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This note presents an overview of the process of collecting or sampling data from the appropriate population, presenting statistical measures to describe the data and to allow inferences to be drawn from the data, and then clearly presenting the results obtained.

This note describes various statistical sampling techniques and the inherent biases associated with each technique. Sample size, sampling bias, and sampling with an agenda are among the issues discussed.

The new general manager at a real estate organization needs to devise several action plans to resolve areas in need of change. After spending only one month on the job, she concluded that some changes were badly needed; however, she also knew that initiating any changes would prove to be a considerable challenge. Therefore, she needed to devise these plans while maintaining positive relations with the employees.

Richard Ivey School of Business has a need for the creation of a database, to be used for managing information about students and their courses of study, in its Business PhD program. Information on students to date has been maintained in a mix of paper and computer-file systems. The program director would like to develop a database, using a facility such as Microsoft Access, to be used for this purpose. The case provides examples of the actual forms and data maintained currently, and challenges the students to first create an entity-relationship data model, then a design for a relational database.

The managing director's approach to team based selling, was not being received as well as he expected. It seemed that top executives, members of his Management Operating Committee, were suggesting stopping his changes before they got out of hand. He found himself starting to have doubts about what he was doing.

Inventories exist in virtually every organization, and can serve any number of purposes. However, they can also represent a significant investment. Consequently, an important challenge facing managers is balancing the economic benefits of less frequent orders or setups versus the costs of holding inventory. This note provides an introduction to managing independent demand inventory items. It reviews the basic techniques associated with independent demand items, including fixed order quantity and fixed time period systems, and the ABC inventory classification system. The note is intended to address the questions of how much to order (the lot size issue) and when to order (the reorder point issue).

Owners of the Inn at the Falls are deciding whether to expand their operation. After nine years of growth, 1996 sales had levelled off, and the owners were considering a building expansion to resume growth. Although the expansion would add significantly to the debt load, it would reposition the Inn's facilities for a more upscale clientele. In addition, the owners would like to retire in two to five years by selling the business and are wondering if they will be able to recoup their investment in this time period.

The vice-president of finance at Seagram Greater China was contemplating what actions to take in light of the proposed changes to the duty rates which applied to imported scotch and cognac in Taiwan. Given that the Taiwanese spirits market had become very competitive in recent years, careful management of the duty rate changes was critical for ensuring future market share and profitability in Taiwan. The task facing the decision maker was to determine what pricing levels to recommend for Seagram's scotch and cognac products based upon the proposed duty regime. The case is particularly suitable to managerial accounting classes intending to develop skills and application of contribution and margin analysis. The strong marketing linkages in the case also make it applicable to classes dealing with pricing in highly competitive markets.

This note presents numerous examples of deception by selectively using statistical measures. For example: implying credibility by providing accuracy to two decimal places; using the wrong base value when presenting per cent data; using small base levels when deriving percentage data; choosing an unrepresentative base period; and, presenting graphs that deceive.

The president and general manager are reviewing a pay for performance system. The president needs to determine whether or not these systems were properly designed to ensure that they are producing higher quality product at progressively lower costs. If not, he needs to consider how he might suggest that these and other systems be changed in order to achieve cost and quality objectives.

The area manager of the bank had just informed the manager of customer service at one of the branches that one of her subordinates had filed a formal complaint about her with the National Committee for Employee Concerns. The employee claimed that the manager was impeding her personal and professional development. This complaint followed a long period of open conflicts between the two, and the area manager felt that keeping the complaint confidential was less important than informing the manager about this serious and possibly unfounded allegation.

In 1998, Chile remained a country divided. Despite the revelations made by human rights investigations, 20 per cent of Chileans were still staunch supporters of Pinochet, and ideological extremes continued to dominate the political landscape, even among the young. Although many Chileans lived under a reign of terror, many more welcomed the social and economic changes implemented under military rule. Chilean society became polarized because of differences in opinion regarding the dictatorship.

The Hongkong and Shanghai Bank case series (see also 9A98M015, 9A98M019, 9A98M020) is designed to be run over a period of three classes (80 minutes per class period). The series is intended for use in a course in project management. It highlights the impact of the owner's management of a project through the phases of feasibility, design, contracting and construction. Case A introduces alternative organizational structures for managing the design and construction for a high rise banking tower and the owner's mandate for the project, the development of the best bank in the world. The action decision in the A case requires a good understanding of the tasks that need to be performed, the process in which their execution will be organized and the objectives, roles and capabilities brought by the key actors. All of the above need to be tied to the unique characteristics of the project: ambiguous deliverables, a specific deadline, and absence of cost constraints.

Service Corporation International, the world's largest funeral consolidator, has just made a formal takeover bid for the Loewen Group, its key competitor. The offer is approximately 50 per cent above the price at which Loewen Group stock traded 30 days ago. Should Loewen Group fight the takeover, or should it accept it? This case helps students understand how to evaluate a company's strategy relative to its external environment and internal capabilities.

After a 15-year absence, the Royal Bank of Canada returned to Thailand in 1997. During a period of high economic instability, the bank must weigh the merits of Thailand versus other markets within Asia-Pacific. The case provides details on subsidiary start up costs (including staff, capital expenses) and requires decisions on organization/human resources issues as well as the best strategic approach to the market.

A renowned manufacturer and designer of niche vehicles for major automobile companies has traditionally competed on flexibility using a highly skilled design and manufacturing workforce and low levels of automation. However, the European auto market is threatened with a shakeout. The director of operations must decide whether to accept an offer from Mitsubishi to become the exclusive European manufacturer of a sport utility vehicle. The order would more than double the company's manufacturing volume and relieve pressure to replace models currently in production. However, the fit of the order with existing manufacturing strategy is poor, and major changes in facilities and equipment as well as people and systems would be required. The case is suitable for use in an operations class to introduce or apply basic concepts in operations strategy or to discuss operations capability and strategy with executives.

Metalco is a large Australian mining company. It has a rocky history in terms of its effective use of information systems (IS), and there is widespread dissatisfaction in the company concerning IS and the IS department. A recent resignation of the chief information officer led to the decentralization of the IS function, to move it closer to the operating departments. At the same time, one of the division heads has proposed that the company buy the SAP enterprise-wide system, to replace an earlier internal system which had been poorly received. The price tag for SAP is very high, $23 million. Implementing it would also require substantial changes in company processes. In light of its history, recent IS decentralization, and the high SAP price tag, the company is faced with making the decision of whether to go ahead with SAP. An appendix in the case provides extensive information on the procedure used to evaluate SAP, and results thereof.

The general manager of the Champagne Hotel in Hong Kong has to decide what action to take in the hotel laundry. June's operating expenses are significantly over budget. The manager has to investigate the causes of the cost overrun, and decide on further action, including whether to outsource the laundry service.

The founder and CEO of Medisys Health Group Inc., a corporate health care services provider, has decided the company needs a web presence. The vice president of operations, has been tasked with carrying out this idea. In order to do so, she must determine the company's needs with respect to a web site, set achievable, measurable performance objectives, and otherwise see to the implementation and administration of the site. She faces two main challenges: obtaining the necessary information, and creating consensus in the organization. The case forces readers to consider the role of the Internet in a service organization's marketing strategy, and the possible impediments which need to be overcome in order to be successful.

Starbucks is faced with the issue of how it should leverage its core competencies against various opportunities for growth, including introducing its coffee in McDonald’s, pursuing further expansion of its retail operations, and leveraging the brand into other product areas. The case is written so that students need to first identify where Starbucks competencies lie along the value chain, and assess how well those competencies can be leveraged across the various alternatives. It also provides an opportunity for students to assess what is driving growth in this company. Starbucks has a tremendous appetite for cash since all its stores are corporate, and investors are betting that it will be able to continue its phenomenal growth, so it needs to walk a fine line between leveraging its brand to achieve growth while not eroding it in the process. This is an exciting case that quickly captures the attention of students.