The Case Analysis Section: Analyses of the National Cranberry Cooperative II. Environmental Changes and Implementation

The first analysis of this part, Analysis 4, presents and analyzes various possible technological improvements. Proposing such improvements requires more understanding of appropriate technologies than would be provided by a typical Operations Research/Management Science (OR/MS) course. In contrast to the analyses in the first part, which use the classical OR/MS approach of converting all consequences into a single monetary measure and seeking an option that maximizes the net return, the submissions containing these analyses tend to take the approach of specifying a number of criteria to be met, and seeking the option that meets the most of them._x000B_ Analysis 5 presents various approaches to demand management, where the berry arrival process is managed rather than taken as given. These kinds of analyses tend to be taught more in economics courses than in OR/MS courses. Steiner [1957] and Williamson [1966] provide useful introductions. Some related current theory can be found in Mendelson and Whang [1990] and Whang [1989]._x000B_ Analysis 6 also presents ideas more likely to be discussed in economics courses than in OR/MS courses. A section on the implementation process of carrying out analyses and efficiently developing useful recommendations follows.