1) Using the working dashboard, answer the following questions:

Report the break-even point at the following selling prices per batch (round up to the nearest batch):

$2,000

$2,500

$3,000

How does the batches-to-break-even figure change when only the product costs are taken into consideration? Use the selling prices from part (i).

How does the batches-to-break-even figure change if advertising and promotion costs are eliminated and selling price is $1,500?

2) Ideally, management would like to tie this information into external data to produce more results in real time and to make more predictions. Provide management with two ways in which the use of external data can improve this model. Your answer should discuss the possibilities of using both structured and unstructured external data.

Question 1 The Boston Bar Chocolate Company (BBCC) is a privately owned business that takes pride in the value of its tasty and healthy chocolate bars. The company wholesales its product to high-end grocery outlets that specialize in gourmet foods. Customers keep coming back for more of BBCC's product, not only because of the great taste, but also because of the growing number of health reports stating that the flavanols in chocolate help to reduce blood pressure and increase memory retention. This gives the company a competitive advantage in the premium quality chocolate market. The company's management team is deeply invested in the use of data from a variety of sources, both internal and external, to be proactive to changing costs in the manufacturing of its chocolate bars, which are produced in batches of 1,000 bars. This will assist it in setting selling prices that will attract customer demand while reducing the risk of loss. It has engaged the use of an outside data analyst to assist in the development of a tool that can be used to both monitor and predict break-even points. As a starting point, the data analyst has sketched out the following prototype of a dashboard that can be used for this analysis: Total variable cost per unit Period and Product Variable costs Variable Cost per unit by Costcode Description Case Saga 110 $819.45 5150 Annual fixed cost Coco Cocoa Power Coro Delivery and shipping Total Variable Cost 5100 $647,010 Direct lub Breakeven (Batches of 1000) OP Part .PROPE 385.00 Period and Product Fixed costs Select selling price between $1.500 and $3,000 50 w DO DLA WA RUE PUCOM MEDEL POWENU Variable castcode US Total Fixed Cost by Costcode Description Admin Computer Adini Sawy SRO Advertising and promotion Computer and supplies en charges Portret Planta 1202 Profesionales | quality camera PIE SA CON ASAPSA ACM DE AOW CLINT PRO Research & Development Food code 2500 Coat PROPE