discussion

Manager of a barbershop with 5 barbers to the manager of a jobshop with 5 machinists:

“My job is a lot harder than yours!”

To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement? Provide at least two justifications for whichever position you pick. Use clear examples in your arguments. Post your response (200-250 words).
Comment on at least two other students’ posts (minimum 50 words each).

This discussion is meant to get you to think about the differences between services and manufacturing.

1st respnse

I strongly agree with this statement for the following reasons:

Services are distinguished and ultimately more difficult to manage from manufacturing on several dimensions. First, many service attributes are intangible, which means that they cannot be inventoried or carried in stock over extended periods of time. However, this type of service has some tangible aspects as well, such as the chairs, mirrors and scissors. The outputs of services are also mixed, which in this case, no two haircuts, or the experience with the barber are the same.

Another useful distinction between services and manufacturing centers on the aspect of customer contact. Customers tend to be more involved in the production of services than they are in production of goods. For instance, most people probably have never seen anything they own during its manufacturing stage. In this case, the customer is actively involved in the service by providing information on how they want their hair styled during the process and sitting still. Because customers are actively involved in the service, they create problems for the providers. For example, the time required to serve different customers can vary widely based on the length and style, making it difficult to plan capacity. The varying demands of customers also contribute to process variability that makes quality production of services difficult. Therefore, even though customers are the reason for the existence of services firms, they also make providing good service difficult.

this the second response . I just need comment

I personally agree with this statement.

Manufacturing companies produce tangible goods, which are physical products that can be held and seen. There is no direct contact with the operation since this happens through retailers. On the other hand, service companies provide intangible services that may not be easily identifiable or produce ahead of time. This requires customers to be present to provide service. The key difference among service and manufacturing sector is the tangibility of their output.

Some other differences among service and manufacturing jobs are;

Customer Demands:

Service companies normally do not produce a service unless a customer requires it. While Service companies generally produce a service tailored to customers’ needs, such as 2 massage, facial or haircut. While, manufacturing companies can produce goods without a forecast of customer demand.

Labor skills:

A service firm hires people with specific skills. Service delivery is labor intensive and cannot be easily automated for instance, a hairdresser needs to customize the styling to match the customer’s hair shape of face and other characteristics while manufacturing companies can automate many of their production processes to reduce labor since one finished product is generally the same as the next.

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Response

The peer agrees with the statement that the manager at the barbershop has a more daunting job than the individual who works as a manager at a job shop.

(93 words)