In Chapter 3 (Scanning the Marketing Environment), we learned how environmental trends could affect marketing. These trends typically arise from different 5 sources: social, economic, technological, competitive, and regulatory forces. Anticipating and responding to changes in these forces would mean the difference between marketing success and failure. For example, from technological forces, the technology of tomorrow and the internet of things (loT) have dramatically impacted customer value while more and more marketing organizations are using data analytics to create a sophisticated on-line marketspace in more ways than previously thought possible. On the flip side, there are organizations who are impacted negatively by technological forces and changes. Many of these organizations face business problems and challenges related to these technological advances.

In this assignment, your task is to identify a business organization that has a central business problem arising from any one of the 5 environmental forces (social, economic, technological, competitive, or regulatory forces). Using the on-line secondary research methods taught in Chapter 8 (Marketing Research), your goal is to investigate and identify possible solutions that could resolve the problems or challenges faced by the business organization. Review the following research initiatives and work on the associated class assignment tasks: Research Initiatives Class Assignment Tasks Identification of the central business problem and associated technological issues. 1. Perform environmental scanning and identify a business organization that has a business problem related to trends in any one of the 5 environmental forces. Recognition of multiple causal factors involved in a problem situation. 2. List all possible or likely factors that have caused this problem to arise in the business organization. Correct usage of theories, methods, systems, and technologies to address the problem. 3. Based on the Secondary Research methodology (such as on-line databases and internet resources) taught in class, investigate how this business problem could be resolved from your research findings. Generation of plausible alternative solutions to solve the problem. 4. Based on your research findings, generate alternative solutions to solve this business problem and propose (or recommend) solutions that would solve the business problem. Provides persuasive arguments and evidence in support of proposed solutions. 5. In your paper, provide and justify persuasive arguments or evidence in support of your proposed solutions (or recommendations). Based on the class assignment tasks (1 to 5), prepare a written report as your submission. Format: Typewritten, double- spaced, 12-point font, Times New Roman/Arial/Calibri. Submission: This report, in a Word Doc or PDF format, must be submitted to your instructor via Blackboard. Your type-written assignment paper should be at least 2 pages in length. Your paper will be graded according to the grading rubrics as shown in the next page. For your secondary information research: a) Use any secondary research methods (or sources) of your choice. b) Be mindful about accuracy, currency and dependability of your researched information or data. c) List all your sources of information and/or data in your report (exclusive of the minimum 2-page write up).