Task02: Case study – D.A. Garden Supplies
Assessment description
For this assessment you are required to apply your ability, knowledge and skills in defining market research objectives and identifying the data types and data gathering methods for planned research to a case study.
Using the DA Gardening Supplies Case Study from Assessment Task 1 and the feedback you received from your facilitator in relation to this assessment, you are to assume that you have been given approval to proceed with the research proposal and now need to draft a preliminary project scope. You will also need to describe the data gathering approaches you will be using.
Procedure
1. Re-read the case study in Assessment Task 1.
2. Review your proposal (Assessment Task 1) and the feedback you received from your facilitator.
3. Prepare a report that includes three sections as follows:
a. A preliminary project scope for D.A. Garden Supplies that, through consultation with relevant personnel:
i. identifies the human, financial and physical resources required and available
ii. identifies any external market research assistance that will be required
iii. describes possible research locations
iv. describes your planned research methodologies
v. explains the sample size and nature of your sample
vi. documents the time required and available.
b. Data Gathering Approaches:
i. Discuss the types of data required for this research noting what combinations of data will be best for this research.
ii. Identify and evaluate at least three suitable data gathering methods for this research project, describing why each of these methods was chosen.
iii. Identify the sources of the required data and explain why these were chosen.
iv. Quantify the required data, explaining your reason.
v. Identify and evaluate each of the four data processing methods and determine the most appropriate method/s for this research.
c. A final revision of the draft objectives:
i. Discuss the changes to the draft research objectives in the light of new information from the scoping.

Task Specifications
You must provide:
? A report that includes:
o a preliminary project scope addressing all points listed in the procedure.
o a discussion on data gathering approaches that address all points listed in the procedure.
Your assessor will also be looking for:
? Compliance with key provisions of relevant legislation, including but not limited to:
o ethical practices
o anti-discrimination legislation and principles of equal opportunity, equity and diversity
o Trade Practices Act
o privacy Laws
o Codes of Practice.
? Application of market research principles and practices, including:
o data processing methods and data analysis techniques
o design of samples
o development and use of hypotheses
o roles and uses of qualitative and quantitative research
o use of survey instruments.
? Application of project planning principles and practices including:
o consultation and stakeholder involvement
o gaining of approvals
o scoping practices.
? Application of statistical methods and techniques.
? Organizational and time management skills to develop complex market research plans including time lines and options.
? Research and data collection skills to determine organizational market research requirements.

Case study
David and his wife, Alison, have been in the garden supply and nursery business for the last 13 years. David supervises the nursery and garden supply part of the business, while Alison does the administration and bookkeeping and oversees the landscaping projects. Their employees comprise two full-time gardeners, a part-time landscaping consultant and two part-time cashiers. The trading hours are as follows:
• Mon – Wed 9 am –6 pm
• Thurs – Fri 9 am –6 pm (9 am – 9 pm in summer)
• Saturday 8 am –6 pm
• Sunday 10am – 6 pm
The business is located in a main road, opposite a small suburban shopping centre that includes a supermarket, department store, café and 12 specialty shops. About 2 kilometers down the road is a large Bunning’s store.
The business has prospered over the years through a steady stream of customers who are happy with the quality and cost of the goods and services, and the professional advice. David has a good rapport with most of them, and takes a keen interest in making sure their gardens are properly maintained.
Five years ago David and Alison opened a small café inside the nursery. They now have two full-time staff and an additional part-time staff member who works over lunch-time and on weekends; although during the school holidays Alison’s daughter also assists in the café. A new café opened for business 18 months ago around the corner, in a small strip of shops attached to a business park. This new operation is open Monday – Friday from 7am–3pmoffering breakfast and lunch, specializing in gourmet food and beverages.
About three years ago, David and Alison decided to extend the café operations to include a larger lunch menu,more tables and extended the trading hours of the café so that it now opens atthe same time, and closes one hour before, the nursery. The café offers takeaway food as well as sit-in dining and the menu includes a variety of beverages, made-to-order sandwiches, salads, gourmet pies/sausages rolls,quiches and savoury slices, chips/wedges, cakes and slices, ice creams and sorbets, a kids menu and soups and casseroles in winter.
The whole concept was a good one however their total business net profit has dropped steadily over the last two years, although gross revenue remains acceptable. They are at a loss to identify what has gone wrong and decide to seek help to redress the situation.
David and Alison seek advice from you. They brief you on the problem and you suggest they do marketing research as a first step on the road to establishing what the problem is.
You have been supplied with basic sales performance data for the last three years that shows the following:
• Nursery sales have dropped by 5% in the last two years. These sales of these products currently contribute 41% to overall profits.
• Garden Supplies sales have also dropped by 5%,although the last year saw an increase in drought proofing related products such as mulch. These products currently contribute 34% to overall profits.
• Landscaping project numbers have been flat;however, the size and profit on each project has grown slightly. This has meant a steady contribution to overall profits of 10%.
? Café trade has been steadily increasing for the last three years and as result profits from this have been growing at a rate of2–3% per annum, currently contributing 15% to the overall profit of the business.