...Our Outperform expectation is even more compelling in 2016 given the spread widening that the sector experienced in the last six months, as the sector fundamentals remain strong. Another record year of auto sales is predicted and even if we do see declines from cyclical production peaks, breakeven profitability levels have been materially lowered, allowing both OEMs and suppliers to be highly profitable at cycle volumes well below what is forecast. The sector has engaged in prudent balance sheet management since the peak of the crisis; likely issuance (which will be biased to refinancing) should find more-than-adequate demand. M&A could inject some headline risk, and VW is still a wildcard that could cause a bout of spread weakness. We would see such volatility as presenting an opportunity, however, given the solid underpinnings of the Auto Sector storage. The positive side of the sector's story is its still strong credit quality even if the group did see some modest deterioration on that from increased M&A and pockets of end-market weakness. They're not bulletproof, however, and there are still a number of sources of potentially negative headline risk that we expect to be at play out in the coming year. Additionally, even if the economy does perform to consensus. we expect the expansion will be reliant upon the US domestic consumption story and it will be heavier going in the global arena in which the manufacturing conglomerates compete, particularly as regards to economic...
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...Business Research Methods, Part I Nikkei Crowder, Jessica Thompson, Delores Winton QNT/561 Anthony Matias August 13, 2012 Business Research Methods, Part I There are elements needed when conducting research, such as developing a theory and hypothesis, determining an appropriate research design, collecting data, providing analysis of the data, and revising the theory upon results. This paper will develop a research design behind the auto industry bailout and identify a sample design used for collecting data. Organizational Dilemma What was the ultimate cause of the downfall of the auto industry resulting in a bailout? This research question arising from the dilemma in the auto industry is one that many American’s found him or herself asking after the government decided to bail them out of their financial crisis. In 2008, the auto industry found itself in a downward financial spiral. Gas prices reached over $4 a gallon and the credit debacle is only a couple of reasons for the dilemma the auto industry faced. The country was facing a recession and they blame up-and-coming technologies of distracting technologies to validate and continue the old routine and procedure to fill their pockets with money and bonuses to retain the status quo in the industry without any regard to others affected, even if this method compromises their long-term strategy. Roche (2009), “This qualifies as failed management syndrome because they consider themselves royalty and...
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...groups to evaluate/ assess the satisfaction level of customer and identify the most determined factors made sales of car. ← Identify the most determined factors made sales ← Consumer satisfaction (quality and convenience) ← Most effective Communication campaign ← Suggestion for further improvement etc.. RESEARCH DESIGN 1 Target Segment Respondent details Will be provided by Skoda ... 2 Sample Size : 48 |Age Group |Sample Size | | | | | | | | | | 3.3 Area Coverage Kathmandu Valley 5 Overall Survey Methodology The study will be quantitative in nature. The structured questionnaire will be canvassed to respondents selected. The investigator will be trained to be able to administer the set questionnaire. INFORMATION AREAS To avail the required information to meet the objective of the study, following information areas will be included in the questionnaire. The key areas/ points of diagnosis would be: ➢ Various features of Car ➢ Most considerable factors for sale of car ➢ Services which improve sales in future ➢ Preferred means for communicating ad campaign as well as campaign .. 3. FIELDWORK Field...
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...Business Research Methods , 11e, Cooper/Schindler 2 from the U.S. Penton database. The survey sample was constructed using strati-fied disproportionate random sampling with subscribers considered as belongingto one of 42 cells (seven industry groups by six job titles). A total of 710 com-pleted questionnaires were received, with 676 of the respondents indicating thatthey were purchase decision makers for their organization. Penton analyzed onlythe answers of these 676 buyers. Data were analyzed by weighting responses ineach cell by their percentage makeup in the overall population. The overall marginof error for the survey was ± 4 percent at the 95 percent level of confidence. In-depth follow-up telephone interviews were conducted with 40 respondents, togain a deeper understanding of their behavior and attitudes. Almost every respondent (97.7 percent) had contacted at least one advertiser during the past year. Newer methods of making inquiries—Web visits,fax-on-demand, or e-mail—were used by half (49.1 percent) of the buyerssurveyed. But a look ahead shows the true impact of information technology. Within the next five years, 73.7 percent expect to respond to more ads by sendinge-mail to the company. In addition, 72.2 percent anticipate visiting an advertiser’swebsite, and 60 percent expect to increase their use of fax-on-demand. Three outof five purchasing decision makers have access to the Internet, and 74.3 percentof those without Internet service expect to have it within...
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...tastecard: International Market Feasibility Study * Content’s Page 1.0. Executive Summary 3 2.0. Company Background and Target Market 4 3.0. Business Environment (PEST Analysis) 5-7 4.1. Political Factors 5 4.2. Economic Factors 5-6 4.3. Social Factors 6 4.4. Technological Factors 7 4.0. Market Demand Analysis 8-11 5.5. ‘Daily Deals’ and Discounts Demand 8 5.6. Growth of Chained Foodservice Operators 9-11 5.7. Mobile Technology Advancements 11 5.0. Current Supply Side (Market Gap) 12-13 6.8. La Four Chette 12 6.9. Groupon – France 12-13 6.0. Market Entry Strategy 14-15 7.10. Entry Strategy 14 7.11. The Value Chain Framework 14-15 7.0. Product Adaptation 16-18 8.0. Pricing Strategy 19-20 9.0. Distribution Options 21 10.0. Promotion and Communications 22 11.12. Social Media Websites 22 11.13. Pay Per Click Advertising 22 11.14. Partnerships with established brands 22 11.0. References 23-26 12.0. Appendices 27-30 * List of Figures Figure 1.0 – Strength of Economic and Technological Factors in France 6 Figure 2.0 – Consumer Foodservice by Independent Vs Chained Outlets 9 Figure 3.0...
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...these will be further examined in this paper. Sampling Plan According to Cooper and Schindler (2014), the sampling plan includes five questions. These questions include (p. 344): * What is the target population? * What are the parameters of interest? * What is the sampling frame? * What is the appropriate sampling method? * What size sample is needed? Once you have answered all these questions, you can determine the appropriate sampling design for your study. Penton Media has created their sampling plan from these questions. The target population for Penton Media’s study is the people who read their business magazines. Their subscribers consist of 1.7 mission people in the US, so they originally tested out the survey via phone with a small selection of subscribers. They then...
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... Quantitative research is a more logical approach which provides a measure of what people think from a statistical and numerical point of view. For example, if you wanted to know how many of the customers like the new car or our new customer service and how strongly (on a scale) they support it, then this will provide the company with a numerical statistic. Quantitative research can gather a large amount of data that can be easily organized and conveyed into reports for analysis. How to do it Quantitative research uses methods such as questionnaires and surveys with set questions and answers that respondents tick from a predefined selection. Answers can be measured in strengths of feeling such as ‘strongly agree’ ‘disagree’ or numbers such as scales out of 10. This form of research will help Aston Martin to gather fair opinions about their products and services. Quantitative research — including surveys and customer questionnaires — can help ASTON MARTIN to improve their products and services by enabling them to make informed decisions * More reliable and objective * Can use statistics to generate a finding * Tests theories and hypothesis...
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...difference between things you need to know, and those it would be nice to know. Eliminate unnecessary lines of questioning at the planning stage. Maximise your chances of success The aim of questionnaire design is to a) get as many responses as you can that are b) usable and accurate. To maximise your response rate: • Give your questionnaire a short and meaningful title • Keep the questionnaire as short and succinct as possible • Offer incentives for responding if appropriate • Be creative – use different colours and images to make it attractive • Make it convenient – enclose a Stamped Address Envelope if appropriate. Who should you ask? It may not be possible to survey every person who could provide a useful response to your questionnaire. In such cases, you will need to choose a sample from your population to survey....
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...RES/351 Business Research Starbucks, Bank One & Visa Launch Starbucks Card 1. What types of research were done at each stage? Discuss the strengths of each different type given the stage of the project. Starbucks used the scientific method which consists of three different studies based on product functionality, product optimization, and brand tracking. The scientific method used to gather information about the target markets that they had or trying to approach. The product functionality study was carried out at the concept testing stage of the research, through the use of an online survey. The purpose was to understand which of the two credit card concepts customers preferred of the dual-function or two separate cards. This would determine if the product would or would not function as Starbucks desired, the findings of this study would be pertinent information to assist Starbucks and its affiliates in determining the strengths and/or weaknesses of the study’s design. The study of product optimization was used to see the concept stages of research. Starbucks used this study to see if certain features from the dual action card would determine if customer’s decision to apply for a credit card. The brand tracking was used to measure the return on the marketing investments based on the feedback after they launched the card. 2. Build the management-research question hierarchy for this project. The first question Starbucks had to answer was whether or...
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...Examine the problems some sociologist find with using postal questionnaires in their research. (20) There are many problems that some sociologist find when using postal questionnaires. Postal questionnaires are sent to homes and business in certain areas, postal questionnaire mainly use closed questions as positives use this method due to the fact, that they are able to interpret the data in to numerical form such as graphs. Positives use quantitative data because they believed that society is moulded by social factors and therefore can be measured using the same method as the natural science. One of the many problems of a postal questionnaire is that they take a lot more time and money then a normal questionnaire; this is due to the fact that the researcher has to pay for self addressing envelope. This appeals to the participant as they are more likely to fill out the questionnaire in as they can send it off without having to spend money. If the research didn’t use as self addressing envelope then the participant is less likely to fill in the questionnaire, as they will have to send it back to the researcher themselves. Another problem of a postal questionnaire is that due to the fact the researcher won’t be present handing the participant the questionnaire. This can lead to the participant not feeling pressured to complete the questionnaire and therefore they might not complete it, or they might just discard it as they don’t have the time to fill it in. Due to this the...
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...Quality Improvement Plan Part II This paper attempts to explain some areas of potential improvement for the Veteran Affairs (VA) organization in a surgical department. Describe the data that needs to be collected and the tools to be use. Also, it will be identified and compared the types of information collected based on the different tools used. Presenting the Quality Improvements (QI) tools needed to accomplish the goal and describe the information obtained from it. In addition, establish how are these tools helpful for the health care organizations. Areas of Potential Improvements for the Organization The areas to be considered are; on- call Practices, preoperative personnel are assigned designated times, in addition to their regular work hours, to be available on an “on-call” basis for unplanned , urgent, emergent procedures or to provide care for patients whose procedure run past schedule time periods. Call hours may vary from four hours or more. Actual hours worked during the call period are unpredictable and can range from 30 minutes to the entire length of the call period. A large body of research exists about fatigue and sleep deprivation and their effect on performance. Research also suggest that work periods of 12 hours or more are associated with higher probability of making an error and increase in risk-taking behaviors. The Time-Out: While technologies and other innovations have advanced health care, these advancements have also led to failures in the delivery...
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...Sociological Research Skills Name of Method Research Methods Questionnaires Brief Outline of Method A questionnaire is a list of written questions that can be completed in one of two basic ways Firstly, respondents could be asked to complete the questionnaire with the researcher not present. This is a postal questionnaire and (loosely) refers to any questionnaire that a respondent completes without the aid of the researcher. Secondly, respondents could be asked to complete the questionnaire by verbally responding to questions in the presence of the researcher. This variation is called a structured interview. Although the two variations are similar (a postal questionnaire and a structured interview could contain exactly the same questions), the difference between them is important. If, for example, we are concerned with protecting the respondent’s anonymity then it might be more appropriate to use a postal questionnaire than a structured interview. Questionnaires are restricted to two basic types of question: Closed-ended (or “closed question”) is a question for which a researcher provides a suitable list of responses (e.g. Yes / No). This produces mainly quantitative data. Open-ended (or “open question”) is a question where the researcher doesn’t provide the respondent with a set answer from which to choose. Rather, the respondent is asked to answer "in their own words". This produces mainly qualitative data. Strengths / Uses of Method Weaknesses / Limitations of Method...
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...A RESEARCH PROJECT PRESENTED AT THE UNIVERSITY OF KABIANGA ABOUT ; SUPERVISOR; PHILIP ZEAL CHEBUNET DATE;……………………….. MEMBERS; NAME; REG. NO. PHONE; SIGN 1. KIBET CORNELIUS KIPTOO CPR/033/13 0724612633 …………….. 2. AGUNDA ALICE CPR/036/14 0719281475 ……………… 3. OLOO NBELINDA ONYANGO CPR/032/14 0714056988 ……………… 4. WANGILA JOYCE N. CPR/015/14 0704464395 ……………….. 5. ALEX KIPLAGAT CPR/026/14 0710397622 ……………….. 6. KIMUTAI SHEILLAH CPR/025/14 0703117280 ……………….. 7. ONKOBA K. PHOEBE CPR/27/14 0702573832 ………………… 8. KELVIN NZIVO CPR/007/14 0710293935 ………………… 9. WAFULA HARRIET CPR/38/13 0721180983 …………………. 10. APARENMG GODFREY CPR/016/14 0727814068 …………………. 11. SIMION KARIUKI CPR/022/14 0701917384 ………………… DECLARATION We declare that this research is our original work and has not been presented to any another university for an award of degree or diploma. Therefore, no part of this research maybe reproduced without the permission...
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...methods that can be used to carry out primary research, these are: • Observation • Surveys • E-marketing research • Focus groups • Panels • Field trials • Piloting 1.1.1 Observation This is a cost effective way of collecting data that involves simply watching and recording what happens. The amount of time required to collect data using this method depends on what needs to be done to set up the observation, as well as carry it out and analyse the results. Observation is more suitable for collecting quantitative data rather than qualitative data, this is because this type of method is usually undetected, it records what people actually do. If people are aware that their views and behaviour are being noted, they may be encouraged to act differently and in a certain way, this can then create a more favourable impression of themselves. Observation can only help to reveal what people do, the lack of interaction means that it cannot establish reasons for their reactions or actions. 1.1.2 Surveys Surveys are used to gather primary date either qualitative date or quantitative data. These are often based on a representative group or sample of people, if the number of potential respondents is very large. There are different ways of conducting a survey, the method chosen depends on the type and amount of information needed, as well as the cost and ease of obtaining it. 1.1.2.1 Face-to-face surveys These involve using trained interviewers to question people face-to-face and...
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...Summary Audit sampling is necessary and helps improve an audit engagement because examining all items are rather very timely, requires more effort, and of course, at higher cost. Audit risks such as inherent, control and detection risk are first assessed when doing audit sampling. Low control risk means auditors rely extensively on the entity's internal control, and vice versa. The process for determining risks and gathering evidences to provide reasonable assurance are done through other audit procedures such as tests of controls and tests of details. These procedures are done by sampling. Using sampling, when auditors do not obtain sufficient and appropriate evidences, there is a risk of not identifying material errors and therefore result in a wrong conclusion. The use of either non-statistical sampling techniques or statistical ones does not directly affect application of audit procedures, appropriateness of audit evidences or courses of actions that could be taken. Even though the procedures in non-statistical sampling is less formal, they are still rigorous. Non-statistical sampling method involves eight steps namely establish objective test, defining the population, determining distortions, determining the appropriate sample size, determination of the right method for the sample selection, proper testing of the selected sample, extrapolating results, risk assessment. Firms include in their policies the techniques which they use to implement auditing procedures....
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