Reference no: EM132404235

Assignment Task - Problem Definition

Task Description:

• Read through the scenarios below. Which each contain the problem background to a management issue and research question?
• On the Task Answer Sheet, choose four out of the five scenarios and identify the critical management decision, research question, objectives and related keywords.

1. Tyre Retailer

A well-known Australian tyre retailer, with a 25 per cent market share in the Australian market found their market share declining steadily year by year. Despite selling trusted, well-known brands like Dunlop and Good Year they are steadily losing their customers. When a new CEO joined the company, she decided to do a walk through and visit to 20 of their key retail stores, visiting both stores located in regional areas and in cities. She made a few key observations, firstly the stores had very high counters, where store managers hid behind and only some customers, like tall men, could comfortably stand there and talk to the staff in the stores, yet half of their cash customers were women. The stores required customers to stand and the magazines on the counter were trucking and car magazines. Most women who entered the stores were quite uncomfortable and often tried to leave as soon as they could. The new CEO got the impression from her store visits that the retail environment was unwelcoming for their customers, however as there were more than 700 stores, she decided more research was needed.

In your own words, please advise this company on:

1.1 The management decision to address the issue outlined

1.2 The research question to be investigated

1.3 The research objectives

1.4 Keywords to search the literature

2. Singapore Management Consulting Company

Mr. Yusof Hoe has recently joined an established Singaporean management consulting company and realised that this company needed to implement a number of innovation initiatives to keep up with their competitors and the fast-changing trends in management consulting. He knows that developing a supportive, innovation climate is critical to the productivity, profitability and reputation of their company. Before developing and implementing an organisational development initiative to stimulate new ideas and develop client-focused innovation, he needs to determine staff's perception to the current innovation climate and decides that the most cost-effective, evidence-based way to do this would be to conduct in-house research. In your own words, please advise this company on:

2.1 The management decision to address the issue outlined

2.2 The research question to be investigated

2.3 The research objectives

2.4 Keywords to search the literature

3. Fast Moving Consumer Goods - Supply Chain

A German chemical and consumer goods company, organized around three business units: adhesive technologies, beauty care, and laundry and home care, is very aware that supply chain management is critical to their business performance. The CSCO of the Laundry and Home Care division regularly tells his staff: 'Supply chain impacts the business in two ways. First of all, we need to ensure agility. As an FMCG player demand can change by a factor of two or three over a few days. Secondly, as a branded goods manufacturer, up to 40% of sales are generated from products launched over the last three years. Our ability to launch new products fast and reliably is key to our business strategy.' While a number of supply chain initiatives have supported the company's business transformation, it is critical that they maintain supply chain agility, as competition is intense and markets are volatile, while cost pressures remain constant. To ensure that the Laundry and Home Care division maintain and improve their performance, you have been asked to help with an assessment of the current situation, before additional initiatives are implemented to ensure the supply chain performs well.

In your own words, please advise this company on:

3.1 The management decision to address the issue outlined

3.2 The research question to be investigated

3.3 The research objectives

3.4 Keywords to search the literature

4. Health Festival

As an experienced event organiser, your local tourism organisation, have asked you to help them develop a plan and strategy to host a local health festival, attracting local, regional and international tourists to your region. The tourism organisation views your region as a great place to hold such a festival, since the natural beauty of the area, large number of outdoor activities and world class health practitioners in the area, represent part of the regions' strengths. However, as you speak to them and participate in meetings, you realise that they may not be aware of traveller motivation for choosing particular destinations and choosing to attend festivals. From your previous experience you know that this is critical for developing effective tourism marketing strategies and these need to be aligned to visitors' specific needs and wants. As there are multiple factors involved in festival visitor motivation such as themes of festivals and socio-demographic characteristics, research is needed focused on visitor motivation and situation-specific factors.

In your own words, please advise your local tourism organisation on:

4.1 The management decision to address the issue outlined

4.2 The research question to be investigated

4.3 The research objectives

4.4 Keywords to search the literature

5. Human Resources

An aged care facility has called in your help. They are finding that many of their employees who work with elderly patients and residents like nurses and age care workers are frequently off sick. The medical certificates they are receiving often state burnout, fatigue, or work-related stress as a reason for these absences. The CEO of the aged-care facility has recently attended a conference on employee well-being in the health service sector and found the keynote speaker's speech very insightful. By attending the conference, she now realises that the working conditions within the aged-care facility is emotionally and physically draining and have limited programs in place to address the issue. In addition, there is pressure on employees to view residents, more like customers, than patients, staff are often expected to learn new IT (information technology) systems or have to learn how to handle new technical equipment. She realises that all these pressures have an impact on the burnout staff are experiencing. She wants to find out more about this in her own organisation, the health sector and how to address this and have called you in to do a three-month research project but is somewhat lost of where to start.

In your own words, please advise the CEO of the health-care facility on:

5.1 The management decision to address the issue outlined

5.2 The research question to be investigated

5.3 The research objectives

5.4 Keywords to search the literature.