2.5 Assignment: Ethical Considerations

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Getting Started

Ethical statements and a biblical framework are important to add to your research report. Research reports must be reliable, reproducible, and valid.

In order to successfully complete this assignment, you should be able to:

• Apply a biblical perspective to the background section of one research report.

Resources

• Article: Virtuous Leaders & Organizations
• Your most recent Research Report

Background Information

Having sources to back up statements and raw data to back up statistics goes a long way to making your research believable and trusted. Doing a professional job on the background section sets up the analysis and summary sections of the report.

Instructions

1. Review the rubric to make sure you understand the criteria for earning your grade.
2. Be sure to use your most recent version of your research report.
3. Review the article Virtuous Leaders & Organizations from the Spring 2017 issue of The DeVoe Report to understand the virtuous business model.
4. Add two paragraphs to the research report just before the Descriptive Statistics section. It is marked with the heading Ethical Considerations from the Literature Review.
   1. One paragraph in the report should explain how the three sources required pertain to the research data set.
   2. One paragraph in the report should explain how the Virtuous Business Model can pertain to this research.
   3. Apply a biblical framework using Scripture references that match the research being done on the topic.
5. When you have completed your assignment, save a copy for yourself and submit a copy of your template by the end of the workshop. Remember to keep the files since you will be adding to the research report throughout the course.

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2.1 Discussion: Devotional – The Bible on Segmentation and Target Marketing

Getting Started

The world was very different in Old Testament days and then when Jesus was alive. There were very strict gender roles, there were strong societal traditions and rules that dictated family structure, and there was very little blending of cultures. The religious leaders had very high input and impact on daily life and in many cases, significant input on governmental law and policy. Social class was less fluid, and people were born and lived and died in a linear manner with relatively few choices for change of status or role.

Upon successful completion of this discussion, you will be able to:

• Develop a biblical framework to resolve ethical dilemmas in marketing strategies and tactics.

Resources

• Bible (New International Version)

Background Information

Read Genesis 1:27, Romans 14:1-3, and Galatians 5:13.

In the first passage, we find that we were created differently. God created man and woman, calling them by name to be different, the word “them” being plural as in two separate and distinct creations. In the second passage, we find that we do not all prefer the same food nor are we all of the same strength of spirit. If we extend this thought, God seems to recognize that there is variation among people—we are not all the same.

Much is made today of all people sharing commonality and being one race and that traditional gender roles are not accurate and no longer desired, that perhaps there isn’t even such a thing as gender. Marketing is being taken to task for showing men in traditional male roles and women in traditional female roles, to the point that there is even some question if we can or should advertise to men or women separately. However, that is not what the Bible tells us. The Bible tells us we are all created equal in the eyes of God (Galatians 3:28) and that we are all sinners (Romans 3:23) so we share some commonality. Yet, we were created male and female and we have free will to make our own decisions from our own preferences. We are unique creations, imbued with individuality and not as clones of each other without distinction.

Instructions

1. Review the rubric to make sure you understand the criteria for earning your grade.
2. You identified a company or industry of interest to use throughout your degree. As you think about these changing opinions and societal pressures, respond to the following questions.
   1. How does that company or industry market differently to men vs women?
   2. Is personal preference becoming both more important with more choices in the market of that company or industry while at the same time being an anachronism under the pressure that we should all be the same without distinction? Why?
   3. How does marketing in that company or industry balance individuality with the range of ethical foundations in today’s highly diverse but also interconnected world?

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2.1 Assignment: Reading and Remediation

Getting Started

Viewing the videos and practicing using the practice Excel file with its video can prepare you for the work needed on the research report for one data set.

In order to successfully complete this exercise, you should be able to:

• Review videos about statistics fundamentals.
• Practice with the Excel file provided.

Resources

• File: WS2Practice
• File: WS2Homework
• Video: Central Tendency and Variability
• Video: Z-Scores
• Video: Z-Scores and the Normal Curve
• Video: Histograms in Excel
• Video: Pie Charts using a summary table in Excel
• Video: Time Series
• Video: Pareto Chart
• Textbook: OpenIntro Statistics

Background Information

Providing background and descriptive statistics is like a literature review section of a dissertation. You review and communicate the central tendency and variation elements to the raw data. You present visual representations of the data to give meaning to the raw data.

Instructions

1. Watch the following Excel remediation videos:
   1. Histograms in Excel
   2. Pie Chart using a summary table in Excel
   3. Time Series
   4. Pareto Chart
2. An optional supplementary textbook is the OpenIntro Statistics, and you can read the concepts there.
3. Use the lab file WS2Practice to practice the Excel skills (includes an Excel hands-on video inside the spreadsheet as a link).
4. Use the file WS2Homework to demonstrate the Excel skills.
5. There are 60 points awarded for this exercise, 10 points for each problem.
6. When you have completed your assignment, save a copy for yourself and submit a copy to your instructor by the end of the workshop.

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2.3 Discussion: Research-based Marketing Plan Initial Proposal – Product Development and Market Demand

Getting Started

Product Development and Market Demand

In the first section of the consultant’s report, you determined and discussed the total market demand and the market share of some of the current competitors, and you discussed current price points. You also identified where, in the positioning matrix, the JGJ, Inc. offering should fit based on an unsatisfied need in the market.

After determining “where” in the market JGJ, Inc. will compete based on the positioning matrix, you will now determine “how” based on developing a specific offering that fits the selected segment as shown on the positioning matrix.

In this section of the consultant’s report, you will identify and describe the characteristics of the proposed offering that will make it fit the previously identified preferred segment of the market

You will be the creative genius in the project, coming up with what will be offered and designing the offering—all of the specifications and features necessary to make it different and successful. The offering you design must fit the parameters of the market segment as you defined it. In other words, if the target opening was in the high end, high personal touch part of the market, then you would need to design an offering that had those characteristics and not a low price option version with high levels of automation.

You will also need to determine the market demand in the desired segment so JGJ Inc. can determine if it can make a reasonable return on investment. You will need to fully analyze the market for current competitors and their demand, and indicate why your projected demand is accurate. You only need to make an objective forecast of demand for the recommended part of the market, and you will provide significant quantitative data to support your projection. You also need to describe the method of your analysis to determine the forecasted demand. You do not need to determine or comment on the required capital investment or the cost of producing or delivering the offering.

Upon successful completion of this discussion, you will be able to:

• Create product development strategies and market demand estimates.
• Assess the market structure to determine the crucial factors influencing the marketing strategy.

Resources

Instructions

1. Review the rubric to make sure you understand the criteria for earning your grade.
2. Construct a proposal to JGJ Inc. of 1000 words (+/- 50 words) using at least 4 credible and objective sources not provided as resources in the course in your analysis, plus at least one source provided in the course reading list.
3. Use the titles in the Market Analysis Report Template to provide structure for the following four elements in your consultants’ report:
   1. Product Development
      1. Key differentiating characteristics of the offering
      2. Analysis of demand in the market
   2. Market Segment Demand
      1. Quantitative data used to determine projected demand
      2. Methodology used to determine demand
4. Detailed Requirements:
   1. Product Development
      1. Fully describe the offering that fits the positioning from the prior proposal. You need to state the specifications, characteristics, and/or features of the offering which will differentiate it from other competitors. You should focus on what your product is, not what the competitive offerings are because that was covered in the prior section.
      2. Remember that these weekly sections form one larger consultant’s report. Each section must be internally consistent with other sections of the paper regarding where and how your proposed offering fits the identified opening in the market. If you find that your prior positioning was incorrect or not suitable, you are allowed 100 additional words in this section of the report as an introduction to state what is being changed and why it was changed
      3. Do not describe the product development process except as you describe the product. This means there is no introduction to or discussion of the theory of the product development process. You are writing a report to executives who understand the process so it does not need to be discussed. Your consultant’s report immediately discusses the proposed product and why it is being offered as designed. You should briefly discuss how the offering will be finalized if you believe your initial idea is not final.
   2. Market Segment Demand
      1. Provide a quantitative analysis to determine demand in the segment of the market that your proposed offering will fill. Your client does not want market demand for the entire industry or category; it only wants the demand for the segment that is being targeted. For example, a company introducing a new diet cola would not discuss the demand for all beverages, it would only discuss the demand for diet colas. This section of your report will be highly quantitative and multiple charts and graphs are likely to be helpful in conveying your data; one chart or graph is required. Your analysis can be in dollars or units sold but it must result in a specific forecasted demand in the same type of measurement.
      2. Include at least one chart or graph indicating the current and projected demand
      3. Fully describe the methodology used in determining demand including data sets used, statistics or modeling formulas applied to the datasets to forecast future demand and any changes or modifications made to the formulas and resulting numbers based on your interpretation of them (e.g., rounding, adjustments to trends).
5. Cite your work per current APA standards, however, indenting of the references is not required due to the discussion board format. (See OCLS APA Writing Styles Guides)
6. Post your initial proposal into the discussion forum as a post, not as an attached file.
7. In addition, submit your initial proposal document to your instructor by the end of the workshop.
8. Please note the relatively low point value of the initial report is not reflective of the time required or importance of this assignment. The assignment should be viewed as the total of the initial report posted and revised final report submitted and the combined total points for both steps. Further, your goal here is to provide your peer with a complete initial proposal so that you can receive valuable feedback to improve your revised final report.