BI Week 16 Assignment

Complete the following assignment in one MS word document:

Chapter 14–discussion question #1, #3, #4 & exercise 2

APA in-text citations) to support the work this week. All work must be original (not copied from any source).

Discussion 1. Some say that analytics in general dehumanize managerial activities, and others say they do not. Discuss arguments for both points of view.

Discussion 3. What are some of the major privacy concerns in employing intelligent systems on mobile data?

Discussion 4. Identify some cases of violations of user privacy from current literature and their impact on data science as a profession.

Exercise 2. Search the Internet to find examples of how intelligent systems can facilitate activities such as empowerment, mass customization, and teamwork.

Week 8: Capstone Instructions: Excel 365/2019 – Level 3 Working with Sales Data Alternate with VLOOKUP

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In this project, you will work with sales data from Top’t Corn, a popcorn          company with an online store, multiple food trucks, and two retail stores. You will begin          by copying the sales data for one of the retail stores from another workbook. Next, you          will insert a new worksheet and enter sales data for the four food truck locations,          formatting the data, and calculating totals. You will create a pie chart to represent the          total units sold by location and a column chart to represent sales by popcorn type. You          will format the charts, and then set up the worksheet for printing. Next, you help          Top’t Corn calculate payments for a loan and decide whether or not the purchase is          a good idea. Working with the daily sales data for one of the brick-and-mortar stores, you          will apply conditional formatting to find the top 10 sales dates. Y ou will also calculate          the sales for each date, and the average, minimum, and maximum sales. You will use Goal          Seek to find the appropriate price to reach a higher daily average sales goal. You will          use VLOOKUP to look up sales data for a specific date. Finally, you will work with their          online sales data to format it as an Excel table and apply sorting and filtering. You will          create a PivotTable and a PivotChart from a copy of the online sales data to summarize the          sales. 

Skills needed to complete this        project: 

  • Open a workbook
  • Copy a worksheet to another workbook
  • Close a workbook
  • Insert a worksheet
  • Name a worksheet
  • Move a worksheet
  • Enter text
  • Enter numbers
  • Edit text
  • Autofit a column
  • Apply a cell style
  • Add cell shading
  • Change font color
  • Merge and center text across cells
  • Apply bold formatting
  • Apply number formatting
  • Enter a SUM function
  • Copy formula using AutoFill
  • Insert a pie chart
  • Apply a chart Quick Layout
  • Move a chart
  • Insert a column chart
  • Switch the row/column in a column chart
  • Change the chart title
  • Apply a chart Quick Style
  • Show chart data labels
  • Preview how a worksheet will look when printed
  • Change worksheet orientation
  • Change the print margins
  • Scale a worksheet for printing
  • Change the color of a worksheet tab
  • Apply a column width
  • Calculate a loan payment with PMT
  • Enter a simple formula using multiplication
  • Enter a simple formula using subtraction
  • Add cell borders
  • Create a formula referencing cells in another worksheet
  • Enter an AVERAGE function
  • Use the IF function
  • Hide a worksheet
  • Apply date formats
  • Apply Top Ten conditional formatting
  • Use an absolute reference in a formula
  • Name a range of cells
  • Use a named range in a formula
  • Use the MIN function in a formula
  • Use the MAX function in a formula
  • Wrap text
  • Analyze data with Goal Seek
  • Use the VLOOKUP function in a formula
  • Convert data into a table
  • Apply a table Quick Style
  • Use the table Total row
  • Sort data in a table
  • Filter data in a table
  • Create a PivotTable
  • Create a PivotChart
  • Unhide a worksheet

Note: Download the resource file needed for this project from the         Resources link. Make sure to extract the file after downloading the        resources zipped folder. Visit the SIMnet Instant Help for step-by-step        instructions.       

  1. Open the start file EX2019-Capstone-Level3.
    Note:If the workbook opens in            Protected View, click the Enable Editing button in the Message Bar at the top of the            worksheet so you can modify it
  2. The file will be renamed automatically to include your name. Change the           project file name if directed to do so by your          instructor, and saveit 
  3. Copy the OldTownStoreworksheet from the OldTownSalesworkbook (downloaded from the Resources link) to the capstone project. 
    1. Open the Excel file OldTownSales
    2. Copy the worksheet OldTownStore. In the               Move or Copydialog, be sure to check the               Create a copycheck box and select your capstone project Excel file from the               To bookdrop-down list. Make the correct selection to ensure the copied worksheet              will appear at the end after the TysonsStore2018worksheet in your capstone workbook.             
    3. Close the OldTownSalesworkbook when you have successfully copied the               OldTownStoreworksheet to the capstone workbook.             
    4. Before continuing, verify that you are working in the capstone project that you              downloaded and not the OldTownSalesworkbook that              you downloaded from the Resources link. 
  4. Insert a new worksheet and rename it: MobileSales
  5. If necessary, move the MobileSalesworksheet so it appears first in the workbook.         
  6. In the MobileSales worksheet, enter the text and sales data as shown in the          table below. Check your work carefully. 

A

B

C

D

E

1

Top’t Corn Mobile Sales (July)

2

Truck Location

3

Farragut Square

GW

Georgetown

K Street

4

Old Bay

2500

800

600

900

5

Truffle

3200

600

1200

1500

6

Sea Salt and Caramel

4200

1500

1400

1200

  1. Still working with the MobileSales worksheet, format the data as follows: 
    1. Apply the Titlecell style to cell A1.             
    2. Apply the Purplefill color to cell A1. Use the first color              at the right in the row of Standard colors.             
    3. Apply the White, Background 1font color to cell A1. Use the first color              at the left in the first row of Theme colors.             
    4. Merge and center the worksheet title across cells               A1:E1
    5. Apply the Heading 2cell style to cell B2.             
    6. Merge and center cells B2:E2
    7. Bold cells B3:E3.
    8. Apply the Accounting Number Formatwith 0digits after the              decimal to cells B4:E6.             
    9. AutoFit columns A:E.
  2. In the MobileSales worksheet, calculate total sales for each of the truck          locations. 
    1. Enter the word Total in cell A7
    2. Enter a SUM function in cell B7to              calculate the total of cells B4:B6
    3. Use AutoFill to copy the formula to cells C7:E7.             
    4. Apply the Totalcell style to cells A7:E7.             
  3. In the MobileSales worksheet, insert a pie chart (2-D Pie) to          show the Old Bay sales for the month by location. Each piece of the pie should represent          the Old Baysales for a single location.
    Note:You must complete this step correctly in order to receive points for          completing the next step. Check your work carefully.         
  4. Working with the pie chart you just created, modify the pie chart as follows: 
    1. Apply the Layout 6 Quick Layout
    2. Move the chart so it appears below the sales data.
  5. In the MobileSales worksheet insert a clustered column chart (2-D Column) to          show the sales for each type of popcorn for each location. Do not include the          totals.
    Note:You must complete this            step correctly in order to receive points for completing the next step.Check your work carefully.         
  6. Working with the column chart you just created, modify the column chart as follows:           
    1. If necessary, modify the chart so each location is represented by a data series and              the popcorn types are listed along the x axis. 
    2. Change the chart title to: July Sales by Popcorn Type
    3. Apply the Style 5chart Quick Style.             
    4. Display the chart data labels using the Outside Endoption. 
    5. If necessary, move the chart so it is next to the pie chart and the top of the              charts are aligned. 
  7. Preview how the MobileSales worksheet will look when printed, and then apply          print settings to print the worksheet on a single page. Hint: If you have one of          the charts selected, deselect it before previewing the worksheet. Preview the worksheet          again when you are finished to check your work. 
    1. Change the orientation so the page is wider than it is tall. 
    2. Change the margins to the preset narrow option.
    3. Change the printing scale so all columns will print on a single page. 
  8. Top’t Corn is considering a new truck purchase. Calculate the monthly loan          payments and total cost
    of the loan. 

    1. Insert a new worksheet between the MobileSalessheet and the OnlineSalessheets.             
    2. Name the new worksheet: TruckLoan
    3. Change the color of the TruckLoan worksheet tab to               Orange. Use the third color from the left in the row of              Standard colors. 
    4. Enter the loan terms in the TruckLoan worksheet as shown below. 

A

B

1

Price

55000

2

Interest (annual)

3%

3

Loan term (in months)

24

4

Monthly payment

  1. AutoFit column A.
  2. Set the width of column Bto 16.         
  3. Apply the Currencynumber format to cell B1. Display two digits          after the decimal.         
  4. Enter a formula using the PMTfunction in cell B4. Be sure to use a negative          value for the
    Pvargument.         
  5. In cell A6, type: Total payments
  6. In cell B6, enter a formula to calculate the total paid          over the life of the loan (the monthly payment amount * the number of payments). Use cell          references. 
  7. In cell A7, type: Interest paid
  8. In cell B7, enter a formula to calculate the total          interest paid over the life of the loan (the total payments – the original price of the          truck). Use cell references. 
  9. Apply borders using the Thick Outside Bordersoption around cells A6:B7.         
  10. In cell A9, type: Average sales
  11. In cell B9, enter a formula to calculate the average          sales per month for the truck locations. Hint: Use cells           B7:E7from the MobileSalesworksheet as the function argument.         
  12. Apply the Currencynumber format to cell B9. Display two digits          after the decimal.         
  13. In cell A10, type: Buy new truck?
  14. In cell B10, enter a formula using the           IFfunction to display Yes             if the monthly payment for the truck loan is less than the average          sales per month for the current trucks. Display
    Noif it is not. 
  15. This workbook includes two worksheets for data from the Tysons store. You should only          be working with the latest data from 2019. 
    1. Hide the TysonsStore2018worksheet.             
  16. Complete the following steps in the TysonsStore2019 worksheet:           
    1. Select cells A2:A32, and apply the               Short Datedate format.             
    2. Find the top ten sales items for the month. Select cells               B2:D32and use conditional formatting to              apply a green fill with dark green textto the top 10values.             
    3. In cell F2, enter a formula to calculate the daily              total in dollars. Multiply the value in the Daily Total (#                Sold)column by the current price per box in cell               K1. Use an absolute reference where appropriate and copy              the formula to cells F3:F32.             
    4. In cell G2, enter a formula using the               IFfunction to determine whether the daily sales goal in cell               K2was met. Display yesif the              value in the Daily Total ($)column is               greater than or equal tothe daily sales goal. Display noif it is not. Use an absolute reference where appropriate and copy the              formula to cells G3:G32.             
    5. Create a named range DailyTotals for cells               F2:F32
    6. In cell K3, enter a formula using the named range               DailyTotalsto calculate the               averagedaily
      sales in              dollars. 
    7. In cell K4, enter a formula using the named              rangeDailyTotalsto find the lowestdaily sales
      in dollars.             
    8. In cell K5, enter a formula using the named              rangeDailyTotalsto find the               highestdaily sales
      in dollars.             
    9. Wrap the text in cell J7
    10. Use Goal Seekto find the new price per              box (cell K8) to reach a new daily average sales goal of              $3,000 in cell K7. Accept the solution found by Goal              Seek. 
    11. Modify cell K8to show two places after              the decimal. 
    12. Create a named range SalesData for cells               A2:G32
    13. In cell K10,enter 8/19/2019 as the lookup date.             
    14. In cell K11,enter a formula using VLOOKUP to display whether or not the sales goal              was met for the date listed in cell K10. Use the named              range SalesDatafor the               Table_arrayargument. The formula should return the              value in the Sales Goal Met?column (column               7in the data array) only when there is an               exactmatch.             
  17. Make a copy of the OnlineSalesworksheet and name it PivotData. The           PivotDataworksheet should be the last          worksheet in the workbook.         
  18. Go to the OnlineSalesworksheet and format the sales data as a table using the table style           
    Aqua, Table Style Light 9.         
  19. Continue working with the table on the OnlineSales worksheet and display the          table Totalrow. 
    1. Display the total for the Quantitycolumn.             
    2. Remove the count from the Statecolumn.             
  20. Continue working with the table on the OnlineSales worksheet and sort the data          alphabetically by values in the Itemcolumn.         
  21. Continue working with the table on the OnlineSales worksheet and filter the          table to show only rows where the value in the Statecolumn is MD.         
  22. Create a PivotTable using the data in cells A3:D120from the data in the PivotDataworksheet. The PivotTable should appear on its own worksheet. Use values from          the Itemcolumn as the rows and the sum of          values in the Quantitycolumn as the values.         
  23. Name the PivotTable worksheet: PivotTable It should be located to the left          of the PivotDataworksheet.         
  24. Insert a PivotChart on the PivotTableworksheet. Use a pie chart to represent the total quantity           
    for each item. If necessary, move the PivotChart to the right of the          PivotTable so it does not cover the data.         
  25. This workbook includes a hidden worksheet with online sales data from the 2018 buy one          get one free sale. 
    1. Unhide the BOGOSale2018worksheet.             
  26. Save and close the workbook.
  27. Upload and save your project file.         
  28. Submit project for grading.

Note: Download the resource file needed for this project from the         Resources link. Make sure to extract the file after downloading the        resources zipped folder. Visit the SIMnet Instant Help for step-by-step        instructions.       

  1. Open the start file EX2019-Capstone-Level3.
    Note: If the workbook opens in            Protected View, click the Enable Editing button in the Message Bar at the top of the            worksheet so you can modify it 
  2. The file will be renamed automatically to include your name. Change the           project file name if directed to do so by your          instructor, and save it 
  3. Copy the OldTownStore worksheet from the OldTownSales workbook (downloaded from the Resources link) to the capstone project. 
    1. Open the Excel file OldTownSales
    2. Copy the worksheet OldTownStore. In the               Move or Copy dialog, be sure to check the               Create a copy check box and select your capstone project Excel file from the               Move selected sheets to book drop-down list. Make the correct selection to ensure the copied worksheet              will appear at the end after the TysonsStore2018 worksheet in your capstone workbook.             
    3. Close the OldTownSales workbook when you have successfully copied the               OldTownStore worksheet to the capstone workbook.             
    4. Before continuing, verify that you are working in the capstone project that you              downloaded and not the OldTownSales workbook that              you downloaded from the Resources link. 
  4. Insert a new worksheet and rename it: MobileSales 
  5. If necessary, move the MobileSales worksheet so it appears first in the workbook.         
  6. Enter the text and sales data as shown in the table below. Check your work carefully.         

A

B

C

D

E

1

Top’t Corn Mobile Sales (July)

2

Truck Location

3

Farragut Square

GW

Georgetown

K Street

4

Old Bay

2500

800

600

900

5

Truffle

3200

600

1200

1500

6

Sea Salt and Caramel

4200

1500

1400

1200

  1. Format the data as follows: 
    1. Apply the Title cell style to cell A1.             
    2. Apply the Purple fill color to cell A1. Use the first color              at the right in the row of Standard colors.             
    3. Apply the White, Background 1 font color to cell A1. Use the first color              at the left in the first row of Theme colors.             
    4. Merge and center the worksheet title across cells               A1:E1
    5. Apply the Heading 2 cell style to cell B2.             
    6. Merge and center cells B2:E2
    7. Bold cells B3:E3.
    8. Apply the Accounting Number Format with 0 digits after the              decimal to cells B4:E6.             
    9. AutoFit columns A:E.
  2. Calculate total sales for each of the truck locations. 
    1. Enter the word Total in cell A7
    2. Enter a SUM function in cell B7 to              calculate the total of cells B4:B6
    3. Use AutoFill to copy the formula to cells C7:E7.             
    4. Apply the Total cell style to cells A7:E7.             
  3. Insert a pie chart (2-D Pie) to show the Old Bay sales for the month by          location. Each piece of the pie should represent the Old              Bay sales for a single location.
    Note: You must complete this step correctly in order to receive points for          completing the next step. Check your work carefully.         
  4. Modify the pie chart as follows: 
    1. Apply the Layout 6 Quick Layout
    2. Move the chart so it appears below the sales data.
  5. Insert a clustered column chart (2-D Column) to show the sales for each type of popcorn          for each location. Do not include the totals.
    Note: You must complete this            step correctly in order to receive points for completing the next step. Check your work carefully.         
  6. Modify the column chart as follows: 
    1. If necessary, modify the chart so each location is represented by a data series and              the popcorn types are listed along the x axis. 
    2. Change the chart title to: July Sales by Popcorn Type 
    3. Apply the Style 5 chart Quick Style.             
    4. Display the chart data labels using the Outside End option. 
    5. If necessary, move the chart so it is next to the pie chart and the top of the              charts are aligned. 
  7. Preview how the worksheet will look when printed, and then apply print settings to          print the worksheet on a single page. Hint: If you have one of the charts selected,          deselect it before previewing the worksheet. Preview the worksheet again when you are          finished to check your work. 
    1. Change the orientation so the page is wider than it is tall. 
    2. Change the margins to the preset narrow option.
    3. Change the printing scale so all columns will print on a single page. 
  8. Top’t Corn is considering a new truck purchase. Calculate the monthly loan          payments and total cost
    of the loan. 

    1. Insert a new worksheet between the MobileSales sheet and the OnlineSales sheets.             
    2. Name the new worksheet: TruckLoan
    3. Change the color of the worksheet tab to Orange. Use              the third color from the left in the row of Standard colors. 
    4. Enter the loan terms as shown below.

A

B

1

Price

55000

2

Interest (annual)

3%

3

Loan term (in months)

24

4

Monthly payment

  1. AutoFit column A.
  2. Set the width of column B to 16.         
  3. Apply the Currency number format to cell B1. Display two digits          after the decimal.         
  4. Enter a formula using the PMT function in cell B4. Be sure to use a negative          value for the
    Pv argument.         
  5. In cell A6, type: Total payments 
  6. In cell B6, enter a formula to calculate the total paid          over the life of the loan (the monthly payment amount * the number of payments). Use cell          references. 
  7. In cell A7, type: Interest paid 
  8. In cell B7, enter a formula to calculate the total          interest paid over the life of the loan (the total payments – the original price of the          truck). Use cell references. 
  9. Apply borders using the Thick Outside Borders option around cells A6:B7.         
  10. In cell A9, type: Average sales 
  11. In cell B9, enter a formula to calculate the average          sales per month for the truck locations. Hint: Use cells           B7:E7 from the MobileSales worksheet as the function argument.         
  12. Apply the Currency number format to cell B9. Display two digits          after the decimal.         
  13. In cell A10, type: Buy new truck? 
  14. In cell B10, enter a formula using the           IF function to display Yes             if the monthly payment for the truck loan is less than the average          sales per month for the current trucks. Display
    No if it is not. 
  15. This workbook includes two worksheets for data from the Tysons store. You should only          be working with the latest data from 2019. 
    1. Hide the TysonsStore2018 worksheet.             
  16. Complete the following steps in the TysonsStore2019 worksheet: 
    1. Select cells A2:A32, and apply the               Short Date date format.             
    2. Find the top ten sales items for the month. Select cells               B2:D32 and use conditional formatting to              apply a green fill with dark green text to the top 10 values.             
    3. In cell F2, enter a formula to calculate the daily              total in dollars. Multiply the value in the Daily Total (#                Sold) column by the current price per box in cell               K1. Use an absolute reference where appropriate and copy              the formula to cells F3:F32.             
    4. In cell G2, enter a formula using the               IF function to determine whether the daily sales goal in cell               K2 was met. Display yes if the              value in the Daily Total ($) column is               greater than or equal to the daily sales goal. Display no if it is not. Use an absolute reference where appropriate and copy the              formula to cells G3:G32.             
    5. Create a named range DailyTotals for cells               F2:F32
    6. In cell K3, enter a formula using the named range               DailyTotals to calculate the               average daily
      sales in              dollars. 
    7. In cell K4, enter a formula using the named              range DailyTotals to find the lowest daily sales
      in dollars.             
    8. In cell K5, enter a formula using the named              range DailyTotals to find the               highest daily sales
      in dollars.             
    9. Wrap the text in cell J7
    10. Use Goal Seek to find the new price per              box (cell K8) to reach a new daily average sales goal of              $3,000 in cell K7. Accept the solution found by Goal              Seek. 
    11. Modify cell K8 to show two places after              the decimal. 
    12. Create a named range SalesData for cells               A2:G32
    13. In cell K10, enter 8/19/2019 as the lookup date.             
    14. In cell K11, enter a formula using VLOOKUP to display whether or not the sales goal              was met for the date listed in cell K10. Use the named              range SalesData for the               Table_array argument. The formula should return the              value in the Sales Goal Met? column (column               7 in the data array) only when there is an               exact match.             
  17. Make a copy of the OnlineSales worksheet and name it PivotData. The           PivotData worksheet should be the last          worksheet in the workbook.         
  18. Go to the OnlineSales worksheet and format the sales data as a table using the table

Wk 1 – Apply: Identifying and Mitigating Risks

Assignment Content

  1. You’ve been learning about various vulnerabilities and their associated risks this week. Keep in mind that companies are not always able to fix all their discovered vulnerabilities.

    Select an organization of your choice and research 5 of their most common vulnerabilities, threats, and risks.

    Write a 2 – to 3-page recommendation on the steps the organization should take to remediate or mitigate these vulnerabilities, threats, and risks.

    If you found actual examples of an organization’s vulnerabilities, risks, or threats, describe how the organization approached remediation and/or mitigation. Annotate those that were fixed or unable to be fixed.

    Include impacts to the organization in terms of people, network, data, or reputation.

    Cite references as necessary to support your assignment.

    Format your citations according to APA guidelines.

    Assignment checklist: 

    1. The total paper must be 700 – 1050 words (about 2-3 pages but I will be looking at word count) 
    2. Use the bullets or key points in the instructions and create corresponding heading and sub headers. This way it will be obvious that you hit the key points 
    3. Include at least one references that are properly cited 
    4. Any images must have a caption and referenced in the paper. 
    5. Combine the screenshots and the remainder of the assignment into one APA formatted document. If you submit the assignment in multiple parts you will lose points   
    6. Follow APA format (fonts, etc) – For details on the formatting see the UOP library tab. 

Computer Science

 

Explore CNET

https://www.cnet.com/

Right click the link above and open it in a new tab or window. You may also right click and copy the hyperlink and paste it into the address like of Chrome or Firefox.

CNET is a great website for technology news and review. Their About Us page states, “CNET tells you what’s new in tech, culture and science, why it matters, how it works and what you need. Our global team works 24/7 to explore and explain the changing world around us. You can depend on CNET for news, commentary, analysis, features, FAQs, advice, hands-on reviews, buying guides, amazing photography and fun and informative videos.”

We want you to read at least one article or view a video about hardware (not software). Then write a brief summary (or create a short presentation) summarizing the article using MS Word or PowerPoint. Brief means no less than 10 sentences but not more than one page. Make sure to cite your source properly.

Post this summary to the Hardware Assignment discussion board. Read at least one other student’s summary on hardware and provide a peer review. A peer review is an evaluation of another student’s academic work. This could include but is not limited to taking a stand on the topic and providing evidence for/against it; providing additional information on the other student’s topic; posing questions about the topic and possible answers; demonstrating your understanding or application of the topic with examples. You may need to cite a source in your reply. Remember that if the information does not come out of your own head, you need to cite it. The summary is work 35 points and the review 15 for a total of 50 points for this assignment.

Check your course Detailed Schedule for the due date.  

Emerging Threats -5

Considering the importance of data in organization, it is absolutely essential to secure the data present in the database. What are the strategic and technical security measures for good database security? Be sure to discuss at least one security model to properly develop databases for organizational security. Create a diagram of a security model for your research paper.

Your paper should meet the following requirements:

  • Be approximately 4-6 pages in length, not including the required cover page and reference page. (Remember, APA is double spaced)
  • Follow APA 7 guidelines. Your paper should include an introduction, a body with fully developed content, and a conclusion.
  • Support your answers with the readings from the course and at least two scholarly journal articles to support your positions, claims, and observations, in addition to your textbook. The UC Library is a great place to find resources.
  • Be clear and well-written, concise, and logical, using excellent grammar and style techniques. You are being graded in part on the quality of your writing.

Corporate IT Security Audit Compliance

 

  • Read the Case Study:
     (this case study is attached) 
  • Write a summary analysis and what is your opinion of the discussion? What is the high point that convinces you that Corporate governance compliance does make a difference in the operating performance?

swop analysis

Type: Essay (any type) Service: Writing Pages: 3 pages / 825 words (Double spacing) Level: University Language: English (US) Topic: Sigma Marketing Case Analysis Subject: Marketing Sources: – Style: APA 6th edition Questions to answer 

 

Description

Use the “How to Analyze a Case” document to guide your case analysis over Case #19 “Sigma Marketing: Strategic Marketing Adaptation” on page 515 of the textbook. Focus on the concepts in chapter 5.     Provide APA-style citations for any resources used. Your document should follow the following formatting principles for business documents:  12 point font; single-spaced; use clear headings and minor headings to organize thoughts and analysis; embed tables, charts, or graphs in the text; provide a title page; and an APA-style reference page.  Click the Grading rubric link to see the criteria I will use to assess your work and to compare your work to the rubric before submitting it.     Case 19 Sigma Marketing: Strategic Marketing Adaptation*  Synopsis: This case reviews the growth of a small, family-owned business, from a regional provider of generic printing services to a global provider of specialty advertising products and commercial printing services. Throughout its history, Sigma Marketing has exhibited the uncanny ability to understand market opportunities and to adapt its strategic focus accordingly. As its marketing environment changes, Sigma Marketing gathers information from existing and potential customers to develop the most effective marketing strategy possible. Even in the face of changing technology, communication, and advertising methods, Sigma Marketing has managed to reinvent its mindset and strategies in order to remain successful.  Themes: Changing marketing environments, market opportunities, strategic focus, product strategy, direct marketing, promotion, personal selling, implementation, customer relationships, family-owned business  In 1967, Don Sapit purchased a small printing company in Streator, Illinois, as a hands-off personal investment that would later grow into what is today a successful commercial printing business located in Orange Park (Jacksonville), Florida. Sigma Marketing has a unique identity that has evolved over the past 45 years from a small-town printing company to a marketing services company with a diverse, multinational clientele. Sigma’s marketing history is an excellent example of the strategic shift from a production orientation to a market orientation.  Don Sapit was president of Weston Laboratories, a small research facility in Ottawa, 80 miles southwest of Chicago, when he had an opportunity to acquire Dayne Printing Company. Sapit had been a Dayne client for several years. When Dayne was on the verge of bankruptcy, Don bought the company as an investment while still focusing most of his day-to-day efforts on Weston Labs. The managers of Dayne at the time were willing to stay on and handle the operations with little outside help. Don felt that with the increased volume that Weston would provide, the operation could become profitable within a 12-month period. To enhance the corporate image, the name was changed to Sigma Press, Inc. A new sales manager was hired to focus on the sales aspect of the business, while Sapit took the position of absentee owner. Over the next few years, their efforts provided only minimal increases in sales volume. The business survived, but made little progress—typical results for an absentee-owned business. In addition, Sigma mainly focused on the production process and selling generic printing services.  In spite of the slow progress, Sapit saw the potential for turning Sigma into a quality-oriented printing business that could make substantial gains against its local competition. The area served by the shop covered a radius of approximately 30 miles around the city of Streator and had a number of major manufacturing plants that were potential users of substantial quantities of printing. Unfortunately, most of these plants were headquartered in other cities and did not have authority for local purchasing of anything beyond the basic necessities required for daily plant operations. Although Sigma could do custom printing, the small firm did not have a unique niche other than its quality and service.  The Desk Calendar: A Strategic Opportunity  In seeking alternatives to improve sales, Sapit and Sigma’s staff developed an advertising desk pad calendar for distribution as a customer gift. Its purpose was to keep the Sigma name, phone number, and list of services in front of the customer as a constant reminder of its existence. It was freely offered to any customer thought to have sufficient volume potential to justify the expense of the calendar and its distribution costs. At the time, Sigma thought of the calendar as a promotional tool for its own business and did not consider the calendar as a product that could potentially differentiate the company and give it a competitive edge.  One of the customers that received the calendar, Oak State Products, an Archway Cookie Bakery, asked whether Sigma could produce similar calendars for them with the Archway advertisement printed at the top. Sigma filled this initial order, and it proved popular with Archway’s customers. The next year, Archway asked whether the calendars could be produced with a color photo of the plant in the ad space. This version was so well received that Oak State recommended the use of the calendar as a marketing tool to other Archway Bakeries around the country. Sigma recognized that the opportunity for a new marketing strategy was developing. The small printer with a generic product identified an opportunity to expand its market beyond its small geographic service area.  The sales volume realized from the calendar was not substantial, but Sapit saw in it a good possibility for a totally new marketing strategy, removed from the limitations imposed by Sigma’s present sales territory. Furthermore, he conceived a direct marketing effort that would permit sales penetration into a much larger geographical area than was practical to serve with Sigma’s limited sales staff.  At this time, Weston Laboratories was sold and Sapit was forced to make a decision to leave the company due to philosophical differences with the new owners. Although Sigma was starting to show potential for very modest profitability and good growth, it was still just barely able to support itself. After a family council meeting in 1971, the decision was made to “tough it out.” Sapit chose to enter the Sigma operation on a full-time basis and to prove that it really could become a first-class operation based on a new marketing strategy.  After coming aboard full time, Sapit assumed all marketing and management responsibilities himself. Previously, sales representatives had been making calls on a hit-or-miss basis with no real continuity. Sapit developed a general marketing strategy, which included defining specific sales territories and developing target markets and sales prospect databases. He also implemented a scheduled mailing program as part of the strategy. On the commercial printing side, a sample “job of the month” was sent to customers and prospects at regular intervals. On the calendar side, direct mail materials promoting the desk calendar to specific target markets were utilized. At that time, direct mail promotion of printing services was relatively unheard of in the printing industry. Most of Sigma’s competitors performed custom printing based on the needs and projects that the customer desired, and did not promote specific products.  The advertising desk calendar was marketed on the theme of “constant exposure advertising.” It was given the product name “Salesbuilder,” which moved Sigma into the specialty advertising business. Each customer was offered a standard calendar format with an individual ad imprint customized to fit the needs of the company’s business. The imprint could contain line drawings, photos, product lists, or any special information necessary to convey the company’s message to customers. Sigma’s willingness to encourage attractive and creative designs received immediate attention and acceptance by customers. It set the company apart from the competition, which allowed only “four lines of block type, not to exceed 32 letters.” In effect, Sigma was at the forefront of a new specialty-advertising product.  Within a year of Sapit’s entry into the business, total volume was up 50 percent; even more important, the response to the calendar marketing effort was starting to show real promise. As a result, Sigma was experiencing the need for additional capital to finance the growth. Capital was obtained through the private sale of one-third of the company to Sapit’s friend and colleague, who was a local attorney. The new investor was not involved in the daily operations of the business, but served as corporate secretary, legal counsel, board member, and advisor. The cash raised from the stock was used to help fund the day-to-day operations and expand accounts receivable resulting from the increased volume.  By late 1972, Sigma’s commercial printing sales were gaining at a modest rate of increase, but calendar sales were increasing at a rate of 40 percent per year. It was becoming apparent that larger manufacturing facilities would be required in the immediate future or the sales efforts would have to be scaled back. The company purchased a more visible and accessible 5-acre site in Ottawa, Illinois, and constructed a new facility with a focus on improved production as well as image. Sapit decided to capitalize on the new visibility and image by changing the strategic emphasis of the business.  Sigma Expands Its Strategy  Over the next few years, Sigma’s strategy was oriented toward building a reputation for producing the most creative and highest quality printing in its service area, which had a 35- to 40-mile radius around Ottawa. Sapit anticipated that this new direction would give his firm a solid reputation as a quality printer, one that fully justified the higher prices it charged. Several of the larger local companies obtained permission from their corporate offices to procure their printing locally. The downstate division of Carson Pirie Scott & Company, a large department store chain, chose Sigma for the production of its catalogs. The new marketing strategy paid off, and total sales volume had increased 220 percent by 1976.  Calendar sales increased slowly but steadily. Management wanted growth, but in an orderly and controlled manner. Management also wanted its growth to be more profitable than the industry average of approximately 5 percent on sales. It was becoming obvious that to be successful in the printing business, Sigma needed to specialize. After long and deliberate discussion during 1976, company management wrote a 3-year corporate plan.  The corporate plan emphasized marketing, which at this time was considered unique for a small commercial printer. The marketing plan focused a major share of the sales and marketing effort on building a market for the “Salesbuilder” desk calendar. The target market consisted primarily of smaller corporate accounts, while the marketing program emphasized a quality product and advertising with an internal sales staff, direct marketing distribution, and a superior price point. Space advertising in sales and marketing-oriented publications created substantial numbers of inquiries, but sales levels did not follow. Direct mail, primarily to manufacturers, produced a much higher response and return on investment. Sigma had created a unique product that was very flexible in terms of unique designs, advertising messages, photographic techniques, and other special requirements. In short, “Salesbuilder” became a highly effective marketing tool.  Within the next few calendar seasons, large accounts such as Serta Mattress, Domino Sugar, and Borden, Inc., were added to the list of satisfied customers. Reorder rates were very high, usually in the 88 to 90 percent range. Quantities ordered by individual companies tended to increase annually for 3 or 4 years and then level off. Total calendar sales had increased at a rate of approximately 40 percent per year during the 1976–1980 period, during which time commercial printing sales increased at a rate of about 15 percent annually.  A Strategic Shift  Because of the success of the new strategy, production capacity was being taxed. In 1979–1980, major capital commitments were made to add a new high-speed two-color press and to purchase, redesign, and rebuild a specialized collating machine to further automate calendar assembly, previously assembled by hand. This opened the way to mass marketing of the “Salesbuilder” calendar line. Direct mail techniques were improved to allow selection of prospects by SIC number and sales volume. A toll-free 1-800 number encouraged direct response by interested parties. Whenever possible, Sigma responded to inquiries by sending a sample calendar that contained advertising ideas related to the respondent’s line of business. The sample would be followed up with a personal phone call within 2 to 3 weeks. Calendar sales continued to improve until, by 1983, they represented 50 percent of total sales and approximately 75 percent of net profit.  In spite of the success of the calendar marketing programs and attractive profit levels, Sapit was disturbed by trends in the printing industry that pointed toward a diminishing market and increased competition for the commercial segment, particularly in Sigma’s local Rust Belt area. Rapid development of new technology and high-speed equipment had caused industry-wide investments in new equipment well beyond immediate need, creating excess capacity. The result was cost cutting and reduced margins.  Sigma’s management had for some time been considering selling the commercial portion of its business in favor of becoming an exclusive marketer of calendar products. Through its membership in the Printing Industry of Illinois, a buyer was found for the plant, equipment, and the goodwill of the commercial portion of the business. The buyer agreed to enter into a long-term contract to handle the majority of calendar production for Sigma, using the same plant and staff that had been handling the production for the previous 10 years. The sale was completed in June 1983. This signaled the strategic move from a company based on production to one based on marketing.  Sigma’s management now found itself free of the daily problems of production and plant management and able to commit all its efforts to creating and marketing new calendar products. Sapit had a long-standing personal desire to move the business to the Sun Belt for the better weather and, more importantly, for the better business climate. In May 1985, Sigma’s corporate offices were moved to Orange Park, Florida. Concurrently, Sapit’s son, Mike, a graduate of Illinois State University in graphic arts management, joined the business.  Strategic Refinements  To take advantage of Sigma’s marketing expertise, the company took actions to expand its product line to include several additional personalized calendar items. The new items included a year-at-a-glance wall planning calendar, desk diary, pocket diary, and a smaller version of the original desk calendar.  Sigma had built its calendar business on products that were basically “off-the-shelf” formats that could be imprinted with the customer’s advertising message. In the late 1980s and into the 1990s, Sigma began to see a growing demand for products that were totally customized not only in graphic design but in product specifications as well. Sigma’s management saw a market for a new line of “super customized” calendars targeted to medium-to-large corporations with a substantial customer base. These companies were service oriented with large advertising budgets, thus creating the potential for very large orders. The market was relatively small in terms of number of companies, but very large with respect to total sales potential. It would require a totally different marketing approach than previously utilized.  Test advertisements for custom-designed calendars were run in Advertising Age and in several marketing trade journals. These advertisements appealed to larger corporate accounts. In addition, the Sigma sales staff became much more aggressive in searching out individual accounts that appeared to have high potential as customized calendar customers. Prospects were researched, and contacted by phone and mail, to determine the individual with the responsibility to specify and authorize this type of purchase. Unsolicited samples of several different customized products were sent via FedEx in order to attract attention. Each prospect was followed up by a phone call within a few days to confirm interest and provide additional information.  The goal was to establish Sigma as a publisher of high-quality, creatively designed custom calendars. Initial response to the new marketing strategy was good, with indications that the blue chip companies could, in fact, be reached through this approach. To reach its growth goals, Sigma felt it had to be successful in this marketing strategy. This type of highly customized product design was very demanding on the creative staff. Because only 10 to 15 new accounts of this type could be handled each year, it was important that creative time be spent on high-potential accounts. The new strategy was successful in landing substantial orders from Nabisco, Fidelity Investments, and FedEx. Realizing that these blue chip companies were consumers, Sigma focused the entire organization on meeting five customer needs: (1) flexibility, (2) production of a quality product consistent with the client’s image and marketing goals, (3) personal service and attention from beginning to end, (4) fair pricing, and (5) timely, efficient fulfillment.  Sigma’s Total Service Package  With the blue chip accounts, Sigma realized that it had to be able to offer its products on a turnkey, or concept-through-fulfillment, basis. Many of these corporations wanted to use a calendar program, but were not able to devote staff, time, or expertise to such a project. Sigma offered the solution—handling the entire calendar promotion, including conception, design, production, and delivery—so that customers could devote their time to more productive efforts, confident that their calendar program was running smoothly and efficiently. They dubbed this the “Total Service Package.”  In order to provide total service effectively, Sigma installed new computer equipment and programs to enable comprehensive order fulfillment for a variety of programs. Special shipping manifest programs were developed to simplify the handling of large quantities of drop shipments. From established customer lists or those generated through Sigma’s direct order programs, calendars could be shipped to as many as 20,000 locations for a single account. This was particularly helpful to accounts that had dealers or customers scattered across the country.  The business grew rapidly from 1985 to 1990, and by 1991, Don and Mike Sapit saw a new opportunity to expand the business again. After carefully analyzing the characteristics of its buyers and their buying decisions, Sigma found new market opportunities. During its first 15 years in the promotional calendar business, Sigma focused on large companies that usually distributed their promotional calendars through their sales forces to customers. These companies usually supplied Sigma with the basic idea for their calendar promotion, including an imprint or art design for the firm’s individualized calendar.  With its own computer order tracking and manifest system in place, Sigma was able to offer its customers and prospects an efficient and cost-saving order and distribution system. With a customer-supplied list, Sigma began marketing the calendars directly to the customer’s distributors. Flyers and samples were produced and mailed by Sigma. Orders were then returned directly to Sigma. This process allowed individual distributors or a single branch to include its own imprint on the calendar. A customer list may have over 10,000 names, and a single order may consist of over 1,000 different imprints. Because each customer has its own requirements, a staff member dedicated to personalized service is assigned to each customer. Sigma learned how its customers made decisions about specialty advertising purchases such as promotional calendars and then developed a program to satisfy the needs of purchasing agents and buyers in large organizations. The strategy was very successful, and during the 1990s, the company added prime accounts such as Milwaukee Electric Tool Corporation, Hoffman LaRoche, Inc., International Paper Company, and Nabisco Brands, Inc.  An Emphasis on Implementation  After focusing on the “Total Service Package” approach as its primary marketing strategy, Sigma experienced a large increase in corporate clientele with very specialized product and service requirements. The “Salesbuilder” orders that were the foundation of the business became secondary to “programs”—larger corporate accounts with networks of dealers, franchises, or sales representatives to place orders—as well as multiple products and services offered as part of their calendar promotion. Sigma’s reputation was bolstered by strong clientele references and testimonials. Companies were drawn to the custom calendar vendor known for high-quality products and a staff with tremendous flexibility and creativity. In an effort to distance itself from competitors, Sigma improved on the “Total Service Package,” which had become an important part of its marketing strategy. Customers were surveyed before and after they received the product, and large corporate account contacts received a visit from their account representative early in the year to review the previous year’s program and begin laying groundwork on the upcoming promotion. In addition, international promotions and shipping became important aspects of several large accounts. Account representatives began developing large corporate accounts by promoting multiple products, while some promotional items beyond calendars were produced in an effort to maintain exclusivity with a client.  The company continued to add to its list of satisfied customers such prime accounts as Unisource, xpedx, Volvo Cars, Volvo Trucks, Ditch Witch, and Enterprise Leasing. Mega-accounts also came on board, such as Yellow Freight Systems (including all of its subsidiaries) and CNH, the parent company that brought along the business of its multiple operating divisions including Case IH/Case Construction and New Holland Agricultural/New Holland Construction.  After many instances of being asked by corporate clients to include additional advertising products as companion pieces to their calendar program, management began to consider the viability of becoming an ASI (Advertising Specialty Institute) dealer distributor. The annual cost was acceptable, considering the cost savings to be realized in purchasing specialty items and specialized printing products wholesale through ASI vendors. Sigma became an ASI distributor in March of 2000, providing new and useful resources to enhance the calendar programs and meet specific needs of established customers. The ASI resources opened up new markets for additional business from many of their existing customers, without the need to aggressively sell the specialty promotions segment of business and without diluting the focus on calendar programs.  Customer demand led to changes and the expansion of the sales and administrative areas, as well as the graphics department. A stronger focus on the service aspect of the business was a strategic move for the sales and administrative areas, resulting in the creation of a dedicated customer service department. Sigma also saw tremendous growth in its graphics capabilities—a response to the major technical changes in the printing industry itself, as well as the needs of its customers.  Despite the additional staff and resources, the demand from program accounts was so great that the company was in danger of overselling its production capabilities. Recognizing that possibility, Sigma became more selective in its marketing efforts for program accounts. The company also began to reevaluate the potential of smaller, easy-to-produce, and profitable “Salesbuilder” calendar orders as a product to be marketed on their corporate e-commerce website, suitable for smaller companies that could not support a completely customized program.  Linking Technology to the Marketing Program  In the late 1980s and early 1990s, Sigma offered limited in-house design/layout services. Prior to desktop publishing, type was set, paste-ups were created, and film was shot manually on a camera. Graphic needs beyond the company’s capabilities were outsourced to service bureaus. Even though Sigma’s capabilities were limited, very few of its customers had complex needs or technologically capable marketing departments.  With the onset of the digital age, Sigma’s technology was forced to change. Sigma’s prepress capabilities were transformed over a 10-year period. Graphics workstations became an integral part of the business, with increasing storage capacity and applications to handle larger and more complex files. In the mid-1990s, a digital image setter replaced the old camera and film technology. That evolved in less than 10 years to a direct-to-plate workflow with color management, digital color proofing, and multiplatform capability. Photos are now almost completely digital—scanning is becoming a thing of the past—and many customers have their own in-house design and graphics staff that work closely with Sigma’s graphics department. The sophisticated technology created the need for advanced training and continued education and upgrades. Sigma’s management has maintained a commitment to stay in the forefront of graphics technology through strong staffing and investment in equipment and software applications.  The mid-1990s also ushered in the company’s Internet presence and online capabilities. A corporate identity on the Internet is absolutely essential in today’s marketplace, and Sigma has taken the additional steps to utilize the Internet for e-commerce, namely product promotion and ordering capabilities. Many of the company’s larger clients demand online ordering and communications with their networks in order to maintain their accounts.  Upgrading technology on the administrative side has allowed the company to better serve its customers. A centralized file and information system has integrated many previously separate functions and increased flexibility among the staff. Sigma is now online with several transportation companies, making package tracking an easy task. The company has added many features with the improved technology, such as direct invoicing, credit card sales, digital faxing, and proofing online or via e-mail.  Sigma’s Current and Future Marketing Strategy  During Sigma’s expansion period, Don began to turn over the daily operations of the business to his son Mike. In early 1996, the transition was complete, with Mike in full charge of the business. Don has retired but remains chairman of the board, acting in an advisory capacity. Stock was purchased back from Don’s attorney/colleague who had invested in the company many years ago, and Sigma issued stock to key employees, creating a greater sense of ownership and commitment to the business. A major concern was to develop personnel strategies and a succession plan in the event of Mike’s death or disability. Key employees with long tenure will soon be considering retirement, and the skills held by management and key employees would need to be taught and transferred to newer employees. In 2007, a succession plan was developed for the company to ensure its continuation.  In 2009, Jeff Sapit joined Sigma as marketing production manager, the third generation of his family to become involved in the business. Jeff has a different educational background focusing more on management and marketing. While his father Mike Sapit’s college education was in graphic arts—and initially he was much more concerned with operations and production—Jeff brings a perspective to the firm that differs from both his father and grandfather. Mike’s goal is to allow his son considerable freedom in contributing to the strategic plans on Sigma. Mike wants to allow Jeff to apply his education and experience in developing new products and expanding Sigma’s markets.  Annual marketing meetings have been scheduled each year since 1991 for staff members to meet and review the past year, addressing and solving both internal and external problems. The meetings encourage teamwork, foster company loyalty, and increase employees’ knowledge about Sigma’s status in the marketplace. In addition to the business meetings, the company has also conducted a number of pleasure trips for employees (sometimes with their spouses and/or families) to promote stronger personal relationships and interaction. The employees have visited a number of resort complexes and major cities, and even sailed together on a cruise ship to the Caribbean. These events have contributed to a strong sense of community and teamwork among the employees. Sigma has constructed a diverse team of people with a wide range of skills, each playing a key role in the overall success of the company. Sapit believes that the knowledge and skills of his employees are an important part of what gives Sigma its edge.  One of Sigma’s many strengths is the ability to understand market opportunities and to develop and continue to adapt its strategic focus. This ability has enabled the company to maintain a 90 percent repeat customer rate. As the environment changes, Sigma gathers information from existing and potential customers to develop the most effective marketing strategy. For example, as more companies became concerned about sustainability issues, particularly renewable resources, Sigma responded. In 2008, Sigma became a Chain-of-Custody (CoC) certified company with the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)—a designation that ensures the integrity of the paper supply chain (forest to mill) by certifying that the paper used by Sigma comes from responsibly managed forests. The following year, the company became certified with the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) and the Program for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC). CoC certification was a response to the demands of Sigma’s customers and the company’s own desires to reduce its environmental impact. However, in 2015 Sigma determined that the certifications were unnecessary due to a lack of need by its clientele as well as its ability to utilize Sigma Graphic certifications. This allowed Sigma to keep costs down and save on internal administration resources.  The latest recession led to changes for both Sigma and its competitors. It hit the customized calendar industry particularly hard as companies began to reduce their salesforces and cut their marketing budgets. The rising use of social media also led to a decrease in demand. More than 7 years later, the customized calendar industry has not fully recovered to prerecession levels, with many organizations opting to go with less-customized calendars to avoid spending as much money on elements such as photo shoots. Several of Sigma’s major competitors underwent mergers, reducing their sales staff in the process. This downsizing also impacted the customized calendar industry. Because many of Sigma’s customers are extremely loyal to the company, most stayed with the firm but decreased the volume of their orders due to the economic crunch.  These changing environmental conditions have once again led Sigma to adapt its strategy. Sigma responded to these changes by focusing more on regular commercial printing services for the market. For instance, Sigma offers printing services for promotional materials such as letterhead, envelopes, business cards, three-part forms, and other general commercial needs. Within the last 3 years, Sigma has purchased two printing companies to expand its operations. These two acquired companies are used solely for production and have no retail walk-in. Sigma also made the decision to become more self-reliant by purchasing more equipment so the company could rely less on its vendors. This equipment consists of color digital laser prod

MSL Exercice

 

Use Microsoft WORD to create an exercise with references.  Format the page appropriately.  Use MLA Style. There should be no title page to this short exercise. Appropriate format must be used.

Replace the [1] and [2] with the appropriate references.  There should be 2 pages when completed. Use what you have learned.