Referencing Styles : Harvard Assignment Task Robert B Woodruff in an article published in the Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science in 1997 claimed that customer value would be the next source of competitive advantage. He defined customer value (page 142) as “a customer’s perceived preference for and evaluation of those product attributes, attribute preferences and consequences arising from use that facilitate (or block) achieving the customer’s goals and purposes in use situations”. Woodruff, R. B., 1997, Customer Value: The Next Source for Competitive Advantage, Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Volume 25, No. 2, pages 139 to 153. Discuss and evaluate Woodruff’s view by answering the following questions: Question 1 Critically evaluate the extent to which companies need to appreciate the importance of customer needs and expectations in setting their business objectives. How could this process be supported by an appropriate quality initiative? (25%) Question 2 Explain how you would use a range of suitable quality management and measurement tools and techniques to analyse the effectiveness of an organisation’s systems and activities in meeting customer needs and expectations. Critically evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of your chosen tools and techniques. (45%) Question 3 Select one of the quality gurus (for example Deming, Crosby, Drucker or Juran) and critically assess how Woodruff’s views fit with their ideas. How do both these sets of ideas fit with the principles and concepts of total quality management? (30%) To answer these questions successfully you will need to study the work of Woodruff and your chosen quality guru in depth. It is unlikely that text book materials will be sufficient to provide the required depth so it is important that you study their original work. This assignment addresses learning outcomes 1, 2, 3 and 4. Your answers should be based on sound academic theory and examples used, where appropriate, to make your case. Credit will be given for further reading. An Executive Summary is NOT required.