Quantitative Methods - research paper

1. The project needs to have a ''Problem"" to be resolved (What is the problem?)/survey technique

2. Define the population

3. Development the research question

4. Presentation Of final:

* Cover page

*Abstract - No more than 120 words. Use key words.

*Introduction

* Part I

* Part II

*Part III/V

*Conclusion

*References (at least 10, it is not necessary more than 10)

20% maximum of citations

Maximum length 15/16 pages full project/ 10 pages parts I to V

STEPS

1. (P) PROBLEM

2. (P) PLAN

3. (D) DATA - SECONDARY DATA?? How many restaurants have done this kind of training? Did it work? Look for another business in the same segment to compare.

4. (A) ANALYSIS

5. (C) CONCLUSIONS

STAGES SELECTING OF A SAMPLE

1. Define the target population

2. Select a sampling frame

3. Determine if a probability or nonprobability sampling methods will be chosen

4. Plan procedure for selecting simple units

5. Determine sample size

6. Select actual sampling units

FIRST PART – THE RESEARCH SCENARIO

We are the management group of three high-end Italian-food restaurants distributed in South Beach, Aventura and Brickell, employing 25 waiters all of whom work on-site. We have been in the business for the past five years making good profit, but after been analyzing the new market of Miami and to see where we would like to be positioned in the industry within the next three years, we had reach to the conclusion that there is more room to keep growing, so we had a meeting where we used the brainstorming method to come up with fresh ideas. One of the most important question that came up in the meeting to increase the revenues was, how can we do to increase the average check of the customers? This question took us to set a new short-term goal, increase the average check. There are some different ways to do it, but the most applicable, reachable, easier and with a win-win way for our servers’ staff to be motivated and reach the goal was increase the knowledge about the different types of wines.

After agreeing to aim for the goal through this way, we needed to train our staff, which will not be easy because they will have to come to the trainings before the shift being motivated and willing to learn. We convinced them that this training not only will enrich their career in the hospitality industry, but also, it will serve them in life, because knowing about wine is a tool which you can use it for example when you go out to have a dinner and discuss business with a probably investor, partner, etc.

The process we established was, first, we hired a sommelier (man who knows everything about wine) whose was going to be in charge of doing the training. Then, he will do a test before the training for our servers with the purpose to know how is their current knowledge about wines (red wine, white wine, champagne) where he divided in different categories to attend to different classes based in the knowledge they had. Subsequently, the training was presented in three categories once a week for the next eight weeks. Once the training is over, they will be conducting another assessment to categorize them into different levels of knowledge, where the best will serve the best tables in the restaurants (this means having the best clientele and consequently more money for the worker). This is because the best middlemen are more able to sell more wine, to create a better customer relationship because they are more knowledgeable about wine. For example, which region the wine is from, which menu item will best match, what its taste, history and other related thing.

This could sound meaningless but the clients after having this experience where he is able to see how informed are the workers at the restaurant, how good are the recommendations they received, they will talk to their friends and will recommend to come to visit the place and will be more likely to spend more money.

PROBLEM STATED BY THE GROUP

The business is not selling so much wine as it could because the waiters are not properly trained to sell it. They (the waiters) have lack of knowledge about the wine, they don’t know from where it comes, which grapes they are done, resulting in lost profit and not satisfaction by consumers Comment by Adriana Rigotti: This is your problem. . . . Who are they? Waiters How would you provide an adequate solution? Training

Purpose Comment by Adriana Rigotti: What is the difference between white and red wine?

Offer the waiters an adequate training to leverage their knowledge about wine.

QUESTIONS THAT WE SHOULD DO AND ANSWER

1. How are we going to train our staff? What is the solution?

2. Use descriptive Statistics (use chart name brand, quality and cost. It is below)

3. We are measuring our staff in level 1, 2 and 3, based on their knowledge about wine thought the questionnaire.

4. We should, by database, find out companies in the same field that recently have done this kind of research and training and compare with our business.

QUESTIONNAIRE that should be answered by waiters. We should choose 5 to 6 questions to be answered. Comment by Adriana Rigotti: How would you compare wine brands one over the other?

1. What is corked wine?

2. Why does wine get its tannins from?

3. Why should you swirl a wine before smelling it?

4. How do red grapes make white wines?

5. What kind/taste of wine fits better with meat?

6. What kind/taste of wine fits better with pasta?

7. In which French wine region, you can find a grape Chardonnay?

8. Why are the traditional 5 Bordeaux Grapes?

9. Chablis is made from which grape?

10. What are the 3 grapes that go into making Champagne?

11. The process of making Champagne is called?

12. What is a Blanc de Blanc Champagne?

13. What is a Blanc the Noir Champagne?

14. Name New Zealand 3 main grapes varieties

15. What’s the difference between Pouilly Fume and Pouilly Fuisse?

16. Which Valley in France is Sancerre located?

17. Name 1 major wine producing region in Argentina.

Wine

Brand Name	Quality	Cost

Cost Volume Profit Analysis (CVP)

Number of units – assign a cost value?

Revenue = Cost

Why does variable cost per unit stay the same but total cost varies with the number of units you produce?

 How do you choose what activity base to use?

 Why does fixed cost remain the same in total dollar amount but increase or decrease per unit as the level of activity changes?

 What do increases in fixed cost do to break-even analysis?

What do increases in variable cost do to break-even analysis?

Pricing?