1. Describe Amazon's product-service mix. Which areas of Amazon's operations are characteristic of a manufacturing organization? Which areas are characteristic of a service organization? How do both areas relate to the marketing of Kindle and Kindle-related products?

2. Describe the role of technology in both Amazon's manufacturing and service operations.

3. Discuss the nature of Amazon's supply chain in terms of control, purchasing management, and inventory management. At what points in the supply chain does Amazon outsource or contract activities to outside parties? How does Amazon's supply chain management affect its revenues and costs?

4. Log on to Amazon.com and select an item that comes from Amazon itself rather than from a drop shipper. What kinds of purchasing decisions were necessary to make this product available at Amazon's price? What kinds of inventory-control decisions were necessary?

5. What facets of Amazon's operations allow it to create & control quality, both as a manufacturing organization and as a service organization? What facets of its operations allow Amazon to control productivity (again, both as a manufacturing organization and as a service organization)? Give two or three examples of ways in which Amazon's operations contribute to high productivity.

6. Explore the significance of customer reviews on Amazon's platform. How do these reviews impact customer purchasing decisions, sales, and the overall sense of community among users?

7. Analyze the impact of Amazon's decision to patent and license the "one-click" buying feature to other companies. What were the benefits and drawbacks of this strategy?