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Question 2c

Bus Co is a large bus operator, operating long-distance bus services across the country. There are two other national operators in the country. Bus Co’s mission is to ‘be the market leader in long-distance transport providing a greener, cleaner service for passengers nationwide’. Last month, an independent survey of 40,000 passengers was carried out, the results of which are shown in the table below:

Table: Bus passenger satisfaction % by national operator

Operator Overall satisfaction Value for money Punctuality Journey time
Bus * 67 80 82
Prime * 58 76 83
Express *67 76 89

* denotes that the percentage has not yet been calculated.

The ‘overall satisfaction’ percentages, which have not yet been inserted into the table, are calculated using a weighted average which reflects the importance customers place on each of the other three criteria above. The weightings used are as follows:

Value for money   40%
Punctuality           32%
Journey time        28%

The managing director (MD) of Bus Co has said: ‘Independent research has shown that our customers are the most satisfied of any national bus operator. We are now leading the way on what matters most to customers – value for money and punctuality.’

When measuring performance using a ‘value for money’ approach, the criteria of economy, efficiency and effectiveness can be used.

Required:
Briefly define ‘efficiency’ and ‘effectiveness’ and suggest one performance measure for EACH, which would help Bus Co assess the efficiency and effectiveness of the service it provides. (4 marks)