Examine the technology industry, trends, challenges and applications

Enter the data onto an Excel worksheet and name it as “Absences”. At the foot of each April and May columns, display the average for each month by using a formula. In April there were five Fridays and four of the other days and in May there were five Thursdays and four of each of the other days but two of the Mondays were bank holidays when nobody was expected to work. Add two extra columns showing the ‘number of working days’ (for each day of the week) separately for April and May respectively. For example, based on the given information, the number of Tuesdays worked in April and May respectively will be 4 and 4. You will now add two further columns. Add a column for the ‘average number of absences’ on each day of the week in April and a column for the average number of absences on each day of the week in May. Enter formulae to calculate these numbers and show the results correct to one decimal place. Create an appropriate chart/graph (consider column/bar charts) to show the monthly averages for each day, so that the months can be compared easily. Embed this chart in the same worksheet. Ensure that your graph/chart has appropriate title, scales, labels and legend. Add to your worksheet a comment on the absence statistics (no more than 80 words) and make sure your sheet is suitable for presenting a printed version to your manager. The comment is to be made using the chart/graph created and should address whether the statistics confirms that there are more absences on Mondays and Fridays of each month. In order to make it presentable, you could format the sheet so that the data and comment are displayed clearly. Submission Information Part 1 of Assignment - All submissions should be made via the Module Page on StudyNet Each student will submit Part 1 as an Excel file. This file will include the relevant worksheet including the relevant comment (within Excel). The submission file should be named as “ExcelPart1”.

Mark scheme: Part 2

Criteria	Description	Marks
Data Selection	Select appropriate data for analysis	/10
Produce appropriate charts/graphs	Each selected data set should be depicted using an appropriate graph/chart. Clarity of graphs/charts with appropriate title, scales, labels and legend	/15
Analysis	Relevance and accuracy of the analysis with reference to produced charts/graphs. Evidence of investigation whether similar trends exists in retail industry/organisations and support your analysis by using supplementary articles (at least 3).	/15
Presentation	Clear presentation and structure of the report. At least 3 academic sources should be used and referenced using Harvard style.	/10
	Total	/50

Student Support and Guidance

· For further help, contact your module leader in their drop-in hours or by email.

• Use the Grading Criteria and Mark Scheme to help improve your work.
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    • Make full use of Library search to identify relevant academic material and the ‘Subject Toolkit for Business’ which contains links to other Information Databases and the Information Management contact details. (http://www.studynet1.herts.ac.uk/ptl/common/LIS.nsf/lis/4DAF5390094771C2802575ED004212BF)
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+2016+USER+GUIDE.pdf/$FILE/TURNITIN+FOR+STUDENTS+2016+USER+GUIDE.pdf

Sample Answer

Report on Smart Devices Market Research

Introduction

This report analyses Mintel market research data on smart devices, focusing on smartwatches and smart earbuds. The purpose is to interpret key patterns in customer behaviour and to use these insights for better business decisions. The findings cover brand popularity, the purpose of earbud use among young adults, the role of Covid-19 in smartwatch adoption, and supporting secondary evidence.

Popular Brands of Smart Devices

The Mintel data shows that a small number of brands dominate the market for both smartwatches and earbuds. For smartwatches, Apple holds the largest share, followed by Samsung and Fitbit. These three account for most sales, showing strong consumer trust in their technology and design. In earbuds, Apple’s AirPods lead the market, with Samsung Galaxy Buds and Sony earbuds also proving highly popular.

Figure 1: Most Popular Smartwatch and Earbud Brands (Mintel data)

This concentration suggests that retailers should prioritise stocking Apple, Samsung, and Fitbit in smartwatches, and Apple, Samsung, and Sony in earbuds. Focusing on these leading brands would allow businesses to meet the majority of consumer demand while avoiding over-stocking less popular options.

Purpose of Smart Earbuds Use among Young Adults

Mintel data for the 16–34 age group reveals how men and women use smart earbuds differently. Both genders report high use for listening to music and streaming content, showing that entertainment is a universal motivation. However, differences appear in other areas. Men are slightly more likely to use earbuds for gaming and podcasts, while women show higher use for communication features such as hands-free calling and for fitness-related audio coaching.

Figure 2: Purposes of Smart Earbuds Use by Gender (Ages 16–34)

These insights highlight that although core uses overlap, gender-specific features may affect purchase decisions. Marketing strategies should therefore focus on shared needs such as sound quality, comfort, and battery life, while also tailoring messages to gendered differences, for example by highlighting fitness compatibility for women or low-latency gaming modes for men.

Covid-19 and Smartwatch Adoption

The pandemic influenced consumer behaviour towards contactless technology. The Mintel data supports the idea that Covid-19 encouraged smartwatch use for contactless payments across both men and women. While some small differences between genders are present, the overall increase in adoption is clear.

Figure 3: Smartwatch Use for Contactless Payment by Gender

This suggests that health and safety concerns during the pandemic accelerated acceptance of smartwatches such as the Apple Watch, Samsung Galaxy Watch, and Fitbit Versa as everyday payment tools. The impact appears to be long-lasting, as customers now expect the convenience of fast and secure wearable payments regardless of gender.

Secondary Research Evidence

Other sources support these findings. A report by Statista (2023) shows that global sales of wearable devices rose sharply during the Covid-19 period, with payment functionality being a key driver. An article in Business Insider (2022) noted that Apple and Samsung both benefitted from the rise in contactless payments, as consumers increasingly preferred wearables for transactions in shops and on transport systems. Similarly, Deloitte’s Global Mobile Consumer Survey (2021) highlighted how digital payment adoption cut across gender and age boundaries.

These sources strengthen the argument that the pandemic created a step-change in behaviour. They also show that businesses adopting wearable-friendly payment solutions are likely to benefit from this long-term consumer shift.

Conclusion

The analysis highlights that a few dominant brands drive the smart device market, with Apple, Samsung, Fitbit, and Sony leading in consumer demand. Young adults use earbuds for similar purposes but with some gender differences. Covid-19 accelerated smartwatch use for payments among both men and women, supported by external research. Together, these insights show how data helps businesses plan stock, design marketing strategies, and meet changing consumer needs.

References

Business Insider (2022). Wearables and the Future of Payments. [online] Available at: [insert link].
Deloitte (2021). Global Mobile Consumer Survey. Deloitte Insights.
Statista (2023). Wearable Device Sales Worldwide 2015–2023. [online] Available at: [insert link].
Mintel (2023). Smart Devices Market Report. [University access].

 

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