things that might occur to disrupt schedules and will cause Hazel toreschedule are fortuitous events such as storms, floods, earthquake and othercalamities.d. How important is quality assurance to Hazels business? Explain. ~
The quality assurance to Hazels business is indeed very important. It willdetermine the number of Hazels customers. It will also reflect on her businesscredibility.e. What kinds of maintenance must be performed?
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Checking of fertilizers (expiration dates).
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Checking if the tools are in well condition
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Proper communication with the customers via telephone lines
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Making sure that the facilities are clean
3
. What are some of the trade-offs that Hazel probably considered relative to: a. Working for a company instead of for herself?
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Trade offs between time that will be wasted when looking for a job and the moneythat she will gain when she renders lawn services. b. Expanding the business?
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Trade offs between the increase level of customers service and the increase costrequired to expand the business. c. Launching a Web site?
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Tradeoffs between publicity and doubled customers demand.

4 The town is considering an ordinance that would prohibit putting grass clippings at the curb for pickup because local landfills cannot handle the volume What options might Hazel consider if the ordinance is passed? Name two advantages and two draw backs of each option
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Hazel’s option would probably be adding up additional services in her business like collecting and disposing of the trash grasses. An advantage of these is additional income and additional job opportunity to the laborers. The disadvantages would be: cost of additional equipments that would be use in the new service and it would be time consuming because of much work to be done.
5
Hazel decided to offer the students who worked for her a bonus of $25 for ideas on how to improve the business, and they provided several good ideas. One idea that she initially rejected now appears to hold great promise. The student who proposed the idea has left, and is currently working for a competitor. Should Hazel send that student a check for the idea? What are the possible trade-offs?
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This basically shows that Hazel was mistaken in her decision therefore there’s no need for her to send a check. It is possible that the student already suggested it to her competitor. Possible trade-offs are between the gain of the competitors and the loss of a good idea maker.
6
. All managers have to cope with variation
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a. What are the major sources of variation that Hazel has to contend with?
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Quality of services
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Credibility
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Affordability