Question 1

a.    2 marks for a form of collaboration that matches the justification, 5 marks for an adequate

justification The collaboration must be between KR and its client, as specified in the question. Any of the 3 forms of collaboration are applicable, but only award full marks if the form of collaboration matches with the justification.

Examples:

Form of Collaboration: Communication

Justification: This happens when the client places an order. It is a form of communication because it involves an exchange of information between the parties. OR

Form of Collaboration: Cooperation

Justification: The client submits the order’s specifications and KR acknowledges receipt and charges a deposit. This involves two parties working together towards an objective. OR

Form of Collaboration: Coordination

Justification: Once the production has completed, the customer is notified so that they can get ready for pick-up/delivery. This involves two parties working together on sequential tasks.

b.    Again, answers must be about KR and its client working together, as specified in the question.

For each example, specify the actual digital technology that have/may have been used, and   how the use of such technology can be helpful to the business. (7 marks. 1 for each example, 1.5 for each technology used, and 1 for each helpfulness.)

Example:

Example of Communication: Client placing an order

Digital technology used/may have been used: KR’s ordering website

Helpfulness of such technology: Orders can be placed with details recorded in real time. This technology streamlines the ordering process, minimising repetition of data entry which reduces the chances of mistakes and saves time.

Example of Workflow Management: Facilitation of order delivery/pick-up. Digital technology used/may have been used: Progress tracking system that alerts the client when the order is completed and ready for delivery/pick-up.

Helpfulness of such technology: The process can be automated, which saves manual work. Automated process be faster, while human errors can be reduced.

Question 2

Mark allocations:

a.    Is such website a TPS, Database, or a DSS in KR’s System? Explain your answer with specific details. (4 marks. One for the system, three for the explanation)

b.    Suggest and describe an alternative non-digital way for KR’s clients to place their orders. (4 marks – a detailed and specific description is needed)

c.    By specifically referring to the Pros and Cons of digitisation covered in class, describe ONE advantage and ONE disadvantage of the non-digital ordering method suggested in part b,   over the digital way described in the Exam Case. (6 marks – 3 for each point. Answer must be relevant to the answer from part b)

Example:

TPS, Database, or DSS: The website is a TPS, because its responsibility is to collect data from the users (including the users’ details and the specifications of the order). Such collected data is to be stored into KR’s database.

An alternative non-digital way: The client may call a sales representative. The sales rep can then record the client’s details and the specifications of the order using pen-and paper. Such collected data may then be copied into a notebook containing all existing orders.

One advantage: All sensitive and confidential data are recorded on single sheets of order forms/order record notebooks. It is not as easy to copy or access (if it is properly locked away) than the digital version of records.

One disadvantage: Non-digital records are not as easy to share among departments. Manual copying/quoting, photocopying, scans, fax may be required with higher chances of mistakes and/or inconsistencies.

Question 3

Mark Allocations:

a.    Define a formula for Cell E9, using one of the Excel functions covered in this course, so that   the correct sales rep’s name will appear when different clients’ names are entered in Cell C9. (8 marks. One for the correct function used, one mark for the lookup value, and two marks    for each of the rest of the correct values in the function)

b.   This is an example of using cell references. If the user has to manually look up from the table and type in the corresponding values into Cells E9 and D10 instead, suggest two potential      Principles of Quality of Data violations. Justify your suggestions. (4 marks. One for each          violation and one for each justification)

Example:

Excel Formula: =VLOOKUP(C9,A3:C7,3,FALSE)

Potential Violation 1: Uniqueness

Justification: If the values were manually re-entered into different cells, there exists duplications, thus the Uniqueness principle is violated.

Justification: Repeated manual data entry involves chances of typographical errors which may result in inconsistencies between different entries.

Note: Other potential principle violations are also acceptable as long as they are relevant for this context. Marks should not be given if the described potential violations are too generic or if it is not relevant to the context.

Question 4: Data mining question (19 Marks)

(a)  When existing customers sign into their KinaRoad account, the site recommends potential surfboard bundle deals based on the customers’ previous orders and delivery preferences.

o Using the above information, what type of analytics is being performed? Justify your answer. (4 marks)

1 Suggested Answer:

•    Prescriptive Analytics (2 marks).

•    Because the system is not only using predictive analytics to work out what it should suggest to the customer, but it also goes a step            further by actually recommending the bundle deals to the customer on the site based on this (2 marks).

o If they mention that it’s providing more/higher value that’s good also.

(b)  By looking through sales information, KinaRoad’s COO, Amy, notes how their primary          customers are either wealthy global surfboard brands who order in large quantities, or less wealthy small local companies with low quantity orders.

o What data mining technique has been used in this situation? Explain how this            technique is useful by providing 2 specific recommendations for the company – one for each group of customer. (10 marks)

1 Copy and paste the following answer template into the answer area, and type in your answers accordingly:

1 Suggested Answer:

• Relevant Data Mining Technique: Cluster Analysis/Segmentation (must mention Cluster Analysis for full marks) (2 marks).

• Recommendation for how KR should deal with their Global Surfboard Brand customers and how this highlights the technique as useful:

o Potential Recommendations (2 marks. NOTE: award 1 mark if it’s a one-sentence answer lacking detail. Award another mark depending on how detailed it is/if it draws upon the fact that they are wealthy/global/order in large

quantities). Example answers include:

1 As they are WEALTHY, up-sell and price the bundles slightly higher to maximise profit from them.

1 As they order in large quantities provide them with discounts if they buy even larger quantities.

1 Provide long-term deals/arrangements that ensure future business.

1 Provide discounted delivery as they are a primary source of revenue for KR.

1 Provide them with consultations (that cost money) to discuss how they can expand and get their global brand even further around the world with KR’s help.

1 Anything you see fit that makes sense with the fact

that they are wealthy/order in large quantities/are a global brand

o (potential answers for) How this highlights the technique as useful (2 marks. NOTE: award up to 2 marks depending on how detailed/complete the answer is):

1 It is useful as they can have a general approach to all global surfboard brand customers instead of having  a strategy for one particular customer. Allows for efficiency in their strategy/saves resources and time. And it’s still a targeted strategy that is likely to work/grow profits.

• Recommendation for how KR should deal with their Small Local Company customers and how this highlights the technique as useful:

o Potential Recommendations (2 marks. NOTE: award 1 mark if it’s a one-sentence answer lacking detail. Award another mark depending on how detailed it is/if it draws upon the fact that they are not as wealthy/small/order in small quantities). Example answers include:

1 As they are NOT AS WEALTHY, provide DISCOUNTS to encourage them to buy more (as currently they buy in low-quantity orders).

1 Provide long-term deals that ensure future business. Make these cheaper at the start to get them started and long term make them more expensive when       they start to buy more.

1 Provide discounted delivery as they are NOT AS WEALTHY and might need to see better deals.

1 Provide them with free consultations to see how KR can help them. This encourages them to engage in   more business with KR.

1 Anything you see fit that makes sense with the fact

that they are not as wealthy/order in small quantities/are a small company.

1

o (potential answers for) How this highlights the technique as useful (2 marks. NOTE: award up to 2 marks depending on how detailed/complete the answer is):

1 It is useful as they can have a general approach to all small local company customers instead of having a    strategy for one particular customer. Allows for efficiency in their strategy/saves resources and

time. And it’s still a targeted strategy that is likely to work/grow profits.

(c) By analysing the data in KinaRoad's data warehouse it is clear that surfboard sales generally  increase during December, January and February for countries in the southern hemisphere. The remaining months tend to be more quiet.

Given the above sales trends, what specific recommendation would you make to KinaRoad to      improve their overall yearly sales? Provide 1 recommendation and justify your answer. (5 marks)

NOTE: strong answers will aim to use a different recommendation to what has already been answered in Question 4(b).

Use the following answer template to present your answer. Copy and paste the following answer template into the answer area, and type in your answers accordingly:

Suggested Answer:

Recommendation: Potential recommendations include (MAX 3 marks. NOTE: award 1-2 marks if it’s a one-sentence answer lacking detail. Award another 1-2 marks depending on how detailed it is/if it draws upon something that relates to the DEC/JAN/FEB months being busier and ALL OTHER MONTHS being more quiet):

1 As they are getting LESS BUSINESS IN OTHER             MONTHS, provide DISCOUNTS in these periods to    encourage them to buy more (as currently they buy less during these times)

1 As they are getting MORE BUSINESS IN

DEC/JAN/FEB, up-sell and sell at HIGHER PRICES in  these periods to maximise profits (as currently they buy a lot during these times).

1 Provide long-term deals that ensure future business.

•    For OTHER MONTHS: Make these cheaper    at the start to get them started and long       term make them more expensive when they start to buy more.

•    For DEC/JAN/FEB: make these more expensive as they can afford it

1 DURING DEC/JAN/FEB: Provide them with                    consultations (that cost money) to discuss how they can expand further around the world with KR’s help.

1 Provide discounted delivery during OTHER MONTHS as they don’t buy much during these times and         might need to see better deals.

1 DURING OTHER MONTHS: Provide them with free consultations to see how KR can help them. This

encourages them to engage in more business with

KR.

1 SOME STRATEGY TARGETING THE ‘NORTHERN HEMISPHERE’ INSTEAD.

1 Anything you see fit that makes sense with the fact

that EITHER (1) it’s busier during DEC/JAN/FEB or (2) it’s quieter during OTHER MONTHS

Justification: (2 marks. NOTE: award 1 mark if it’s a one-sentence answer for justification. Award ANOTHER mark if it is a complete, coherent and commercially sensible answer that sufficiently justifies why that recommendation is a good one for KR).

Question 5: (combination of DV and Risk Response): (14 marks)

(a)  DV question:

.

Using each of Tufte’s principles studied in class, critique the visualisation and      identify any potential improvements to make the visualisation better. (9 marks)

i. NOTE: students can choose any of the 3 principles in ANY order (so if they say ‘Integrity’ first that’s absolutely fine.

(1 mark)

1.    Critique based on principle (1 mark):

a.    It refers to mobile payment growth in VIETNAM and MIDDLE EAST but has all these extra countries included which reduce the effectiveness of their story.

b.    Vietnam and the Middle East aren’t don’t even have the     largest % of mobile payments when compared to China for example. This makes the story more confusing.

c.    Could have the year included in the title to make the story  more clear (i.e. that it compares 2018 to 2019 only, and we are now in 2022).

d.    Could explain somewhere what mobile payment entails    (payment for what and using what SPECIFIC elements of a mobile)? Otherwise story a bit unclear

e.    Unsure if they are trying to compare mobile payments in    ASIA as a whole (because all listed countries are from Asia) OR if they just want to compare Vietnam and Middle East.

f. Anything that makes good sense given the visualisation. Feel free to check with Josh.

2.    Potential improvement (1 mark):

a.    Remove all the extra countries and just have Vietnam and the Middle East.

b.    Confusing to have the legend for 2019 closer to the left as people read left to right. So when we look at the key some people might think the red represents 2018 and orange      represents 2019. Less confusing if the 2019 and 2018 positions in the legend were swapped around so 2018 (orange) is closer to the left instead.

c.    Could have additional information to explain what mobile payments are and for what etc.

d.    Story might be more about Mobile Payments in ASIA as a whole and if so, should have said this in the title.

e. Anything that makes good sense given the visualisation. Feel free to check with Josh.

iii.   State your second chosen principle: Integrity/The Vis should have Integrity (1 mark)

1.    Critique based on principle (1 mark):

a.    There is NO DATA SOURCE!!!

b.   They are comparing VIETNAM and THE MIDDLE EAST. So a   country and effectively a whole continent, so the integrity   might be compromised a bit as they are making the Middle- East’s growth look really large (20%) when compared to       other countries but in reality the Middle East represents      MANY countries and the growth of any one country in the   Middle East will be small when compared to Vietnam etc.

i.   So, Vietnam’s growth is likely to be a lot larger than another single country in the Middle East (as Middle East total increase was 20%).

c.    Doesn’t detail which countries are included in the Middle East. Does it involve ALL or just SOME?

d. Anything that makes good sense given the visualisation. Feel free to check with Josh.

2.    Potential improvement (1 mark):

a.    Include a data source so we can judge the integrity of the data

b.    Split up the Middle East into specific countries OR at least explain somewhere on the Vis what countries have been  included in the Middle East.

c. Anything that makes good sense given the visualisation. Feel free to check with Josh.

iv.   State your third chosen principle: Graphical Complexity/The Vis should Minimise Graphical Complexity (1 mark)

1.    Critique based on principle (1 mark):

a.    There are too many countries displayed here, overly        complex and they aren’t all needed. Increasing graphical complexity unnecessarily

b.    The colours could be better as they are quite similar. Makes it harder to read, especially for colourblind people

c.    They have greyed out Vietnam and the Middle East but wouldn’t need to do this if they got rid of the other       countries

d.    They have unnecessary words in the title. For example “Figure 4” .

e. Anything that makes good sense given the visualisation. Feel free to check with Josh.

2.    Potential improvement (1 mark):

a.    Remove the extra countries

b.    Use colourblind-friendly colours. Or dissimilar, contrasting colours

c.    Remove the greyed out part for Vietnam/Middle East.

d.    Remove the words “Figure 4” in the title.

e. Anything that makes good sense given the visualisation. Feel free to check with Josh.

b.    What Business Intelligence could a mobile payment vendor derive from this          visualisation? After explaining this, what actions could they take to improve their sales? (5 marks)

i. Suggested Answer:

1. Potential Business Intelligence (3 marks). NOTE: award higher marks here for the more creative answers. This might mean that they don’t refer to just Vietnam or the Middle East – i.e. those that talk about other countries too):

a.    Vietnam has the largest growth of any of these countries in Asia for these dates. Maybe there’s less scope for this to     grow further now

b.   While the Middle East shows large growth during these         dates, this encompasses multiple countries, so perhaps         there are good opportunities for growth in certain countries in the Middle East still.

c.    Good opportunities for growth in those countries like        Malaysia, Philippines, Russia as they are all at 45% or less.

d.    China has no change from 2018-2019 so is likely already     quite established with mobile payments. As well they have the highest at 86%.

2. How it could be actioned (depends on what Business Intelligence was discussed in the previous question – this answer needs to build off of it) (2 marks) :

a.    GENERALLY AN ANSWER will involve rolling out MORE         mobile payment vendor machines/deals in those countries with MORE SCOPE for growth (i.e. low existing mobile         payment presence)

i.   ALSO those HIGH-GROWTH countries arguably have scope for more growth as mobile payments have      just increased drastically over 2018-2019.

b.    Discounts

c.    Approaching businesses/governments in those countries

d.    Creating more software apps/options for mobile payments and advertising these in those regions.

e. Anything else you see fit.

Question 6: (combination of PM and Ethics/Security): (27 marks)

(a)  PM question:

a.    Surfboard company, Medewi Surf & Co, is considering the release of a new                 prototype surfboard that is made almost entirely from recycled plastics and               surfboards. They have engaged KinaRoad to produce these and provided them with the designs and recycled materials to do so. The surfboards will be among the most sustainable ones on the market, as they are a first of its kind.

b.    Medewi Surf & Co plans to sell a limited supply of 100 boards only. The current date is the 5th  of August 2022 and as it stands KR is scheduled to make their last shipment of boards on the 6th  of October 2022. Their first shipment will be sent to Indonesia,   and following this, it will be distributed to various surfing hot spots on Indonesia’s     many different islands. KR has contracted a delivery service provider for these            shipments, though it is a known fact that due to their more affordable price, the        provider has slower delivery times. KR normally deals with this provider to cut costs. Similarly, the provider has more limited capacity and can only take 50 boards at a      time.

c. NOTE: when answering the following questions, you must only use information in the case – do not make outside assumptions.

i.    Using the above information, explain whether the production of these boards qualify as a project for KR. (3 marks)

1. Yes (1 mark)

2.    Because this is a temporary endeavour, as they are prototyping and looking to release a limited supply of 100 surfboards. It is therefore  not repetitive. (1 mark)

3.    It is offering some unique value in that the surfboard will be a first of their kind (1 mark)

ii.   What is the time constraint? (2 marks) 2 months/2 months and a day (accept both answers). (2 marks)

iii.   The production team is running behind schedule and it becomes clear that    the KR team will not&nb