COMM1110 Evidence-Based Problem Solving

Assessment 3: Case project part 1

Guideline and Marking Rubric

Due date: Week 5, 11:59 am (Midday), Friday 21 March

Project Overview

Assume in February 2025, you are participating in a student internship program at Deloitte, a leading consulting and accounting firm in Australia.

Your client, FreshGreen Grocery, a Sydney-based  supermarket chain, is grappling  with  a significant issue: a sharp rise in food waste, particularly in its seafood and prepared meals sections. FreshGreen Grocery is keen to understand the root causes of this waste and is looking for actionable recommendations to address the problem.

The store offers a variety of seafood, including fish and shrimps, as well as prepared meals like sandwiches, salads, and ready-to-eat dishes. Due to their perishable nature, these items have a relatively short shelf life. The increasing food waste is not only leading to financial losses but also raising environmental concerns for FreshGreen Grocery.

Your primary task is to prepare an initial business analysis report on the rise in food waste within FreshGreen Grocery’s fresh food section. This report will serve as the basis for an internal discussion before presenting the findings and recommendations to FreshGreen Grocery.

•   Analytical: Identify potential factors contributing to food waste

•   Statistical: Analyse FreshGreen Grocery’s food waste data

•    Ethics: Assess the key ethical dilemmas

• Word Limit: 1,500 words with a 10% buffer, allowing for a maximum of 1,650 words without penalty. There's no minimum word requirement, so any word count below 1,650 is acceptable.

• Word Count Rule – everything in your report, such as headings, subheadings, and in-text citations, contribute to the word count, except for the reference list (bibliography), and any inserted screenshots or images. Use your Word document's built-in word count feature to check your word count accurately.

• Structure and Format: No need to include an introduction or executive summary. Start your report directly with Section 1. Write in a formal style. (e.g., using an essay format, formal language, headings, and subheadings to make your report clear and easy to read). Ensure you include your full name and student ID in the footer of each page.

• Referencing Style. While referencing is optional, if you choose to cite external information, adhere to the Harvard referencing style. for anything cited in your report. ( How to Cite Different Sources with Harvard Referencing | UNSW Australia)

• We recommend that you use UNSW OneDrive to store your document online as a backup, in case you experience any technical issues with your computer.

Section 1: Use Analytical Tools to Explore the Main Problem (40%)

This section is approximately 600 words (guide only, not a word limit).

1) Define the Main Problem: Define the main problem concisely to provide clarity on the main issue requiring resolution for this assignment. Ensure that your report readers grasp a clear understanding of the background story and the primary focus of your report.

2) Scope the Problem: Based on what we've learned in lectures and tutorials, use the "5Ws Framework" to further analyse the problem. Select any two of the 'W's, and for each one, create three questions that explore different aspects of the issue. Then, identify the evidence needed to collect in order to answer each question. For each piece of evidence, specify the type of evidence required (e.g., Scientific Literature, Organizational Evidence, Practitioner Expertise, or Stakeholder Evidence).

Instruction: Please use the table below to answer the question. All content within the 2W table will count toward the 1,500-word limit. Therefore, please integrate the 2W table directly into your report and present your response as text.

3) Break  Down the  Problem: The  "Logic  Tree"  is  another  tool  commonly  used  to  analyse problems. Based on what we've learned in lectures and tutorials, construct a logic tree to systematically break the problem down into its key sub-parts to pinpoint specific areas of concern and identify the key factors contributing to the food waste issue.

Instruction:

a) The logic tree needs to meet the Mutually Exclusive, Collectively Exhaustive   (MECE) Requirements. You can create the logic tree using PowerPoint (instruction video available in Week 2's folder on Moodle) or any other tool you prefer. Ensure that all details in your logic tree are clearly visible. Marks may be deducted if your tutor cannot read the details due to blurriness. Please attach your logic tree as an image to your report. The logic tree image will NOT count towards the word limit.

b) Prioritisation: Determine and justify which branches and/or sub-branches of your logic tree should be prioritized for further analysis. Provide a thorough explanation of your analytical process and clearly articulate the rationale behind your choices. This prioritization will serve as a guide for your data analysis in the subsequent stages.

Section 2: Data and Statistical Analysis (40%):

This section is approximately 600 words (guide only, not a word limit).

Context: FreshGreen Grocery has identified that a substantial portion of the increase in food waste is due to an abundance of Seafood and Prepared meals reaching their expiration dates before being sold. FreshGreen Grocery has shared a dataset with you, concentrating on these two food items. A detailed description of the dataset is provided onpage6 and 7.

Order Details: Each record in the Excel dataset represents a single order, comprising 200 pre- packed Seafood and Prepared meals. The dataset provides insights into the quantities wasted due to items remaining unsold before expiration date.

FreshGreen  Grocery  Target:  FreshGreen  Grocery’s  food  waste  allowance  percentage  for Seafood is capped at 7.5%, implying that in any given order of 200 pre-packed Seafood items, a maximum of 15 items should be wasted due to reaching expiration before being sold. The waste percentage for Prepared meals is capped at 12% (a maximum of 24 Items per order).

FreshGreen Grocery's Operation: When orders arrive atthe FreshGreen Grocery store, they are initially placed in the storage area before being stocked on the shelves for sale. Operational protocols are implemented to optimize the availability of fresh products to customers while minimizing waste due to expiration.

• For Seafood: Target is to have the items on the shelf for at least 7 days before the expiry date, given an expiration date of 12 days post-arrival at the storage area.

• For Prepared meals: Target is to have the items on the shelf for at least 6 days before the expiry date, given an expiration date of 8 days post-arrival at the storage area.

Data and Statistical Analysis Instructions:

1) Analyse Food Waste:

a) Summary Statistics: Calculate the mean and standard deviation of food waste (variable "Quantity_Wasted") separately for Seafood and Prepared meals. Next, compare these results with FreshGreen Grocery’s food waste allowance target.

b) Monthly Analysis: Based on what we learnt from our tutorials, creating PivotTable in Excel to conduct a separate monthly analysis of Seafood and Prepared meals waste, using the "Order_Arrival_Date" column to determine the order month. The primary objective is to  illustrate the changes in Seafood and Prepared meals waste monthly. Choose suitable diagrams to present your analysis effectively in your report.

2)   Investigate Shelf Lifespan

FreshGreen Grocery suspects that logistic issues may be causing delays in moving items from storage to the shelves. This delay could reduce the display time of food items, contributing to increased food waste due to items reaching their expiration dates before being sold.

Create a new variable: Create a new column called "Shelf_Lifespan" to calculate the number of days each order remains on the shelf before reaching its expiration date.

Shelf_Lifespan = “Order_ Expiration_Date” – “Shelf_Stocking_Date”

Conduct a monthly analysis of  "Shelf_Lifespan"  for both Seafood and Prepared Meals separately. Calculate the mean and standard deviation (SD) of "Shelf_Lifespan" for each month within each category. Focus on how these two key summary statistics vary on a month- to-month basis. You may use pivot tables or other relevant diagrams to visually represent your findings. Ensure that your report includes a clear summary of the main insights.

If you encounter the "#VALUE!" issue while creating the new column,click here for solution

3) Analyse “Number of Orders” and “Prices”

a)  Use a pivot table to count the number of orders each month for Seafood and  Prepared Meals separately. Provide a detailed explanation of your analysis and select appropriate diagrams to illustrate the monthly trends in the "total number of orders" for both Seafood and Prepared Meals separately.

b)  Analyse the monthly trends in "prices" for Seafood and Prepared  Meals separately. Calculate the mean and standard deviation (SD) for each month within each category. Select appropriate diagrams to present your findings, and provide a detailed explanation of your analysis, focusing on how price trends may affect food waste.

c)   Let’s conduct a further analysis of the monthly trends in "prices" for Seafood and Prepared Meals separately. In addition to the standard deviation and average, select one or two other descriptive statistics (such as those discussed in our tutorials and lectures) for analysis. Choose appropriate diagrams to present your findings and provide a clear explanation of how these insights are relevant to addressing the issue of food waste.

Section 3: Ethical Dilemmas with the Ethics Toolbox (20%)

This section is approximately 300 words (guide only, not a word limit).

FreshGreen Grocery is considering offering discounts on near-expiry products, encouraging both customers and local food banks to purchase them at a reduced price. While this strategy aims to minimize waste and promote affordable food access, some employees are concerned that it could damage the store’s reputation and erode customer trust. Others worry about the potential health risks of selling these products, even if they are still safe for consumption.

Your task is to select one stakeholder impacted by FreshGreen Grocery's policy. Stakeholders may include FreshGreen Grocery, consumers, the local council, community organizations such  as shelters, food banks, or product manufacturers.

Identify one ethical dilemma faced by your chosen stakeholder in relation to this policy, assess the potential harm to individuals or entities (such as the environment, consumer safety, or local organizations), and elaborate on your reasoning, focusing on the ethical considerations of the   identified dilemma within the context of FreshGreen Grocery’s food waste issue.

Instruction: You are NOT required to apply the full “7-step Ethical Decision-making Framework”; your task is to identify one potential ethical dilemma from the perspective of your chosen stakeholder. You can consider using the 4 ethical lenses taught in our week 4 lecture and tutorials.