This Case 1 write-up is due on the precise deadline. The due date is the latest date and time the assignment will be accepted before points will be deducted for lateness.
The written paper is to use 12 point type. The assignment will have a word limit of 1800 words. Please adhere to this word limit. Going over the word limit is a student fairness issue (as is being late with assignments as discussed above). Points will be deducted if assignments go over the maximum words allowed. Since the assignment has a word limit, make each word count. Avoid empty sentences that add little to your analysis and recommendations.
You may discuss this assignment with your classmates. BUT, YOUR SUBMITTED PAPER MUST BE YOURS AND YOURS ALONE and in your own words. Students are to adhere to the UHV Student Handbook academic honesty policy. Use of Artificial Intelligence is not permitted. Students are not to share their written case assignment with others in the class. This paper is to be written for this course and section. Papers for or from other courses or sections will not be accepted.
The case assignment will be graded based on the following criteria:
1) Scope and completeness – all questions assigned are answered and all parts and sections are completed.
2) Weaving course concepts into case analysis – cases are applications of the course concepts and material. Frequent and proper use of course terms and concepts in the write-up are absolutely necessary.
3) Critical analysis (with specificity) – student thoroughly analyzes situation, recognizes relevant issues and supports arguments and conclusions with sound and appropriate depth of evidence.
4) Recommendations and conclusions – logic and judgment are sound and conclusions flow plausibly from strong arguments with justification.
5) Consistency, clarity, grammar, spelling, on-time, adheres to word limit, no typos, proper use of sentences and paragraphs, etc. – Much of business is communication and clarity and consistency of ideas and expressions along with proper grammar and spelling are very important. Written clarity also means no lists. Paper must have well written, descriptive sentences and paragraphs. And, much of business includes meeting deadlines and time/word limits.
General Comments on Developing Cases
I have reviewed many cases and projects and have found several trends concerning how students prepare these assignments. This commentary discusses how the case in Mktg4315 should be approached and developed.
For this case, no outside research is necessary. The case, as described in the seven articles, below, is the situation students are to analyze.
1) Scope and completeness. Most students do a good job answering all questions in their papers. Make sure you identify each question by numbering your responses 1, 2, 3, etc.
2) Weaving course concepts into the case analysis. Since cases are applications of course material (text and lecture notes), use the concepts presented in the course appropriately and often in your write-up. Part of learning is becoming comfortable with using appropriate business terms and concepts. One of the ways to develop proficiency is to use the written course assignments as practice. As a suggestion, when you are developing the case, page through the text and lecture notes and find applicable concepts (such as you would find suitable formulas in the text when solving finance or statistics problems) that should be used to present your ideas about the case.
3) Critical analysis. Do not restate what is in the case. Critically analyze the case by painting an appropriate picture of the current situation (what the organization is doing effectively and what it is not doing effective; what situational factors are positive and which ones are negative; and so on). Many students just rehash what is in the case. Few students do any real critical analysis. The audience, your instructor, is familiar with the case situation. A small amount of case summary is justified so that your audience (me) will know what you are basing your analysis upon. But, a summary of case information is not analysis. Typically, most submitted critical analyses are too general and not specific enough.
It is true that for the case in this course students (you) take the present case situation as a given. But, you need not accept assumptions presented in the case as a given. Is there anything in the case you do not accept as valid? For instance, if the case says AT&T is developing a new service, you can take that as true. But, you do not have to agree that this new service will meet AT&T’s goals. If you do not agree and it is relevant to the case, specifically say why. What is it in the case that leads you to believe this is not going to work? If you do agree, specifically say why you think the new service will meet AT&T’s goals. A second example is that the case may state AT&T’s goal is 20% growth per year. You can take as fact that that is AT&T’s goal. But, given, for example, the case particulars that there is an economic recession in the world, you may feel that the growth rate goal of 20% is unreasonable given the case situation. In the paper, say that you think the goal is unreasonable, state the fact that the world is in recession to justify your thinking, and then state what you believe would be a more realistic, achievable goal for AT&T to establish.
4) Recommendations. As you review the current case situation, you are to develop what you believe would be the best courses of action for ‘Managed by Q.’ It may be those stated in the case or it may not. Either way, you are to justify why you believe these are the best solutions. In other words, you do not have to accept any or all of the future actions being proposed in the case. You make up your own mind concerning what should be done (given the situation) and then justify this in your paper. Justification of future actions should not be just a few sentences but a large portion of the case write-up.
5) Consistency, clarity, grammar, spelling, submitted on-time, adheres to word limit, sentences and paragraphs, no bullet lists, no typos, etc.- most students do well in this category, but I will take off points for problems with any of these items in the case write-ups. Also, no lists are to be used in the write-up. Students are to use sentences and paragraphs to convince their audience what are the important issues and what are sound analyses and recommendations.
In general, when you are writing your case paper, picture yourself as a consultant specializing in marketing who is hired by ‘Managed by Q’ to analyze the situation and make comments and recommendations. View this case write-up as practice in developing professional analyses and recommendations. Does your paper sound like one a marketing consultant would write? Would you hire a consultant who wrote a paper similar to yours?
Grading
1) Missing scope in that not all questions answered (5 to 50% off).
2) Paper does not include appropriate course concepts and material from the applicable chapters – only a few references to pertinent course content is included (5 – 20% off). I specifically read case papers and say ‘does this paper read as if someone who has mastered the appropriate course material has written it?’
3) Critical analysis insufficient; paper fails to be convincing; little case analysis and mostly a summary of the case situation are included (5 to 15% off).
4) Paper does not include several thoughtful recommendations that are well justified and flow logically from the write-up and case material presented (5 to 15% off).
5) Paper is not well written, not consistent or clear; paper includes grammar and spelling errors, typos, etc. (5 to 20% off depending on extent). When answering the case questions, a bullet (list) format is not appropriate. This format rarely conveys to the reading audience the full message the author intends. Well-constructed sentences and paragraphs are necessary for clarity when writing (5 to 20% off depending on extent). Paper does not adhere to the word limit (5 to 15% off depending on severity). Paper not submitted on time (20% off for each day late).
Case Assignment
Read the ‘Managed by Q’ case in the Library Reserve area of the University Library. To obtain the ‘Managed by Q’ case, go the the University library homepage, scroll down and click on Course Reserves, then click on my name, Name Surname. Then choose Course Name.
Answer the following questions by critically analyzing the case situation, weaving course content into your answers and developing convincing responses to the questions. The Case 1 write-up has a maximum of 1500 words. In answering each question, use sentences and paragraphs. Do not use lists in your answers.
1) Who are Managed by Q’s competitors? How is Managed by Q positioned versus its competitors? Explain.
2) What are the key environmental/situational factors that contribute to Managed by Q’s success? Explain.
3) What are customer expectations of good office cleaning and maintenance? Does Managed by Q provide this service by meeting customer expectations? Be convincing in your explanation.
4) How do you recommend Managed by Q segments its market? Be convincing in your explanation.
5) What marketing research do you recommend Managed by Q conduct to improve its office cleaning and maintenance service? Explain with an example.
6) What marketing strategies do you recommend that Managed by Q implement to grow and increase sales (revenue)? Be convincing in your response.
This case will be evaluated using the criteria, above. This case is due on the deadline precisely, with a maximum of 1800 words (excluding any headings and subheadings in the word count). Include your name on the paper. The assignment is worth 15 points or 15% of your total course grade. You will receive instructions online in Canvas about how to submit this paper.
