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HDCS 4303 Section 17082 Assignment List for Summer 2011

1. Please note: there are 10 assignments and 15 chapters in the text. Not all chapters have an assignment. Each assignment is linked to a specific chapter, as shown in parentheses. This may necessitate your working ahead to complete an assignment. 2. Assignments may be submitted ahead of the due date. 3. Until you have received a digital receipt, your assignment has not been received! It is your responsibility (not mine) to ensure that your browser and security settings are working and correct any problems between your computer and Blackboard Vista. 4. Assignments are due by midnight on the due date. 5. Assignments submitted after the due date, but before the closing date, will be accepted but 10 points will be deducted from your score. 6. Please note: Assignments 7 & 8 are due on July 19 Assignments 9 & 10 are due on July 26 7. Assignments submitted after the closing date will earn a 0.

Assignment #1 (due 6/7, closes 6/21)(Chapter 1) 1. Using news articles from periodicals or online sources, select at least three examples of macro-environmental influences on specific retailers. 2. Analyze the strategic response of the retailers to the environmental conditions. 3. You dont have to copy the articles into the assignment, but provide the URL for each news article. 4. This assignment is worth 100 points. Assignment #2 (due 6/14, closes 6/28) (Chapter 3) 1. Visit two competing stores in one of the following categories: discount stores, supermarkets, department stores, or specialty stores. 2. State the name and location (city and state/country) of each store 3. Describe the utilitarian and hedonic shopping experience in each store. 4. Analyze these findings according to store type. 5. This assignment is worth 100 points. Assignment #3 (due 6/21, closes 7/5 (Chapter 4) 1. Identify at least three events that contain symbolism. 2. How is each event celebrated or held so that it projects symbolism? 3. This assignment is worth 100 points. Assignment #4 (due 6/28, closes 7/12) (Chapter 5) 1. Provide a copy of three print ads aimed at a subculture. 2. Be sure to identify each subculture. 3. Discuss how the each ad addresses the needs of the cultural group. 4. This assignment is worth 100 points.

2 Assignment #5 (due 7/5, closes 7/19) (Chapter 6) 1. Visit the Web sites for Legoland (http://www.lego.com/en-us/default.aspx ) and Disney (http://disney.go.com/index ). 2. Analyze how each tries to create multi-sensory experiences on the Internet. 3. This assignment is worth 100 points. Assignment #6 (due 7/12, closes 7/26 (Chapter 8) 1. Visit the German Metro Group Web site at http://www.future-store.org/fsiinternet/html/en/375/index.html and go to Future Store. 2. Discuss whether or not the use of technology makes the future shop more or less customer friendly. 3. Justify your position. Assignment #7 (due 7/19, closes 7/26) (Chapter 10) 1. Go to the website for VALS/Strategic Business Insights: www.strategicbusinessinsights.com 2. Complete the VALS survey and read your VALS classification. Answer the following questions. 3. What is your Primary VALS type? Your Secondary VALS type? 4. Then look at the Introduction to VALS PowerPoint presentation of the high level overview of the media preferences of the eight VALS types (PowerPoint 10b). 5. Look at the media (quintiles) preferences for your primary VALS type. Does this accurately describe your preferences? Why or why not? 6. This assignment is worth 100 points. Assignment #8 (due 7/19, closes 7/26) (Chapter 11) 1. Share an experience when you felt emotionally connected to a value retailer. 2. Name the value retailer and the location (city and state/country) 3. Why did you feel this way? 4. How does this influence your shopping experience? 5. This assignment is worth 100 points. Assignment #9 (due 7/26, closes 8/2) (Chapter 13) 1. Develop a product or a service that would work well with each of the following: a) horizontal brand extension, b) step-up extension, and c) step-down extension. 2. Be creative! You can choose a mix of products and services, but it must be a different product or service for each extension. The product or service can be something that currently doesnt exist or that you perceive would fill a need. 3. Explain why each extension would work well and how each extension would be executed. 4. This assignment is worth 100 points.

3 Assignment #10 (due 7/26, closes 8/2 (Chapter 15) 1. Discuss how two international retailers in the same product category differentiate themselves at the local, regional, national, and international levels. 2. Be sure to name the product category and the two international retailers. 3. Provide the URLs for each international retailer. 4. Explain this differentiation by product, brand, and retail environment experiences. 5. This assignment is worth 100 points.