The management of ACME Automotive Repair Company, with over 400 franchises nationwide, has become concerned with the percentage of parts being ordered by mechanics and then returned as the wrong part. Since there is a 20% restocking fee for returned parts, the cost of these mistakes is considerable.

Management contracts with Information Solutions, Inc. (with whom you work) to consult on this situation. After on-site interviews and a job analysis, IS, inc. management proposes the following actions:

1. Randomly select five franchise locations with a total of 20 mechanics.
2. Provide access for these mechanics to Autoparts.com, an online interactive parts ordering service that allows the mechanic to view the part from many different angles as well as to visualize the part installed on the particular make and model selected. (Note, there is a charge for each password assigned, but searching is not time sensitive.)
3. Provide access to training in the use of Autoparts.com for any of the 20 mechanics who choose to participate.
4. Collect information on a number of variables (See data sheet.)
5. Analyze the data to answer the following questions for management:

A. What is the relationship between attending training in the use of Autoparts.com and preferred source of ordering parts?

B. What is the relationship between number of hours using Autoparts.com and number of hours using standard auto parts manual?

C. Is there a difference in the percentage of returned parts between those who prefer using Autoparts.com and those who prefer using the standard auto parts

manual?

D. Is there a difference in the percentage of returned parts between those who attended training and those who did not?

E. IS, Inc management assigns you the task of analyzing the data and presenting a report to the management of ACME Automotive Repair Company.

Analyze the data and answer questions A-D. Just as you are about to turn in your report, top management at IS, inc. informs you, "ACME management reports that some of their mechanics spend a lot of time on Autoparts.com. They want to know if that is okay." What do you say (Question E)?

???

ACME Auto Repair Company Subject Preferred Source Attended Hours Using Hours Using % of # for ordering parts training? Autoparts. Standard parts com manual returned Autoparts.com N 6 12 2 Manual N 19 26 3 Autoparts.com Y 14 5 8 Autoparts.com Y 12 9 Manual N 21 23 6 Autoparts.com Y 10 2 7 Autoparts.com Y 19 0 8 Manual Y 19 21 9 Autoparts.com Y 17 3 10 10 Manual N 4 36 20 11 Autoparts.com N 9 12 12 Manual N 2 18 25 13 Autoparts.com Y 15 4 14 Autoparts.com Y 13 15 Manual N 23 16 Autoparts.com Y 17 6 17 Autoparts.com Y 18 O 18 Manual Y 12 12 13 19 Autoparts.com 17 A 11 20 Manual N 36 20