DPBS1110/BMGT1310
Evidence-Based Problem Solving
Assessment 2a: Case Part 1 (25%)
Assessment Guide
Case Overview
Imagine that you are working as an intern in Solve It!, a leading consulting firm in Sydney.
Solve It! has a reputation for on-time and thorough problem solving solutions that integrates
different evidence sources, namely statistical information with insights from literature and ethical
decision-making processes.

Solve It! won a contract with Fresh1Grocer, a well-known retail supermarket chain, to address a
business problem concerning a significant increase in food waste, particularly in the fresh food
section. Food waste involves the disposal of unconsumed food items for various reasons, such
as reaching expiry dates, not meeting quality standards, or undergoing spoilage due to improper
storage conditions. This waste represents a significant economic loss and poses serious
environmental concerns. Fresh1Grocer is keen to understand the underlying causes of this surge
in waste and is seeking actionable recommendations to manage this problem effectively.

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Assessment 2: Case Part 1 (25%)
Your main task and objective in this assessment are to prepare a business analysis report
for an internal meeting on the rise in food waste at Fresh1Grocer fresh food section.
Use analytical, statistical, and ethical tools to understand the drivers behind this increase.
Analytical Toolbox: Identify potential factors and drivers contributing to the food waste problem.
Statistical Toolbox: Analyse Fresh1Grocer's data to identify food waste trends and patterns.
This will help pinpoint potential causes, direct detailed analysis, and focus solution development
on key issues.
Ethics Toolbox: Identify any ethical dilemmas associated with food waste.
Academic Integrity in DPBS1110/BMGT1310 and UNSW College
You may use AI software for brainstorming ideas initially, but your final submission should
primarily be your own work. Avoid relying on AI tools to generate your report. UNSW
College employs a tool to detect AI-generated writing with a high AI score.
Always ensure your assignments are completed independently, without asking others, such
as paid academic cheating companies, to complete them for you.
Potential cases of academic misconduct will be investigated. If confirmed, students will
receive a grade of 0 for the course and an academic cheating record, or face exclusion
from UNSW College. Please don't take the risk.

• Word Limit: 1,300 words with a 10% buffer. There's no minimum word requirement, so any
word count below 1,300 is acceptable.
• The word count rule is straightforward – everything in your report, such as headings,
subheadings, and in-text citations, contribute to the word count, except for the reference list
(bibliography), and any inserted screenshots or images. Use your Word document's built-
in word count feature to check your word count accurately.
• Structure and Format: No need to have cover page, introduction, or executive summary.
Simply begin your report directly with section 1. Write in a business report style (e.g., using
an essay format, formal language, headings, and subheadings to make your report easy to
read).
• Referencing Style: While referencing is optional, if you choose to cite external information,
adhere to the Harvard referencing style for any sources cited in your report. (see the
guideline link - How to Cite Different Sources with Harvard Referencing | UNSW Australia
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Section 1 - Scoping the Problem Using the Analytical Toolbox (40%):
This section is approximately 400 words (guide only, not a word limit).
1) Define the Problem: Define the problem concisely to provide clarity on the main issue
requiring resolution for this assignment. Ensure that your report readers grasp a clear
understanding of the background story and the primary focus of your report.
2) Scope the Problem: Based on what we learnt, apply the 5Ws framework (What,
Where, When, Who, Why) to frame and scope the problem. For each 'W', formulate
questions to explore the problem and identify the evidence required to generate the
answers. Choose only 2Ws for your report.
Instruction: Use the table below to organise your questions, evidence, and types of
evidence. You are required to provide two points for each ‘W’ (you can choose any 2
Ws from the 5Ws).
Please integrate the table provided directly into your report and type out your response
as text. All content within the table will count towards the 1,300-word limit, so
avoid using screenshots.
2Ws Questions to Explore the
Problem
Identified
Evidence
Type of
Evidence
W.. 1.
2.

1.
2.

1.
2.

W.. 1.
2.

1.
2.

1.
2.
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3) Break Down the Problem Using a Logic Tree: Based on what we learnt from our
lecture and tutorials, let’s construct a logic tree to systematically analyse the increase
in food waste at Fresh1Grocer, dividing the problem into its parts and sub-parts to
pinpoint specific areas of concern and contributing drivers.
Instruction:
a) Include a clearly labelled logic tree in your submission. The tree needs to meet
the Mutually Exclusive, Collectively Exhaustive (MECE) Requirements.
Ensure all details in your logic tree are clearly visible. Marks may be deducted if
the details cannot be read due to blurriness. Attach your logic tree as an image
to your report. The logic tree image will NOT count towards the word limit.
b) Prioritisation: Determine and justify which branches and/or sub-branches should
be prioritized for further analysis. Provide a clear rationale for your choices.
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Section 2 - Data analysis using the Statistical Toolbox (40%):
This section is approximately 600 words (guide only, not a word limit).
Context:
After presenting your logic tree and having a detailed discussion with Fresh1Grocer, it has
been identified that a substantial portion of the increase in food waste is due to an
abundance of freshly packed meat and seafood reaching their expiration dates before
being sold. This insight has refined the focus of your investigation, necessitating a more
targeted analysis to comprehend the waste generated from these specific items.
Fresh1Grocer has shared a dataset with you, concentrating on these two food items.
A detailed description of the dataset is provided in the Excel spreadsheet.
Order Details: Each record in the Excel dataset represents a single order, comprising
100 pre-packed meat and seafood items. The dataset provides insights into the quantities
wasted due to items remaining unsold before their expiration date
Fresh1Grocer Food Waste Allowance Target: Fresh1Grocer’s food waste allowance
percentage for meat is capped at 9%, implying that in any given order of 100 pre-packed
meat items, a maximum of 9 items should be wasted due to reaching expiration before
being sold. The waste percentage for seafood is capped at 12% (a maximum of 12 Items
per order).
Fresh1Grocer's Operational Protocols: When orders arrive at Fresh1Grocer, they are
initially placed in the storage area before being stocked on the shelves for sale.
Operational protocols with specific targets for shelving fresh food items are implemented
to optimize the availability of fresh products to customers while minimizing waste due to
expiration.
- For meat: Target is to have the items on the shelf for at least 7 days before the
expiry date, given an expiration date of 10 days post-arrival at the storage area.
- For seafood: Target is to have the items on the shelf for at least 5 days before the
expiry date, given an expiration date of 7 days post-arrival at the storage are.
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Statistical Toolbox Analysis Instructions:
1) Preliminary analysis on Food Waste
Calculate the descriptive statistics of food waste (variable “Quantity_Wasted’)
and draw the histogram. Briefly describe its distribution.
Using PivotTable in Excel, calculate the percentage of food waste by order type
and draw the pie chart. Give a brief analysis.
2) Analysis on Food Waste and Order Type.
Calculate the descriptive statistics of food waste (variable "Quantity_Wasted")
separately for meat and seafood. Describe the distributions and draw the
appropriate diagrams. Next, compare these results with Fresh1Grocer’s Food
Waste Allowance Target.
3) Investigate Logistic Issues and Shelf Time
Fresh1Grocer suspects that logistic issues may be causing delays in moving items
from storage to the shelves. This delay could reduce the display time of food items,
contributing to increased food waste due to items reaching their expiration dates
before being sold.
Calculate the descriptive statistics of "Days_on_Shelf" and perform the analysis
separately for meat and seafood. Compare the results with Fresh1Grocer’s
Operational Protocols. Highlights any issues that you have noticed.
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Section 3 - Ethical Dilemmas with the Ethics Toolbox (20%)
This section is approximately 300 words (guide only, not a word limit).
Select a stakeholder impacted by Fresh1Grocer's food waste issue. Stakeholders may
include Fresh1Grocer, customers, suppliers, local council, environmental activists,
etc.
Consider one ethical dilemma faced by your chosen stakeholder due to the increase
in food waste. Reflect on the various ethical concerns and challenges related to food
waste at Fresh1Grocer. Assess the potential harm to individuals or entities, such as
the environment, and elaborate on your reasoning (Please refer to Unit 4 tutorial
materials).
Note: For this section, you are NOT required to apply the full 7-Steps Ethical Decision-
making Framework; your task is merely to identify one potential ethical dilemma
related to the food waste issue at Fresh1Grocer, considering the perspective of your
chosen stakeholder.