VR The Future (VRTF) is a firm specializing in virtual reality training simulations for high intensity jobs such as police, military, and other emergency personnel. VRTF’s patented system allows a controller to quickly modify aspects of a training simulation unlike any other virtual reality (VR) company. Currently, the company has 15 employees all focused on developing and marketing their patented VR system. They are divided into two primary functions, technology development and marketing. The tech team has top notch engineers working on improving and expanding their VR system. The marketing team has built a database of the purchasing agents across their main customer segments. However, VRTF has little brand awareness so the marketing team also aims to develop VRTF’s brand further. Recently, VRTF ranked 9th on the international list of Top Places to Work due to their strong, desirable corporate culture. Select one resource that has the potential to create a sustainable competitive advantage. Explain your choice. What would make the competitive advantage from this resource more or less sustainable?

VR The Future (VRTF) is a firm specializing in virtual reality training simulations for high intensity jobs such as police, military, and other emergency personnel. VRTF’s patented system allows a controller to quickly modify aspects of a training simulation unlike any other virtual reality (VR) company. Currently, the company has 15 employees all focused on developing and marketing their patented VR system. They are divided into two primary functions, technology development and marketing. The tech team has top notch engineers working on improving and expanding their VR system. The marketing team has built a database of the purchasing agents across their main customer segments. However, VRTF has little brand awareness so the marketing team also aims to develop VRTF’s brand further. Recently, VRTF ranked 9th on the international list of Top Places to Work due to their strong, desirable corporate culture. Select one resource that has the potential to create a sustainable competitive advantage. Explain your choice. What would make the competitive advantage from this resource more or less sustainable?

Practical Management Science

6th Edition

ISBN:9781337406659

Author:WINSTON, Wayne L.

Publisher:WINSTON, Wayne L.

Chapter11: Simulation Models

Section11.4: Marketing Models

Problem 30P: Seas Beginning sells clothing by mail order. An important question is when to strike a customer from...

See similar textbooks

Similar questions

The eTech Company is a fairly recent entry in the electronic device area. The company competes with Apple. Samsung, and other well-known companies in the manufacturing and sales of personal handheld devices. Although eTech recognizes that it is a niche player and will likely remain so in the foreseeable future, it is trying to increase its current small market share in this huge competitive market. Jim Simons, VP of Production, and Catherine Dolans, VP of Marketing, have been discussing the possible addition of a new product to the companys current (rather limited) product line. The tentative name for this new product is ePlayerX. Jim and Catherine agree that the ePlayerX, which will feature a sleeker design and more memory, is necessary to compete successfully with the big boys, but they are also worried that the ePlayerX could cannibalize sales of their existing productsand that it could even detract from their bottom line. They must eventually decide how much to spend to develop and manufacture the ePlayerX and how aggressively to market it. Depending on these decisions, they must forecast demand for the ePlayerX, as well as sales for their existing products. They also realize that Apple. Samsung, and the other big players are not standing still. These competitors could introduce their own new products, which could have very negative effects on demand for the ePlayerX. The expected timeline for the ePlayerX is that development will take no more than a year to complete and that the product will be introduced in the market a year from now. Jim and Catherine are aware that there are lots of decisions to make and lots of uncertainties involved, but they need to start somewhere. To this end. Jim and Catherine have decided to base their decisions on a planning horizon of four years, including the development year. They realize that the personal handheld device market is very fluid, with updates to existing products occurring almost continuously. However, they believe they can include such considerations into their cost, revenue, and demand estimates, and that a four-year planning horizon makes sense. In addition, they have identified the following problem parameters. (In this first pass, all distinctions are binary: low-end or high-end, small-effect or large-effect, and so on.) In the absence of cannibalization, the sales of existing eTech products are expected to produce year I net revenues of 10 million, and the forecast of the annual increase in net revenues is 2%. The ePIayerX will be developed as either a low-end or a high-end product, with corresponding fixed development costs (1.5 million or 2.5 million), variable manufacturing costs ( 100 or 200). and selling prices (150 or 300). The fixed development cost is incurred now, at the beginning of year I, and the variable cost and selling price are assumed to remain constant throughout the planning horizon. The new product will be marketed either mildly aggressively or very aggressively, with corresponding costs. The costs of a mildly aggressive marketing campaign are 1.5 million in year 1 and 0.5 million annually in years 2 to 4. For a very aggressive campaign, these costs increase to 3.5 million and 1.5 million, respectively. (These marketing costs are not part of the variable cost mentioned in the previous bullet; they are separate.) Depending on whether the ePlayerX is a low-end or high-end produce the level of the ePlayerXs cannibalization rate of existing eTech products will be either low (10%) or high (20%). Each cannibalization rate affects only sales of existing products in years 2 to 4, not year I sales. For example, if the cannibalization rate is 10%, then sales of existing products in each of years 2 to 4 will be 10% below their projected values without cannibalization. A base case forecast of demand for the ePlayerX is that in its first year on the market, year 2, demand will be for 100,000 units, and then demand will increase by 5% annually in years 3 and 4. This base forecast is based on a low-end version of the ePlayerX and mildly aggressive marketing. It will be adjusted for a high-end will product, aggressive marketing, and competitor behavior. The adjustments with no competing product appear in Table 2.3. The adjustments with a competing product appear in Table 2.4. Each adjustment is to demand for the ePlayerX in each of years 2 to 4. For example, if the adjustment is 10%, then demand in each of years 2 to 4 will be 10% lower than it would have been in the base case. Demand and units sold are the samethat is, eTech will produce exactly what its customers demand so that no inventory or backorders will occur. Table 2.3 Demand Adjustments When No Competing Product Is Introduced Table 2.4 Demand Adjustments When a Competing Product Is Introduced Because Jim and Catherine are approaching the day when they will be sharing their plans with other company executives, they have asked you to prepare an Excel spreadsheet model that will answer the many what-if questions they expect to be asked. Specifically, they have asked you to do the following: You should enter all of the given data in an inputs section with clear labeling and appropriate number formatting. If you believe that any explanations are required, you can enter them in text boxes or cell comments. In this section and in the rest of the model, all monetary values (other than the variable cost and the selling price) should be expressed in millions of dollars, and all demands for the ePlayerX should be expressed in thousands of units. You should have a scenario section that contains a 0/1 variable for each of the binary options discussed here. For example, one of these should be 0 if the low-end product is chosen and it should be 1 if the high-end product is chosen. You should have a parameters section that contains the values of the various parameters listed in the case, depending on the values of the 0/1 variables in the previous bullet For example, the fixed development cost will be 1.5 million or 2.5 million depending on whether the 0/1 variable in the previous bullet is 0 or 1, and this can be calculated with a simple IF formula. You can decide how to implement the IF logic for the various parameters. You should have a cash flows section that calculates the annual cash flows for the four-year period. These cash flows include the net revenues from existing products, the marketing costs for ePlayerX, and the net revenues for sales of ePlayerX (To calculate these latter values, it will help to have a row for annual units sold of ePlayerX.) The cash flows should also include depreciation on the fixed development cost, calculated on a straight-line four-year basis (that is. 25% of the cost in each of the four years). Then, these annual revenues/costs should be summed for each year to get net cash flow before taxes, taxes should be calculated using a 32% tax rate, and taxes should be subtracted and depreciation should be added back in to get net cash flows after taxes. (The point is that depreciation is first subtracted, because it is not taxed, but then it is added back in after taxes have been calculated.) You should calculate the company's NPV for the four-year horizon using a discount rate of 10%. You can assume that the fixed development cost is incurred now. so that it is not discounted, and that all other costs and revenues are incurred at the ends of the respective years. You should accompany all of this with a line chart with three series: annual net revenues from existing products; annual marketing costs for ePlayerX; and annual net revenues from sales of ePlayerX. Once all of this is completed. Jim and Catherine will have a powerful tool for presentation purposes. By adjusting the 0/1 scenario variables, their audience will be able to see immediately, both numerically and graphically, the financial consequences of various scenarios.
Xpress Technologies offers complete web design, programming, implementation, and hosting services for customers. Xpress prices their services by the project and categorizes each customer request into one of three possible project categories: simple HTML design, requires Java/Flash coding, requires secure transaction capabilities. Xpress charges $3000 for each simple HTML design project, $5000 for each Java/Flash coding project, and $8000 for each project requiring secure transaction capabilities. Xpress has two types of employees that it assigns to these projects: graphic designers who make $32/hour and programmers who make $36/hour. The company currently has two graphic designers and four programmers; each employee can work up to a total of 40 hours per week. Xpress estimates that a simple HTML project will require 2 hours from the graphic designers and 4 hours from the programmers; projects requiring Java/Flash coding require 5 hours from the graphic designers and 6 hours from the…
Creative Robotics (CR) manufactures two lightweight robots designed for easier house-cleaning. The Alpha-ONE model is older, heavier, and is designed for carpet cleaning. The Alpha-TWO model is newer, lighter, and is designed primarily for wooden floor cleaning. The management team is trying to identify how to minimize the total costs of producing these two models. Their full-time workers consist of primarily manufacturing experts and about 3 people are required to commit themselves to manufacture the Alpha-ONE model and 4 for the Alpha-TWO model, per day. They have a total pool of 100 full-time workers now but are willing to hire more manufacturers if required. Similarly, the Alpha-TWO model is more complex and management has a pool of 20 part-time technical workers to help with the complexity, every day. Again, they are willing to hire more part-time workers if required to assist with the Alpha-TWO model. As far as staff allocations for additional assistance in manufacturing…
Kara wants to open a retailing outlet in her town. Her family has been in the business of selling hardware items before. She wants to take this business forward by opening a store that caters to the hardware supplies industry. What kind of retail outlet will Kara most likely open? A. discount retailer B. supermarket C. department store D. specialty retailer E. convenience store Chan handles the distribution network for a company that creates custom-made software for companies. He requires constant feedback about customer needs so he can use this information to upgrade his software. What kind of distribution channel should Chan incorporate in order to do justice to the company’s overall service? A. only deal with wholesalers B. involve many intermediaries C. create a long distribution channel D. create a horizontal distribution channel E. create a short distribution channel
Embassy Motorcycles (EM) manufactures two lightweight motorcycles designed for easy handling and safety. The EZ-Rider model has a new engine and a low profile that make it easy to balance. The Lady-Sport model is slightly larger, uses a more traditional engine, and is specifically designed to appeal to women riders. Embassy produces the engines for both models at its Des Moines, Iowa, plant. Each EZ-Rider engine requires 6 hours of manufacturing time and each Lady-Sport engine requires 3 hours of manufacturing time. The Des Moines plant has 2100 hours of engine manufacturing time available for the next production period. Embassy’s motorcycle frame supplier can supply as many EZ-Rider frames as needed. However, the Lady-Sport frame is more complex and the supplier can only provide up to 280 Lady-Sport frames for the next production period. Final assembly and testing requires 2 hours for each EZ-Rider model and 2.5 hours for each Lady-Sport model. A maximum of 1000 hours of assembly and…
Embassy Motorcycles (EM) manufactures two lightweight motorcycles designed for easy handling and safety. The EZ-Rider model has a new engine and a low profile that make it easy to balance. The Lady-Sport model is slightly larger, uses a more traditional engine, and is specifically designed to appeal to women riders. Embassy produces the engines for both models at its Des Moines, Iowa, plant. Each EZ-Rider engine requires 6 hours of manufacturing time and each Lady-Sport engine requires 3 hours of manufacturing time. The Des Moines plant has 2100 hours of engine manufacturing time available for the next production period. Embassy’s motorcycle frame supplier can supply as many EZ-Rider frames as needed. However, the Lady-Sport frame is more complex and the supplier can only provide up to 280 Lady-Sport frames for the next production period. Final assembly and testing requires 2 hours for each EZ-Rider model and 2.5 hours for each Lady-Sport model. A maximum of 1000 hours of assembly and…
Embassy Motorcycles (EM) manufactures two lightweight motorcycles designed for easy handling and safety. The EZ-Rider model has a new engine and a low profile that make it easy to balance. The Lady-Sport model is slightly larger, uses a more traditional engine, and is specifically designed to appeal to women riders. Embassy produces the engines for both models at its Des Moines, Iowa, plant. Each EZ-Rider engine requires 6 hours of manufacturing time and each Lady-Sport engine requires 3 hours of manufacturing time. The Des Moines plant has 2100 hours of engine manufacturing time available for the next production period. Embassy’s motorcycle frame supplier can supply as many EZ-Rider frames as needed. However, the Lady-Sport frame is more complex and the supplier can only provide up to 280 Lady-Sport frames for the next production period. Final assembly and testing requires 2 hours for each EZ-Rider model and 2.5 hours for each Lady-Sport model. A maximum of 1000 hours of assembly and…
Celestial Artistry Company is developing departmental overhead rates based on direct-labor hours for its two production departments, Etching and Finishing. The Etching Department employs 20 people and the Finishing Department employs 80 people. Each person in these two departments works 2,000 hours per year. The production-related overhead costs for the Etching Department are budgeted at $200,000, and the Finishing Department costs are budgeted at $320,000. Two service departments, Maintenance and Computing directly support the two production departments. These service departments have budgeted costs of $48,000 and $250,000, respectively. The production departments’ overhead rates cannot be determined until the service departments’ costs are allocated. The following schedule reflects the use of the Maintenance Department’s and Computing Department’s output by the various departments. Using Department Service Department Maintenance Computing Etching Finishing Maintenance (maintenance…
Alaskan Railroad is an independent, stand-alone railroad opertaon not connected to any other railservice in North America. As a result, rail shipments between Alaska and the rest of North America mustbe shipped by truck for thousands of miles or loaded onto ocean-going vessels and transported by sea.Alaskan Railroad recently began talks with the naon of Canada about expanding its railroad lines toconnect with the North American railway system. Figure 1 summarizes the various rail segments(associated costs in millions of U.S. dollars) that could be built. The North American railroad systemcurrently provides service to New Hazelton and Chetwynd. Alaskan Railroad would like to expand itsrailway so as to be able to reach one of these cites from Skagway and Fairbanks.Part 1. Implement a network flow model to determine the least expensive way to connect the city ofFairbanks to either New Hazelton or Chetwynd. You should include Skagway and its connections in thenetwork model for Part 1, even…
Consolidated Energy (CE) is a public utility company that generates and distributes electricity throughout a large portion of the US. The company is involved in all kinds of projects, including construction of new electrical generating and transmission equipment and facilities, upgrade and repair of existing equipment and facilities, information technology for customer service, and energy research projects. Much of this project work is contracted out, although CE units handle about half of it with internal expertise in construction, equipment upgrade and maintenance, information technology, and research. The company has construction units and equipment specialists in ﬁve cities, information technology specialists in three cities, and research units in two cities.The research units work on projects initiated by the corporate ofﬁce, but the construction, equipment upgrade and maintenance, and IT units work on projects initiated by the ﬁve regional ofﬁces. Each of the units is assigned to…
a company possesses two manufacturing plants, each of which can produce three products: X,Y, and Z from common raw material. However, the proportions in which the products are produced are different in each plant and so are the plant’s operating costs per hour. Following are the data on the production per hour and costs together with current orders in hand for each product. a company possesses two manufacturing plants, each of which can produce three products: X,Y, and Z from common raw material. However, the proportions in which the products are produced are different in each plant and so are the plant’s operating costs per hour. Following are the data on the production per hour and costs together with current orders in hand for each product. Plant product operating cost per hour(birr) X YZ A 2 4 3 9 B 4 3 2 10 Orders on hand 54 24 60 You are required to use graphical method to find out the number of production hours needed to fulfill the orders on…
Calvin Butterball is chief of operations for the Fly-by-Night Aircraft Corp. He is responsible for the manufacturing of the company's two models of planes: The parrot and the eagle. Each department of the company has restrictions concerning the number of planes, which can be manufactures each day. No more than 7 eagles and no more than 11 parrots can be manufactured per day. No more than 12 total planes total can be shipped per day. The number of eagles manufactures must be no more than twice the number of parrots manufactured each day. You much use more than 1000 hours of labor per day; it takes 100 man-hours to manufacture each parrot and 200 man-hours to manufacture each eagle. Fly-by-Night makes a profit of $300 per parrot and $200 per eagle. How many eagles and how many parrots should e produced per day to give the greatest feasible profit and to determine the profit?