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Case Assignment 1
Student Name
College Name
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Introduction
Starting out as an employee benefit of the National Cash Register Company in 1954, the
NCR Country Club has hosted some very popular events. These events include the 1996 PGA
Championship, the 1986 U.S. Open, and the 1988 U.S. Mid-Amateur. The 6,358-yard par 70
course has been ranked as one of the top one hundred courses in the United States by Golf
Digest. In 1997, NCR Corporation was purchased by AT&T. AT&T renovated the facility into a
more luxurious club. In 1998, AT&T separated itself of NCR and the NCR Country Club
executed a membership campaign to attract new members. NCR Country Club had moderate
success reaching the goal of 680 golf memberships and attracting social memberships. “Golf is
the eleventh most popular sport in the United States, and during the last quarter of the twentieth
century the number of golfers increased four times faster than the nation's population, from 10
million to more than 25 million, (Napton & Laingen, 2008).” With golf growing in leaps and
bounds, one would think golf memberships would be increasing. Due to the lack of
memberships, NCR Country club hired the McMahon Group to help with strategic planning.
McMahon Group focuses its business on working with golf clubs and full-service golfing
facilities.
Build the management-research question hierarchy, through the investigative questions
stage.
The management-research question hierarchy begins with the management dilemma. This
is usually simple to identify because it is the matter causing the most difficulties for the business.
Management Dilemma: NCR County Club’s golf and social memberships need to
increase.
Management Questions:
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oIn what ways can NCR Country Club increase golf and social
memberships?
oWhat is keeping new members from joining NCR Country Club?
Research Questions:
oWhat amenities do other privately owned country clubs offer compared to
NCR Country Club?
oWhat amenities can NCR Country Club add to attract more members?
oWhere do NCR Country Club’s membership prices compare to other
privately owned country clubs in the area?
oHow can hosting the PGA, U.S. Open, and U.S. Mid-Amateur events in
the 1980s and 1990s be used in advertising to attract more memberships?
oWhat can NCR Country Club do to attract sport tourists? “The current
growth of sport tourism infrastructure and sport tourism research suggests
that sport tourism has reached critical mass, (Gibson, 2008).”
Investigative Questions:
oHow satisfied are current members with the service provided by the staff?
oHow satisfied are current members with the amenities offered by the club?
oHow can we survey nonmembers to determine what attracts them to other
clubs?
oHow can we find out the costs and dues nonmembers are willing to pay if
more amenities are added?
oIs there a missing market that NCR Country Club is missing out on?
Then compare your list with the measurement questions asked
Upon comparing my list with the measurement questions asked, I believe they are on the
same path. My questions focus on current memberships, the satisfaction of current members with
the amenities offered, cost of memberships compared to other facilities, and the quality of
service received by the staff. I did add in a question about NCR Country Club benefiting from
sport tourism, which was not in the measurement questions. Also, tapping into markets that NCR
Country Club may be missing. For example, opening the dining hall up to more corporate events,
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weddings, and other social gatherings. Nonmembers attending these events may decide to join
after visiting. All of this focuses on the main dilemma which is, how NCR Country club
increases both golf and social memberships.
Given the research questions, how appropriate were the measurement questions?
The questions assembled by NCR Country Club and McMahon Group were well thought
out. The questions and answers will provide useful information as the research continues into the
best course of action to take towards increasing membership numbers. The measurement
questions were very appropriate and focused on providing the information needed to solve the
management dilemma. The survey asked questions about additional amenities, such as a
swimming pool and spa. These amenities could be used to attract more members in the future.
I think more emphasis should be placed on advertising the club’s participation in the PGA
Championship and the U.S. Open. Those are great accomplishments for any country club. These
past events should be advertised and used to attract more members and increase sports tourism to
the club. The brand and image of a destination can become intricately linked to the sport event.
For example, Augusta, Georgia is linked to the Masters Golf Championship (Turco, 2012). These
types of sporting events not only have a positive impact on the hosting club, but also the
economy of the surrounding communities. If NCR Country Club has a positive impact on the
surrounding communities, this in turn could make more locals want to become members to see
what all the hype is about.
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References
Gibson, H. J. (1998). Sport Tourism: A Critical Analysis of Research. Sport Management
Review, 1(1), 45-76. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S1441-3523 (98)70099-3
Napton, D. E., & Laingen, C. R. (2008). Expansion of golf courses in the United States. The
Geographical Review, 98(1), 24+.
