CASE STUDY:

"BMW is the ultimate driving machine. Manufactured by the German company Bayerische Motoren Werke AG, BMW stands for both performance and luxury. The company was founded in 1916 as an aircraft-engine manufacturer and produced engines during World Wars I and II. It evolved into a motorcycle and automobile maker by the mid-20th century, and today it is an internationally respected company and brand with $106 billion in sales in 2012. BMW’s logo is one of the most distinctive and globally recognised symbols ever created. The signature BMW roundel looks like a spinning propeller blade set against a blue sky background—originally thought to be a tribute to the company’s founding days as an aircraft-engine manufacturer. Recently, however, a New York Times reporter revealed that the logo, which features the letters BMW at the top of the outer ring and blue-and-white checkered design in the inner ring, was trademarked in 1917 and meant to show the colors of the Free State of Bavaria, where the company is headquartered. BMW’s growth exploded in the 1980s and 1990s, when it successfully targeted the growing market of baby boomers and professional yuppies who put work first and wanted a car that spoke of their success. BMW gave them sporty sedans with exceptional performance and a brand that stood for prestige and achievement. The cars, which came in a 3, 5, or 7 Series, were basically the same design in three sizes. It was at this time that yuppies made Beemer and Bimmer the slang terms for BMW’s cars and motorcycles, popular names still used today. At the turn of the century, consumers’ attitudes toward cars changed. Research showed that they cared less about the bragging rights of the BMW brand and instead desired a variety of design, size, price, and style choices. As a result, the company took several steps to grow its product line by targeting specific market segments. This resulted in unique premium-priced cars such as SUVs, convertibles, and roadsters, as well as less expensive compact cars like the 1 Series. In addition, BMW redesigned its 3, 5, and 7 Series cars, making them unique in appearance yet maintaining their exceptional performance. BMW’s full range of cars now includes the 1 Series, 3 Series, 5 Series, 6 Series, 7 Series, X Series, Z4 Roadster, M Series, Hybrids, and BMWi. BMW created the lower-priced 1 Series and X1 SUV to target the “modern mainstream,” a group who are also family-focused and active but had previously avoided BMWs because of their premium cost. The company nurtures these loyal consumers and continues to research, innovate, and reach out to specific segment groups year after year.)

QUESTION

Service quality differs from product quality in that the consumer is actively involved in the service creation process. Service firms therefore face a unique situation whereby each service encounter with a customer is a test of the firms service quality standards.

In light of the above information discuss how a firm can manage service quality to ensure consistent service delivery that meets or exceeds customer expectations.

TOPIC #2: Which one of the three cash flow methods of accepting projects would you recommend to a small restaurant owner who is confronted with an investment decision to either lease or buy a restaurant building in a small town? Please use real world examples in your post.

Be very detailed and add examples.

Data from field investigation:

• The survey conducted by getting information from various sources including the statistical records in the respective ministries, municipality and mukhtars has resulted in a population figure of 85,600 persons at present residing in the town under design. Review of the previous statistics has shown that the average yearly rate at which the population has been steadily increasing is 1.75%.
• Further investigations from neighboring communities that lead similar sociological conditions and considering the water demanded by the existing and possible future industrial and commercial organizations has indicated that a supply of 250 L/person/day would be ample to cover all the needs of the community.
• As for the available sources of supply, it was determined that the most suitable source is that of a lake formed of an impounding reservoir that is present within reasonable distance from the town.  This lake is located about 3km from the town at an elevation of 363m above seawater level while the town elevation is at 324m. Records show that the level of the water in the lake varies between the maximum winter level and the minimum summer level by 4m while maintaining a minimum water depth of 4 m.
• The quality of the water in the lake varies appreciably between the four seasons, whereby during the fall and winter seasons the turbidity of the water builds up to 275 mg/L, while during the spring and summer the turbidity drops down to less than 10 mg/L. No toxic impurities were detected in the water, besides the water is relatively soft with low concentrations of Ca and Mg. Limited concentration of microorganisms were detected but not of major importance.
• A survey on the site for the treatment plant resulted in selecting a site, with a reasonable cost, of an area of 3000 m2 that is located at about 1000 meters away from the lake at an elevation of 330 m.

• Determine the design period and design population.
• Determine the design quantity of water that is to be treated taking into consideration the water that could be lost under various operations in the treatment process to be estimated at 6%.
• Determine the type of treatment that to be adopted.
• Determine the components of the treatment plant
• Determine the design criteria for each component. The expected operating temperature is 25˚C.
• Determine a preliminary cost estimate for the plant (refer to the internet on cost estimate of (type) water treatment per cubic meter).

1. Please explain why you would or would not think each of the following variables to be normally distributed. [Hint: For normally distributed variable, most of the data are around the middle value and frequency of observations keeps falling as you move away from the middle in both directions]. a. Retirement age of the U.S workers. b. Household income in the U.S. in 2018. c. Height of U.S. adults in 2018. d. Birthweight of girls in the U.S. in 2018. e. Please state an example each of left-skewed and right-skewed variables and justify your answer.

3.A black guinea pig (Bb) is crossed with an albino guinea pig (bb). Note: Black is dominant over albino. Use a Punnett square to determine the genotypes and phenotypes of the parents and offspring.

4. Note: the genotype of females is XX; for males is XY. Use a Punnett square to determine the genotypes and phenotypes of the offspring. a. If a couple has 3 girls, what are possibilities of the 4th child to be another girl?

5. A father with blue eyes (bb) is married to a woman with hazel eyes (Bb). Use a Punnett square to determine the genotypes and phenotypes of the offspring

Suppose systolic blood pressure of 16-year-old females is approximately normally distributed with a mean of 118 mmHg and a variance of 421.07 mmHg. If a random sample of 16 girls were selected from the population, find the following probabilities:

a) The mean systolic blood pressure will be below 119 mmHg.
probability =

b) The mean systolic blood pressure will be above 124 mmHg.
probability =

c) The mean systolic blood pressure will be between 112 and 120 mmHg.
probability =

d) The mean systolic blood pressure will be between 107 and 113 mmHg.
probability =

Suppose systolic blood pressure of 18-year-old females is approximately normally distributed with a mean of 123 mmHg and a variance of 615.04 mmHg. If a random sample of 18 girls were selected from the population, find the following probabilities:

a) The mean systolic blood pressure will be below 109 mmHg.
probability =

b) The mean systolic blood pressure will be above 124 mmHg.
probability =

c) The mean systolic blood pressure will be between 106 and 125 mmHg.
probability =

d) The mean systolic blood pressure will be between 104 and 112 mmHg.
probability =

Here are summary statistics for randomly selected weights of newborn​ girls:

nequals=189189​,

x overbarxequals=30.530.5

​hg,

sequals=7.47.4

hg. Construct a confidence interval estimate of the mean. Use a

9090​%

confidence level. Are these results very different from the confidence interval

28.528.5

hgless than<muμless than<31.731.7

hg with only

1212

sample​ values,

x overbarxequals=30.130.1

​hg, and

sequals=3.13.1

​hg?

What is the confidence interval for the population mean

muμ​?

hgless than<muμless than<nothing

hg ​(Round to one decimal place as​ needed.)

Which of the following situations describes a random variable that has a binomial distribution?

a)A fair coin is tossed 10 times. The variable X is the number of heads resulting from these 10 tosses.

b)A couple will keep having children until they have three girls or five children. The variable X is the number of children in the family.

c)The variable X is the number of clients in the bank between 10:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m.

d)Fifteen cards are taken from the deck without placing them back in the deck. The variable X is the number of ace outcomes.