An Association of Marketing Students®

OCCUPATIONAL CATEGORY
Food Marketing 
Associate Level

INSTRUCTIONAL AREA
Economics

PARTICIPANT INSTRUCTIONS

PROCEDURES

1.	The event will be presented to you through your reading of these instructions, including the Performance Indicators and Event Situation. You will have up to 10 minutes to review this information to determine how you will handle the role-play situation and demonstrate the performance indicators of this event. During the preparation period, you may make notes to use during the role-play situation.

2.	You will give an ID label to your adult assistant during the preparation time.

3.	You will have up to 10 minutes to role-play your situation with a judge (you may have more than one judge).

4.	You will be evaluated on how well you meet the performance indicators of this event.

5.	Turn in all your notes and event materials when you have completed the role-play.

PERFORMANCE INDICATORS 

1.	Explain the concept of competition.

2.	Determine factors affecting business risk.

3.	Identify factors affecting a business’s profit.

4.	Explain the concept of productivity.

5.	Identify desirable personality traits important to business.

EVENT SITUATION

You are to assume the role of assistant night supervisor of a unit of a supermarket chain called Food World. The night supervisor (judge) has asked for your ideas on how to improve customer service and the efficiency of the staff on your shift.

Food World is a 24-hour mega supermarket with poor customer service, as perceived by the target market. Food World recently underwent a change in management, and headquarters wants this store to improve its image in the eye of the customer, particularly in the area of service. Pressure is rising to make the improvements quickly because another well-known grocery store chain has announced the grand opening of a store in the local area within six months.

The night supervisor (judge) has asked for your help in improving the customer service and efficiency of the staff on the night shift. Employees have poor attitudes and spotty attendance records and often take extended breaks. This shift exhibits low productivity in stocking and a high turnover rate of personnel. Even though business is often slow, the night supervisor wants to have an efficient staff, since many of the shift’s responsibilities help the store prepare for the next day’s business.

You are to present your ideas to the night supervisor (judge) in a role-play that will take place in the store’s office. The night supervisor (judge) will begin the role-play by greeting you and asking to hear your suggestions. Once you have presented your thoughts and have answered the night supervisor’s (judge’s) questions, the night supervisor (judge) will conclude the event by thanking you for your work.

JUDGE’S INSTRUCTIONS

DIRECTIONS, PROCEDURES AND JUDGE’S ROLE

In preparation for this event, you should review the following information with your event manager and other judges:

1.	Procedures

2.	Performance Indicators 

3.	Event Situation

4.	Judge Role-Play Characterization
Participants may conduct a slightly different type of meeting and/or discussion with you each time; however, it is important that the information you provide and the questions you ask be uniform for every participant.

5.	Judge’s Evaluation Instructions

6.	Judge’s Evaluation Form
Please use a critical and consistent eye in rating each participant.

JUDGE ROLE-PLAY CHARACTERIZATION

You are to assume the role of night supervisor of a unit of a supermarket chain called Food World. You asked your assistant (participant) to present some ideas on how to improve the customer service and efficiency of the staff on your shift.

Food World is a 24-hour mega supermarket with poor customer service, as perceived by the target market. Food World recently underwent a change in management, and headquarters wants this store to improve its image in the eye of the customer, particularly in the area of service. Pressure is rising to make the improvements quickly because another well-known grocery store chain has announced the grand opening of a store in the local area within six months.

You have asked your assistant (participant) for help in improving the customer service and efficiency of the staff on the night shift. Employees have poor attitudes and spotty attendance records and often take extended breaks. This shift exhibits low productivity in stocking and a high turnover rate of personnel. Even though business is often slow, the night supervisor wants to have an efficient staff, since many of the shift’s responsibilities help the store prepare for the next day’s business.

The assistant night supervisor (participant) will present his/her ideas in a role-play that will take place in the store’s office. You are to begin the role-play by greeting the assistant (participant) and asking for the suggestions. 

During the course of the role-play you are to ask the following questions of each participant:

1.	How can we implement your ideas and have the rest of the staff buy into them?

2.	Our competitor doesn’t open for another six months. How quickly do we really need to see results so we don’t have to worry as much about the other store?

3.	How can we evaluate the effectiveness of your ideas?

Once the assistant (participant) has presented the ideas and has answered your questions you may conclude the role-play by thanking the assistant (participant) for the presentation.

You are not to make any comment after the role-play is over except to thank the participant.

JUDGE’S EVALUATION INSTRUCTIONS

Evaluation Form Information

The participants are to be evaluated on their ability to perform the specific performance indicators stated on the cover sheet of this event and restated on the Judge’s Evaluation Form. Although you may see other performance indicators being demonstrated by the participants, those listed in the Performance Indicators section are the critical ones you are measuring for this particular event.

Evaluation Form Interpretation

The evaluation levels listed below and the evaluation rating procedures should be discussed thoroughly with your event chairperson and the other judges to ensure complete and common understanding for judging consistency.

Level of Evaluation	Interpretation Level	
		
Excellent	Participant demonstrated the performance indicator in an extremely professional manner; greatly exceeds business standards; would rank in the top 10% of business personnel performing this performance indicator.	
		
Good	Participant demonstrated the performance indicator in an acceptable and effective manner; meets at least minimal business standards; there would be no need for additional formalized training at this time; would rank in the 70-89th percentile of business personnel performing this performance indicator.	
		
Fair	Participant demonstrated the performance indicator with limited effectiveness; performance generally fell below minimal business standards; additional training would be required to improve knowledge, attitude and/or skills; would rank in the 50-69th percentile of business personnel performing this performance indicator.	
		
Poor	Participant demonstrated the performance indicator with little or no effectiveness; a great deal of formal training would be needed immediately; perhaps this person should seek other employment; would rank in the 0-49th percentile of business personnel performing this performance indicator.	

JUDGE’S EVALUATION FORM
FMAL-01
State Event 3 

DID THE PARTICIPANT:

1.	Explain the concept of competition?	
POOR	FAIR	GOOD	EXCELLENT	
0, 2	4, 6, 8	10, 12, 14	16, 18	
Attempts at explaining the concept of competition were inadequate or unclear.	Adequately explained the concept of competition.	Effectively explained the concept of competition.	Very effectively and thoroughly explained the concept of competition.	
	
2.	Determine factors affecting business risk?	
POOR	FAIR	GOOD	EXCELLENT	
0, 2	4, 6, 8	10, 12, 14	16, 18	
Attempts at determining factors affecting business risk were inadequate or unclear.	Adequately determined factors affecting business risk.	Effectively determined factors affecting business risk.	Very effectively and thoroughly determined factors affecting business risk.	
	
3.	Identify factors affecting a business’s profit?	
POOR	FAIR	GOOD	EXCELLENT	
0, 2	4, 6, 8	10, 12, 14	16, 18	
Attempts at identifying factors affecting a business’s profit were inadequate or unclear.	Adequately identified factors affecting a business’s profits.	Effectively identified factors affecting a business’s profits.	Very effectively and thoroughly identified factors affecting a business’s profits.	
	
4.	Explain the concept of productivity?	
POOR	FAIR	GOOD	EXCELLENT	
0, 2	4, 6, 8	10, 12, 14	16, 18	
Attempts at explaining the concept of productivity were inadequate or unclear.	Adequately explained the concept of productivity.	Effectively explained the concept of productivity.	Effectively explained the concept of productivity.	
	
5.	Identify desirable personality traits important to business?	
POOR	FAIR	GOOD	EXCELLENT	
0, 2	4, 6, 8	10, 12, 14	16, 18	
Attempts at identifying desirable personality traits important to business were inadequate or unclear.	Adequately identified desirable personality traits important to business.	Effectively identified desirable personality traits important to business.	Very effectively and 
thoroughly identified 
desirable personality traits important to business.	
	
6.   Overall impression of the participant’s skills and performance?	
POOR	FAIR	GOOD	EXCELLENT	
0, 1	2, 3, 4	5, 6, 7	8, 9, 10	
Demonstrated few skills with little or no effectiveness.	Demonstrated limited ability to link some skills effectively.	Effectively demonstrated specified skills.	Demonstrated skills in a confident, articulate and integrated manner that meets the highest professional business standards.	

Judge’s  Initials 		TOTAL SCORE