UMASS LOWELL College of Management

63.371 T. Sloan

Electronic Submission of Write-ups to TurnItIn.com

A new service is available to students and faculty at UMass Lowell to help uphold academic integrity. In addition to turning in a hard copy of your case write-up, you will be required to submit an electronic version of the write-up to the web site TurnItIn.com. How do I submit my case write-up? It is quick and easy to submit your write up: 1. Point your web browser to www.turnitin.com. 2. Click on the New User section, and a dialogue box will guide you through the process of creating a user profile. You will need to enter our class ID number: 1822979 and enrollment password: sloan (note: all lower case). 3. Our class will then show up on your start page. Click on the class name: Sloan 63.371 Ops. Mgt. 4. You will then see a list of assignments. Click on the appropriate assignment. 5. Submit your paper following the instructions in the dialogue box. The following formats are accepted: MS Word, WordPerfect, RTF, PDF, PostScript, HTML, and plain text (.txt). 6. Click Submit when prompted to complete the submission process. A digital receipt number will be issued, and you will receive an e-mail confirming successful submission. Thats it! No further action is required. You will only need to create a user profile the first time you use the system, so for future assignments, the process will be even easier. Note: Please submit only one electronic copy per group. Under Author Name, simply list the name of one group member.

When are the write-ups due? The hard copy of the write-up is due during (or prior to) class on the dates indicated in the course syllabus. If you are not able to attend class, you may e-mail (Thomas_Sloan@uml.edu) or fax (978/9344034) your write-up before class. The electronic copy of the write-up must be submitted within 24 hours of the class discussion.

To summarize Hand in the paper copy of your groups case write-up during or prior to class on the day that it is due. Submit an electronic copy of the paper within 24 hours of our class discussion. Submit only one paper copy and one electronic copy per group.

UMASS LOWELL College of Management Case Study Write-up #1

63.371 T. Sloan

BENIHANA OF TOKYO

This case describes the development of a limited-menu restaurant chain. The company, started by a young entrepreneur, has grown to a chain of 15 restaurants, five of which are franchised. The firm faces several alternatives for future growth including starting a new concept and carrying the original concept into new geographic areas.

Assignment: Imagine that you have been hired as a consultant to help a group of investors decide whether or not to invest in Benihana of Tokyo. Before making a decision, the investors want to learn more about Benihanas operations. To help them decide, prepare answers to the questions below. Note: Your answers should be based solely on information found in the case. Answers must be typed (doublespaced) with reasonable margins and font size. The write-ups will be evaluated on their content and presentation, including logic, organization, grammar, and spelling. You may work on the case in groups of up to four (4) students. You are responsible for determining who is in your group and how work is allocated. Please turn in one write-up per group, and list the names of all group members on the write-up. Refer to the handout titled Guidelines for Case Study Write-ups (included with the course syllabus) for more information on the content and format for case write-ups. Also please refer to the attached handout with instructions about submitting an electronic version of your write-up to TurnItIn.com. Questions [2 points each] 1. Examine the service delivery system of Benihana and prepare a simple process flow diagram that includes all of the steps needed to serve a meal to a typical customer. Distinguish between the customers activities and those of the service provider. (Refer to Figures 5.2 through 5.4 on p. 1579 in the textbook for examples of process flow diagrams.) Which parameters of the operating system influence the throughput of a Benihana restaurant? 2. What are the differences between the Benihana production process and that of a typical restaurant? (Note: Focus on operations-related differences.) How does the Benihana cost structure compare to the standard American restaurant? Explain the differences. 3. What are the keys to Benihanas competitive advantage? Explain, paying particular attention to operations-related factors. 4. At the end of the case, Rocky and others discuss various opportunities for Benihanas future. Identify at least two (2) proposals discussed that you think Benihana should pursue and explain why. Identify at least two (2) proposals discussed that you think Benihana should not pursue and explain why not. Are there other ideas/actions besides those discussed that you think Benihana should pursue? Explain. [The presentation/style of the write-up counts for an additional 2 points, for a total of 10 possible points.] Remember to submit an electronic copy of your write-up to the TurnItIn.com web site. Due Date: Tuesday, February 20, 2007 at the beginning of class.