The new president of an old, established company is facing a problem.

The company is currently unprofitable and is, in the president’s opinion, operating inefficiently. The company sells a wide range of equipment and supplies to the dairy industry. It manufactures some items and sells many wholesale to dairies, creameries and similar plants. Because the industry is changing in several ways, survival will become more difficult in the future. In particular, many equipment companies are bypassing wholesalers and selling direct to dairies. In addition, many independent dairies are being taken over by large food chains. How might research help the new president make the right decisions? In answering this question, consider the areas of marketing and finance as well as the company as a whole.