Generally, people buy one product or service instead of another because they a. have conducted a thorough internal search for information. b. want to get the lowest price possible. c. are unaware of key determinant attributes. d. perceive it to be the better value for them. e. prefer to avoid doing extended problem solving.

Draw a flowchart for a process of interest to you, such as a quick oil-change service, a factory process you might have worked in, ordering a pizza, renting a car or truck, buying products on the internet, or applying for an automobile loan. identify the points where something (people, information) waits for service or is held in work-in-process inventory, the estimated time to accomplish each activity in the process, and the total flow time. evaluate how well the process worked and what might be done to improve it.