Creative Intelligence †Mental Models Essay

Introduction Creative Intelligence is the ability of mind to devise innovative and smart solutions to the problems faced in routine life. It is a very essential component of successful intelligence as it determines the potential to go ahead of the given situations in order to produce creative and interesting ideas. Such a situation appears when an individual moves in a direction opposite to that of general opinion with a motive to develop efficient means to accomplish the task (Burt, 1931). The four styles of Creative Intelligence are: Intuitive, Innovative, Imaginative and Inspirational. The comparison of these styles and their influence on organizational decision making is as follows- Intuitive: According to the intuitive style, the basic concepts and insights of mind are responsible for developing innovative ideas and determining the decision to be taken. In such a style, facts and figures hold less importance and complexity of the situation is not annoying. In intuitive style, constant changes in the internal as well as the external environments of the organization are presumed, beforehand. This style has a major influence on the organization as decisions are largely taken on the basis of the basic understanding of the employees. Innovative: As per the innovative style of creative intelligence, the creative ability of the mind to develop remarkable solutions to the problems gains high prominence. Such style is usually characterized by out-of box thinking and unconventional point of views. Similar to the intuitive style, it does not focus a great deal on the data and statistics. As every organization desires novel and innovative ideas for its problems, thus, the innovative style plays a pivotal role in the decision-making process. Imaginative: In this style of creative intelligence, an individual devises  new and creative ideas entirely on the basis of his imagination capabilities. Such a style requires the situation to be perceived from a variety of perspectives and solved entirely on the basis of shear creative potential of the mind. It does not require many details related to the given circumstances. Such a style does influence the decision-making process of an organization by recommending inventive measures to resolve the problem. Inspirational: The inspirational style is a very unique form of creative intelligence. According to this style, novel ideas and solutions are developed by drawing inspiration from the actions taken in situations of similar nature. Such kind of motivation can also be derived from the figures acknowledged by the individual. In contrast to other styles, it realizes the importance of the details related to the situation. Also, the inspirational style, simplifies the process of decision-making in a positive manner by recommending tested and proven measures. Influence of Five forces on Mental Models- A mental model accounts for an individual’s thought process about how things work in the real world. As these models refer to a symbol or representation of outside facts, they are assumed to play a crucial role in decision-making (Sternberg, 1982). The five forces affect the mental models existing in an organization in a significant manner. As a result of these forces, the mental models adapt themselves to the changes in the internal and external environments (Mental Models, Metaphor and Design, 2008). How Mental Models might limit the decision-making process- As the mental models form preconceived responses to a given situation or a problem, they prevent the introduction of any new solutions to tackle the current issues (Robles-De-La-Torre G. & Sekuler, 2004). For illustration, the poor performance of an employee owing to certain inevitable measures would lead the HR Manager to take an incorrect decision about his future due to his set mental model. Similarly, an organization’s defensive mindset would prevent it from engaging in a risky yet profitable project (Increasing Intelligence, 2008). Commonly used Mental Models and their influence on the decision-making process at the workplace- At the workplace, a number of mental models are used by the individuals to take decisions in the given situation (Mental Models, 2008). On similar lines, my decision-making process at the workplace is guided by the structural and functional mental models. In order to take a decision in the given situation, I firstly employ the functional model as it helps to know the actual task to be performed in the given circumstances. Generally, this mental model serves as the fundamental basis for taking any kind of decision for the problem. However, in order to understand the factors leading to the problem, the structural model is used. This model assists in understanding the various components of the problems at the workplace and their relationships with each other. In fact, both the models influence my decision-making process to a great deal as they assume varying significance depending on the situation encountered at the workplace. At the same time, they help in the process of taking appropriate decisions as per the requirement of the given situation. References Burt, C. 1931. _The Differentiation Of Intellectual Ability_. The British Journal of Educational Psychology. Robles-De-La-Torre G. & Sekuler R.. 2004. _Numerically Estimating Internal Models of Dynamic Virtual Objects_. ACM Transactions on Applied Perception. Sternberg, R.J. 1982. _Handbook of human intelligence_. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Increasing Intelligence. (2008). Retrieved April 17, 2008, from http://www.psych.utoronto.ca/users/reingold/courses/intelligence/cache/sternberg_intelligence.html Mental Models. (2008). Retrieved April 17, 2008, from http://www.cs.umu.se/kurser/TDBC12/HT99/Laird.html Mental Models, Metaphor and Design. (2008). Retrieved April 17, 2008, from http://www.syntagm.co.uk/design/articles/mmmad.pdf

Directed Independent Adult Learning Essay

Course Essentials Principles of Statistics (STA-201-GS) is designed to meet the needs of students in many disciplines and professions. The sciences, social sciences, and business are increasingly using quantitative methods. This course provides the tools and techniques needed to design studies that provide representative data for mathematical analysis and statistical interpretation. Topics include types of statistics, data representations (tables, graphs, and charts), measures of location and variation, probability concepts, continuous and discrete distributions, confidence intervals, hypothesis tests, and regression and correlation analysis. The emphasis of the course is on the application of statistical methods to real-world problems. In solving these problems, you are required to use the appropriate notation and formulas. Problems may be viewed as statistical studies, and as such you should be able to interpret results and justify conclusions. This course is also designed to measure your competency in quantitative reasoning/literacy, one of the nine institutional learning outcomes. Course Objectives The overall objective of Principles of Statistics is to provide you with the skills needed to perform statistical computations and analyze data. These S-3 skills have practical applications in many disciplines, including the sciences, technology, and the social sciences. Upon completing the course successfully, you should be able to: ï‚ · ï‚ · ï‚ · ï‚ · ï‚ · ï‚ · ï‚ · CO1 Recognize basic principles of statistical design. CO2 Organize and summarize data into tables, charts, diagrams, and graphs. CO3 Calculate and interpret measures of central tendency and variation. CO4 Evaluate the likelihood a statistical inference is correct. CO5 Apply concepts of the normal distribution. CO6 Apply the appropriate procedures to test hypotheses. CO7 Examine associations between variables. CO refers to Course Objective. Required Textbooks In addition to the Course Syllabus, you will need the following textbook and solutions manual to do the work of the course. These texts are available from the textbook supplier, MBS direct. Introductory Statistics, 9th ed., by Neil A. Weiss (San Francisco: Pearson/AddisonWesley, 2012). ISBN-13: 9780321691224 Student’s Solutions Manual to Accompany â€Å"Introductory Statistics,† 9th ed, by Neil A. Weiss (San Francisco: Pearson/Addison-Wesley, 2012). ISBN-13: 9780321691316 Course Structure Principles of Statistics is a three-credit, twelve-week course consisting of six modules. The modules and their respective topics, textbook sections, and time frame are as follows: MODULE TOPICS TEXTBOOK SECTIONS WEEK(S) 1 The Nature of Statistics Descriptive Statistics 1.1–1.4 2.1–2.5 3.1–3.4 1 2-3 2 S-4 SYLLABUS for STA-201-GS 3 Probability 4.1–4.6 and 4.8 5.1–5.3 6.1–6.4 7.1–7.3 8.1–8.4 9.1–9.3, 9.5, and 9.6 10.1–10.3 and 10.5 12.1, 12.2 and 12.3 13.1–13.4 14.1–14.4 15.1–15.4 4-5 4 Normal Distributions 6-7 5 Inferential Statistics 8-9 6 Measures of Association 10-12 Each module in the syllabus includes a brief description of the topics covered, a list of learning outcomes, study materials, and written assignments. In addition to twelve written assignments, the course requires you to take four modular quizzes and one final examination, and complete a final project. For details on the assignment schedule, see the â€Å"Course Calendar† and the individual modules. Adhering to the schedule outlined in the â€Å"Course Calendar† should ensure adequate preparation time for the exams and timely completion of the course. Written Assignments You are required to complete twelve (12) written assignments. Many of the written assignments draw on case study discussion exercises at the end of chapters with focus on application and data analysis. Click to view Written Assignment Grading Rubric. Assignments should be prepared electronically with a word processor, preferably using whatever equation editor comes with your word processing software. However, you may check with your mentor to determine if handwritten and scanned assignments are acceptable. (Important: Use the equation editor to insert equations into your word-processed document, not to create the document itself.) When preparing your answers, please identify each exercise clearly by textbook section and exercise number. Be sure to include your name at the top of the paper, as well as the course name and code and the semester and Course Essentials S-5 year in which you are enrolled. To receive full credit for your answers, you must show all work and include complete solutions. Quizzes There will be four modular quizzes for this course. The quizzes should be taken after you complete the reading assignment, online discussion, and written assignments for each module. There will be various number of multiple-choice questions in each quiz, each worth one point. The quizzes will be worth 100 points each. You have 30 to 90 minutes to complete the quiz and may take it only once. The quiz is an unproctored online quiz. It is open book, but not open notes. In this regard you are permitted to use only a scientific (nongraphing) calculator and the authorized textbook. Final Examination Principles of Statistics requires you to take a proctored online final examination. The final exam is three hours long and covers modules 5 and 6 of the course (textbook chapters 8, 9, 10, 12, 13, 14 and 15). It consists of twenty multiple-choice questions. The exam is open book, but not open notes. In this regard you are permitted to use only a scientific (nongraphing) calculator and the authorized textbook. But you are not allowed to consult a solutions manual, notes of any kind (including graded or ungraded activities), or any other reference sources or sources of information. The use of blank scratch paper for doing math calculations is permitted during online test administrations. For the final, you are required to use the College’s Online Proctor Service (OPS). Please refer to the â€Å"Examinations and Proctors† section of the Online Student Handbook (see General Information area of the course Web site) for further information about scheduling and taking online e xams and for all exam policies and procedures. You are strongly advised to schedule your exam within the first week of the semester. Online exams are administered through the course Web site. Consult the course Calendar for the official dates of exam weeks. S-6 SYLLABUS for STA-201-GS Final Project You are also required to complete a final project. This project will address a real world problem by designing a study, collecting data, analyzing the data, and writing up the results. See the Final Project section at the end of this syllabus for further details. Grading Your final grade in the course will be determined as follows: Written assignments (6 odd numbered) Written assignments (6 even numbered) Quizzes (4) Final examination Final project 18 percent 30 percent 12 percent 20 percent 20 percent To receive credit for the course, you must earn a letter grade of D or higher on the weighted average of all assigned course work (e.g., exams, assignments, projects, papers, etc.). You will receive a score of 0 for any work not submitted. Letter grades for assignments and exams equate to numerical grades as follows: 93–100 90–92 88–89 83–87 80–82 A A– B+ B B– 78–79 73–77 70–72 60–69 Below 60 (fail) C+ C C– D F Strategies for Success To succeed in this course, consider following the preliminary steps and study tips outlined below. Course Essentials S-7 Preliminary Steps 1. Read the entire â€Å"Course Essentials† section of the syllabus, making sure that all aspects of the course are clear to you and that you have all the materials required for the course. 2. Take the time to read the entire Student Handbook section of the course manual. The handbook answers many questions about how to proceed through the course, how to schedule examinations and arrange for proctors, and how to get the most from your educational experience at Thomas Edison State College. 3. Each week consult the â€Å"Course Calendar† in the syllabus to determine the sections in the textbook you are to study. The calendar also indicates the due dates for submitting written assignments and when you should schedule your examinations. It is essential that you follow the calendar each week to ensure that you stay on track throughout the course. 4. Begin your study of statistics by reading the preface to the textbook. This will give you background on the subject matter, as well as an understanding of how the text is organized and a description of other materials available to you. Study Tips—Completing Assignment Modules To complete the assignment modules efficiently and effectively, consider following these steps: 1. Study the assigned sections in the textbook. Note: Studying the material in the text requires that you not only read but also work through the illustrative examples. As you study the assigned material in the text, note the highlighted definitions, key facts, formulas, and procedures. 2. Do the self-check practice exercises recommended in each module, and check your answers with the solutions in the Student’s Sol utions Manual. These self-check exercises and solutions provide practice and models for modular quizzes and the final exam. 3. Refer to the Written Assignment(s) at the end of each module and complete the exercises therein. Prepare assignments in an organized way, leaving space on your paper for your mentor’s comments and corrections. Draw graphs accurately using electronic software whenever possible or graph paper (which you can then scan and insert into your assignment. Show all work, and use statistical notation and formulas appropriately (see â€Å"Study Tips—The Language of Statistics,† below). Submit the assignment to your mentor by the due date. Study Tips—Preparing for Examinations To prepare for the examinations, consider following these steps: S-8 SYLLABUS for STA-201-GS 1. Review the Learning Outcomes for each assignment module. 2. Review the key terms listed in the â€Å"Chapter Review† sections of the textbook. 3. Review your assignments and the corrections and comments provided by your mentor. Examination questions will be similar to assigned exercises. Study Tips—The Language of Statistics As you begin to read the textbook, you will quickly discover that learning statistics involves learning a new language. As in all mathematics, the language of statistics consists of symbols and formulas that provide a shorthand for words, phrases, and sentences. Uppercase letters (X), for example, refer to data in a population (a population parameter), whereas lowercase letters (x) refer to data in a sample (a sample statistic). Other symbols serve as shorthand expressions for various measures. And Greek letters (e.g., ï â€œ, ï  ­, and ï  ³) are also part of the notation. In statistics we use symbols to communicate results, and we combine these symbols into formulas (mathematical sentences) that define how to use the data to obtain the desired results. These are the conventions of statistics, and you will be expected to use the appropriate symbols and formulas when presenting solutions to exercises. As you study each section in the t extbook and encounter new symbols and formulas, you may want to write them down in a list, along with their meaning (in the case of a symbol) or description (in the case of a formula). To illustrate: Symbol/Formula X x Meaning/Description Observation in a population Observation in a sample Population mean Sample mean Population standard deviation Summation Number of items in a population Number of items in a sample ï  ­ (lowercase Greek mu) x ï  ³ (lowercase Greek sigma) ï â€œ (uppercase Greek sigma) N n Course Essentials S-9 xï€ ½ ï â€œx n Formula for sample mean In the sample list given above, note the use of uppercase and lowercase letters in the notation of population (parameter) and sample (statistic), respectively. Be sensitive to population versus sample data and results, and do not confuse the notation. A list like the one illustrated above may provide a handy reference as you proceed through the course and perhaps help you focus on essential points when you prepare for the exams. Including a cross reference to pages in the text may also be helpful. S-10 SYLLABUS for STA-201-GS Course Calendar Using the table of week-by-week dates in the General Course Instructions section of the course manual, write the dates for the current semester in the second column. In the last column, fill in the actual date for submitting each assignment and taking examinations. MODULE DATES TEXTBOOK SECTIONS WRITTEN ASSIGNMENT/ Quiz/EXAMINATION DUE DATE/ EXAM DATE Module 1—The Nature of Statistics 1 1.1–1.4 WA1 and WA2 and Quiz 1 Submit by Sunday of Week 1 Module 2—Descriptive Statistics 2 3 2.1–2.5 3.1–3.4 4.1–4.6 and 4.8 WA3 Submit by Sunday of Week 2 WA4 and Quiz 2 Submit by Sunday of Week 3 Module 3—Probability 4 5 4.1–4.6 and 4.8 5.1–5.3 WA5 Submit by Sunday of Week 4 WA6 and Quiz 3 Submit by Sunday of Week 5 Module 4— Normal Distributions 6 7 6.1–6.4 7.1–7.3 WA7 Submit by Sunday of Week 6 WA8 and Quiz 4 Submit by Sunday of Week 7 Module 5—Inferential Statistics 8 9 8.1–8.4 9.1–9.3, 9.5, and 9.6 10.1–10.3 and 10.5 12.1, 12.2 and 12.3 WA9 Submit by Sunday of Week 8 WA10 Submit by Sunday of Week 9 Module 6—Measures of Association 10 11 12 13.1–13.4 14.1–14.4 15.1–15.4 Review WA11 Submit by Sunday of Week 10 WA12 Submit by Sunday of Week 11 Final Project S-11 MODULE DATES TEXTBOOK SECTIONS WRITTEN ASSIGNMENT/ Quiz/EXAMINATION DUE DATE/ EXAM DATE Submit by Saturday of Week 12 Final Examination (Modules 5–6, chapters 8, 9, 10, and 12–15; bring your textbook and a scientific calculator, but not your solutions manual or any other notes) Please remember to submit your DIAL Course Evaluation S-12 SYLLABUS for STA-201-GS module The Nature of Statistics TOPICS Module 1 covers the following topics: ï‚ · ï‚ · ï‚ · ï‚ · statistics basics sample vs. population random sampling experimental design OBJECTIVES After successfully completing Module 1, you should be able to: ï‚ · MO1.1 Recognize the difference between sample and population. (CO1) ï‚ · MO1.2 Explain the concept of sampling. (CO1) ï‚ · MO1.3 Recognize the components of experimental design. (CO1) Note: MO refers to Module Objective. STUDY MATERIALS Textbook Readings ï‚ · Study sections 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, and 1.4 in the textbook. ACTIVITIES Module 1 has two written assignments and one modular quiz. Please consult the course Calendar for the due dates. Written Assignment 1 S-13 Write a short introduction of yourself and your interest in statistics and provide an example you use statistics in everyday life. Written Assignment 2 This written assignment draws on case study discussion exercises at the end of chapter. When preparing your assignment, please identify each answer clearly by question and its number. ï‚ · Case Study: Greatest American Screen Legends (p.31): Answer questions a, b, c. Quiz 1 and Self-Check Practice Exercises At the end of this module, you are required to take an unproctored online quiz. Quiz 1 contains five (5) multiple-choice questions based on related chapter(s) of Module 1. You can take it only once. To better prepare for this quiz, work through the following self-check practice exercises from the textbook first. Then check your solutions with those in the Student’s Solutions Manual. Do not submit your solutions to self-assessment items to your mentor. Self-Check Practice Exercises: ï‚ · 1.1 a,b; (sample vs. population) ï‚ · 1.34 a,b,c; (random sampling) ï‚ · 1.62 a,b,c; (experimental units) S-14 SYLLABUS for STA-201-GS module Organizing and Describing Data TOPICS Module 2 covers the following topics: ï‚ · frequency table, ï‚ · stem and leaf plot ï‚ · histogram ï‚ · sample mean and median ï‚ · sample standard deviation ï‚ · distribution shape ï‚ · measures of central tendency ï‚ · measures of dispersion ï‚ · Five-number summary ï‚ · population parameters ï‚ · standard scores OBJECTIVES After successfully completing Module 2, you should be able to: ï‚ · MO2.1 Recognize types of data. (CO2) ï‚ · MO2.2 Group data into tables. (CO2) ï‚ · MO2.3 Use visualizations of data to improve communication. (CO2) ï‚ · MO2.4 Describe a set of sample data using measures of central tendency. (CO3) ï‚ · MO2.5 Calculate measures of variation a set of sample data. (CO3) ï‚ · MO2.6 Recognize the difference between a statistic and parameter. (CO3) ï‚ · MO2.7 Convert data to standardized score. (CO3) STUDY MATERIALS Textbook Readings ï‚ · Study sections 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, 2.5, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, and 3.4 in the textbook. ACTIVITIES S-15 Module 2 has two written assignments and one modular quiz. Please consult the course Calendar for the due dates. Written Assignment 3 Write your response to the following question. We often hear you can lie with statistics. This is one way of saying statistics can be easily miscommunicated. Find one example of how statistics are miscommunicated and explain why there was a miscommunication and what you would do to correct this problem. Written Assignment 4 The written assignment draws on case study discussion exercises at the end of chapter. When preparing your assignment, please identify each answer clearly by question and its number. In your own words, interpret the data and note the shape of the distribution of the data provided from Case Study: Highest Paid Women (Chapter 2, p. 35). To help guide your interpretation, include the following: ï‚ · ï‚ · ï‚ · ï‚ · ï‚ · frequency table, stem and leaf plot histogram sample mean and median sample standard deviation. You must calculate results by hand (though you may use any technology of your choice to verify your answers). Quiz 2 and Self-Check Practice Exercises At the end of this module, you are required to take an unproctored online quiz. Quiz 2 contains eighteen (18) multiple-choice questions based on related chapters of Module 2. You can take it only once. To better prepare for this quiz, work through the following self-check practice exercises from the textbook first. Then check your solutions with those in the Student’s Solutions Manual. Do not submit your solutions to self-assessment items to your mentor. Self-Check Practice Exercises: ï‚ · 2.7 a,b,c; (number types) ï‚ · 2.27 a,b,c; (frequency tables) ï‚ · 2.71 a,b; (stem and leaf plot) ï‚ · 2.75 a,b,c; (histograms) ï‚ · 2.101 a,b; (distribution shape) ï‚ · 3.15 a,b,c; (sample statistics; measures of central tendency) S-16 SYLLABUS for STA-201-GS ï‚ · ï‚ · ï‚ · ï‚ · 3.73 (sample statistics; measures of dispersion) 3.125 a,b,c,d,e; (Five number summary) 3.163 a,b,c; (population parameters) 3.165 a,b; (standard scores) Module 2 S-17 module Probability TOPICS Module 3 covers the following topics: ï‚ · ï‚ · ï‚ · ï‚ · ï‚ · ï‚ · ï‚ · ï‚ · ï‚ · ï‚ · ï‚ · ï‚ · ï‚ · ï‚ · probability outcomes basic probabilities events rules of probability conditional probability multiplication rule/independent events permutations combinations basic counting rule probability distributions discrete random variables factorials Bernoulli trials binomial distribution OBJECTIVES After successfully completing Module 3, you should be able to: ï‚ · MO3.1 Apply principles of probability. (CO4) ï‚ · MO3.2 Recognize rules of probability. (CO4) ï‚ · MO3.3 Apply counting rules to probability. (CO4) ï‚ · MO3.4 Calculate the mean and standard deviation for discrete random variables. (CO4) ï‚ · MO3.5 Calculate Bernoulli trials. (CO4) ï‚ · MO3.6 Apply principles of binomial distribution. (CO4) STUDY MATERIALS Textbook Readings S-18 ï‚ · Study sections 4.1–4.6, 4.8, 5.1, 5.2, and 5.3 in the textbook. ACTIVITIES Module 3 has two written assignments and one modular quiz. Please consult the course Calendar for the due dates. Written Assignment 5 Write your response to the following topic. Using probability: How can you use probability to improve your chances of winning at a casino. Provide specific examples using concepts learned in this module. Written Assignment 6 The written assignment draws on case study discussion exercises at the end of chapter. When preparing your assignment, please identify each answer clearly by question and its number. ï‚ · Case Study: Texas Hold’em (p.209): Answer a,b,c,d,e,f,g. You must calculate results by hand (though you may use any technology of your choice to verify your answers). Quiz 3 and Self-Check Practice Exercises At the end of this module, you are required to take an unproctored online quiz. Quiz 3 contains ten (10) multiple-choice questions based on related chapters of Module 3. You can take it only once. To better prepare for this quiz, work through the following self-check practice exercises from the textbook first. Then check your solutions with those in the Student’s Solutions Manual. Do not submit your solutions to self-assessment items to your mentor. Self-Check Practice Exercises: ï‚ · 4.9 a,b,c; (probability outcomes) ï‚ · 4.15 a,b,c,d,e; (basic probabilities) ï‚ · 4.51 a,b,c,d; (events) ï‚ · 4.69 a,b,c,d; (rules of probability) ï‚ · 4.112 a,b,c,d,e; (conditional probability) ï‚ · 4.135 a,b,c,d,e (multiplication rule/independent events) ï‚ · 4.181 a,b,c,d (permutations) ï‚ · 4.189 a,b,c,d (combinations) ï‚ · 4.195 a,b,c (basic counting rule) ï‚ · 5.7 a,b,c,d,e; (probability distributions) ï‚ · 5.21 a,b,c; (discrete random variables) ï‚ · 5.45 a,b,c,d; (factorials) ï‚ · 5.51 a,b; (Bernoulli trials) ï‚ · 5.61 a,b,c,d,e,f,g,h,I,j; (binomial distribution) Module 3 S-19 module Normal Distributions TOPICS Module 4 covers the following topics: ï‚ · shape of the normal curve ï‚ · properties of the normal curve ï‚ · area under curve ï‚ · z-score ï‚ · normal probability plots ï‚ · sampling distribution theory ï‚ · sampling mean ï‚ · standard error of mean ï‚ · sampling distribution of the sample mean OBJECTIVES After successfully completing Module 4, you should be able to: ï‚ · MO4.1 Recognize the principles of the normal curve. (CO5) ï‚ · MO4.2 Calculate area under the curve. (CO5) ï‚ · MO4.3 Develop and interpret a normal probability plot. (CO5) ï‚ · MO4.4 Apply concepts of the sampling distribution. (CO5) STUDY MATERIALS Textbook Readings ï‚ · Study sections 6.1, 6.2, 6.3, 6.4, 7.1, 7.2, and 7.3 in the textbook. ACTIVITIES S-20 Module 4 has two written assignments and one modular quiz. Please consult the course Calendar for the due dates. Written Assignment 7 Write your responses to the following topic. Outliers: We know many types of data fall into a normal distribution with most of the observations falling toward the middle. However, sometimes data are outliers or data that are very different – larger or smaller – from the rest of the members of the sample. Think of an example in the real world of an outlier and discuss its effect. Written Assignment 8 The written assignment draws on case study discussion exercises at the end of chapter. When preparing your assignment, please identify each answer clearly by question and its number. ï‚ · Case Study: Chest Sizes of Scottish Militiamen (p.295): Answer a,b,c,d. You must calculate results by hand (though you may use any technology of your choice to verify your answers). Quiz 4 and Self-Check Practice Exercises At the end of this module, you are required to take an unproctored online quiz. Quiz 4 contains ten (10) multiple-choice questions based on related chapters of Module 4. You can take it only once. To better prepare for this quiz, work through the following self-check practice exercises from the textbook first. Then check your solutions with those in the Student’s Solutions Manual. Do not submit your solutions to self-assessment items to your mentor. Self-Check Practice Exercises: ï‚ · 6.23 a,b,c; (shape of the normal curve) ï‚ · 6.48 (properties of the normal curve) ï‚ · 6.54 (properties of the normal curve) ï‚ · 6.55, a,b,c,d; (area under curve) ï‚ · 6.59 a,b,c,d; (area under curve) ï‚ · 6.71 (z-score associated with an area) ï‚ · 6.75 a,b; (z-score associated with an area) ï‚ · 6.98 a,b (calculate z-score and find area) ï‚ · 6.123 a,b,c (normal probability plots) ï‚ · 7.2 (sampling distribution theory) ï‚ · 7.17 a,b,c d, e; (sampling mean) ï‚ · 7.49 a,b; (standard error of mean) ï‚ · 7.71 a,b,c,d,e; (sampling distribution of the sample mean) Module 4 S-21 module Inferential Statistics TOPICS Module 5 covers the following topics: ï‚ · point estimate ï‚ · confidence intervals, population one mean ï‚ · margin of error ï‚ · t-distribution ï‚ · confidence intervals, sample one mean ï‚ · null, alternative hypotheses ï‚ · type I,II errors ï‚ · p-values ï‚ · critical values – one tail ï‚ · critical values – two tails ï‚ · pooled hypothesis variables ï‚ · pooled samples t-test ï‚ · confidence intervals – pooled samples ï‚ · non-pooled samples t-test ï‚ · confidence intervals – non-pooled samples ï‚ · paired t-test ï‚ · confidence intervals – paired t-test ï‚ · one proportion z interval ï‚ · margin of error for p ï‚ · one proportion z test ï‚ · two proportions z test ï‚ · confidence internal two proportions OBJECTIVES After successfully completing Module 5, you should be able to: ï‚ · MO5.1 Construct confidence intervals to make decisions. (CO6) ï‚ · MO5.2 Recognize errors in hypothesis testing probability plot. (CO6) ï‚ · MO5.3 Interpret p-values with hypotheses tests. (CO6) ï‚ · MO5.4 Determine if there is a difference between means. (CO6) S-22 STUDY MATERIALS Textbook Readings ï‚ · Study sections 8.1, 8.2, 8.3, 8.4, 9.1, 9.2, 9.3, 10.1, 10.2, 10.3, 10.5, 12.1, 12.2, and 12.3 in the textbook. ACTIVITIES Module 5 has three activities. Please consult the course Calendar for the due dates. Written Assignment 9 Write your responses to the following topic. Errors in testing: Think of one example of a Type I and Type II error in everyday life and comment on the ramifications of those errors. Written Assignment 10 This written assignment draws on case study discussion exercises at the end of Chapter 8. When preparing your assignment, please identify each answer clearly by question and its number. ï‚ · Case Study: The â€Å"Chip Ahoy! 1,000 Chips Challenge (p.357): Answer a,b,c,e (NOT d). You must calculate results by hand (though you may use any technology of your choice to verify your answers). Module 5 Self-Check Practice Exercises At the end of module 5 and 6, you are required to take a proctored online final exam. To better prepare for the final exam, work through the following self-check practice exercises from the textbook first. Then check your solutions with those in the Student’s Solutions Manual. Do not submit your solutions to self-assessment items to your mentor. Self-Check Practice Exercises: ï‚ · 8.4 a,b; (point estimate) ï‚ · 8.32 a,b; (confidence intervals, population one mean) ï‚ · 8.62 (margin of error) ï‚ · 8.81 a,b,c; (t-distribution) ï‚ · 8.93 a,b; (confidence intervals, sample one mean) ï‚ · 9.6 a,b,c; (null, alternative hypotheses) ï‚ · 9.22 a,b,c,d,e (type I,II errors) ï‚ · 9.50 a,b,c (p-values) ï‚ · 9.33 a,b,c,d,e,f; (critical values – one tail) ï‚ · 9.34 a,b,c,d,e,f; (ciritcal values – two tails) ï‚ · 10.9 a,b,c,d (pooled hypothesis variables) Module 5 S-23 ï‚ · ï‚ · ï‚ · ï‚ · ï‚ · ï‚ · ï‚ · ï‚ · ï‚ · ï‚ · ï‚ · 10.39 (pooled samples t-test) 10.45 (confidence intervals – pooled samples) 10.71 (non-pooled samples t-test) 10.77 (confidence intervals – non-pooled samples) 10.142 a,b,c,d,e,f; (paired t-test) 10.148 a,b; (confidence intervals – paired t-test) 12.26 one proportion z interval 12.34 a, b, c, d, e, f (margin of error for p) 12.66 a, b (one proportion z test) 12.93 a, b, c (two proportions z test) 12.99 a, b (confidence internal two proportions) S-24 SYLLABUS for STA-201-GS module Measures of Association TOPICS Module 6 covers the following topics: ï‚ · chi-square distribution ï‚ · goodness of fit test ï‚ · contingency tables ï‚ · chi-square assumptions ï‚ · chi-square test of independence ï‚ · linear equation definition ï‚ · graphing linear equations ï‚ · least squares criterion ï‚ · regression calculation and estimation ï‚ · sum of squares and r2 ï‚ · correlation definition ï‚ · correlation coefficient ï‚ · residual plot ï‚ · regression t-test OBJECTIVES After successfully completing Module 6, you should be able to: ï‚ · MO6.1 Recognize the characteristics of the chi-square distribution. (CO7) ï‚ · MO6.2 Determine if there is an association within a contingency table. (CO7) ï‚ · MO6.3 Represent the relationship between two variables as a linear equation. (CO7) ï‚ · MO6.4 Apply the regression equation to make predictions and extrapolate data. (CO7) ï‚ · MO6.5 Recognize the characteristics of the the correlation coefficient. (CO7) ï‚ · MO6.6 Determine the strength of correlation between two variables. (CO7) ï‚ · MO6.7 Make inferences from the results of a linear regression. (CO7) STUDY MATERIALS Textbook Readings ï‚ · Study sections 13.1, 13.2, 13.3, 13.4, 14.1, 14.2, 14.3, 14.4, 15.1, and 15.2 in the textbook. S-25 ACTIVITIES Module 6 has three activities. Please consult the course Calendar for the due dates. Written Assignment 11 Write your responses to the following topic. Association: We know association does not imply causation, but what does this mean in your own words. Provide and discuss an example of two variables that are associated but not by a cause and effect relationship. Written Assignment 12 This written assignment draws on case study discussion exercises at the end of Chapter 14. When preparing your assignment, please identify each answer clearly by question and its number. ï‚ · Focusing on Data Analysis: Using the data from Chapter 1: UWEC Undergraduates (pp. 3031), and answer questions a,b,c,d,e,f,g (UWEC Undergraduates, p. 666). You must calculate results by hand (though you may use any technology of your choice to verify your answers). Module 6 Self-Check Practice Exercises At the end of module 5 and 6, you are required to take a proctored online final exam. To better prepare for the final exam, work through the following self-check practice exercises from the textbook first. Then check your solutions with those in the Student’s Solutions Manual. Do not submit your solutions to self-assessment items to your mentor. Self-Check Practice Exercises: ï‚ · 13.1 (chi-square distribution) ï‚ · 13.7 a,b; (chi-square distribution tables) ï‚ · 13.27 a,b,c; (goodness of fit test) ï‚ · 13.45 a,b,c,d; (contingency tables) ï‚ · 13.73 a,b (chi square assumptions) ï‚ · 13.76 (chi square test of independence) ï‚ · 14.1 a,b,c; (linear equation definition) ï‚ · 14.5 a,b,c,d,e; (graphing linear equations) ï‚ · 14.40 a,b,; (least squares criterion) ï‚ · 14.52 a,b,c,d,e,f,g; (regression calculation and estimation) ï‚ · 14.90 a,b,c,d; (sum of squares and r2) ï‚ · 14.110 a,b,c (correlation definit ion) ï‚ · 14.124 a,b,c,d; (correlation coefficient) ï‚ · 15.24 a,b,c,d (residual plot) ï‚ · 15.52 (regression t-test) S-26 SYLLABUS for STA-201-GS Final Project You are required to complete a final project. Please consult the Course Calendar for the due date. Project Description Statistics is about more than calculations. It is about turning data into information and using this information to understand the population. A statistician will be asked to help solve real world problems by designing a study, collecting data, analyzing the data, and writing up the results. As a final project, you will be asked to do something similar. Though the design and data collection will be done for you, you will be asked to analyze the data using the appropriate tests (ensuring the data are distributed normally) and write up the results, using statistical evidence to support your findings. Lastly, you will be asked to include recommendations, that is, apply the results to solve the real world problem. In your paper, explain why you chose each statistical test, figure, or procedure. The problem: Due to financial hardship, the Nyke shoe company feels they only need to make one size of shoes, regardless of gender or height. They have collected data on gender, shoe size, and height and have asked you to tell them if they can change their business model to include only one of shoes – regardless of height or gender of the wearer. In no more 5-10 pages (including figures), explain your recommendations, using statistical evidence to support your findings. The data found are below: Show Size 5.00 7.50 9.00 7.00 11.00 12.00 14.00 7.00 7.50 8.00 10.50 Height 63.00 70.00 70.00 64.00 72.00 72.00 76.00 66.00 71.00 68.00 71.00 Gender Female Female Female Male Male Male Male Female Female Female Male Module 5 S-27 11.00 6.50 7.00 7.50 10.00 12.00 6.50 10.50 12.00 6.00 6.50 10.00 9.50 11.50 14.00 6.50 13.50 7.00 9.50 13.00 11.00 6.00 7.00 7.50 71.00 65.00 67.00 70.00 69.00 69.00 65.00 72.00 73.00 60.00 64.00 72.00 69.00 70.00 75.00 63.00 77.00 68.00 68.00 72.00 73.00 62.00 66.00 70.00 Male Female Female Female Male Male Female Male Male Female Female Female Male Male Male Female Male Female Male Male Male Female Female Female Only use results in the paper. You may show your work in an appendix, if you would like. ï‚ · Click to view Final Project Grading Rubric. S-28 SYLLABUS for STA-201-GS

Brief a case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Brief a - Case Study Example Despite the presence of a valid handgun permit the officer issued Washington a summons to show in court. The key issue is that of Melvin Washington’s interlocutory appeal in retaliation of the court’s denial of his motion that demands that all evidence discovered while the vehicle was searched be repressed. He states that the search was in direct violation of the Fourth Amendment of the US Constitution and also that of Article 1, Section 11 of the Indiana Constitution. On November 12, 2008, Washington was charged by the State for the possession of marijuana, as a Class A offense and a Class C infraction for not having fully functional headlights. On 29th April, 2009, Washington appealed to suppress the drugs found in his vehicle. This motion was denied by the court on the 18th of May, after an analysis of evidence and briefs from both parties. However the court accepted Washington’s interlocutory appeal in August. The justification for the bases of the decision taken by the court is primarily focused on placing a paramount importance on officer safety. The action taken by Officer Reynolds was therefore relevant as he conducted a search for the weapon in order to ensure his safety. There are divergent opinions pertaining to the case mostly because of the lack of a warrant obtained in order to search the vehicle when no prior suspicion was aroused and Washington has cooperated to the fullest. Hence there was no legitimate concern for the officers safety or any solid bases to believe if any crime was or had been conducted. Based on this notion the search was illegal and hence the evidence it resulted in should have been

Report Plan Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Report Plan - Assignment Example The recipient of this report is the various organizations, both governmental and NGOs, dealing with welfare funding. Identifying the problem was an easy task. According to government statistics, TANF program has 31% of white families, 33% black and 29% Hispanic. It is important to note that the aim of the program is to provide funds to needy families with a five-year limit on financial assistance. In fact, total welfare spending for the year ending 2010 reached an astounding $900 billion. The problem arises due to the fact that, even with the large amounts spent on assisting poor families, more families keep increasing systematically. To answer the questions, it is crucial to have access to the government archives on the target program (TANF). The public libraries with government, though few, are a good source of information. The internet is also an important resource for this research. I will have access to the national statistics databases. Journals and newspapers detailing the aspect of social welfare will be considered a resource. Kearns (2000) advices of the use of mixed methodology in answering research questions. Following Kearns’ advice, I will use observation and interview to answer the questions. The interview will be in form of a questionnaire directed at sampled TANF and the program supervisors. Since the research is personal, I intend to make unbiased observations and take note for further reference. The suggested course of action will be based on unprejudiced answers to the questions of research. Corcoran (2011) lays out a clear method of identifying loopholes in social affairs based on the failures of the system

Security Design Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Security Design - Essay Example identified were an inappropriate use of emails in the communication of sensitive business information, the connection of public data, and confidential business information to the same physical network. Improper storing of private data that were only to be found on the servers by the end users and transmission some sensitive business information between servers and clients. For the proper communications of these findings, some policies were formed up by WWTC in the areas. These plans comprised of internet connectivity that was to be separated by the network, classified system; this ensures physical security to prevent any unauthorized access to the detailed information. The other policy introduced was a wide area network. The system made sure that any data that cross wide area network link has to undergo a protection section such as the virtual private network (Berger, 2012). Public servers was another policy initiated, this ensured that configuration of all public servers using Hypertext transfer protocol system connections and acceptance of all valid requests and pass them through the firewall. Site-to-site virtual private network tunnels were also among the policies that were put in place through the findings enabling mutual authentication and protection to all provided devices (Bansal, 2015). WWTC ended the plans with user education whereby they created awareness and training programs on threats and good security practices. Recommendations gave some deliverables on the general approach that the project may take. Among the recommendations pointed out were The protection of valuable assets of the company, determination of general architecture of the organization and development of a list of specific policies that could be applied and along with the rationale. Specific details must be written. Selection of the 12 relevant procedures for the addition in the Security Policy Document has to be reviewed in the written policies (Bansal, 2015). Attacks were classified

Reading reflection Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Reading reflection - Article Example Applied statistics is defined as statistics but with more emphasis on practically applying statistics rather than studying its theoretical basis (Business Dictionary, 2013). There are numerous areas where statistics is used by statisticians to make sense of a situation including weather forecasting, stock prediction of market prices and market research to find demand of a product. In Chatfield’s paper, there are two main themes that are discussed. The first theme, understanding strategy is as important as knowing technique, and the second theme, avoiding trouble is complementary to and perquisite for, achieving optimally and therefore deserves at least equal attention (Chatfield, 1991). There are ways in which these two main themes can be implemented when working with clients. A client who owns a health clinic may want to know the relationship between types of patients that come to the clinic and the diseases they have. Before examining the first theme, we should understand wh at understanding strategy is. Understanding strategy is seen as being based on factors including processes, mechanisms and forces. In implementing the first theme, the first step will be to apply understanding strategy to find out the patients diseases and demographics of the patients (age, height, eye color, weight). The second step will be to go through the patients’ diseases data detailing the type of disease, where the disease came from, the circumstance leading to getting the disease among others. The third step will be to know the relationship between disease and the patients’ information or data. Since, the data had been understood while examining the demographics of the patients and the disease the patients are having, it becomes easy to know the relationship between disease and the patients’ data. Moving on to the second theme, avoiding trouble while conducting statistical study is crucial in order to obtain uncompromised results. There can be a scenari o where a client has a running sports shoe as a product and wants to know its demand before launching it in the market. In order to avoid the trouble of introducing this product that is not needed in the market, a proper statistical research has to be conducted. Just as Chatfield (1991) suggests, questions will need to be asked concerning the background of the product and the objectives it wants to accomplish in the market. In this case the objectives may be concerned with selling the shoes to a demographic group that loves running sports shoes. The demographic group will consist of people from ages 18 to 35 years living in the United States living in the rural or urban areas. This will ensure that good data is collected that best describes the demographic group. In case the demographic data collected is not sufficient or is not trusted, questions concerning untrusted information should be asked to clarify any issues. In the end, examinations should be carried out to address whether the objectives have been fulfilled or whether there are some changes that have to be carried out to make the collectable statistical data even better. This will ensure that the client gets the best statistical results concerning the demand of running sports shoes in the market before launching it. Chatfield (1991) approaches statistics in a more elaborate sequential manner. The first step he takes is formulating the problem by asking relevant questions about the background

The effects of work related stress and working in a call centre, Dissertation

The effects of work related stress and working in a call centre, stressfull or not - Dissertation Example According to the HSE, a total a total of 12.8 million working days were lost to stress in 2004-2005, while the CIPD annual absence management survey for both 2005 and 2006 revealed that stress was one of the primary reasons for long term absence for non manual employee (CIPD, 2010). The term â€Å"stress† has now crept into common parlance and is widely used both in personal and professional life. However, the term has many definitions and in a generic sense can be used to cover a wide variety of different situations. For the purposes of this study, stress will be defined as â€Å"the adverse reaction people have to excessive pressure or other types of demands placed on them† â€Å"stress can be caused by things at work or outside work, or both† (HSE, n.d) Even within this definition it is important to accept that stress is not an illness in itself but a condition which, left unchecked, can contribute to a whole host of health problems: â€Å"Between fifty and s eventy per cent of all illnesses are linked to stress response† (Corbin, Lindsay, & Welk, 2000, p. 15). ... several challenging targets as part of a long term strategy: In Securing Health Together, they aim by 2010, to: reduce the incidence of work-related ill health by 20 per cent reduce ill health to members of the public, caused by work activity by 20 per cent reduce the number of working days lost due to work related ill health by 30 per cent The rise in the condition has also prompted national legislation and regulation. Changes in the Disability Discrimination Act in December 2005, means that mental impairment no longer needs to be â€Å"clinically well recognised† to potentially be classified as disability (CIPD, 2010) The significance of which, is that it is now easier for employees to bring disability cases and discrimination claims involving stress and depression. The potential risk to employers is therefore high, and expected to become even more substantial as future EU legislation is likely to put more responsibility on employers for the health of their workforce. The co st of litigation, should an employee decide to sue is substantial. John Walker, a social worker at Northumberland Country Council, was the first British employee to prove that working conditions caused his stress related breakdown. As a result The High Court ruled in 1996 that Northumberland County Council had failed to reduce his workload and awarded Walker with compensation of ?175,000 (WorkstressNet, n.d.). In 2004, 6,428 stress claims were made costing British employers ?321 million (BusinessHR, 2004). Within the financial Services sector there have been two high profile cases, one involving Commetzbank, in 2004, and the other Deutsche Bank, in 2006. As a result of these cases both these organisations took steps to strengthen their stress management strategies. Alongside the regulatory

Intro to Political Science Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Intro to Political Science - Assignment Example It is rational to argue that the rich and corporations receive a lot from the government while what they contribute to society is minimal because of personal interests at the expense of others. 2. Jean Jacques stated, "Man is free yet everywhere is in chains." According to the professor, what does Rousseau mean by this statement? Why is the professor passionate about personal liberties? Rousseau coined the element of social contract in which he draws the ground for legitimate political order. In this argument, Rousseau argued that man is born free and everywhere he is in chains which implies that man thinks that he is the ruler or master of others but remains in bondage than they are. He argued that the state of nature was a barbaric and primitive condition which lacked morality or law. Human beings left this state for necessity and benefits of cooperation. As society progressed, division of labor and private property needed humanity to adopt institutions of law. In the degenerate st age of society, man is prone to competition with other people in society while at the same time becoming dependent on them. This pressure in life threatened his freedom and survival. That is why Rousseau argued that man is born free but every where he is in chains. 3. How was the government evolved since it was established by the founding fathers? Please describe both similarities and differences in government today versus in its original state. Originally, the U.S had a de jure form of government when it was first founded by people like Abraham Lincoln and Madison. Today, the government has evolved and adopted de facto kind of government where by resources are shared by equity and not by law as compared to earlier government where distribution of resources was by law. Despite these differences, they reveal a common quality where the rights of citizens were respected by the government. Original government was established by republican form of government with the limitations placed o n their servants, in this case, it meant that the people were the government not their servants. It has evolved in that those behind the scenes prepare and place their people in office who usurp power at the expense of the citizens. The similarity in this case is that the government has sovereign power which is exercised by the citizens either directly or indirectly. 4. Why has political efficacy been on the decline? What do you believe is contributing to this malaise Political efficacy is the faith and trust that citizens have in the government and their conviction that they can comprehend and influence political decisions. Political efficacy has been declining due to the fact that people are less involved in politics since the governments have proven to be ineffective since people’s vote do not count at all, people lack civil rights and they are not allowed to express their views or opinions freely. The decline of political efficacy is associated with the rise of money in p olitical affairs. Therefore, there is failure by the government to control arena of campaign finance which allows wealthy people and Corporations to silence voices of individual citizens making the public lose trust and faith in the political system. 5. Which of the amendment(s) in the Bill of Rights deals with liberty?

Research Support Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Research Support - Essay Example This is possible because health givers are better positioned to receive information about the people they will be dealing with through seminars and orientation exercises. Cultural differences cause strained interactions between health givers and patients, which contributes to a communication breakdown. This can make patients withhold vital information regarding their health status making a correct diagnosis difficult. This is because patients think that the caregivers do not understand their culture and customs (Holland & Cogg, 2010). Health practitioners should sensitized on how to handle patients from different cultural backgrounds because their understanding is vital. Through various cultural research based studies, practitioners in the health can sector can learn how to handle their clients better. An enhanced sociocultural understanding can solve constraints caused by lack of adequate communication between the parties involved. Education of caregivers’ cultural variances is the only way to ensure harmony in the health

Teaching in Content Area Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Teaching in Content Area - Essay Example It is thought however that with the use of applicable techniques and appropriate tools suited for a middle school student, teaching history to a student could be interesting. A student who is in middle school has considerably short attention span and is not used to rigorous academic lectures. Coming from primary school, their minds are still with the basics and are not yet that familiar with abstract learning such as history. In addition to this consideration, it has to be factored in also that students today are more attuned to multi-media instructional materials where they can interact with the medium compared to the traditional lectures where they sit and lesson and read history. Such, traditional approach may be boring to a middle school student of this generation. Considering this, instructional videos will be used instead of lengthy lectures to keep the students interest. Computers can also an excellent method of learning where the students can interact with the medium in the process of learning. Role playing can also be an excellent method of making history interesting to students. Also, discussion is encouraged more than lectures. integrated social studies learning is an interdisciplinary approach where two or more disciplines are taught in conscious relation to one another" (Jacobs, 1989 pg. 7) under an interdisciplinary curriculum that espouses "a knowledge view and curriculum approach that consciously applies methodology and language from more than one discipline to examine a central theme, issue, problem, topic, or experience" (p. 8). Integrated approach to learning intends to facilitate more learning by combining the various disciplines to real life situations. This type of learning transcends to a more interconnected view of the universe [where] knowledge is seen as an abstract whole to be accessed through inquiry of themes, issues, experiences, and problems (Mathison and Freeman, 1997). This approach to

Gag Clauses Essay Example for Free

Gag Clauses Essay For the past ten years, the Health Management Organizations (HMO), who is responsible on the health care programs, had imposed a new system that restrict and inhibit physicians in communicating to their patients. (Wynn, 1996) This is known as ‘gag clause†. The physician must not discuss the medical condition and all treatment options of their patients. These include the right health care plan, the appropriate treatment and medications that may be benefit to the patient in terms of cost. (Liang, 1998) The issue on the gag clauses creates a big noise especially on the practitioners and physicians. This issue receives many criticisms. According to some critics, it is the obligation of a physician to educate and inform his patient on what kind of treatment, and the kind of health care plan. This is because physicians are trained to treat the bad health conditions of their patients. The gag clause thus inhibits the open discussion of the two parties. Because of the gag clause issue, the House of Representative and the Legislature of United States are now making a proper move to inhibit the gag clauses in physician contracts. But almost 200 million of the citizens of the said country rely on health care programs of HMOs. The lawmakers of United States, who had made laws and enforces these to protect its citizens, medicine companies as well as the practitioners from the HMOs, still HMOs finds a way to control the actions of their hired physicians. This is the termination-without-cause clause. In this clause, the physician to be hired by HMOs can be fired for any reason. The restrictions of physicians in communicating to their patients produce major problems especially on the side of the patient. One of these problem is the lost of trust and confidence of the patient if his original physician has been deselected. Then the second physician must handle the latter treatment on the patient which is very difficult because of little time. Then the second physician also faces a constraint in communicating to his patient. This will result to low quality health care service given by HMOs. The welfare of the patients is being jeopardized because of gag clauses. A study was conducted on the performance of physicians experiencing gag clauses from their health care company. From the physicians who were interviewed, majority do their medical obligation as part of their ethical duties in providing the necessary medication and treatments for their patients. They do not even read carefully the provisions of the contracts they signed in handling their patients. But because of the alarming issues on the deselecting, physicians were limited on communicating to their patients the health conditions and proper treatment. While on the side of physician sectors, there profession is being put at risk. As a physician, their responsibility is to take care of their patient which is the core of their medical responsibility. If these physicians were unluckily deselected, their ethical responsibility to raise and support their family will be affected. Thus, physicians are faced in a two situations were they must choose which will they do. Thus the purpose of their profession is being sacrificed. In almost contract signing, there are some elements to consider and understand by both parties before they undergo in signing. Some of the key terms to consider are the payment terms, duty and obligations of parties, representations and warranties, conditions on the closure of the contract, some liability issues and termination rights. In contract signing in a managed care setting, the identification of the parties who will sign the contract must first be done. In terms of managed care setting, the health care provider, physicians and the consumers or patients are the main characters. Then the recitals will follow. In this part, it contains the background of the contract as well the objective. The obligation of the parties involved is the next element to be discussed before signing. The health care provider will provide all the necessary treatments needed by the patient for his wellness. This includes the necessary and appropriate health care plan. While the physician medical responsibility is to provide the necessary treatment needed by the patient in which he can apply his profession. These include care and medication of the patient. And lastly, the obligation of the patient is in term of financial obligation for the health care provider and to the physician. (Allbusiness, 2007) Next to be considered are the terms of the contract. It must be clearly stated what are the sanction if one of the terms was not made. Also, the contract must be known if it is an only one time or it can be renewed. And if the contract is renewable, how it can be renewed? These questions must be first answered before the signing of the medical health care contract. After this, the price must be set. How much will it cost the service of the health care provider to their costumers or patients and the salary of the physician assigned, as well as the terms of payments between the parties? When will the due of the payment and what are the consequences if the due was not met by one of the party concerned. Warranty is also part of a contract. The warranties must be clearly stated on how it can be claimed and in what way. If the health care program does not meet the terms, how will the health care provider pay the consequence? And how long the warranty will is good for. And lastly is the term of termination of the contract. When will the health care program end in concern on the patient? When will the physician medical obligation ends. The above are mentioned are the key terms in contract signing in a health care setting. (Allbusiness, 2007) In contract signing in a health care setting, a major concern that must be considered is that-if the contract contains provisions of illegal act? Because majority of the HMOs contract’s contain provision of not letting communication on the physician-patient relationship, the Federal government of United States enforce these HMOs to eliminate these gag clauses. In a contract, it is stated that the patient under a health care program is entitled to all benefits of the health care program. ( Scanlon, 1999) Because of this, the Health Care Financing Administration force HMOs to eliminate gag clauses on their contracts. If a contract contains illegal act such that of the gag clauses, it will be considered as a violation on the Medicare law. This is because almost physicians believe that inhibiting them in communicating with their patients about their medical condition might result to increase on the risk on their health condition. (Frascati, 2005) Even tough some of the health care plans of HMOs were revised in connection with the gag clauses; still there are provisions and conditions that hinder the communication of physician-patient relationship. Some of these provisions are the business confidentiality clause, nondisparagement clause and nonsolicitation clause. These provisions are discrete form of inhibition of the communication. (Lott, 1997) If one of the provisions in a contract is unenforceable like no legal action or waiver of right to trial by jury, and then the contract is considered void. (Higuchi, 1995)

Structuring Supply Chains Based On Product Segmentation Commerce Essay

Structuring Supply Chains Based On Product Segmentation Commerce Essay The world has just gone through one of the worse crisis since the Second World War. In order to reduce the negative impact, companies have tried to reduce cost by any ways, by freezing all expansion, by reducing the number of employees, by launching quick wins project in order to free-up cashà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦to summarize nothing sustainable. In order to catch a sustainable growth that will reduce the impact of any future crisis, to obtain a competitive advantage, companies need to design an optimized supply chain. This optimization will lead to a supply chain that are no more a cost but an competitive advantage, a supply chain that brings value, a supply chain that become strategic. The time and the cash spend to source; to produce and to distribute product and services are so huge that companies cant afford to ignore it. When designing its supply chain, companies need to keep in mind that ONE SIZE DOES NOT FIT ALL, meaning that one supply chain configuration cant fulfil each customers requirements. Indeed, each customer has different needs which cant be fulfil in the same way. One customer may seek for a company able to provide reactive supplies, while another company is seeking for minimum purchasing costà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Providing different product/service implies having different supply chain configuration. The objective then is to provide different global services which go far beyond the product itself. Nowadays, companies cant provide a product only. They need to provide a global service meaning that they have to provide quality service which goes with the product. The level of quality that needs to be reached is then determined by the customers requirement and willingness to pay a certain price. Customers may want seek for a good quality/price product, some other may want to have a extremely high quality and innovative product, some other are looking to receive the product at their place the next day they purchased it,à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ And in order to be able to provide this global service that includes the product, companies need to design their supply chain accordingly. This thesis is focusing on understanding the different choice that a company can make when designing its tailored supply chain. Each product is designed differently, and each product (or service) is meant to be for one specific customer. The time when Ford was making one single car for everyone is over. We will focus on how to design its supply chain based on product segmentation. We will first identify the different type of supply chain configuration a company can choose based on its corporate strategy. We will then try to define the meaning of the segmentation and what are the main criteria to perform it. This will lead us to identify the different models that currently exist, models that will help companies to segment, categorize and design tailored supply chains. Then we will try to apply the models on a real case and try to redesign the company supply chains going from an AS IS statement to a TO BE ideal situation. Product Segmentation and Supply Chain Segmentation Segmentation Definition Segmentation can be defined as: Process of defining and sub-dividing a large homogenous market into clearly identifiable segments having similar needs, wants, or demand characteristics. [http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/market-segmentation.html]. The main purpose of segmentation is to help to decide what configuration of the business is the most suitable for what customer. The concept of one size does not fit all has for meaning that each customer has a different need and this need cannot be fulfilled in the same way the other customers need are fulfilled. In supply chain the purpose of segmentation is to configure the processes in a way that will lead to a competitive advantage and then to profit. However, we cannot fulfill in a different way each single customer as this will increase the cost so much that the company wont survive. Thus, it is important to build groups that have similar needs and provide one single service for this group. Different type of Supply Chain Functional Product VS Innovative Product The idea of categorizing product in order to identify the most suitable supply chain is not new. In 1997, Fisher introduced a new concept in order to better serve the customers. Fisher said that the first step in devising an effective supply chain strategy is therefore to consider the nature of the demand for the product ones company supplies, [Fisher]. He identified several factors that will influence the design of the most suitable Supply Chain, factors such as Product life cycle, demand predictability, Product variety and market standards for lead times and services. Thus, he started by categorizing product based on theirs characteristics. He identified two types of products: Functional Product and Innovative Product. The main difference of these two types of product influence the type of supply chain needed to optimize the supply of these products. Fisher defines Functional Products are products with long life cycles and with low demand uncertainty. Conversely, innovative product s are products having a short life cycle with high demand uncertainty. Fisher went event further as you can see on the Table 1 below in the distinction between Functional and Innovative Products: Figure 2: Matching supply chains with product characteristics (Source: Fisher, 1997) Hau L. Lee also developed Fishers idea on the distinction between Innovative and Functional Products as you can see on the table below: Table 1: Demand Characteristics  [1]   The impact of this distinction on the Supply Chain type is tremendous. The choose to develop a Lean Supply Chain or an Agile Supply Chain is easier thanks to this new distinction as we will see on the next part. Lean, Agile, Leagile Supply Chain Based on the functional and innovative products concept, we are now able to introduce different supply chain strategy. Each companies objectives are different, thus when designing its supply chain, the aim of this new organization will be different. We are introducing here different strategy when designing its supply chain: The Lean Supply Chain aims to reduce the waste and thus the cost while providing high quality products/services. The Agile supply chains objective is the flexibility to fulfill the customer demand while this ones predictability can be very low. The Leagile strategy is a hybrid solution, combining the Lean and Agile strategy in one. The first time we heard about Lean Manufacturing was in 1988 by John Krafcik in a article he wrote in the Sloan Management Review: Triumph of the Lean Production System  [2]  when he was describing the Japanese production model which is essentially the elimination of waste. Naylor et al provided with a interesting definition: Leanness means developing a value stream to eliminate all waste including time, and to enable a level schedule [Naylor et al.]. Since then, the concept becomes much broader. Indeed, Christopher and Towill highlighted the fact that the Lean Supply Chain works better with a stable demand and where variety is low  [3]  : which correspond to the functional products. From this statement we can already start to have a clearer view on what supply chain for what products; thus, functional products need Lean Supply Chain. The lean supply chain will focus on cost reduction for standardized mass-products [Volker Stich, Jan Christoph Meyer]  [4]  . The origin of agile concept lie partially in flexible manufacturing systems (FMS) [M. Chritopher, D. Towill]. The Agile Supply Chain allows using a highly flexible supply chain in order to better serve the customer. As for the Lean definition, Naylor et al. introduce a definition for agility concept: Agility means using market knowledge and a virtual corporation to exploit profitable opportunities in a volatile marketplace [Naylor et al.]. With an Agile Supply Chain it is much more efficient and effective for product with high volatility in the demand and high variety which correspond to the innovative products. In the table below, Chritopher and Towill went even further in the difference between a Lean and an Agile Supply Chain: Table 3: Comparison of Lean Supply with Agile Supply: The distinguishing Attributes  [5]   Distinguishing Attributes Lean Supply Agile Supply Typical Products Commodities/Functional Fashion Goods/Innovative Marketplace Demand Predictable Volatile Product Variety Low High Product Life Cycle Long Short Customer Drivers Cost Availability Profit Margin Low High Dominant Costs Physical Costs* Marketability Costs** Stockout Penalties Long Term Contractual Immediate and Volatile Purchasing Policy Buy Materials Assign Capacity Information Enrichment Highly Desirable Obligatory Forecasting Mechanism Algorithmic Consultative *Physical Costs: All Production costs, distribution costs and storage costs **Marketability Costs: All obsolescence costs and stockout costs If only, both agile supply chain advantages and Lean Supply Chain advantages could be put together to build a perfect supply chain, it would be the best of both world. Coming from this pursuit of perfection, the concept of Leagile [Naylor et al] supply chain appeared. This concept suggests using lean supply chain for the upstream flows and the agile supply chain for the downstream flows. In practice, this strategy is using what is called The decoupling point or Postponement. This concept principle is to keep sub assembly inventory and to produce finished goods only when the order is know. Chritopher and Towill pointed out one important fact is the information de-coupling point: they argue that the furthest point upstream to which information on real demand flows i.e. information which has not been distorted by inventory policies such as re-order points and re-order quantities contributes to the Agility of a company. Figure 1: The decoupling point  [6]   Stable and Evolving Supply Chain As pointed out Volker Stich and Jan Christoph Meyer, all the approach discussed earlier are focusing on the demand side. Hau L. Lee introduced a new concept called Stable and Evolving supply processes. This concept is focusing on the supply side of the supply chain. Hau L. Lee provided a useful definition as follows: A stable supply process is one where manufacturing process and the underlying technology are mature and the supply base well established. [Hau L. Lee] An evolving supply process is where the manufacturing process and the underlying technology are still under early development and are rapidly changing, and as a result the supply base may be limited in both size and experience. [Hau L. Lee] There is more difference between stable supply processes and evolving supply processes, the figure 2 is summarizing some of these differences. The link should be made with Fishers Functional and Innovative products: Functional products tend to use a more mature and stable supply process but this is not always the true. Hau L. Lee provides several example summarized in the figure 3. Figure 2: Supply Characteristics. (Source: Hau L. Lee) Figure 3: The uncertainty Framework: Examples. (Source: Hau L. Lee) Segmentation Factors Determining the Customers Needs: Order Winner and Market Qualifier The definitions of Order Winner and Order Qualifier found in the APICS dictionary are quite interesting: Order winners are those competitive characteristics that cause a firms customers to choose that firms goods and services over those of its competitors. Order winners can be considered to be competitive advantages for the firm. Order winners usually focus on one rarely more than two) of the following strategic initiatives: price/cost, quality, delivery speed, delivery reliability, product design, flexibility, after-market service, and image. [APICS Dictionary 2008]  [7]   Order qualifiers are those competitive characteristics that a firm must exhibit to be a viable competitor in the marketplace. [APICS Dictionary 2008]  [8]   When Terry Hill invented this new concept of Order Winner and Order Qualifier, he aimed to linked operations objectives with Marketings one. The operations people were then in charge of managing the supply chain in a way that the company will obtain a competitive advantage and win the market. As you can see on the APICS definition, several strategic initiatives have been identified: price/cost, quality, delivery speed, delivery reliability, product design, flexibility, after-market service, and image. Based on that, R. Mason-Jones et al. combined the Fisher concept with Hill concept as you can see on the figure 2. The key information is that companies need to excel and focus on the Market Winners factors while being highly competitive on the Market Qualifiers. The figure 3 shows that the company is focusing on Cost and obtained a competitive advantage on the price. The important point is that this company is not neglected the others key competitive factors and its performance is always above the critical minimum performance which if it would have been below, it would have eliminated the benefice acquired from the competitive advantage. Figure 2: An example of using the classification matrix based on market winners and market qualifiers [Source: R. Mason-Jones et al.] Figure 3: The performance matrix [Source: Nabil Montassir] Another concept that needs to be took into account is the difference with Importance and Performance BLABLABLABLABLABLA Corporate Strategy (Operation Excellence, Customer Intimacy, Innovation Excellence) When designing a new Supply Chain or even redesigning an existing one, it is important to be consistent with the corporate strategy. The supply chain needs to be aligned with the overall company strategy. We can summarize nowadays strategies by three main one: Operation Excellence, Customer Intimacy and Innovation Excellence. The operation excellence meant to provide the best quality/price ratio. The objective is to decrease the cost in order to sell it at the most competitive price without reducing the quality. The market winner is definitely the price. This strategy is likely to suit a Lean Supply Chain which aims to reduce the waste and therefore the cost. The Customer intimacy is focusing on providing the highest service level to its customers. Agility, flexibility, reactivity are suitable adjective to describe the aim of this strategy. The price is no more the market winner but the Service level is. Agile and Leagile Supply Chain is likely to be the best strategy to compete on this market. Innovation Excellence as the name indicates has to be at the cutting edge of innovation. The company wants to provide always the most advance product. The cost is higher than the other product and the company aim to touch the Early Adopters who are willing to pay a higher price to get an advanced product, thus the market winner is Innovation. The forecast for these kinds of products are difficult and the stockout as well as the obsolescence can be very high. Therefore it requires a rapid time-to-market if the product knows a rapid growth. Supply Chain Key Classification Variables From the table 2, A. Lovell, R. Saw and J. Stimson identified key cost drivers of the supply chain. They conclude that all costs apart from manufacturing there is a small set of drivers: throughput level and variability; product size and weight; value and the demand variability/service factor [A. Lovell, R. Saw and J. Stimson]. They even go further by reducing this number to three by combining the value with size and weight to form product value density [A. Lovell, R. Saw and J. Stimson]. Using these three key cost drivers, supply chain segmentation can be done. Each group of products resulting from this segmentation will share common characteristics. Table 2: Principal Cost Drivers in the Supply Chain [Source: A. Lovell, R. Saw and J. Stimson] In the same spirits, J. Aitken, P. Childerhouse, M. Christopher and D. Towill identidfied five key market characteristics that will be use to design Supply Chains. They use the term DWV [Christopher and Towill (2005)]: Duration of life cycle, Time Window for delivery, Volume, Variety and Variability  [9]  . They argue that for Short life cycles products, the end-to-end supply chain lead time needs to be reduced and optimized which will allows a higher flexibility and a faster time-to-market. Volume and Variability are similar to Lovell et al throughput level and demand variability. However, variety has been taken into account in Lovell concept: Higher the variety is lower the average demand by SKUs will be as the demand will be spread across a greater number of SKUs. It will require a higher flexibility to produce the right product at the right moment. A postponement strategy is well adapted to this kind of environment. Before going further, the table below summarized the key factors that will influence supply chain segmentation: Table 2: Factors influencing Supply Chain Segmentation [Source: A. Lovell, R. Saw and J. Stimson] Segmentation Methods and Model: Choose your supply chain strategy From the previous part on the segmentation factors, we have found different criteria: From these different criteria, many people developed different model and matrix to help them in segmenting the supply chain. In this part we will introduce those models, try to explain their advantage and disadvantages. At the end, we will choose the one we think the most complete and use it during the practical part of this thesis. Many of the models we will introduce use the same concept Volkers 4 folds model: The criteria used by Volker are the Demand predictability and the customer needs. The demand is either easy to predict or non-predictable. The customers require low cost or high flexibility. From this matrix, we can obtain 4 different type of Supply Chain: the Accurate SC, the Agile SC, The Cost-Efficient SC and the Responsive SC. The cost-efficiency represent to the Lean Supply Chain we introduced before. A predictable demand which allows high planning accuracy and therefore enables the most efficient design of the involved processes [Volker] combines with the cost as the order WINNER in clearly indicates that a Lean SC (or Cost-efficient SC) as the best fit. At the opposite, when the demand is non-predictable and the order WINNER is the service level (through the high flexibility) the most suitable Supply Chain will be the agile one. When the demand is predictable and the customer requires high flexibility, it requires the highest accuracy in the planning processes, to guarantee th e required availability and flexibility. The last part is the responsive one the Supply Chain needs to be cost effective while the demand is unpredictable which suggest that a Leagile Supply Chain is the most suitable one. Figure 5: Supply Chain segments and Supply Chain phenotypes [Volker] Advantage: The main advantage is its simplicity, easy to understand and to use. It includes the customers needs. Disadvantages: From the table Factors influencing Supply Chain Segmentation, we can see that this model is using only Markets criteria. It doesnt include any product criteria or source criteria. The throughput level is also missing which makes difficult to determine the importance of the product and the manufacturing strategy that we will use. Therefore, this model is missing key decision factors. This model is limited to the strategy level and doesnt go on the operational level which makes difficult to configure the supply chain. Hau L. Lees model: Same type as the Volkers model, Lees model is using one same criterion: the demand predictability (or the demand certainty). The other criterion is the Supply Uncertainty. The segmentation possibilities: Efficient, Risk-hedging, responsive and agile corresponds at the same concept we introduced before. Advantage: Simple and take into account the supply side. Disadvantage: As for Volkers model, it doesnt include any product factors. And it doesnt include the throughput level. This model is limited to the strategy level and doesnt go on the operational level which makes difficult to configure the supply chain. RELs 9Box: This model use two factors: the Throughput level (in value) and the demand variability It divides the products in three major groups and three different supply chain strategies: Green group: The characteristics of this group are a high throughput level and a low variability in the demand. Easily to forecast using statistical methods, the accuracy needs to be very high as the service level should be high. The value of those product are high so the DIO Days of Inventory Outstanding needs to be low in order to avoid to have too much cash tied up in the supply chain. This group is the major group and needs to get the full attention and the priority from the business. Orange group: As for the green group, MTS Make-to-Stock strategy will be privileged with an average or medium customer service level. The priority is given to the green group. The forecasting method used would be a statistical method or a smoothing average. The forecast accuracy needs to be high and the days of inventory target should be put on average: again the priority is given to the green group. This groups demand certainty is in overall lower than green groups and the throughput level is lower as well. Red group: This groups main characteristic is the low demand certainty that make difficult to drive the supply chain. Thus the manufacturing strategy privileged is the MTO Make-to-Order strategy. As it the fluctuation in demand is too high, the forecast become highly challenging and the accuracy target should be Medium/Low and the DIO target near none. Advantages: Much more operational than the other model we have viewed so far. It goes in a much deeper level than the other model. It is as well simple to use and easy to communicate. Disadvantages: It doesnt include product characteristics into account. It doesnt include the supply side factors and doesnt include customers needs. In addition, it gives us information on the supply chain configuration but forget to identify the supply chain strategy: Lean, Agile, Leagileà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Product Value Density Model: The main difference of this model with the others is that this one is using three segmentation factors while the other methods were using only two. Indeed, this model is using the Product Value Density, the throughput level and the demand-service factor (variability of the demand). From the table showing the supply chain cost (see chapter Supply Chain Key Classification Variables, table XXX), Lowell identified four major factors that impact cost all along the Supply Chain: the Throughput level, the product size and weight, the product value and the demand variability. These four factors become three by combining product size and weight and the product value forming the Product Value Density (PVD). This model can be representing in a three dimensional graph but for ease of comprehension only two dimensional graph will be used (see Figure XXX). Thus, we will consider: the demand variability-service and the throughput; the PVD (product value density) and the throughput; the PVD and the demand variability-service. When introducing his model, Lowell concentrates on the inventory and the transportation side of the supply chain as you can see o n the figure XXX below. Advantages: Take into account product and market factors. Disadvantages: Mainly focus on operational level and focuses on the inventory and transportation part of the supply chain. DWVs model: This model is the one I chose for the practical part. This model is more a guide than a matrix. By the letters DWV, we always take into account all the main factors when determining the supply chain design and configuration. Duration of life cycle, Time Window for delivery, Volume, Variety and Variability Variety = postponement The chosen model: The model chose for the practical part is the first one we have shown, the Volkers model. But we will change it a little so it can include the throughput level (in value) as well as the variety level. So this new model is using four different factors: The customers need, the demand Uncertainty (or variability), the throughput level and the variety level. The throughput level helps us to prioritize the resources through an ABC analysis of the value per product or family of product (ex; Do we really need to build an agile supply chain for a C class product?). It is important to understand the customer needs but business is business and if one customer is not really profitable then the importance for us decrease as much as the throughput level decrease. The variety level helps us to identify the product that may need a postponement strategy. Key Performance Indicators Before to go forward, it is important to introduce the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) that we could/should/will use to keep visibility on the supply chains. KPIs are like a speedometer on a car that helps us to know at what speed we are driving. When dealing with an Agile Supply Chain, the performances that we need to keep a close eye on them are: OTIF (On Time In Full): Companies set up Agile strategy to fulfill a specific needs for their customers. They need to get a product when they want, where they want and at the right quantity. And these customers are willing to pay a higher price to get their suppliers that flexible. So any companies setting up an agile supply chain need to make sure that the OTIF performance are extremely high to not disappoint their customers. Forecast Accuracy: If our purpose is to have a Lean strategy, then the forecast accuracy needs to be high. In general, when having a lean supply chain, companies have a make-to-stock production configuration which is equivalent to a forecast-to-stock. Having a bad forecast accuracy will lead to mismatch between demand and supply. Either the company will end up having excess inventory or not lost sales. This KPIs analysis can be done for each of them. Each time we will introduce a new KPI, we will try to explain how important it is for one or another supply chain configuration. Supply Chain Design Practical Example The supply chain design consists on how to structure its supply chain. It involve the configuration of your sourcing (Source) strategy, the production (Make) strategy and the distribution (Deliver) strategy. All these strategy together represent the Supply Chain Configuration or design. Electrolux Make configuration In this part, we have to take different decision, like the production configuration MTS, MTO, ETO, Batch Size, Prioritization, Temporal Physical Postponementà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦) SOURCE Strategy (Suppliers Partnerships, Suppliers Selection, Suppliers Performance Service Levelà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦) DELIVERY Strategy (Delivery Lead Time, Transportation Modes, Service Levelà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦) Inventory Strategy (Safety Stock Level, Inventory Level, Inventory Location, Physical Spatial Postponement) Segmentation Model (Nine Box, Product Value-Density Model, Agile Lean Matrixà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦) Nous effectuerons  : Case study Ce que je pense faire, cest en effet dutiliser les matrices prà ©sentà ©s dans la deuxià ¨me partie et les appliquà ©es a cette entreprises pour restructurer sa supply chain. Les indicateurs de performances seront à ©galement intà ©grer. Ce cas doit à ªtre lillustration des choix faits en fonction de ce que vous avez trouvà © en II ( la fameuse matrice de dà ©cision) SNECMA Presentation Industry Specification SNECMA current strategy SNECMA TO-BE Supply Chain based on product Segmentation Model Case Study Conclusion

Competition and Market Analysis for Red Bull

Competition and Market Analysis for Red Bull This paper investigates the competition analysis of Red Bull energy drink in the market and deciding about its competitive advantage if there is any. Some information about the energy drink market in general is presented. This is followed by product, company background and history is presented. Then we analyzed Red Bulls brand positioning and direct competitors. Afterward, analyze and classify the features of Red Bull through macro and micro factors to determine the strength of competition. This followed by looking at Red Bulls marketing mix. We will identify the problems and opportunities of Red Bull. For that part we are going to search for data about market segments and market share of Red Bull and its competitors. To support all this we are going to make a local market quantitative survey in the city of Abu Dhabi using a questionnaire targeting youth aged 18-34. The Market When looking into Energy drinks market, we can notice a doubling increase since they were first introduced into the United States and Europe. The current U.S. domestic market may be around $4 billion and is expected to reach an estimated US $15 billion by 2011. The reasons for the increasing demand for energy drinks are attributed to consumers concerns about time stress to keep balance between work-life and private life. Consequently the market is bombarded with many new energy drinks, with strange names and claims of a higher energy increase compared to the prior brands to find their way in the market. There are, however, a few major energy drinks that control most of the market and do not have too much amounts of caffeine. In addition to caffeine, a range of other energetic ingredients as taurin, Guarana, and B vitamins are added into energy drinks to make them more effective. New probable developments are geared toward increasing the health functionality of energy drinks which will increase market approval due to a growing society obsessed by health. The Energy drink market is not only limited to products or brands competing with each other but it also includes the whole non alcoholic drink market. Many outside factors have influenced the demand for this market such as the increasing attractiveness of health lifestyles and sports club membership. -Company and Product Review Red Bull is classified as a soft drink. It is a non alcoholic stimulus drink with an absolutely exclusive formulation consisting of  two natural substances and important metabolic transmitters such as, amino acid, taurin and glucuronolacton in addition to stimulating caffeine, vitamins and carbohydrates. It gives stimulation and revitalizes the body after effort and activates the human performance both mentally and physically. The industry is capital-intensive: average annual profits per production worker are about $700,000. History of Red Bull market expansion In 1982, Dietrich Mateschitz, originator of Red Bull and Chalerm Yoovidhya, decided to enter the market of energy drink which was controlled by Japan and Thailand at that time. In 1987, the product was first introduced to Austria which was a difficult market for Red Bull to carry on. Shortly Mateschitz developed a marketing strategy and as a result the product became well known in Austria and extended into Hungry and the rest of Germany. After that Red Bull has been successfully recognized world-wide and has reached a market leader position in 20 countries- in Europe, Asia and the USA. By 1997, Red Bulls buzz marketing strategy proved successful in the U.S. The following timeline shows the expansion of Red Bull in the market.  [1]   Date Market Expansion 1987 Austria 3.5. (not mature market) 1994 UK, Germany and Eastern Europe 3.6. 1997 US and South Africa 3.5. 3.6. 2006 Japan 3.7. (very mature market) When Mateschitz realized that a great sporting event could be useful, Red Bull started sponsoring about 500 extreme sports athletes and hosting stylish parties. Events are now hosted by Red Bull throughout the world such as the Xgames and the Red Bull Air Races and thus their tagline, gives you wings is known worldwide. Product Review The following table sums up the product review  [2]   Cost $2.00 Cost Per Ounce $0.25 Active Red Bull Ingredients Caffeine, Taurine, B-Vitamins, Sugar Taste Rating 7.5 Kick Rating: 8.0 Final Judgment Rating: 9 Its the original energy drink! Red Bulls mission is to stretch their wings over the world. It is a short phrase that communicates vivid information about the brand. This slogan which is used in all Red Bull campaigns worldwide is creating strong brand awareness of the product and is connecting between the brand and the product type. They are expanding rapidly into global market. They are keen on keeping Red Bull values, while maintaining the control position in the energy drinks category by delivering better-quality customer service in a highly experienced and commercial manner. Direct Competitors Although Red Bull still maintains a dominant position in many significant markets, it is no longer the only player. The major challenge to Red Bulls leading position has come from US-based imitators: Monster, Rockstar and Full Throttle which have introduced price competition to the segment and this is possible to have become more and more important during the depression periods. Monster energy drink does its best to be like Red Bull. The taste is similar, the ingredients are identical, and they target the male/18-25 demographic. Though, they do have one different advantage over Red Bullquantity. The Monster energy drink comes in a 16 oz. can, whereas Red Bull only offers 8.3 oz cans. So, youre essentially getting twice the product at the same price ($2 per can) Rockstar competitive energy drink whose motto is party like a Rockstar, targeted at the younger consumers who want to be wild and crazy and spend all night dancing. There are a number of flavors of Rockstar cola, energy drink, and juiced. The energy drink is similar in taste to all the others, whereas the cola product has the best taste. The juiced version is said to be 70% real fruit juice and 100% energy. They were the first to use the 16oz larger size, and this has fixed and become the standard. Only Red Bull continues to market the smaller cans, which is part of their image. Full Throttle is manufactured and owned by Coca Cola, just like their Coke Blak mixture of coffee/cola drink. Full Throttle energy drink is marketed as a rebellious drink, with erupting flames on the can. An 8 oz. serving has 110 calories (comes in a 16 oz can) and 29g of sugar. It also includes things like ginseng extract and plenty of caffeine. Full Throttle comes with a citrus taste and a red can. Full Throttle was first introduced to the market in 2005. It is targeted at 20-30 year old men, and contains Taurine like Red Bull. From the above stated information we can find that: 1-Monster is similar to Red bull in taste, but only targets males. It has two advantages over RB in price and quantity which is double size of RB. 2- Rockstar is double the size and Price as it is 1.99$ so it is cheaper than RB. 3-Full Throttle has the same taste and ingredients as RB, but it has advantage of quantity and price There are also other industries where Red Bull GmbH  competes such as sports, leisure and recreation. The Brand Positioning In spite of the competition, Red Bull resembles a new type of drinks called the energy drinks. In this new market sector Red Bull has a branding as a top border brand product. The brand positioning of Red Bull comes from the benefits of the product and the brand image. The positioning message of Red Bull is Red Bull vitalizes Body and Mind. This positioning idea has become the unique brand personality of Red Bull, which can be explained below. Sarcastic Self confident Intelligent Innovative Humorous, charming Individualist Impulsive It can be assumed that the positioning idea of Red Bull has created the best energy drink status among the target market. It is also clear that customers appear to be attracted to the general appearance and brand of Red Bull. The positioning strategy of Red Bull aims at best product, top price and top profitability. As for the price, Red Bull has a position in which it can command a best price because there is nothing to compare it with. It is an exclusive useful drink, promising and offering benefits that cannot be offered by any other drink. Threats of new entrants The most significant development in the market of energy drinks and the main direct competitor to Red Bull is the new product from Coca Cola, Relentless. It is also cheaper because it is sold in can double the size of Red Bull but the same price. -First-mover advantage has disappeared as the market has matured. Red Bull is the giant of the stimulant drink industry, in comparison to Coca Cola and Pepsi in the cola market. Red bull has achieved economic level which would allow them to be the most competitive price in the market. Although there is a price gap between Red Bull and other cheaper energy drinks, it seems that Red Bull has surmounted the position segment of the market due to its marketing strategy which is considered a huge barrier to entry. Red bull has a strong brand power that impresses loyal customers and consequently they can charge high prices even when competition comes from Coca Cola. Analysis of Macro and Micro factors affecting the attractiveness of Red Bull in the market Macro factors Political and Legal Forces When Red Bull was first introduced into the market as a new non-alcoholic drink labeled with a new idea as an energy drink, the Health Organisation was doubtful that Red Bull could be an appetizer medicine. Rumors saying that Red Bull contains ingredients like bulls galls, added to their doubts. But confidence in the product increased due to the fact that Red Bull has been used in the Australian market for 9 years and in the Asian market for 30 years without any registered complaints. Moreover a study conducted by an independent institute (ISME) in 1998 proved that although Red Bull has stimulating effects like caffeine, it does not lead to addiction. On the other hand Red Bull still needs approval from each country to be sold. This procedure is time consuming and consequently costly. Some countries still have suspicions about Red Bull. According to msnbc.com in May, 2009, Six German states have asked retailers to stop selling Red Bull Cola energy drinks after a test found a trace amount of cocaine. However authorities say the drug level was too low to cause a health risk. Countries such as Denmark, Norway, and France have banned the sale of Red Bull. This means that legal factors have a high negative effect on RB Economical Factors Red Bull is hardly affected by economic periods of expansion and contraction because it is a particular drink, serving a niche market. Red Bull target market includes sportsmen/women as well as hard working people. The main consumers of the product are Athletes, night clubbers, shift workers, executives and long-distance drivers. Despite the availability of few substitutes, the sales of Red Bull are increasing through their well positioned advertisements. This factor has low influence on RB. Socio-Cultural Factors When the product was first introduced people had doubts about the product and nobody wanted to try it. But now due to change of peoples lifestyle, people are now much more open for new experiences. In addition they are confident to try it, because any health concerns were cleared by organisations like the ISME. The consumers are male and females regardless of age who are very sporty or work very hard. Longer working hours as well as increased road traffic led to more need for energy boost. Nowadays Red Bull has a very stylish image and is sold in a lot of supermarkets and clubs (See the graph which illustrates the categories of males and females consumers)  [3]   Technological factors Red Bull is totally manufactured in Austria where it is exported to 28 countries. There are two reasons why it is not manufactured in any other country; first, to guarantee taste reliability and to make sure that Red Bull tastes the same all over the world. Secondly in that way the formula will be kept securely in one place. Red Bull is normally produced in 250ml cans, but glass bottles are an alternative jus in case they do not have enough cans as it once happened. Energy drink Red Bull, uses electronic points of sale (EPOS) data. This system allows customers research team to check the distribution of Red Bull. This system points out the gaps that can be returned to the retailers. Environmental factors Red bulls cans are environmentally friendly because they are made of recyclable aluminum. Glass bottles can also be recycled and therefore do not damage the environment either. This might give the product a competitive advantage when rules become stricter and more equal throughout Europe as well as in the rest of the world. http://researchwikis.com/Energy_Drinks_Market Micro Factors 6.1 Bargaining Power of Buyers: Top 4 Energy Drinks by 2010 Market Share Rank Energy Drink Parent Company Market Share 1 Red Bull Privately Held 42.6% 2 Monster Hansen Natural 14.4% 3 Rockstar Privately Held 11.4% 4 Full Throttle Coca-Cola Company(KO) 6.9% By working out the concentration ratio of the 4 top energy drinks brands as seen in the above table it will be possible to come to the relative size of the products in relation to the industry as a whole and to determine the market form of the industry. By using the four-firm concentration ratio we find that it is 75.3% which is high, and is bordering between oligopoly and monopoly, In this concentrated market the customers dont have high bargaining power which enables Red Bull to position high prices. Moreover, other products may find it difficult to compete with the brand loyalty due to the huge advertising spending of Red Bull. Consumers in energy drink market are not actually aware of price because they are Consumer with high income and buy it when it is required to regenerate their energy after a long day of hard work. The relationship between the manufacturer and retailer has developed along the market lifecycle resulting in swing of power. The fame of energy drinks has created a market pull where retailers have no real bargaining place. The extent of bargaining power differs according to the distribution channel. Bargaining Power of Suppliers: Red Bull production process is to some extent simple therefore the power of the suppliers is apparently rather low. The added value at each stage leads to large profits. Suppliers can only enter energy drink market through the brand-owner, thus the balance of power is in the favour of the brand owner. -Threats of substitute products Red Bull is a fast moving consumer product and, consequently, it mainly depends on desire purchasing. Although price sensitivity is a low factor inside the target segments, handiness is the average purchase criteria. Red Bull has successfully created a position where product substitution threats are low due to the brand power and customer loyalty. On the other hand, there are other products substituting the need for caffeinated drinks with less sugar and a better blend of carbohydrates and protein that give a greater energy enhancement. Also drinking plenty of fluids, such as water and herbal tea are useful. The market is full of better alternatives than relying on expensive energy drinks that only give you a momentary feeling of energy. The Marketing Mix Strategy Red Bull has its own marketing which is different from the Marketing Mix Theory based on the 4 P ´s. Red Bulls own  Marketing Mix Strategy is consisting of [ 1] the mediaadvertising category, [2] sports-and event sponsoring and [3] sampling. In 2008, Red Bull spent on marketing approximately more than 1 million$ which equals 30% of its revenue. Media Advertising Red Bull uses all the available media channels such as cinema, TV, radio, press and the internet in order to reach its main target market-young people. Thus they successfully advertise in TV shows like T.F.I. Friday and in magazines like Time Out and mens health. By doing so, they let the consumers understand the product and decide about the moments they can use it themselves. Red Bull realizes this by an amusing and humorous cartoon campaign, through which they easily send the message that this energy drink helps you to escape by giving you wings. The idea of communicating with the consumer in the form of a simple cartoon makes the people enjoy the campaigns and at the same time remember the brands name and the message it delivers. Sports-and Event-Sponsoring The company also uses sponsoring in their marketing mix strategy. Red Bull does event sponsoring either by creating its own events (i.e. Red Bull Music Academy .) or by promoting other events (i.e. Speed Ski World Championship). This strategy means that Red Bull brand appears in the form of logos and stickers and that the product  ´s target market is accurately defined. The image, the reliability and the visibility of the product are supported by sponsoring specific events where the peoples attention is drawn to the product. Red Bull sponsors the athlete target market where Red Bull is always needed in extreme sports such as free climbing and motorsports and fun sports as well. Sampling Sampling is another very important part of their three component -marketing system. The methods used are well tested and proven in other markets. The main purpose of Red Bull is to boost the company samples at the right place and at the right time by finding its precise target market such as driving, studying, working night shifts and sports. Sampling is conducted in a charming way by extremely motivated and cultured employees of Red Bull. All their equipment is the product, a free range of clothes and a small, but very attractive sampling car. Red Bull is following the basic sampling rules consisting of: never force the product always explain the benefits of the product drink always a full can ( 250 ml) It must always be cooled being cautious about whom are sampling the product Surveying the local market To have some information about Red Bulls brand image and how the people see it, we made a questionnaire of 3 sections including 13questions. The survey targeted males and females whose age is between 18-34 living in or near Abu Dhabi. 22 % of the respondents are females, whereas 78 % are males. We used Emails to send and collect back the questionnaires. Significant findings The energy drinks market proposes the following drinks: Red Bull, on top then come power Horse, and Monster, The best known beverage is in the city of Abu Dhabi and avenues, is Red Bull as 88 % of the respondents have tasted it and the majority of these people find it good (41 %). The other data have no significance. The most common consumption rate for energy drinks is occasional: 80 % drink occasionally drink and 20 % frequently. With relation to Red Bull, which of the following is important to your purchase?     For 58 % of the people, find the physical boost is important. 36.4 % of the total respondents are influenced to buy Red Bull because it is sponsored by athletes and some related it to formula 1.the taste of the beverage is an extremely important criterion. The smell and the energizing properties are very important (with respectively 45 % and 42 %). The design of the can does not influence so many consumers: 9.1%  buy the drink because of the design. Where do you buy Red Bull? 80% present of the respondents buy it from supermarkets whereas 20% buy it from fending machines at petrol stations. What is the first word that springs to mind when you hear the words Red Bull? 60% said superman, 30% wrote formula1, and 10% said flying in the air Which tag line, if any, do you most associate with Red Bull? 70% chose Brain and body energy, whereas 30%chose Gives you wings Which sports do you most associate with Red Bull? 55% Formula1 and 25 % said motorbikes, 10%responded Golf and 10% chose Athletic 90% described Red Bull as the best energy drink in the market and 10% finds it suitable for their lifestyle Result People dont buy Energy drinks because they really need it but because this need is created by the manufacturer. It is the big advertising campaign which has convinced people to accept this product. Red Bull has been the first energy drink in the market. Red Bulls target is people who need energy and concentration such as sportsmen and students. For that reason, the company sponsors numerous sports events: Formula 1, Xtreme competition. Red bull gives you wings. It is the famous slogan that makes consumers think that Red Bull gives more energy than usual. The result is that the Red Bull has quickly got success by young people. Red Bull keeps on marketing by this young generation. more Conclusion When Red Bull was first introduced, it was easily imitated because the ingredients were printed on the can and the product was not patented. Although the taste of Red Bull did not do well in taste tests, it succeeded due to the marketing strategy. It can be said that Red Bull was not only the first energy drink to be in competition with soft drinks but also created the new energy drink type in the majority of markets. After Red Bull hit the market in the late 90s till the present, many other companies entered the energy drink market but unable to compete with it. Red Bulls has approximately 100 major competitors and the main competitors are Monster, Rock Star and Full Throttle. Many substitute products have been introduced and categorized as energy drinks such as Iceà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ T creating an energy drink called Liquid Ice, Nellys Pimp Juice and Lil Johns, Crunk Juice. Although these competitors are present in the market no other energy drink could maintain Red Bulls 70à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  90% of the market share it has in over 100 countries all over the world. Problems and Opportunities: Problems: Red Bull is not a patented drink product, therefore anyone is able to choose a can, read the ingredients on the label and start their own business. That is why the market is flooded by competition. In addition, Red Bull as well as all other energy drinks and supplements, have received negative reports from a medical point of view. Elevated amounts of caffeine and sugar can lead to adverse effects on heart and blood pressure. Opportunities: Red Bull is one of the most popular energy drinks in the world. They earned this position by intelligent, consistent marketing strategy. Red Bull has the opportunity to maintain their position and develop a continuing pace to aim their niche target consumers by seriously using untraditional and traditional marketing strategies. Red Bull has a competitive advantage over its competitors As we have seen Red Bull is an international energy drink that is sold by Red Bull GmbH. In 2006, more than 3 billion cans were sold in more than 130 countries. -Red Bull has a continual international marketing strategy by sponsoring a variety of great sports to promote a cool public image and enhance brand power. -The product has remained the top energy drink throughout its growth due its effective marketing strategy. The product speaks for itself and its consumers do not report any complaints despite of negative publicity Red Bull has developed a sugar free option. -Red bull has this competitive advantage not only because other drinks that follow it are not as appealing in packaging, marketing, but also because Red Bull is aware of their marketing challenges and they are continually changing and developing their marketing philosophy to overcome and avoid possible competitors. Red Bull Consumer Questionnaire This questionnaire is all about Red Bulls consumers and targets males and females between 18 and 34 years old and based in the Abu Dhabi. Section 1(background) Please specify your age group by putting an x in the box that applies to you. 18-21 22-25 26-29 30-34 2) Where do you live? Please specify closest town/city. Abu Dhabi   Shahama Shamkha   Bani Yass Samha 3) What is your gender? M/F Please specify. Section 2( Loyalty) 1) Are you familiar with the Red Bull brand? Yes/No Please enter in the box. If your answer is no then please do not go past question 3 of this section and I thank you for your time. 2) Which of these drinks are you most aware of? Please rank your top three 1 being youre most aware and put an x beside any others you are aware of. Monster Rockstar Red Bull Power Horse Full Throttle Others please state 3) Which of these drinks would you buy, if applicable? Please rank your top three 1 being your first choice Rockstar Red Bull Power horse Full Throttle Others please state 4- With relation to Red Bull, which of the following is important to your purchase? Please rank each option by putting a circle around the appropriate number. Important Un-important Taste 1 A Hydration 1 B Physical Boost 1 C Mental Stimulant 1 D Sponsored Athletes 1 E Price 1 F Availability 1 G Image 1 H Can shape, colours and size 1 I Association with Extreme Sports 1 J Others please stateà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ and rank 1 5) Where do you buy Red Bull? Please underline all that apply. Wholesaler Supermarket Independent Retailer Vending Machine Restaurant Hotel Other please state : Section 3 Brand Image 1) What is the first word that springs to mind when you hear the words Red Bull? Please specify your word in the box. 2) Which tag line, if any, do you most associate with Red Bull? Please choose a tag line by underlining it Stimulation for body and mind Brain and body energy   Gives you wings   Your sport, our science 3) Which sports do you most associate with Red Bull? Please rank the sports 1-5 with which you most associate Red Bull. 1 being the highest Please also put an x beside any other sports you associate with Red Bull. Golf Formula 1 Skiing/Snowboarding Mountain biking Athletics Cricket Surfing Motorbikes Skateboarding Obscure Extreme Sports 4) Which sports do you partake in regularly? Please list in the box provided. 5) Does any Red Bull advert stand out in your mind? If so please describe the advert in the box provided. 6) Please try to describe Red Bulls packaging. Please describe any colours and/or emblems in the box provided. 7) How would you rate Red Bulls image? Please rank your option by circling the appropriate number. Cool Un-cool 1 2 3 4 5 8) Which of the following statements if applicable best describes why you buy Red Bull? Please make your selection by underlining the appropriate statement. a) Red Bull fits my lifestyle choice. b) Red Bull has an image Id like to be associated with. It provides me with a welcome energy boost. c) It gets my mind in gear. d) It provides good value against the competition. e) Its the best energy drink on the market. f) It tastes good on its own or as a mixer.