Writing Homework Help

In this Module you are going to analyze Aqualisa Quartz’s strategic marketing decisions from around 2001. This example is clearly older, but it provides a good example of the value and importance of considering how various strategic marketing decisions work together to impact an organization’s performance.

Another way this assignment is different, is that it requires you to read a comprehensive case and decide what information is needed to answer a set of specific questions.

This type of case analysis is different from the other types of writing assignments you may see in this class and other MBA classes.
In particular, the answer to a given case question is not always explicitly stated in the case. Some answers will require additional calculations, logical assumptions, and critical evaluation of information that is given in order to arrive at a correct answer.

Here, I provide some additional information regarding how to answer case questions when the answer is not explicitly sated in the case. I use question 1b in Writing Assignment 3 as an example.

In question 1b, you have to identify each segment’s motivation for purchasing a new shower. Here, you need to make some assumptions and combine different pieces of information to arrive at an answer.

What the case tell us:

• We know that “showers break after a while” (case, p. 2), and approximately 50% of shower sales are replacements (case, Exhibit 3).
• We also know, “the premium segment typically shopped in showrooms” (case, p.2) and that showroom consultants “typically led consumers through the process of selecting and designing a bathroom ‘solution'” (case, p. 4), where the bathroom solution was part of a renovation project (case, p. 4).

From this, we have to fill in some gaps to answer question 1b, which asks you to describe each consumer segment’s ” usual motivation for purchasing a shower (e.g., replace a broken shower, install a new shower, etc.)”:

• Based on what the case tells us, what type of motivation do you think the standard and value/DIY consumers have – to replace a broken shower or to renovate/build a new shower? Do you think the average premium consumer has the same motivation, or is it different?

I know that it can be challenging, at times, to answer case questions that do not have explicit and straight-forward answers in the case, and I hope this example helps you work through your case analysis.

Why do I assign case questions that do not have an explicit answer provided in the assigned case?

While they can sometimes be challenging, using/answering case questions that do not have explicit answers are one way to help us exercise and strengthen our critical thinking skills, which is part of the learning goals for the USI MBA program.