Business Research:

Case Study:

Strawberry International wishes to conduct a research study using their employees as key participants. The organisation maintains a global footprint and employs over 25 000 employees at several branches worldwide.

Question:

Discuss the reasons why sampling such a population is necessary. Additional Research is required. Read, understand and apply Section 4: sampling

• The news media have reported on a large number of corporate scandals and misbehavior by governmental officials and celebrities in recent years. Based on the e-Activity, describe and explain how ethics played a major role in a public relations campaign in either a positive or negative way.
• Chapter 6 “Ethics in Public Relations” describes four ethical theories important to the practice of public relations. Based on the e-Activity, explain in detail how a public relations campaign applies one or more of these ethical theories.

a) In your opinion, how will the role of promotion change with the advent of the new digital media landscape?

b) To what extent do online consumer reviews affect consumer decision making?

c) How can marketers prevent the negative effects of consumer reviews?

Imagine that you are developing a public relations plan for a business you frequently patronize. Identify a problem or opportunity facing that business. Explain in detail how you might apply each of the four basic steps of a public relations plan (see “ Conceptualizing the Public Relations Plan” in Chapter 5) when developing a plan for that business to address the problem or opportunity. Chapter 5, “Implementing Public Relations Programs,” discusses a number of public relations duties. Choose the most challenging of these duties and explain why it is more difficult than the others.

describe the Reengineering Process

Synthesize and present key analytical findings about where Heineken is exceling and how or where it can improve??

• Explain the hacker ethic and hacker manifesto. Give your opinion as to why hackers do not consider themselves to be criminals. Include one example of such types of hackers to support your response.
• Describe at least two ways in which organized crime uses social media sites for its benefits. Next, speculate on the measures that the government could take in order to combat cyber crimes perpetrated through social media sites. Provide a rationale for your response.

Suppose we have two ways to source a product. One way is from the local supplier, while a second way is from a distant supplier. The terms and parameters for each source are as given in following table:

Suppose demand for the component is μ=500/????; σ=100/????. (Assume normally distributed demand). Suppose we have a holding cost of h=$0.01/week. This applies to all inventory in the system.

Total landed cost per unit (equal to the procurement cost plus transportation cost plus holding cost for pipeline stock) for each source. Local supplier total landed cost (TLC)= 1.28, Distant supplier total landed cost (TLC)=1.24.

Question 1: Suppose we source from a single supplier, and suppose we assume a periodic review policy with r = 1 week; suppose we have a shortage cost ? = 0.30/unit. What is the base stock for each option that minimizes the expected costs? Base Stock for Local Supplier= Base Stock for Distant Supplier=

Question 2: Suppose we follow the base stock policy calculated in question 1. What is the expected total cost per week for each option? The expected total cost is the sum of the procurement cost, the transportation cost, the inventory holding cost for the pipeline inventory plus the cycle stock and safety stock, and the shortage cost. Local Supplier= Distant Supplier=

Question 3: Suppose we implement a dual sourcing strategy, and we place a standing order with the distant supplier for 350 units per week. Suppose it is Jan. 7, 2019, which is a review epoch at which we place an order to the local supplier. The prior orders from both the local and distant supplier have been received and the inventory on hand is 1000 units. There are two orders in process with the local suppler: an order for 75 units to be delivered on Jan. 14, and on order for 100 units to be delivered on Jan. 21. In addition, under the terms of the standing order, the distant supplier will deliver 350 units on Jan. 14, Jan. 21, Jan. 28, etc. Suppose the base stock level for the local supplier is 2370. How much is the local supplier order on Jan. 7 for delivery on Jan. 28?

What is the difference in Leadership and business structure?

What complicates the analysis of an enterprise budget for planting and harvesting a crop that extends beyond one growing season

1. Car insurance and homeowners insurance both offer medical payments coverage. Explain how and why this coverage differs with respect to both types of insurance.

2. Car insurance and homeowners insurance both offer personal liability coverage. Explain how and why this coverage differs with respect to both types of insurance.

3. Car insurance and homeowners insurance both offer coverage for property damage (to your own property). Explain how and why this coverage differs with respect to both types insurance.

4. Explain by comparing and contrasting car insurance and homeowners insurance how what is insured (i.e., car vs. house) determines the structure of an insurance policy (i.e., types of coverages and their relative importance).

5. Why is damage to a car insured on an actual cash value basis, while damage to a house is insured on a cost replacement basis? What would happen if it were the other way round?

Working Together with Robots at Dynamic Group

Machines and People: Working Together

A chief executive of a manufacturing company is considering replacing current employee line positions with robots. The expectation is to essentially replace a total of four employees with one robot and one employee, only. The time that it takes to finish the product by the robot is estimated to be less than one minute (rather than one minute for each of the four employees.)

One employee is needed to examine the finished product. The employee and the robot work collaboratively. The robot is easy to move and reprogram and is a safe working companion (if it hits someone it stops working without causing injury). The robot paid for itself within two months by increasing the efficiency of the process and eliminating scrap. Productivity actually decreased at first when the robot was installed because employees enjoyed watching it work.

The chief executive believes that manufacturing systems in the future will work alone through taking raw materials and transforming them into products. He believes such a system will create more (not less) jobs and allow the company's machine operators to use their knowledge to help program the robots to do the work more efficiently and effectively rather than personally perform the work. As a result, the operators can put more effort into coming up with more creative and innovative ways to make products.

This company is not alone in its efforts to have employees and robots work together. Siemens Corporation is designing a data glove that allows an employee to control and direct a robot arm. The glove captures and transforms the movements of human hands into actions performed by the robot hand, matching the strength and accuracy of robots with human decision making power. At General Motor's Lake Orion automobile manufacturing plant, a robot lifts tires and stacks them on a cart.

1. Do you think that robots will ultimately replace humans in many jobs?
2. Why or why not?
3. What skills will employees need to be trained in, to work alongside robots?

INDIVIDUAL CASE STUDY

President Store Corporate operated around 300 Starbucks coffee outlets in Taiwan under a joint venture arrangement in 2013. It also ran over 2,000 of its own City Cafe outlets across Taiwan. Both enjoyed good market share and there appeared to be little cannibalization. What could be the reason for this in the competitive coffee landscape in Taiwan?

STARBUCKS

Starbucks was founded in the U.S. in 1971 and its main product was Arabica coffee beans. In 1987, Howard Schultz took over Starbucks and introduced the roasting technologies and ambience of the Italian cafe. By May 2014, Starbucks had over 23,180 stores worldwide in 64 countries. Starbucks outlets primarily sell coffee, but also offer other hot and cold beverages, pastries, sandwiches, and snacks. Starbucks introduced low calorie coffee in 2008 and instant coffee in 2009. In 2010, Starbucks started selling beer and wine in some outlets in the U.S. In 2011, Starbucks introduced the Trenta, a 31-ounce cup of coffee. Starbucks ventured into the juice bar business in 2013.

In January 1, 1988, the President Starbucks Coffee Corporation in Taiwan was officially founded as a joint venture between Starbucks Coffee International, Uni-President Enterprise Corporation, and the President Chain Store Corporation. Many people have suggested that Starbucks, as an international brand, has basically transplanted the American coffee culture into Taiwan. The concept appears to be good quality coffee at high prices to be enjoyed in a leisurely manner with friends. Coffee on offer includes cafe latte, vanilla latte, hazelnut latte, caramel macchiato, cafe mocha, and cappuccino with a price range of NT$75 (US$2.46) to NT$155 (US$5.08). However, subtle differences can be observed. The pastry cases look similar but their contents are different and include offerings such as curry chicken cannoli. There are numerous tea options including rose fancy tea, green tea, jinxuan oolong, bi luo chun, and oriental beauty (the latter three are specialty Taiwanese teas).

By 2013, Starbucks had almost 300 outlets. Over the past three years, Starbucks in Taiwan has opened 20 to 30 new stores each year, and all stores have achieved their revenue targets and contributed to 10 percent sales growth over the last few years. A research study has concluded that Western culture adoration was an important dimension in coffee consumption for Taiwanese customers at Starbucks. Overall, Starbucks engages in experiential marketing, with the consumer associating the brand with specific smells, tastes, visual elements, and sounds.

CITY CAFE

In 1986, the President Chain Store Corporation launched Cafe Americano through its 7-Eleven chain stores. In 2004, the company began to shift from the American style Americano concept to the new 24-hour Italian City Cafe concept without closing the Americano outlets already in the 7-Eleven outlets. By 2005, there were 500 CITY CAFE outlets, 1,000 in 2007, and 2,000 in 2009. Television advertising was used to build brand awareness and image. The theme used was, “The entire city is my coffee shop;” targeted at students and workers aged between 20 and 40. The concept appears to be a local coffee brand offering low priced coffee anytime and anywhere. Coffee on offer includes latte, cappuccino, and City blend, with prices from NT$25 (US$0.82) to NT$45 (US$1.48).

CITY CAFE started a Music Conservatory in the Hankyu Department Store outlet in Taipei where aspiring local singers and performers can showcase their talents. Performers in March 2014 included Taipei Soul Brothers, featuring five musicians from three different generations, and Lin Ling, a local Taiwanese girl who has been performing since the age of five.

The success of the CITY CAFE coffee bar concept has resulted in many convenience chain stores and fast food chain stores near schools, offices, hospitals, subway stations, and train stations duplicating the idea. Examples of concepts by convenience stores include Mr. Brown Coffee of Family Mart and OK Cafe of OK Mart. McDonalds also launched the McCafe.

According to a review, the coffee scene in Taiwan can be categorized accordingly:

I.      Foreign Cafe Chain

This group is currently dominated by Starbucks. They offer mainly espresso coffee at very high prices of NT$90 (US$2.95) to NT$180 (US$5.90).

2.     Specialist Cafe

This group offers excellent coffee with a large variety of beans. They have varied origins, create their own blends, and roast their own coffee. They sell beans and offer a mix of espresso and brewed coffee. The baristas are experts and know their coffee in a passionate way. Prices of their coffee range from NT$60 (US$1.97) to NT$150 (US$4.92). Examples of such cafes are Orsir and Mojo Coffee in Taichung.

3.     Specialist Cafe Chain

This group offers excellent coffee but with a more limited range. They sell beans and offer mainly espresso, though they do have limited brewed coffee options. They have trained baristas, and the price range is NT$30 (US$0.98) to NT$70 (US$2.30). Examples of such cafes include Wilbeck in Taipei and Cama Cafe across Taiwan.

4.     Taiwanese Cafe

This group serves a variety of coffee from different regions in Taiwan. The cafes are operated by single owner and they roast in small batches. They are often in business for a long time (over 15 years) and they have a small group of loyal customers. They offer mainly brewed coffee, but they have espresso as well. The price range is from NT$70 (US$2.30) to NT$120 (US$3.93).

5.     Taiwanese Cafe Chain

This group serves a single unannounced blend of coffee with no other options. They serve mainly espresso though some may offer drip or brewed coffee. Some baristas may receive training but quality is uneven. The prices range from NT$35 (US$1.15) to NT$75 (US$2.46). Examples are 8S°C and Bakery.

6.     Convenience Store Coffee

This group offers bean to cup machine coffee. They use cheap Taiwanese roasts of unannounced origin. Prices range from NT$25 (US$0.82) to NT$60 (US$1.97). Examples of coffee entities in this group are City Cafe by 7-Eleven and Mr. Brown Coffee by Family Mart.

Three main groups have been identified:

Coffee Connoisseur

It is primarily interested in discovering new, high quality brews of coffee. He is very price insensitive and would frequent specialty cafes with baristas who are experts and know their coffee in a passionate way.

Café Hangout

The Café Hangout Coffee drinker values his coffee as an aspirational drink, to be drunk with a group of friends or to be seen consuming the beverage by others. He is relatively price insensitive, valuing the brand of the Café over the coffee type. The ambience and mood of the café is important to him. He would prefer to have food options available with his coffee as well. This group is a mix of students, who visit cafes as a place to hangout or study at, and working professionals, who value the café as an informal place to relax.

Coffee Fix

The Coffee Fix Coffee drinker values his coffee as his daily sustenance, requiring the energy boost which caffeine from the coffee provides. He may drink up to several cups a day and is not overly concerned with the quality of the coffee. He is also price sensitive as he is not after a premium product.

A survey found that the Taiwanese drink coffee in the following frequencies per day: one cup-46 percent, two cups-13 percent, and various frequencies depending on day and occasions-36 percent. The most frequently consumed coffee is: latte-48 percent, Americano-19 percent, cappuccino-17 percent, cafe mocha-4 percent, others-12 percent. Their favorite coffee venue is: Starbucks-29.1 percent and City Cafe-29.1 percent. Areas in which Starbucks must improve: prices-68.1 percent, promotional offers-15.3 percent, charity activities-9.2 percent, quality-6.9 percent, and refreshments- 6.1 percent. Areas in which City Cafe must improve: quality-29.4percent, refreshments- I4.7percent, promotional offers-14.0 percent, store ambience-13.3 percent, and peripheral merchandize-9.8 percent.

Why is the President’s group able to dominate the coffee market in Taiwan with the Starbucks and City Café concept rather than cannibalise itself with two brands in the same market?

A wheel alignment shop wants to improve his service by purchasing a new wheel alignment system. He is faced with three outcomes related to the demand on wheel alignment service, and three alternative decisions on alignment system purchase. The table below displays the estimated daily payoffs resulting from all combinations of decisions with outcomes.

Alternative Decisions Outcomes (demand)
O1: High O2: Moderate O3: low
A1: high performance alignment system AED 10,000 AED 5,000 AED -10,000
A2: ordinary alignment system AED 5,000 AED 3,000 AED -5,000
A3: no purchase AED 3,000 AED 2,000 AED 0
Probabilities 0.2 0.5 0.3

1. If the decision is taken under uncertainty, find the best decision using the Maximax criterion. (3.5 Marks)
2. Now with the given outcomes’ probabilities, what is the best decision according to the EMV criterion? (3.5 Marks)
3. Use the EVPI to decide if the shop manager should buy perfect information for AED 2500 or not.