RECENT ASSIGNMENT

Assessment Brief
Program Bachelor of Business
Subject code STAT201A
Subject name STAT201A – Research Enquiry for Managers
Assessment title Assessment – Case Analysis
Group or individual assessment Group Assessment
Length 2,000 words maximum (not including tables, graphs)
Learning outcomes addressed a), b), c), d)
? The assessment is to be prepared in a group of 3 students
? 2 files have to be submitted, Excel Workbook together with the Case Analysis Report. Google docs can be used as an alternative to the Microsoft Office Suite.
? Each Student has to submit the same file as the group
? Group Members have to be clearly stated on the cover of the Business Report
? Peer review has to be provided for each member together with its justification
? The Case Analysis Report has to be written in a report format with a structure generally acceptable in a business world
? All the calculations have to be done in Excel and summarised in the report ? All concepts and theory used in compiling answers needs to be accompanied with in-report reference citations and the submission must include a Reference List adhering to the principles of the Harvard Referencing System ? Calculations in workings are to be completed to 2dp.
? The following naming convention should be used when submitting the files:
First Name_LastName_STAT201A_Case_Analysis_Assessment_ Workbook.xlsx
First Name_LastName_STAT201A_ Case_ Analysis_Assessment_Report.doc
Example
Peter_Bright_STAT201A_Case_Analysis_Assessment_Report.doc
Submission date Week 11
Total marks 100 Marks
Weighting 30%
Background
'Sublime Delight' is a small, but rapidly growing, coffee roaster, coffee supplier, and outlet operator. It began 5 years ago when David Geoffs decided to turn his passion for high quality coffee into a business. He started small with what would best be called a 'micro' roasting setup. He sourced organically grown coffee beans from ethically operated sources which he would then ship to his site in Australia where they were carefully stored under rigorously controlled conditions. He experimented with various mixes of beans, moisture levels, and roasting patterns, selling each batch to local coffee shops. Gradually he developed three main products - Espresso Delight, Mocha Delight, and Sublime Delight. The products are consistent in flavour, easy to grind, and have a good shelf life, which offers the coffee shops both an identifiable and repeatable coffee product, and a more manageable and cost effective production process.
The business has grown rapidly over the past few years and the roasting equipment is now state-of-the-art, and of mid-range capacity. Eighteen months ago Geoffs decided to branch out into takeaway/coffee cart operations plus operating three mobile units. The business now has seven takeaway sites plus the three mobiles. The mobiles concentrate on supplying building sites, commercial areas and office sites on a regular basis and two of the mobiles are available for event catering.
Geoffs is now finding that the success of his business is pulling him away from his passion for coffee roasting and he is increasingly spending more time on general business management. Six months ago he recruited a general manager who spent many months in the office pulling various printouts and papers together and muttering comments about -If you can't measure it, you can't manage it!- and -let's get the evidence before we decide on that!-, with a real favourite being -I don't like the shape of the data!-. Last month the general manager announced that he had been offered a much better job in another state and immediately hopped on a plane to Western Australia leaving behind a big mess.
You have worked in the dispatch and delivery section of the business on a part-time basis for the past year and you have asked Geoffs to allow you to do your Think internship activity with the company. He has now handed you some of the material collected by the ex-general manager and has asked you to make sense of it and write a report about it for consideration by the board of directors.
Overview
You are provided with a number of datasets and some information about them. You are to use the BADIR methodology to investigate the datasets and use appropriate descriptive, and where possible inferential, techniques to discuss and present your findings to the board.
Your submission should be in the form of a business report that should include an Executive Summary, Introduction, Background and Context, Methodology, Sections discussing each area, and a Summary. The report should be referenced appropriately.
DATASET 1
The DATASET 1 includes a month-by-month sales report showing the amount of beans sold in Kgs. Data for 17 external customers, the internally owned cart outlets, and mobile set-ups has been collated from the company accounting systems.
In addition the following information is also available:
COST = 500Kgs/Mth 501 - 650 651 - 800 800
Average Cost Beans/Kg
$8
$7.5 $7 $6.5
Cost of processing/Kg $14 $12 $10 $9
Total Cost $22 $19.5 $17 $15.5
Customer Volume = 40Kg/Mth 41 - 60 61 - 80 80
Sale Price/Kg $45 $42 $40 $38
TASK 1
In general, the board would be interested in how sales are distributed across outlets, how profits are distributed, and where the major growth areas are?
However, you are encouraged to address other questions where appropriate.
DATASET 2
The DATASET 2 provides raw data from a customer satisfaction survey undertaken in two internal cart outlets over a particular day.
The customers were asked to rate the service (1 Poor 2 Fair 3 Good 4 Very Good 5 Excellent) and the quality of coffee (1 Poor 2 Fair 3 Good 4 Very Good 5 Excellent). The customers were also asked about the frequency with which they purchased from the outlet (A Less than once per week, B Once or more per week, C Daily, D more than once per day).
TASK 2
The board would be interested in whether there is any significant difference between the outlets in terms of service quality and coffee quality.
DATASET 3
The data in DATASET 3 covers the type of bean mix supplied to external outlets in January and December of 2016. A market analysis done in mid 2015 suggested that the mix would be 30% Espresso, 10% Mocha and 60% Sublime.
TASK 3
You need to address following questions:
a) Does the prediction regarding the mix proportions hold for January?
b) Does the prediction hold for December?
c) Has the taste mix changed overall between January and December?
d) What would be the new expected market mix based on the December data?
Marking Criteria
Maximum Marks
Title and Index, Executive Summary Students will be assessed on the structure and content of the Title, Index and Executive Summary. 5
Introduction and Background Students will be assessed on the structure and content of the Introduction and Background. 5
BADIR Methodology Students will be assessed on the application of BADIR methodolgy when investigating the datasets given. 10
TASK 1 Students will be assessed on application of appropriate descriptive statistical techniques to describe sales and profit distribution across various outlets. 20
All the calculations are to be done in Excel and summarised in the Business Report as well.
TASK 2 Students will be assessed on applying appropriate statistical methods to assess whether there is significant difference between outlets in terms of the service and coffee quality. 20
All the calculations are to be done in Excel and summarised in the business report as well.
TASK 3 Students will be assessed on application of appropriate statistical techniques when analysing the market mix across various periods. 20
All the calculations are to be done in Excel and summarised in the business report as well.
Summary Students will be assessed on the overall summary of the results. 5
Writing Style The overall writing style of the report will be addressed. 3
Referencing Students will be assessed on appropriate referencing of the Business Report. 3
Overall Presentation of the Business Report The overall Presentation of the Business Report will be assesed. 4
Peer Review Overall contribution to the group 5
Total Marks 100

Each submission has to include peer review by other members of the group based on the following criteria.
Rating Description
5
Has been one of the key members of the group, taking initiative and extensively contributing to the group assessment effort.
4
Very valuable member of the team actively contributing to the team effort and the group assessment outcome.
3
Has been following instructions of one or more team members. Contributed to the team efforts as per agreed tasks, but did not go beyond that.
2
Has fulfilled part of the agreed tasks and overlooked some. Has not been initiating much of the team group effort. More passive member of the group.
1
Showed no real effort and contribution to the team. Other team members had to contribute more and take on also the tasks agreed to be delivered by this member.