Dr Tan, an operations analyst, is conducting market research on suppliers of air conditioning compressors. Basically, Dr Tan wants to know the attributes of suppliers that buyers value the most. The research results can be used to develop training programmes for supplier management. Dr Tan conducts a survey on buyers to collect their feedback on suppliers. The collected information was summarised as shown in the data table (Appendix 1). Each row represents a distinct supplier-buyer pair. For example, the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd rows in the table can be the feedback from Buyer A for Supplier 1, Buyer A for Supplier 2, Buyer B for Supplier 1. Some explanations on the collected information are as follows: Lead Time: The quoted lead time (in days) for delivery by a supplier. Price Flexibility: The extent (as perceived by the buyer) to which the supplier is open to price negotiation. Lowest rating at 0 and highest at 10. Overall Service: Buyer's overall impression on the supplier's service. Lowest rating at O and highest at 5. Product Durability: Buyer's estimated number of months until the first failure for a new compressor. Usage Level: Number of compressors from the supplier currently used by the buyer. Firm Size: Whether the supplier is a small, medium or large firm. Buyer Type: Nature of the buyer's business, either manufacturing or service. Satisfaction Rating: Overall satisfaction by the buyer for the supplier. Lowest rating at O and highest at 10. 26 17 6.9 6.3 2.3 Appendix 1. Data for Question 1 Lead time Price flexibility Overall service Product durability Usage Level Firm size Buyer type service Satisfaction rating 32 32 small 4.9 4 39 43 small manufacturing 4.8 24 5.7 2.7 39 48 medium manufacturing 5.2 20 7.1 2.3 38 32 small manufacturing 4.4 28 9.6 4.6 32 58 large service 7.4 21 7.9 1.9 42 45 medium manufacturing 4.7 24 9.5 4.5 37 46 small service 6.3 18 6.2 2.2 36 44 medium manufacturing 4.5 27 9.4 3 37 63 large service 5.8 23 6.5 3.2 40 54 medium manufacturing 6.2 18 8.8 2.8 34 32 small service 4.4 25 9.1 2.5 39 47 medium service 5.5 19 8.1 1.4 35 39 small manufacturing 4.5 21 8.6 3.7 36 38 small service 5.3 21 9.9 2.6 36 54 large service 6.2 21 9.7 1.7 32 49 large service 5.4 22 5.7 2.9 35 38 medium service 5 20 7.7 1.5 34 40 medium service 6 22 9.7 3.9 36 54 large service 6.2 21 9.9 2.6 36 55 large service 6.1 21 8.6 1.8 35 41 medium service 4.7 25 8.3 1.7 33 35 small service 3.6 21 9.1 3.4 39 55 large service 6 22 6.7 2.5 37 36 small manufacturing 4.1 21 8.7 2.6 30 49 medium service 5.6 24 7.9 2.8 32 49 large service 6.7 22 6.6 2.5 37 36 small manufacturing 4 25 9.7 3.9 36 54 large service 5.9 20 9.9 1.7 33 49 large service 5.8 25 5.9 3 39 46 medium manufacturing 5.4 23 6 3 38 43 small manufacturing 3.9 20 8.9 3.2 39 53 large service 5.1 25 9.3 2.4 32 60 large service 6.6 24 6.4 3.4 39 47 small manufacturing 3.9 21 7.7 1.1 35 35 small manufacturing 4.5 17 7.5 2.4 37 39 small manufacturing 4.4 19 5.8 2.5 41 44 medium manufacturing 4.8 22 9.1 2.6 37 46 large service 5.4 18 6.9 2.6 40 29 small manufacturing 4.6 19 6.4 2.2 40 28 small manufacturing 3.8 22 7.6 2.5 38 40 small manufacturing 3.8 24 9.6 4.6 32 58 large service 6.9 26 9.3 1.3 35 53 large service 6.2 23 8.6 2.5 30 48 medium service 4.9 17 6.5 1.7 39 38 small manufacturing 3.9 26 9.4 1.4 35 54 large service 6.1 23 10 3.2 30 55 large service 5.5 22 5.6 2.3 40 43 medium manufacturing 5.1 22 8.8 2.4 36 57 large service 5.1 26 8 1.4 33 53 large service 3.9 23 8.2 2.5 33 41 medium service 5.7 20 8.2 2.5 40 53 medium manufacturing 5.9 21 6.3 3.4 40 50 medium manufacturing 6.1 18 6.7 2.6 40 32 small manufacturing 4.1 22 8.7 2.1 33 39 small service 3.8 19 7.7 3.6 38 47 medium service 4.2 21 7.4 4 41 62 medium manufacturing 6.6 24 9.6 3 38 65 large service 6.1 25 7.6 2.5 31 46 large service 6.3 18 8 2.2 40 50 medium manufacturing 5.5 20 9.9 3.1 30 54 large service 5.1 21 9.2 2.3 32 60 large service 6.5 26 9.3 2.7 37 47 large service 5.6 20 5.5 2.6 34 36 medium service 4.7 19 7.2 3.2 42 40 small manufacturing 3.8 25 9 2.3 36 45 medium service 5.1 25 9.2 3.9 37 59 large service 6.1 21 6.4 2.5 37 46 medium manufacturing 5 21 8.5 1.9 32 58 large service 4.7 18 8.3 2.3 40 49 medium manufacturing 5.4 21 5.9 2.9 39 50 medium manufacturing 6.1 27 8.2 1.6 33 55 large service 4.4 23 9.9 1.9 32 51 large service 5.6 22 9.1 2.7 37 60 large service 5.1 21 6.6 2.7 39 41 small manufacturing 4.8 22 9.4 2.7 39 49 medium service 5.2 21 8.3 2.6 33 42 medium service 5.4 23 9.7 1.5 33 47 large service 5.8 20 7.1 3.1 42 39 small manufacturing 3.8 22 8.7 2.1 36 56 large service 5.2 21 8.7 2.1 32 59 large service 4.8 23 5.5 4.4 35 47 medium service 5.8 19 6.1 3.8 39 41 small manufacturing 4.3 23 7.6 2.5 37 37 small service 5 24 8.5 2.8 36 53 medium manufacturing 21 7 2.2 40 43 small manufacturing 6.2 4 23 8.4 2.7 36 51 medium 20 7.4 2.3 37 36 small manufacturing service 5.7 4.4 21 7.3 2.5 38 34 small manufacturing 4 25 9.3 4 37 60 large service 6.2 23 7.8 3.8 38 49 medium service 5 23 7.6 1.4 34 39 medium service 5.8 23 5.1 4 34 43 medium service 5.3 22 5 2.5 39 36 small manufacturing 3.9 21 6.7 2.1 32 31 small service 4.1 18 6.4 2.1 39 25 small manufacturing 3.9 28 9.2 2.8 37 60 large service 5.6 20 5.2 2.7 39 38 small manufacturing 4.4 21 6.7 2.9 39 42 small manufacturing 4.7 23 9 3 34 33 small service 4.4