ITEC 616 Week 1 Assignment Help

ELEMENT

COMMENTS

1. Describe how Uber uses information technology, data and business analytics as a differentiator and competitive advantage in building its strong market position. 

You indicated two examples of uses of IT, data, or business analytics in “Strong Market Position”. 

• driving direction solution and mapping software
• where the passengers generally look forward to visit at a particular point of time

Good examples!

You could further strengthen this answer by providing more examples, particularly if the two you identify are interrelated (mapping and directions)

You could go further by defining differentiation and competitive advantage and then defending examples that met those two.  You might also differentiate between IT, Data, and Business Analytics.

Use those definitions to help you defend why your examples answer the question.  Here’s what your boss would be wanting to know:

• How did IT, data, or BA power your examples?  Not clear to him/her in most cases; it was just assumed or asserted.
• How did your examples affect differentiation and competitive advantage?  Perhaps not at all since he/she could not even find those terms in the answer.

2. How to leverage Business Analytics

   Ryan, I could not see an explicit answer to this question in your paper, but I inferred “operations efficiency” from your phrase stating “…its area of operations are improved.”

Look at the question again

Q2: “How should Uber leverage its business analytics competency to continue to disrupt and innovate and map out a favorable future market position in the on-demand transportation industry?”

Then ask yourself:

• Did you explicitly link your answer to Uber’s “business analytics competency”? How does your suggestion leverage this?  Note: Beyond just asserting it does.
• Did you link your answer to disruption, innovation, future market position, on-demand transportation industry?  Again, beyond an assertion that they link?  (No).

You could have included readings on disruption – to incorporate course work and include a framework to link your suggestions to the question asked.  Lack of reference to coursework or an external equivalent for such a framework is a serious omission. 

Ok, this is advanced stuff I’m telling you to prepare you for the future.  I’m taking time to give you more detailed feedback now so you can ace the last two cases where the points double!

Writing Style

Word Count (400):.~284, minimal.

Thesis sentence: Ryan, this could help you a lot.  Please see wall post and reach out to Kogod communications.

Grammar: Marginal.  Please proof prior to submission, e.g. “favourable [favorable?] future mark” and ‘its area of operations are [is?] improved consistently…”

References/Citations:  Minimal – one.  You can further strengthen this by citing the case and other references to support your points.  For each reference include an annotation describing how this reference supported your narrative.  See wall posting.

Memo Format:  OK. 

Clarity:  For future cases, strive for even more clarity and focus.  Don’t use fluff words or phrases.  No filler needed.

Total

Ryan, I’m concerned that you did not incorporate the case assignment into your answers.  Therefore, you could not answer the questions asked.  Furthermore, you submitted your case late, costing you 10% of what I could find to award you.

For case 2, you can further improve your case study style by considering the “purpose and audience” for your memo.  Really – ask that before you start even shaping your initial answers!  Then, once you’ve done that and have some initial answers, focus on a) ensuring you link your examples to the terms in the question, perhaps through a definition or framework using course materials, and also b) amplifying the thesis sentence, with key points validated through external citations to entries in an annotated bibliography. 

See the Case Study tips!

The good news is that your point loss was due to omissions.  This should be easily correctable for the next Case.  Also, for this case (and Case 2) we deliberately reduced the impact of your grade by half (a half-weighting compared to Cases 3 & 4).  We understand you’re on a learning curve for writing case memos related to technology and want to encourage you to incorporate this feedback to craft future strong case memos.

Ryan, if you are not totally comfortable with knowing what’s required from you for Case 2, please reach out to me ASAP for office hours.  I want to see you successful.