Unit VI Case Study
Case studies are an important learning strategy in business classes as they provide an opportunity for you to critically analyze events that have taken place in real-life businesses. This develops your critical thinking and research skills as you
research the competition and industry in which your business resides with an end goal of formulating a recommendation for the challenges faced by the company.

Select one of the three case studies listed below, which can be found in your textbook. Evaluate the case of your choice, and respond to each of the questions below using both theory and practical managerial thinking as well as supporting
research.
Option 1: Southwest Airlines (pp. 490–491)
1. What is the product and service model of Southwest? Who is their primary target market, and how is Southwest positioned with this group?
2. What is the pricing strategy of Southwest compared to other airlines? Is this a differentiating factor?
3. What risks does Southwest Airlines face both from a macro and micro environmental standpoint?
4. Can Southwest continue to thrive as a low-cost airline when tough economic times hit or as other airlines mimic its business model?

Option 2: Amazon.com (pp. 522–523)
1. With respect to the distribution, why has Amazon succeeded when so many other companies have failed?
2. From a theoretical standpoint, what is Amazon’s pricing model? Why is this so effective? How does this compare to their competitors?
3. Discuss how Amazon has used differentiation and positioning as two key components in maintaining a competitive advantage.
4. Thinking about the changes in the macro and micro environment, what is next for Amazon? Where else can it grow?

Option 3: Best Buy (pp. 554–555)
1. What were the keys to Best Buy’s success? How have they differentiated themselves?
2. What pricing model has Best Buy adopted?
3. What are the challenges it faces in today’s retail environment from both a micro and macro environmental standpoint?

4. How else can Best Buy compete against retail competitors like Walmart and Costco as well as online competitors like Amazon.com?

In formatting your case analysis, do not use the question-and-answer format; instead, use an essay format with subheadings. Your APA-formatted case study should be a minimum of 500 words in length (not counting the title and reference pages). You are required to use a minimum of three peer-reviewed, academic sources that are no more than 5 years old (one may be your textbook). All sources used, including the textbook, must be referenced; paraphrased material must have accompanying in-text citations.

Unless otherwise stated, answer in complete sentences, and be sure to use correct English, spelling, and grammar. Sources must be cited in APA format. Your response should be four (4) double‐spaced pages; refer to the “Format Requirementsʺ page located at the beginning of this learning guide for specific format requirements.

Case 1

Objective: Select the appropriate research design.

You have just graduated from college and are a newly hired researcher trainee at Georgia Metro Research. You have been asked to determine the appropriate research design for two new clients, as follows.

Client A is a consumer packaged goods manufacturer with a well-established brand name. The client has focused on manufacturing and distribution for years while the marketing program has been set on “auto pilot.” All had worked fine, though there was a hint of emerging problems when, in the preceding year, market share had fallen slightly. Now, our client has just reviewed the current market share report and notices that over the previous 12 months, its share has gradually eroded 15 percent. When market share falls, clients are eager to learn why and to take corrective action. In these situations we know immediately the problem is that we don’t know what the problem is. There are many possible causes for this slippage. You need to determine the research design needed.

Client B is in a very competitive category with equal market share of the top three brands. Our client is convinced that it has changed every marketing mix variable possible except for package design. Since the three competitive brands are typically displayed side-by-side, the client wants us to determine what factors of package design (e.g., size, shape, color, texture) cause an increase in awareness, preference for, and intention to buy the brand. What do you recommend for the appropriate research design?

1. What research design would you recommend for each of these clients?

2. For the research design you selected for each client, explain why you believe your choice of design is the correct choice.

Case 2 

Objective: Select the appropriate sampling plan.

Client A

Honda USA is interested in learning what its 550 U.S. dealers think about a new service program Honda provided to the dealers at the beginning of last year. Honda USA wants to know if the dealers are using the program and, if so, what they like and dislike about the program. Honda USA does not want to survey all 550 dealers, but wants to ensure that the results are representative of all the dealers.

Part A (a 1 ½ page response is required)

Objective: Explain the approaches to ethics and social responsibility

MKD Transportation owns and operates a fleet of container ships and tankers that transport goods around the globe. Company executives have just been contacted by the media with a credible report that one of their ships is leaking an oily substance off the coast of Belize. If true, some of the world’s most beautiful coral reefs could be in danger. On the other hand, the captain of the ship in question has not notified the company of any problem, and cleanup could be very costly. Environmental groups and the government of Belize have demanded that the company admit responsibility and immediately begin cleanup.

1.Managers at MKD claim to exercise ethical behavior toward their employees. Describe three (3) matters this behavior might cover.

2.What might the general public begin to think about MKD’s responsibilities toward the environment? Provide one (1) example.

3.If MKD adopts an obstructionist stance, how will the company respond to this media report? Provide one (1) supporting fact.

4.If MKD adopts a defensive stance, how will the company respond to this situation? Provide one (1) supporting fact.

5.If MKD adopts an accommodative stance, how will the company respond to the media and demands by the government of Belize and environmental groups? Provide one (1) supporting fact.

6.How might this situation have been different in the event that MKD had initially adopted a proactive stance to social responsibility? Provide one (1) supporting fact.

Part B (a ½ page response is required)

Objective: Describe pricing strategies for a product

Describe one (1) example of a situation in which a company might adopt a pricing objective other than profit maximization. Provide two (2) supporting facts.

Textbook: Ebert,R. J & Griffin, R. W (2013). Business Essentials (9th ed.)

** Chapters 11, 12

1.    Visionary decision makers tend to base business decisions on _____.
A. proprietary business research
B. instinct
C. secondary data
D. past experience
E. all of the above

2.    Intuitive decision makers tend to base business decisions on _____.
A. business research
B. secondary data
C. primary data
D. proprietary research
E. all of the above

3.    Which tier in the hierarchy of business decision makers sees research as the fundamental first step in any business venture?
A. Base tier
B. Middle tier
C. Top tier
D. All of the above
E. None of the above

4.    Minute Maid sees research as the fundamental first step in any business decision and it created proprietary methods for conducting research. At what level of the hierarchy of business decision makers does Minute Maid operate?
A. Top tier
B. Middle tier
C. Base tier
D. Foundation tier
E. Information tier

5.    Business research may be considered unnecessary when _____.
A. management has insufficient resources to conduct an appropriate study
B. the risk associated with the decision at hand is low
C. the information is applicable to the critical decision
D. both a and b
E. both a and c
6.    Which of the following is not a required characteristic of good research?
A. Clearly defined purpose
B. Detailed research process
C. Focused on theory
D. Thorough research design
E. Recognition of limitations

7.    Which characteristic of good research involves distinguishing between the organization’s symptoms, its problems, the manager’s perception of the problems, and the research problem?
A. Clearly defined purpose
B. Detailed research process
C. Thorough research design
D. High ethical standards
E. Justifiable conclusions

8.    Researchers have the ethical responsibility to guard the welfare of _____.
A. research participants
B. clients
C. colleagues
D. organizations to which they belong
E. all of the above

9.    Which of the following types of research is conducted to evaluate specific courses of action or forecast current or future values?
A. Reporting studies
B. Explanation studies
C. Description studies
D. Prediction studies
E. Observation studies

10.    Applied research:
A. Has little direct impact on policy decisions.
B. Is problem directed but not decision directed.
C. Is problem directed and closely related to policy or action needs.
D. Calls for a hypothesis to initiate the research.
E. Is usually conducted in the laboratory.

11.    Which of the following is pure rather than applied research?
A. Sleep duration, as impacting work efficiency.
B. Disruption of cognitive ability under stress.
C. The relationship between leadership traits and corporate success.
D. Work towards the discovery of a possible new element.
E. Comparing brand logos after a change.

12.    All of the following are unethical activities except _____.
A. violating nondisclosure agreements
B. revealing the names of research participants
C. stating that a survey will take 10 minutes to complete when the actual time is 15 minutes
D. invoicing for time that was not spent on the project
E. providing incentives for respondents

13.    Which approach to ethics advocates that ethical behavior should be directed by “duties” regardless of the positive circumstances that might result from behavior that is in contradiction to the duty?
A. Relativism
B. Deontology
C. Empiricism
D. Utilitarian
E. Scientology

14.    When a person follows his belief that one should not lie, and then tells the truth even when it hurts another person, he has illustrated the _____ approach to ethics.
A. ethical relativism
B. deontology
C. empiricism
D. utilitarian
E. scientology

15.    Anne is introducing a group of research participants to the study at hand. To ensure adequate oral consent, she should include all of the following components in her introduction except _____.
A. research organization
B. promise of anonymity and confidentiality
C. sponsoring organization
D. purpose of the research
E. estimate of when the research study will be published1.    Visionary decision makers tend to base business decisions on _____.
A. proprietary business research
B. instinct
C. secondary data
D. past experience
E. all of the above

2.    Intuitive decision makers tend to base business decisions on _____.
A. business research
B. secondary data
C. primary data
D. proprietary research
E. all of the above

3.    Which tier in the hierarchy of business decision makers sees research as the fundamental first step in any business venture?
A. Base tier
B. Middle tier
C. Top tier
D. All of the above
E. None of the above

4.    Minute Maid sees research as the fundamental first step in any business decision and it created proprietary methods for conducting research. At what level of the hierarchy of business decision makers does Minute Maid operate?
A. Top tier
B. Middle tier
C. Base tier
D. Foundation tier
E. Information tier

5.    Business research may be considered unnecessary when _____.
A. management has insufficient resources to conduct an appropriate study
B. the risk associated with the decision at hand is low
C. the information is applicable to the critical decision
D. both a and b
E. both a and c
6.    Which of the following is not a required characteristic of good research?
A. Clearly defined purpose
B. Detailed research process
C. Focused on theory
D. Thorough research design
E. Recognition of limitations

7.    Which characteristic of good research involves distinguishing between the organization’s symptoms, its problems, the manager’s perception of the problems, and the research problem?
A. Clearly defined purpose
B. Detailed research process
C. Thorough research design
D. High ethical standards
E. Justifiable conclusions

8.    Researchers have the ethical responsibility to guard the welfare of _____.
A. research participants
B. clients
C. colleagues
D. organizations to which they belong
E. all of the above

9.    Which of the following types of research is conducted to evaluate specific courses of action or forecast current or future values?
A. Reporting studies
B. Explanation studies
C. Description studies
D. Prediction studies
E. Observation studies

10.    Applied research:
A. Has little direct impact on policy decisions.
B. Is problem directed but not decision directed.
C. Is problem directed and closely related to policy or action needs.
D. Calls for a hypothesis to initiate the research.
E. Is usually conducted in the laboratory.

11.    Which of the following is pure rather than applied research?
A. Sleep duration, as impacting work efficiency.
B. Disruption of cognitive ability under stress.
C. The relationship between leadership traits and corporate success.
D. Work towards the discovery of a possible new element.
E. Comparing brand logos after a change.

12.    All of the following are unethical activities except _____.
A. violating nondisclosure agreements
B. revealing the names of research participants
C. stating that a survey will take 10 minutes to complete when the actual time is 15 minutes
D. invoicing for time that was not spent on the project
E. providing incentives for respondents

13.    Which approach to ethics advocates that ethical behavior should be directed by “duties” regardless of the positive circumstances that might result from behavior that is in contradiction to the duty?
A. Relativism
B. Deontology
C. Empiricism
D. Utilitarian
E. Scientology

14.    When a person follows his belief that one should not lie, and then tells the truth even when it hurts another person, he has illustrated the _____ approach to ethics.
A. ethical relativism
B. deontology
C. empiricism
D. utilitarian
E. scientology

15.    Anne is introducing a group of research participants to the study at hand. To ensure adequate oral consent, she should include all of the following components in her introduction except _____.
A. research organization
B. promise of anonymity and confidentiality
C. sponsoring organization
D. purpose of the research
E. estimate of when the research study will be published

Marketing research is a systematic process. It involves the process of gathering, recording, and analyzing data related to products and services. In your post, identify three real life examples of marketing research that you have observed. Which of these three examples do you feel is the most effective?