Case Study of The NCR Country Club

3 Describe the sampling strategy. How appropriate were the various sampling design decisions?

The NCR country club is a country club that is loved by many of its members who find that the current state is value for their money and new developments seem to negatively affect their perception of the club. The membership of the club is, however, going down and the club is trying to look for new was attracting new members and develop as a club regarding profit. The club, therefore, requested the services of the McMahon group to provide consultation services that would help the club increase its membership form where it is. McMahon Group through the leadership of its president Frank Vain carried out research on the country club to assess the various aspects of its membership and operation to find out about the best possible research strategies. It did so through the use of surveys of the country club. McMahon group carried out the first survey through the use of six focus groups. They involved forty-three members, twelve employees, and even non-members. This a sampling strategy the group used to get the best possible results and information about the services the country club provided. The Group also carried another survey involving the use of surveys sent by mail. The mails were sent to 1650 members together with their spouses, and they were expected to answer questions about the country club, the services they receive and the prospects they expect from the club in future (Schindler, 2001).

The sampling strategy used by the group is based on the fact that the members from the biggest category of clients for the club and that means that they would be suited to provide information about the current state of the club. Age was a very crucial aspect of the research, and the survey put it into consideration by dividing the ages between those who are 46 years and below and those who are above the age. The use of survey mails was also very appropriate because of ease of access by members and convenience, and the rate of response helped the group know the level of loyalty members had for the club (Questionnaires, 2017).

4 What, if any, problems did you find with the questionnaire as a whole? Consider structure, directions, question order, question phrasing, appropriateness of response strategy chosen, etc.

The survey questionnaires from the main quantitative method of data collection and were sent to members of the club through the mail. The questionnaires were developed using different categories of questions aimed at collecting information specific to the research the McMahon group was carrying out. Use of questionnaires is considered as one of the most effective mechanisms for collecting information for research purposes. Given the high number of members in the country club and to be specific 165o members, questionnaires proved to be a very cost effective way of the collection of information for McMahon group. In addition to the large sample size, it also considered the geographical area from where they mostly reside, and it showed that face to face interviews would have proven very expensive for the company. The use of questionnaires was also good because the group wanted a lot of information from the sample and therefore, the questionnaires proved effective by providing them with the ability to include many questions that would help meet the needs of the research (Schindler, 2001).

Despite some of these aspects of the questionnaires, the ones used by McMahon group seem to have a few shortcomings that would affect their success as a tool for research. One of the main shortcomings of the questionnaires is the complexity regarding structure and design. The questionnaire seems to be cramped up with a lot of details that may greatly hinder their success. Because of the great need for a lot of information from the sample size the questionnaire has to be designed using very many questions. It has a total of thirty-three questions which shows the groups desperation for information from the sample. The many questions coupled with a complex design can greatly confuse and mislead the respondent. The excessive details have been included because of the need for probing and following up on the answers made by the respondent, and this would make them very unsuitable as a research tool because the quality of responses can low and the information provided become unreliable for the research.

Case Assignment 3 will answer case discussion questions 5 & 7

5 If you were McMahon Group, how would you present the findings of your study to the NCRCC board? Explain the rationale for your chosen method.

The research by McMahon group provided a great result, and the questionnaire was very successful with the response rate of more than fifty percent. This showed great promise regarding the validity of the data the group wished to collect from the members. The data provide great insight on what members and non-members preferred in relation the country club. Despite the great efforts in data collection, the group had to make sure that there are effective ways of presenting the information to the board of NCRCC. Data presentation is a very important aspect of research, and it provides a great communication tool that displays information based on the results generated from research as well as the analysis. There exists many ways through which data can be presented and the choice of method (Data Presentation, 2017).

Since the information gathered by the group for the country club is great importance, there needs to be established effective methods of communicating the information collected. Use of visual representation is one of the effective ways of representing the data. Visualizing the data involves the presentation of the information using pictures and graphs. This is important because it allows for the visual presentation of the analysis made in relation to the research and thus facilitates for better decision making. Since the research was based on collection and analysis of complex information, visualizing the data would be effective in communicating the results and analysis in a manner that can be easily grasped. Some of the data presentation that would be effective for the research done by McMahon group include the use of frequency distribution tables that would present different important variables of the research such as non-members, members and employees with different preferences in relation to the services offered by the country club (Schindler, 2001).

The frequency distribution table can then be represented more visually through the plotting of graphs. Graphical representation of the data is important for the understanding of aspects of cause and effect about a research. A histogram would be a great method of representation of the data collected and analyzed by McMahon group because it would explore the differences in values for different variables within the set of data. They also help in the measurement of the extent of change of certain variables within research (Data Visualization, 2017).

7 What would you recommend to the board of NCRCC with respect to adding facilities like tennis courts, a swimming pool, a spa, a fitness center, and a year-round driving range?

The reduction in rates of membership for the NCR country club is what is creating the need for re-strategizing because membership is a crucial part of the income the club generates. The reduction membership means that the club is making less money and would eventually start making losses if new strategies are not developed early enough. The research by McMahon showed that currently the golf club, as well as the dining club, were the main attractions of the club. But these are not enough services for the country club in relation to the current trends in the business. According to the research, most of the current members contended with the level of service provided, but this was only because most of them did not want the addition of new facilities because of the fear that their fees would have to be raised. The research showed that many of the members wanted an improvement of the services which were found to be quite low. The younger members of the age below 46 were in support of the addition of the new structures such as the swimming pool and fitness center. These attractions were also in favor of nonmembers of the club (Schindler, 2001).

Based on the findings it is clear that there are two sides of the stories where many members fear the addition of attractions would hike their fees and were therefore not in support of them. The other side is associated with some members and many nonmembers who were in favor of the new additions because they would be attractive and the club would then be more suitable for families and children. There is, therefore, the fear of losing current members because of increased fee, and at the same time, there is a great need to develop and attract more members. A great suggestion will be to develop a transition process for the current members in terms of gradual increase in fees if it is necessary. The club has to develop new features if it wants to succeed and the attraction would see more success for the club in terms of membership and financial returns. However, it would not be prudent to disregard the current members and a solution that would make sure that they have a smooth transition to the new system has to be greatly considered (Munro, 2015).

Case Assignment 4 will answer case discussion questions 89

8 What would you recommend to the board of NCRCC with respect to adding or changing programming activities like social activities for adults, families with children, and children?

The country club caters more for people of old age, and that is why most of the current members do not want any additions to be made despite the increases in fees. However, the club needs to be diverse if it wants to survive the great competition that exists in the market. More and more clubs are becoming favorites for both current members as well as the non-members of the club and membership is slowly decreasing. The term diverse is associated with offering services that cater to people of all ages. The golf club and dinner clubs are not enough to meet the needs of all the people expected to join the club. The strategies currently used by the clubs have to be changed, or the club has to make additions regarding the development of new structures as well as the establishment of new programs. The programs have to meet the needs of all people of different age groups. The addition of spas, fitness areas and swimming pool would be great additions that would greatly attract the young. Both current members and nonmembers would be very pleased with such addition (Schindler, 2001).

The improvement of meals regarding the quality of food and service as well as the addition of variety on the menu is expected to benefit people of all ages. The development of a children section for play and other activities in a separate area may be beneficial for the children as well as for the elderly members who like to peace and quiet. The golf club is a section that attracts many of both young and old age. However, the elderly find the way the clubs golf course has been structured is unsuitable for their needs. As a result, changes have to be done of the course to ensure that the elderly enjoy playing. The social activities have to be separated regarding activities for the adults, families, and children. The board needs to understand that the club has to diversify its operations to meet the needs of all these groups and they also have to have a level of separation from each other (Johnson, 2017).

9 What would you recommend concerning changing current operations?

The current operations have stalled the progress o...