in case of the battery lifetime for company X is significantly lesser than that the battery lifetime for company Y, the following action items are suggested.

1. Install an R&D team for the following tasks:

   1. To find alternative materials to Zinc (Zn, for negative electrode) and

      Manganese Dioxide (MnO2, for positive electrode). If cheaper alternatives are available, assess the alkaline toxicity and suggest materials which can neutralize the toxicity. If cheaper alternatives are not available, then other structural changes of battery should be considered in a team meeting after a period of 6 months.

   2. To reduce the width of the cylindrical wall of battery by 10% and check the effect on the battery lifetime. Carry out the experiment for 1000 batteries. Apply regression model to analyze data. If more than 5% of batteries get too hot (>40C), then stop the process.

2. Typically, battery shelf-life, when stored in room temperature, is between 5 to 10 years. Carry out an experiment to study the shelf-life of batteries for a period of 1 year to check what percentage of batteries show shelf-life of less than 1 year. During this one year if the head of experimenter team changes, then the assistant will be made the head of the team and a new person will be hired as an assistant.