Applications Teaching Suggestions and Possible Solutions

Applications

Teaching Suggestions and Possible Solutions

Read

1. Have students use an online database to locate and read an article related to challenges associated with experimental research. What legal and ethical challenges do researchers face when conducting experimental research with human subjects? How can they be managed? (Obj. 4)

Write

2. A focus group is a form of qualitative research in which a group of people are asked about their attitudes toward a product, service, concept, advertisement, idea, or packaging. Questions are asked in an interactive group setting where participants are free to talk with other group members. For marketers, focus groups are an important tool for acquiring feedback regarding product development, such as product name, features, and packaging. Information from the focus group can provide invaluable insight about the potential market acceptance of a product. Ask students to select an existing product that could be improved and to write five questions that could be asked of a focus group to elicit needed responses for the improvement of the product. Next, students should ask several people to serve as a focus group, selecting participants who are knowledgeable about the product you have selected. After conducting the focus group with the questions they have prepared, students are to prepare reports of their findings and present them to the class. (Obj. 1-5)

A focus group can provide marketers qualitative research on consumer attitudes toward a product, service, concept, advertisement, idea, or packaging. Many of the guidelines for traditional questionnaires may also apply to questions used in a focus group. Have students develop an idea for product improvement or creation. Then ask them to create questions that could be asked of a focus group on this product. Form a group of volunteers who are knowledgeable about the type of product, and ask the group the product questions. Assign students to write a report based on the qualitative research from the focus group. Results may vary depending on the questions and the groups. Feedback in the report may include product names, features, and packaging.

Think

3. Have students prepare a one-page description of their plans to solve the problem for one of the following research studies. Use the following headings for the problem: (1) Statement of the Problem, (2) Research Method and Sources of Information, (3) Nature of Data to Be Gathered and Analyzed, (4) Hypothesis or Hypotheses to Be Proved or Disproved (if feasible). Here are some ideas to get students started:

1. 
   Investigate a problem occurring on your campus (e.g., declining enrollment in some majors, increasing tuition, delayed financial aid payments, high cost of textbooks, or closed classes) or in a job or student organization position you hold.
   
2. 
   Superior Foods, Inc., is considering adding organic versions of its frozen vegetables in an effort to establish itself as a leader in this fast-growing market. To increase its available supply of organic produce, management recognizes the need to assist local growers in adopting organic farming methods. The first step in this process is to recruit experts in organic farming to design and implement training.
   
3. 
   Rainbow Pool and Spas initiated a website to provide answers to frequently asked questions and product-update information. Customer response has been outstanding, freeing up the company’s toll-free telephone lines for calls about more technical, nonrecurring problems—a primary goal of the service. As marketing manager, you are considering the possibility of starting a corporate blog and a microblogging site on Twitter to strengthen your relationship and communication with customers.
   
4. 
   As branch manager of a bank, you are faced with the task in a sagging economy of reassuring customers of the solvency of your institution. Your current strategies for casting a positive light on negative performance indicators don’t seem to be effective.
   
5. 
   For the first time, Greenwood Consulting Group held an all-company retreat that included customer service training, teambuilding sessions, and numerous social activities. Eight months following the conference, neither customer service nor employee morale seem to have had any noticeable improvement, and you must decide whether to schedule the retreat for the coming year. (Obj. 1-5)
   

1. Campus, Job, or Organization Problem. See Solution slide for one possible research study.

2. 
   Adding Organic Frozen Vegetables at Superior Foods, Inc.
   

3. 
   Adding Organic Frozen Vegetables at Superior Foods, Inc.
   

4. Internet Ordering for Rainbow Pool and Spas

Nature of Data to Be Gathered and Analyzed: Data will be gathered on customer attitudes regarding communication via a corporate blog and Twitter feed as compared to traditional communication methods.

Hypothesis or Hypotheses to Be Proved or Disproved: A corporate blog and a Twitter feed will improve customer communication with the company.

e. Assuring Customers of Bank Solvency

Statement of the Problem: What strategies can be implemented by the branch manager of a bank to reassure customers of the solvency of the bank?

Research Method and Sources of Information: A normative survey of bank customers will be conducted.

Nature of Data to Be Gathered and Analyzed: Data will be gathered on customer attitudes about the bank’s solvency in view of the sagging economy. Questions will focus on positive performance indicators and the most effective channels for communicating this information to customers.

Hypothesis or Hypotheses to Be Proved or Disproved: New communication strategies must be used to reassure customers that the bank is solvent.
f. An All-Company Retreat for Greenwood Consulting Group

Statement of the Problem: Should Greenwood Consulting Group schedule an all-company retreat

Research Method and Sources of Information: Observation research will be done to determine whether any performance indicators other than customer service and morale (absenteeism, turnover, etc.) have shown a positive change following the retreat. A normative survey will also be conducted of members of the sales force.

Nature of Data to Be Gathered and Analyzed: Performance indicators will be examined to determine whether the previous all-company retreat had positive effects; members of the sales force will be surveyed to determine their attitudes toward the value of the retreat.

Hypothesis or Hypotheses to Be Proved or Disproved: Sufficient benefit was derived from holding the all-company retreat to justify offering it again.

Speak

4. Have students locate an article using either printed or electronic sources that addresses a problem that has occurred for some organization when it failed to realize that research findings that were true for one country or culture were not accurate for another. Ask each student to make a brief presentation to the class about his or her findings. (Obj. 4 & 5)

The way data is collected and summarized will impact statistical outcomes. Erroneous conclusions can result from ignoring significant data, using inappropriate statistical tests, and overgeneralizing results, etc.

Collaborate

5. Organize students into groups of three or four and have each group design a survey instrument for one of the scenarios in the Think section above. (Obj. 4

See solution slide.

Digging Deeper

1. How has the process of research changed in recent years? How have the changes been both beneficial and detrimental?

Research processes have changed as technology has changed and as consumers have less time to involve themselves in product research. Most changes have been beneficial, saving companies time and money, e.g., e-polling. Some have been detrimental, e.g., telephone marketing that is now being limited by the federal Do Not Call list.

2. What communication skills should an effective researcher possess?

An effective researcher should be able to think conceptually, take effective notes, organize material, write succinctly and clearly, and deal well with people (especially when face-to-face consumer research is required).

Cases

Teaching Suggestions and Possible Solutions

CASE ASSIGNMENT 1: Coping with Information Overload

Information overload is presented as an overwhelming challenge facing every individual. Reasons for the escalation of the problem are given, along with a discussion of how organizations are responding.
The greatest challenge of our times is to reduce information, not to increase it. Until about 50 years ago, more information was always a good thing. Now we can’t see our way through the “data smog.” An ever-growing universe of information translates to masses of data through which people must search to find what is useful and meaningful to them. Consider the following statistics:

• 
  Office workers average sending more than 160 messages and check their inboxes more than 50 times a day.
  
• 
  Managers report that email demands an average of two hours a day.
  
• 
  A typical manager reads about a million words a week.
  
• 
  Senior managers report spending an average of three-quarter hours per day accessing information on the Internet.
  

While the original intent of advanced communication technologies was to make communication faster and more efficient, the result has been a communications gridlock and heightened stress for many workers. According to noted neurologist Barry Gordon, virtually everyone in today’s environment suffers from some degree of information overload. He points out that people’s memories do not work as well as needed because our brains were not built for the modern world. In the Stone Age there were no clocks, papers, or news flash as contrasted with everything individuals are expected to remember today.

Some companies are going so far in battling information overload as hiring people whose job it is to filter and sort through the communications gridlock. These “information architects” are the translators and traffic controllers who help to bridge the communication gaps in the organization and deliver usable information in a concise way. The information architect reorganizes information for more effective communication, gives structure and order to pertinent information, and maps out the best way for the organization’s people to access it.

Whether for improved job performance, a better product, or increased productivity, more and more organizations are recognizing that good information means good business. And good information must somehow be made available in spite of increasing information overload.

Sources: Mijailovic, J. (2009, January 21). Office workers send more than 160 e-mail messages daily and spend two hours to e-mail. Deloitte. Retrieved from http://www.deloitte.com/dtt/press_release/0,1014,cid%253D243722,00.html; Email contributes to “Information Overload,” claim UK managers. (2003, February). Information Systems Auditor, 8; Gordon, B. (2004, June 8). Remembering and forgetting in everyday life. NPR. Tavis Smiley Show. Retrieved from http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1943901; Gilchrist, A., & Mahon, B. (2004). Information architecture: Designing for information environments for purpose. London: Facet Publishing.

Questions

1. 
   In teams of four, visit the listed sites and prepare a presentation on Information Overload (IO). The presentation should include the following elements: (1) seriousness of the problem, (2) suggestions for reducing IO in email usage, (3) suggestions for reducing IO in Internet usage, and (4) suggestions for reducing stress that results from IO.
   

The listed sites provide information on each of the spoken presentation sub-points. Other sources may be consulted, including Chapter 12 for information related to planning and delivery of spoken presentations.

2. 
   “The information age has brought about a reduction in the quality of life.” Choose to support or defend the statement; write a one-to two-page paper that explains your position and gives supporting evidence and/or examples.
   

This assignment can be used in preparation for the GMAT “Analysis of an Issue” question. Additional tips for writing this assignment are available on the Student website. Visit the Instructor’s website for scoring guidelines.

3. 
   Select a personal example from your academic or work life in which you have experienced information overload (IO). Prepare a written analysis that (1) describes the situation, (2) identifies the reasons for the IO that occurred, and (3) outlines strategies for reducing your IO.
   

This activity requires self-analysis on the part of students, as well as analytical problem solving to arrive at the identified solution strategies. Students may write about particular challenging courses, exam week, orientation to a new job, etc.

CASE ASSIGNMENT 2: Research and Development Strategies Offer Lifesaving Products at Novartis

This case highlights research and development strategies at Novartis and features new drug development projects at this pharmaceutical company.
Pharmaceutical companies spend billions of dollars annually to develop drugs that usually don’t reach the market. Novartis International AG has an impressive track record of developing and marketing new products that save lives and relieve pain for many. Created in 1996 from the merger of two long- operating pharmaceutical firms, Novartis is a multinational pharmaceutical company based in Basel, Switzerland. In addition to internal research and development activities, the company is involved in joint research projects with the European Commission and various other health agencies.

While most drug manufacturers concentrate on products to treat highly visible diseases such as cancer and Alzheimer’s, Novartis has taken a somewhat radical approach to its R&D. The company focuses on drugs that are backed by proven science, whether the diseases they treat are rare and the initial markets are miniscule. Once a drug has proven its effectiveness against one disease, it is tested against others. The strategy has paid off for the company in the development of Gleevec, a drug initially approved for the treatment of a rare blood cancer; Gleevec has since proven effective against six other life-threatening diseases.

Another important test for Novartis is its willingness to pursue treatment for an illness almost nobody has heard of and that affects just a few thousand people worldwide. This inflammatory disorder called Muckle-Wells syndrome results from a genetic mutation and results in the buildup of proteins that causes rashes, joint pain, and fatal kidney damage. Most drug makers would not bother with finding a cure or treatment for a condition that affects so few, but Novartis tested a drug to treat the rare disease. In early trials, four patients who received the drug showed dramatic improvement in the first 24-hours. Following successful clinical trials among patients suffering from Muckle-Wells syndrome, the drug is now marketed as Ilaris. Once FDA approval is obtained, Novartis hopes to seek approval of the drug for use against a variety of autoimmune diseases, including Type 2 diabetes and severe arthritis.

In a field where most top executives have backgrounds in law, accounting, or marketing, Novartis CEO Daniel Vasella is a former physician. The company places a high premium on medical experience, with medically trained scientists holding down many of the company’s senior positions. CEO Daniel Vasella speaks of the value of staying current about developments in his industry and in the scientific world: “Every day I read material on the Internet using key words to find a selection of articles and publications.”

Company research continues on an oral treatment for multiple sclerosis; and Afinitor, a drug approved to treat advanced kidney cancer, shows promise in six other forms of the disease. Company plans include expansion into China, which has required a great deal of fact gathering, as well as visits with politicians and physicians.

Source: Capell, K. (2009, June 22). Novartis: Radically remaking its drug business. BusinessWeek, 30-35. Retrieved from Business Source Complete database; How Vasella interprets data—and the future. (2007, November). Pharmaceutical Executive, 27(11), 94. Retrieved from Business Source Complete database; Capell, K. (2009, June 22). Novartis: Radically remaking its drug business. BusinessWeek, 30-35. Retrieved from Business Source Complete database.

Activities

1. 
   Instruct students to visit the Novartis website and click on the R&D link. Discuss examples of the company’s drug development projects. How do these projects seem to line up with the company’s market strategy as discussed in the case, above?
   
2. 
   Have students read the following article and answer the question that follows:
   

Capell, K. (2009, June 22). Novartis: Radically Remaking its Drug Business. BusinessWeek, 30-35. Available from Business Source Complete database.

What medical conditions are currently the focus of drug R&D efforts at Novartis?

3. 
   In teams, write a short report summarizing the contributions of Novartis to alleviate human suffering through new drugs.
   

Student Handout, Chapter 9

Activity 1: Classifying Business Reports

Working in small groups, classify each of the following reports in one or more of the ways described in this chapter.

1. 
   Your company’s two-year study of traditional classroom training versus distance-learning instruction is to be written for publication in an industrial training journal.
   

2. 
   You have surveyed company personnel on their perceptions of the need for a company-sponsored wellness program. You are preparing a report for the president that conveys the results.
   

3. 
   You have completed your department’s weekly time sheets to send to payroll.
   

4. 
   As department head, you have sent a report to the vice president for finance requesting additional funding for equipment acquisition.
   

5. 
   You have prepared an article on strategies for enhancing customer satisfaction for publication in your online employee newsletter.
   

6. 
   As director of end-user computing, you have prepared a report for circulation to all departments. The report summarizes technology and human relations training offerings available through your department.
   

Student Handout, Chapter 9

Activity 2: Writing a Hypothesis

Write a positive hypothesis and then restate it as a null hypothesis for each of the following research topics. (Hypotheses for topic (a) are given as an example.)

1. 
   A study to determine functional business areas from which chief executive officers advanced in their organizations. Functional areas include legal, accounting, marketing, etc.
   

Positive Hypothesis: Chief executives advanced primarily through the legal background area.
Null Hypothesis: No relationship exists between chief executives’ advancement and their functional field backgrounds.

2. 
   A study to determine whether listening to music using mp3 player ear buds contributes to hearing loss.
   

Positive Hypothesis:

Null Hypothesis:

2. 
   A study to determine whether a person’s career success is related to mentoring experiences.
   

Positive Hypothesis:

Null Hypothesis:

2. 
   A study to determine the relationship between college -students’ gender and their final grades in the business communication course.
   

Positive Hypothesis:

Null Hypothesis:

© 2011 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.

Directory: management -> Dr.George -> Fall 2011 -> Lecture Notes
management -> Commercial trip limits for Atlantic Spanish mackerel in the Southern Zone
management -> History of Management true/false
management -> Sheffield city council
management -> Environmental Assessment Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park
management -> The impact of public accountant in the implementation of accountability,probity and transparency in the federal civil services
management -> The academies programme
Lecture Notes -> Chapter 12 Designing and Delivering
management -> Faa awards $40 Million to New Center of Excellence For Alternative Jet Fuels and Environment
management -> Strategic plan prepared by: rocky mountain bird observatory

Download 89.62 Kb.

Share with your friends: