Data analytics is the process of examining data sets in order to draw conclusions about the information they contain. If you have not completed any of the prior data analytics cases, follow the instructions listed in the Chapter 1 Data Analytics case to get set up. You will need to watch the videos referred to in the Chapters 1 - 3 Data Analytics cases. No additional videos are required for this case. All short training videos can be found here: https://www.tableau.com/learn/training#getting-started. 

In this case you are seeking to gain insight into the relative demand for the company’s products in various regions of the country and various states in which it sells. Your focus is on assessing the company’s inventory management relative to regional and local demand. 

Required: 

Use Tableau to calculate (a) additional markup percentage and (b) markdown percentage ratios for the company in each of the five regions of the country designated in the company’s data base and in each of the states in which the company sells products. Calculate the ratios as the additional markup or markdown amounts as a percentage of sales. (A more precise measure that would produce similar results would replace sales in the ratio denominator with the original selling price of both sales and unsold inventory.) Based upon what you find, answer the following questions: 

1. Which of the five regions’ operations has the most favorable inventory management relative to demand as measured by the additional markup percentage ratio and what is that ratio (to the nearest one-tenth of a percent)? 

2. Which of the five regions’ operations has the least favorable inventory management relative to demand as measured by markdown percentage ratio and what is that ratio (to the nearest one-tenth of a percent)? To view the state inventory management results more clearly, highlight the column “Additional Markup %” in the “Inventory Management by State” column and sort from largest to smallest. You can answer problem 4 below by following the same procedure for the “Markdown %” column. 

3. Which state’s operations has the most favorable inventory management relative to demand as measured by additional markup percentage ratio and what is that ratio (to the nearest one-tenth of a percent)? 

4. Which state’s operations has the least favorable inventory management relative to demand as measured by markdown percentage ratio and what is that ratio (to the nearest one-tenth of a percent)?