Assignment
TASK DESCRIPTION
'Go Green' is a franchise store that sells house plants, lawn and garden supplies. The following is the data about 12 franchise stores. You are being asked to analyse the following data in order to help to set up a new store.
|
Region
|
ANS
|
SQFF
|
VSI(£)
|
ADVERT(£)
|
SALD
|
NOMP
|
|
A
|
231
|
3
|
294
|
8.2
|
8.2
|
11
|
|
B
|
156
|
2.2
|
232
|
6.9
|
4.1
|
12
|
|
C
|
299
|
3.1
|
512
|
8.1
|
10.1
|
10
|
|
D
|
570
|
5.4
|
788
|
17.4
|
12.3
|
1
|
|
E
|
437
|
4.4
|
567
|
10.6
|
14.1
|
5
|
|
F
|
428
|
4.2
|
577
|
10.5
|
14.0
|
7
|
|
G
|
98
|
1.6
|
151
|
4.6
|
2.7
|
10
|
|
H
|
398
|
4.3
|
342
|
5.5
|
16.0
|
4
|
|
I
|
161
|
2.6
|
196
|
7.2
|
6.3
|
13
|
|
J
|
528
|
5.6
|
615
|
12.3
|
16.0
|
0
|
|
K
|
400
|
8.6
|
517
|
7.0
|
12.0
|
8
|
Key
|
ANS
|
Annual net sales, in thousands of pounds
|
|
SQFF
|
Number of square feet of floor display in store, in thousands of square feet
|
|
VSI
|
Value of store inventory, in thousands of pounds
|
|
ADVERT
|
Amount spent on local advertising, in thousands in pounds
|
|
SALD
|
Size of sales district, in thousands of families
|
|
NOMP
|
Number of competing or similar stores in sales district
|
Required:
Task 1 : Graphs
Use relevant graphs to represent each of the following and examine them:
(i) ANS and SALD
(ii) SQFF and VSI
(iii) ADVERT and SALD
(iv) ANS and ADVERT
Task 2 : Correlation Analysis
Perform a correlation analysis for ANS; ADVERT and SALD and examine the strength of relationship between them. Support your discussion with the relevant literature.
Task 3 : Regression Analysis
With the aid of linear regression, develop a model for the company using annual sales as the dependent variable. Your regression should be conducted at the 95% confidence level (or 5% level of significance). Support your discussion with the relevant literature.
LENGTH REQUIRED
2500 words +/- 10%. Any deviation from this will be penalised.
Format
Report format - Please ensure that you acknowledge our sources of data using Harvard referencing method.
The structure of your report may be as follows
Task 4: Report Writing
1. Introduction [300 words]
o The objectives/ rationale for the assignment should be captured
o The key highlights should be captured etc.
2. Graphical Analysis [500 words]
o Use relevant software tools to draw suitable graphs as specified in the Task 1
o Discuss the nature of the relationship from the resulting graphs
o Your discussion should be supported with some relevant literature
3. Correlation Analysis [600 words]
o Use relevant software to produce a correlation matrix as specified in Task 2
o Examine the strength of relationship between the ratios
o Use relevant literature to support your discussion
4. Regression Analysis [600 words]
o Use relevant software to perform the regression analysis as specified in Task 3
o Examine the resulting model using the relevant mechanisms such as goodness of fit; significance; the model and its interpretation etc.
o Use relevant literature to support your discussion
5. Conclusion and Recommendations [500 words]
o Provide a suitable conclusion and recommendation for the entire discussion
o Ensure your conclusion represents a reflective summary for the discussion
6. Referencing
o Use Harvard referencing style should be strictly followed.
o Ensure your reference list include all citations in the text and others which may not be in the text (bibliography)
o Ensure that your references are coming from quality sources such as articles; textbooks and other peer-reviewed journals
Note: Reference List ; Tables and Figures are not part of the word count
FORMATTING AND LAYOUT
Please note the following when completing your written assignment:
1. Writing: Written in English in an appropriate business/academic style
2. Focus: Focus only on the tasks set in the assignment.
3. Length: 2500 words
4. Formatting: Typed on A4 paper in Times New Roman or Arial font 12 with at least 2.5 centimetre space at each edge, double spaced and pages numbered.
5. Document format:
6. Ensure a clear title, course, and name or ID number is on a cover sheet and a bibliography using Harvard referencing throughout is also provided.
7. Research: Research should use reliable and relevant sources of information e.g. academic books and journals that have been peer reviewed. The research should be extensive.
The use of a range of information sources is expected - academic books, peer reviewed journal articles, professional articles, press releases and newspaper articles, reliable statistics, company annual reports and other company information. All referencing should be in Harvard style.
GUIDANCE FOR STUDENTS IN THE COMPLETION OF TASKS
NOTE: The guidance offered below is linked to the five common assessment criteria overleaf.
1. Research-informed Literature
Your work must be informed and supported by scholarly material that is relevant to and focused on the task(s) set. You should provide evidence that you have accessed a wide range of sources, which may be academic, governmental and industrial; these sources may include academic journal articles, textbooks, current news articles, organisational documents, and websites. You should consider the credibility of your sources; academic journals are normally highly credible sources while websites require careful consideration/selection and should be used sparingly. Any sources you use should be current and up-to-date, mostly published within the last five years or so, though seminal/important works in the field may be older. You must provide evidence of your research/own reading throughout your work, using in-text citations in the main body of your work and a reference list that is alphabetical at the end of your work. Please use the Harvard referencing system.
2. Knowledge and Understanding of Subject
Your work must demonstrate the growing extent of your knowledge and understanding of concepts and underlying principles associated with the subject area. Knowledge relates to the facts, information and skills you have acquired through your learning. You demonstrate your understanding by interpreting the meaning of the facts and information (knowledge). This means that you need to select and include in your work the concepts, techniques, models, theories, etc. appropriate to the task(s) set. You should be able to explain the theories, concepts, etc. meaningfully to show your understanding. Your mark/grade will also depend upon the extent to which you demonstrate your knowledge and understanding; ideally each should be complete and detailed, with comprehensive coverage.
3. Analysis
Your work must contain evidence of logical, analytical thinking, evaluation and synthesis. For example, to examine and break information down into parts, make inferences, compile, compare and contrast information. This means not just describing What! but also justifying: Why? How? When? Who? Where? At all times, you must provide justification for your arguments and judgements. Evidence that you have reflected upon the ideas of others within the subject area is crucial to you providing a reasoned and informed debate within your work. Furthermore, you should provide evidence that you are able to make sound judgements and convincing arguments using data and concepts. Sound, valid conclusions are necessary and must be derived from the content of your work. There should be no new information presented within your conclusion. Where relevant, alternative solutions and recommendations may be proposed.
4. Practical Application and Deployment
You should be able to demonstrate how the subject-related concepts and ideas relate to real world situations or a particular context. How do they work in practice? You will deploy models, methods, techniques, and/or theories, in that context, to assess current situations, perhaps to formulate plans or solutions to solve problems, some of which may be innovative and creative. This is likely to involve, for instance, the use of real world examples and cases, the application of a model within an organisation and/or benchmarking one organisation against others based on stated criteria. You should show awareness of the limitations of concepts and theories when applied in particular contexts.
5. Skills for Professional Practice
Your work must provide evidence of the attributes expected in professional practice. This includes demonstrating your individual initiative and/or collaborative working. You must communicate effectively in a suitable format, which may be written and/or oral, for example, essay, management report, presentation. Work should be coherent and well-structured in presentation and organisation.
Specific to this assignment: Report format normally includes the following sections: Executive Summary, Introduction, Main Findings, Conclusions, Recommendations, References and Appendices. Your report should be written in a suitable academic writing style i.e. using the third person.