Consider the following list, and indicate and explain whether each best fits the definition of a problem, opportunity, or symptom:

a. A 12.5 percent decrease in store traffic for a children's shoe store in a medium-sized city mall.

b. FedEx's fuel costs increase 200 percent between 2005 and 2009.

c. A furniture manufacturer and retailer in North Carolina reads a research report indicating consumer trends toward Australian Jara and Kari wood. The export of these products is very limited and very expensive.

d. Marlboro reads a research report written by the U.S. FDA. It indicates that the number of cigarette smokers in subSaharan Africa is expected to increase dramatically over the next decade.

e. The Starwood Hotel group faces exchange rates between the US and Europe, Great Britain, and Canada that have changed dramatically between 2004 and 2009.