Case study can be found on pp. 469-472 of Purchasing and Supply Chain Management 3rd edition by W.C. Benton, Jr.

After an introductory paragraph, provide a summary of the situation. In subsequent paragraphs, address the following:

1. What characteristics of the market concerning cell phones and service providers make it unique compared to purchasing any other item?

2. Can cell phones be categorized as commodities as Mary has stated in her memo? Discuss the difference between commodities and non-commodities with Camp Bowie Technologies’ requirements for cell phones in mind.

3. How does purchasing equipment for business purposes differ from any other consumer purchasing? How would these differences influence the process in which values are assigned to competing offers which are being compared?

4. Has John clearly defined and evaluated Camp Bowie Technologies’ requirements for its cell phones? Are the requirements properly represented in the value assessment method created by John? Is the push-to-talk function worth receiving the highest weight?

5. Does the product research compiled by John include data that is relevant to his value assessment method? What portions of the data are relevant and what are not?

Present the key learnings that came out of the situation and make recommendations to improve the situation presented. Consider the Saint Leo core value of respect as you consider your decisions on the best ways to address the situation. In your paper, you will need to show how excellence factored into your decisions.

THE PAPER SHOULD CONCLUDE WITH A SUMMARY PARAGRAPH THAT ANSWERS THE QUESTION, WHY SHOULD ANYONE CARE ABOUT THIS SITUATION