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Journal of Education for Business

ISSN: 0883-2323 (Print) 1940-3356 (Online) Journal homepage: http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/vjeb20

Integrating Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
Applications Into Business Courses Using Online
Business Geographics Modules
Fred Miller , W. Glynn Mangold & Terry Holmes
To cite this article: Fred Miller , W. Glynn Mangold & Terry Holmes (2006) Integrating
Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Applications Into Business Courses Using Online
Business Geographics Modules, Journal of Education for Business, 82:2, 74-79, DOI: 10.3200/
JOEB.82.2.74-79
To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.3200/JOEB.82.2.74-79

Published online: 07 Aug 2010.

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Integrating Geographic Information
Systems (GIS) Applications Into
Business Courses Using
Online Business Geographics Modules
FRED MILLER
W. GLYNN MANGOLD
TERRY HOLMES
MURRAY STATE UNIVERSITY
MURRAY, KENTUCKY


ABSTRACT. Although the value of
geographic information systems (GIS) technologies is recognized by practitioners and
educators alike, GIS instruction has yet to
make significant inroads into business curricula. In this article, the authors discuss the
constraints of integrating GIS tools into
business education. They develop a prototype module for overcoming these constraints and discuss a retail site selection
module and its implementation in a retail
management course. Faculty and student
evaluations of this exercise serve as the
basis for assessment of this approach and
recommendations for future development of
GIS instruction in business education.
Key words: business, business GIS, geographic information system, marketing,
retailing, site selection
Copyright © 2006 Heldref Publications

74

Journal of Education for Business


T

he old adage, “A picture is worth a
thousand words” provides the
philosophical backdrop for geographic
information systems (GIS) software.
The premise is that people can absorb
large amounts of information when it is
presented to them in map format. For
example, the maps in Figure 1 display
home ownership patterns in San Francisco. This is one of several demographic
measures that a book retailer might use
to profile its customer base. The maps in
Figure 1 also depict the two current locations of Better Books, a fictitious San
Francisco bookstore, as well as several
market area models for these stores. The
figure shows the locations of potential
sites for a new store. For one of the
potential sites, the census block groups

within the site’s market area are highlighted on the map.
By viewing these maps, one gains an
understanding of some of the spatial
relationships relevant to the location
decision. Where are the potential sites in
relation to the existing sites? Are they so
close as to encroach on the sales of the
existing stores? What is their proximity
to the areas with attractive demographics? The visual impact of the maps in
addressing these questions is one of the
significant contributions of GIS systems.
The application of GIS tools to the
analysis of business problems is known
as business geographics. As the earlier
site-selection example illustrates, the

analytical and communication value of
GIS technologies is considerable. As a
result, GIS software applications are
gradually being integrated into the mainstream of information technology (IT)

tools used by managers. Their integration
into managerial education has been even
more gradual. Business schools, even
those on campuses with robust GIS capabilities, have not integrated these applications into their curricula as rapidly as
they have other IT capabilities.
In this article, we discuss the promise
of GIS technologies in business and the
constraints that have limited the integration of business geographics tools into
business school curricula. We illustrate
the potential of course-specific, Webbased business geographics modules
and describe the implementation of this
approach.
GIS in Business Education:
Promise and Problems
The value of these tools in a variety of
business disciplines has been clearly
established (Fung & Remsen, 1997;
Grimshaw, 1994). In marketing, business
geographics can play a significant role in
site selection (O’Malley & Patterson,

1997), customer profiling (Totty, 2002),
market area analysis (Mitchell &
McGoldrick, 1994), sales territory analysis, routing planning, real time logistics
planning, and location-based service
provision (Smith, Langley, & Mundy,

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Map A: Homeownership in San
Francisco
Darker areas represent higher levels
of home ownership

Map B: Better Books Stores,
Customers, One Mile Ring Market
Areas
Illustrates the distribution of customers
by store and one mile ring market
areas.


Map C: Alternative Market Area
Model
60% of customers within Inner
Polygon, 80% within Outer Polygon
The exercise also includes drive time
market areas

Map D: Available Properties,
Competitors, One Mile Rings
Shaded area in lower right = blockgroups in this site’s market area

FIGURE 1. Sample maps from retail site selection exercise.

1998). In operations management,
industrial site selection (Baker & Baker,
1999; Heng, Kong, Pang, Shi, & Ling,
2003), logistics management (Vlachopoulou, Silleos, & Manthou, 2001),
and delivery or service routing (Weigel
& Cao, 1999) are primary applications.
Network-based service providers such as

energy, utility, cable, telephone, satellite
and cellular firms can use these tools to
manage their networks, target marketing
activities, and deliver location-based services (Engelhardt, 2002; Godin, 2001;
Harder, 1999).
E-business firms can use GIS tools to
manage delivery operations and to convey store location or shipping information to customers (Heng et al., 2003).
Furthermore, spatial information, often

presented in map formats, can enhance
the value of business intelligence systems (Akright, 2005; Hess, Rubin, &
West Jr., 2004), improve the effectiveness of data presentation (Baker &
Baker, 1999), and impact the decisionmaking process favorably (Dennis &
Carte, 1998; Dewett & Gareth, 2001;
Drummond, 1998; Smelcer & Carmel,
1997). In their descriptive books on
business geographics applications,
Harder (1997) and Boyles (2002) provide compelling illustrations of the
effectiveness of GIS tools for these and
other business tasks.

Despite the potential, business geographics has not been widely introduced
into business school programs. One survey of business school faculty reports

that, although 61% of respondents are
familiar with GIS concepts, only 22%
cover them in class, and only 7%
include GIS projects in their courses
(Brickley, Micken, & Carr, 2006). In
general, marketing instructors have
been content to acquaint students with
GIS tools and their value rather than
develop student’s hands-on skills with
such tools (Evans, Nancarrow, Tapp, &
Stone, 2002).
By overlooking these technologies,
business schools are missing an important opportunity. To sample demand for
GIS-related jobs, we conducted searches
of two major online jobs search sites
over a 30-month period. The results for
Monster.com and HotJobs.com reveal a

substantial and growing demand for
such jobs over this time period. In
November 2003, Monster (http://www
.monster.com) and HotJobs (http://www
.hotjobs.com) listed 396 and 258 such
jobs respectively. By March, 2006 those
numbers had grown to over 1,000 GISrelated jobs on Monster and 1,063 on
HotJobs. The range of job openings is
broad, ranging from nonmanagerial
positions with little experience required
to managerial positions requiring graduate degrees and 5–10 years of GIS experience.
Why this gap? Historically high initial costs have been a significant factor.
With large datasets, extensive analytical
tools, and demanding graphic requirements, GIS systems have required
expensive software running on highperformance systems. This factor is
becoming less significant due to academic pricing, site and state level licensing agreements, and declining prices for
high-performance computer systems.
A second significant constraint is the
cost and availability of faculty time for
training, pedagogical planning, and program implementation. Learning GIS

software can require a significant investment of time as can the development of
appropriate instructional materials and
datasets for relevant business courses.
Incentives to pursue these tasks are further limited by a scarcity of readily
available materials and patchy coverage
in textbooks. Complicating matters still
further are the demands on faculty to
pursue similar integration of other information technology tools such as enterNovember/December 2006

75

prise resource planning (ERP), customer
relationship management (CRM), supply chain management (SCM), or database marketing systems.

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A Potential Solution:
Web-Based GIS Course Modules
Web-based GIS course modules are a
promising approach to overcoming these
constraints. A GIS course module is a
discrete collection of data and GIS tools
customized for a specific analysis covering a limited geographic area. When
moved to the Web and designed for ArcExplorer software, a Web-based GIS
viewer available at no cost from GIS
software designer Environmental Systems Research Institute (ESRI), such a
module can provide a significant learning experience while avoiding many of
the difficulties identified previously.
The educational benefits of GIS modules arise from their relative simplicity,
focus, and relevance. The complex
processes of data selection and manipulation are performed by the module
designer. Users work with datasets and
geographic areas customized for the
analysis, thus simplifying their learning
process. Because the modules focus on
specific analyses, users have to learn
only those GIS tools required for the
task at hand. Because the modules apply
course concepts, students will directly
experience the relevance and power of
GIS tools in the discipline. Modules do
not require massive datasets because
each covers a limited geographic area.
They do not require the installation and
support of complex software packages,
but rather the relatively simple ArcExplorer system, a free GIS viewer available from software designer ESRI.
Finally, because the modules use a limited set of GIS tools, they do not require
extensive student and faculty learning
cycles to implement them.
When GIS modules are implemented
in a Web-based environment such as
ESRI’s ArcIMS (an Internet mapping
service) additional benefits accrue. For
example, they are accessible from any
computer with Web access, facilitating
classroom presentation. In addition, students may complete module assignments on their own systems, increasing
convenience and the availability of
76

Journal of Education for Business

modules in distance-learning environments. Finally, Web implementation
permits faculty to integrate GIS assignments into courses without access to
specially configured lab facilities.
An example of this approach is a San
Francisco site selection module
designed for a retail management course
at Murray State University. It involves a
hypothetical San Francisco book retailer
that wishes to add a third store in the
area. It includes data on the two existing
stores, their customers, competing
bookstores, sites available for expansion, and selected demographic characteristics of the San Francisco area.
Within an ArcIMS implementation,
students manipulate these data by creating various maps of San Francisco, its
population, and bookstores. They compare diverse approaches to market-area
definition and identify a store to use as a
model for selecting a new location. They
then compare characteristics of available
sites with those of the model store to
support their selection of the site for a
third store. In addition to ArcExplorer
and project data, the online project
includes written instructions, a brief
tutorial covering ArcExplorer tools, a
data dictionary describing the demographic variables in the dataset, and an
MS Word template to help them prepare
the final written report for the project.
We implemented the Web-based
retail site selection module in three sections of a retail management class during the fall 2004 and spring 2005
semesters. The module was prepared by
a faculty member who was familiar with
GIS and various GIS software applications. Then, we placed it on the university server where it could be accessed
by anyone who entered the appropriate
URL. Next, we presented the module to
a retailing management class to give
them an overview of the project and the
required analysis. We debriefed students
after they submitted. Last, students
completed a project evaluation survey.
The Web-Based Retail
Site Selection Course Module
In this article, we represent the retail
site selection course module (see
Appendix). It shows a short case in
which Better Books, a fictitious San

Francisco bookseller, is faced with the
challenge of selecting a bookstore location. Its first two locations have been
successful and a premise of the case is
that the owners would like to replicate
their success in a third location that is
similar to the first two. Six suitable
properties have been identified in the
San Francisco area. The challenge for
students is to choose the best of the six
properties using the analog or similar
store approach (i.e., they are to use one
of the first two locations as a model
store, then select a third location similar
to that model store). Students are
instructed to eliminate any locations
that may unduly cannibalize the sales of
existing stores.
First, they use the information provided in map format by the GIS software to analyze the demographic characteristics of the San Francisco area.
They do this by using a series of mouse
clicks to specify the information to be
presented. For example, students can
see which blockgroups have the highest, middle, and lowest income levels
by clicking on average household
income by blockgroup. Two more
mouse clicks remove the average
household income information from
their screen and replace it with information pertaining to average household size. Map A in Figure 1 illustrates
this process. The module then directs
students to specifically address the following question: What do you observe
about the geographic distribution of
demographic values in the San Francisco area?
Second, students use a similar series
of mouse clicks to analyze the locations
of Better Books’s current stores. Two
mouse clicks display the current store
locations. Two more clicks display
information pertaining to Better
Books’s current customers, and the final
two clicks display competitors’ store
locations on their screens. Map B in
Figure 1 illustrates this part of the exercise. Specific questions are posed to students: How densely are customers clustered around the store where they shop?
How much geographic crossover is
there between stores? Which store has
the most competition?
Similar instructions are provided for
the next three tasks: (a) review alterna-

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tive market area models for the two
stores (see Map C in Figure 1), (b) analyze the locations of available store sites,
and (c) analyze the market areas of available store sites (see Map D in Figure 1).
The instructions also require students
to incorporate data into their analyses
that supplement the spatial information
provided in map format. This information is incorporated in the form of market area reports. The first market area
report provides data pertaining to various demographic and income measures
for the areas within 1 mile of each existing store. The second market area report
provides information pertaining to customers of each existing store location
who accounted for 0%–60% and 61%–
80% of sales. The third market area
report provides measures for customers
who lived within a 1-min drive and from
a 1- to 3-min drive of each store.
The final task in the retail site selection module requires that students recommend a site for Better Books’ new
store. Students are required to explain
the rationale for their recommendation
on the basis of the analyses that they
have performed. A report template is
incorporated into the module in MS
Word format to add structure to the
assignment and provide guidance
regarding the format of the written
report.
Incorporating the Module Into
the Retail Management Class
The Web-based site selection module
was incorporated into the retail location
and site selection portion of three retail
management classes. Students were first
given the opportunity to develop a solid
understanding of location analysis.
They were made aware of various general issues pertaining to types of locations (e.g., malls, strip centers, central
business districts), types of stores (e.g.,
department stores, convenience stores,
specialty stores), and the variables that
influence location decisions (e.g., population demographics, occupancy costs).
They were also made aware of issues
pertaining to specific retail sites such as
the level of competition, accessibility,
parking, and the likelihood that a new
site will cannibalize an existing site’s
sales. Finally, students were made

aware of the analog or similar store
approach to estimate demand for a specific location. Analysts using the analog
approach were asked to select retail
sites based on their similarity to one or
more existing successful sites.
The site selection module was introduced after students had developed this
basic understanding of the factors that
influence retail location decisions. The
module proved to be easy to learn and
easy to teach to others. The course
instructor was a complete beginner,
whose only exposure to GIS or GIS
software was provided in the course
textbook’s descriptive material. The
designer of the module briefed the
instructor about the module. After
spending another 45 min clicking
through the module, the instructor presented the module and the accompanying exercise to his class. The fact that
most students were able to complete the
assignment with no additional assistance from the instructor suggests that
this level of instruction was adequate.
The grade on the module was worth a
maximum of 50 points, or 8% of the
total possible points for the class.
Grades were based on three factors. The
first factor was the degree to which the
analysis was thorough and accurate.
Second, the instructor evaluated the
extent to which the recommended site
location followed logically from the
analysis and was supported by a strong
rationale. Third, the assignment was
assessed for overall professionalism of
writing and appearance.
Students performed extremely well
on the assignment, with the majority
receiving As. This high level of performance was largely due to the highly
structured nature of the exercise. Students who followed the step-by-step
instructions carefully did well in terms
of analysis. The application of logic to
the analysis led to a solid rationale for
the recommended location. The report
template that was incorporated into the
module helped students structure the
report correctly and insured that the
report contained the content required by
the instructor.
Students liked the assignment. Most
indicated that it required from 1 to 2 hr of
computer time to complete the analysis,
not counting the amount of time required

to write the reports. Reports ranged in
length from four to eight double-spaced
pages. In written evaluations, students
commented that (a) the project was relevant to course content, (b) the hands-on
nature of the project helped them learn
course material, (c) the project helped
them understand the role of GIS in site
selection, (d) the project caused them to
think more deeply about the issues
involved in site selection than did text
material, and (e) completing the project
was more interesting than simply reading
about site selection.
DISCUSSION
A postexercise interview with the
instructor allowed us to assess his perception of the results of the project as
well as the preparation and implementation demands upon his time. The instructor reported that the GIS skills required
for this exercise were relatively easy to
learn, demonstrate, teach, and evaluate.
He viewed this exercise as a valuable
addition to the site selection component
of the retail management course and
plans to continue using it.
Student perceptions of the project
were captured in the postexercise survey, which solicited their perceptions of
the demands, value, and relevance of the
exercise. In this process, students
reported that it helped them learn course
concepts, understand GIS capabilities,
and learn career-related skills.
The benefits of this approach arise
from the experiential learning it facilitates. Students learn GIS skills by
applying the tools and understand the
relevance of GIS analysis by performing it. More importantly, they experience the dynamic nature of the site
selection process much more directly
than it can be presented in textbooks.
Alternative methods of analysis, criteria
for selection and conclusions as to the
best site provide insight into the difficulty and complexity of this important
decision in retail management.
The problems with this approach are
related largely to its limited scope.
Although the Web-based implementation provides wide access to GIS tools, it
does so at the expense of limiting the
range of tools available. Students’ ability to present demographic data, perform
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77

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spatial analysis and perform calculations
is limited to capabilities of ArcExplorer,
which is less powerful than desktop GIS
packages. This limitation is not a significant problem if students encounter
modules in only one or two courses and
if the objectives of the exercise are orientation, basic understanding, and introductory level skills. However, this
approach is insufficient if the learning
objectives are more advanced understanding of GIS applications and greater
skills with GIS tools. More intense interaction with advanced GIS software is
necessary if these objectives are to be
realized. Even within these limitations,
the potential for implementation of Webbased GIS modules in business courses
is great. They can serve an introductory
function in any business discipline in
which GIS applications are relevant.
Thus, our recommendation is that this
approach be used to introduce students
to GIS capabilities in basic courses
across business disciplines. More powerful packages demanding a greater
commitment of resources are necessary
when advanced GIS knowledge and
skills are sought.
NOTE
Correspondence concerning this article should
be addressed to Dr. Fred Miller, Murray State University, Murray, KY 42001.

E–mail: [email protected]
REFERENCES
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business intelligence and GIS. Paper presented
at ESRI Business GeoInfo Summit. Retrieved
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library/userconf/geoinfo05/index.html
Baker, S., & Baker, K. (1999). Mapping and data
solutions for strategic visualization. Journal of
Business Strategy, 20(5), 20–22.
Boyles, D. (2002). GIS means business: Volume 2.
Redlands, CA: Environmental Systems
Research Institute, Inc.
Brickley M., Micken K., & Carr B. (2006, April).
Can GIS play a role in the Business Curriculum? Paper presented at Northeast Decision
Sciences Institute, San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Dennis, A. R., & Carte T. A. (1998). Using geographical information systems for decision
making: Extending cognitive fit theory to mapbased presentations. Information Systems
Research, 9, 194–204.
Dewett, T., & Gareth, R. J. (2001). The role of
information technology in the organization: A
review, model, and assessment. Journal of
Management, 27, 313–346.
Drummond, S. (1998). Mapping a better presentation. Commercial Investment Real Estate,
17(6), 32–36.
Engelhardt, J. (2002). E-business GIS for oil and
gas. Geospatial Solutions, 12(9), 14–23.
Evans, M., Nancarrow, C., Tapp, A., & Stone, M.
(2002). Future marketers: Future curriculum:
Future shock? Journal of Marketing Management, 18, 579–596.
Fung, D. S., & Remsen, A. P. (1997). Geographic
information systems technology for business
applications. Journal of Applied Business
Research, 13(3), 17–24.
Godin, L. (2001). GIS in telecommunications. Redlands, CA: Environmental Systems Research
Institute, Inc.

Grimshaw, D. J. (1994). Bringing geographical
information systems into business. New York:
Wiley.
Harder, C. (1997). ArcView GIS means business.
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Harder, C. (1999). Enterprise GIS for energy companies. Redlands, CA: Environmental Systems
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Ling, Y. (2003). Internet-based geographical
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Hess, R., Rubin, R., & West, L., Jr. (2004). Geographic information systems as a marketing
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role of geodemographics in segmenting and targeting consumer markets: A Delphi study.
European Journal of Marketing, 28(5), 54–73.
O’Malley, L., & Patterson, M. (1997). Retailer use
of geodemographic and other data sources: An
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Smelcer, J. B., & Carmel, E. (1997). The effectiveness of different representations for managerial problem solving: Comparing tables and
maps. Decision Sciences, 28(2), 391–423
Smith, C. D., Langley, J. C., & Mundy, R. (1998).
Removing the barriers between education and
practice: Tools and techniques for logistics
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173–195.
Totty, P. (2002). Pinpoint members with new datamining tools. Credit Union Magazine, 68(4),
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(2001). Geographic information systems in
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205–213.

APPENDIX
San Francisco Site Selection Project
Rationale
Better Books is a book retailer with two stores in the San Francisco area which the retailer refers to as Steiner and Bosworth based on
their addresses. The firm wishes to open a new store by purchasing one of six available properties in the San Francisco area. To select the
best site for a new store, the firm has hired you to analyze the market areas for its existing stores and select one of them as the ideal profile for a new store. You will then analyze the six properties available for a new store, first by eliminating those which might cannibalize
sales of existing stores. You shall perform a market analysis of the remaining potential sites and select the one which is most attractive
relative to the ideal profile you have defined. Using the Java Viewer version MKT 369: Retail Site Selection in San Francisco project, you
will perform this analysis by completing the following steps in the business geographics analysis.

78

Tasks

Relevant Controls

Analyze the demographic characteristics of the San Francisco area
Using select and unselect options, display the demographic characteristics
presented in existing map layers. If you are using the Java Viewer, format
the Define this Layer to display additional data.
What do you observe about the geographic distribution of demographic
values in the San Francisco area?

1. Select and unselect the appropriate layers to display
existing data.
2. Using the Format an Existing Layer procedures,
revise the Define this Layer layer of the map to
display demographic data of your choice.

Analyze the locations of Better Books current stores
Select the layers which depict Better Books Steiner and Bosworth store,
their customers and competitive bookstores in the San Francisco area.

1. Select and unselect the appropriate layers to display
existing data.

Journal of Education for Business

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APPENDIX—Continued
Tasks

Relevant Controls

How densely are customers clustered around the store where they shop?
How much geographic crossover is there between stores? Which store
has the most competition?
Unselect the customer layer and select the various layers of demographic
information. What general patterns of comparison do you see between the
demographic characteristics of the locations of the two stores?

2. Zoom in and out for detailed views of the
customer and store characteristics.
3. Use the Pan and Zoom functions to move from store
to store.
4. Use the Identity tool to review information about
competitive bookstores near the Steiner and
Bosworth stores.

Review alternative market area models for the Steiner and Bosworth stores
Select the BB's 1 Mile Market and move it to the top of the customer layer.
This model is a simple one mile ring around each store. Review the Market
Area Report for this model. What conclusions can you draw about the
differences in the market areas for each store.
Repeat this procedure for the % of Sales Market Area market area model.
In this model 60% of sales comes from customers in the inner ring, and
another 20% from customers in the outer ring. Thus, 80% of total sales
comes from customers within both rings. Review the Market Area Report
for this model. What conclusions can you draw about the differences in
the market areas for each store.
Repeat this procedure for the Drive Time Market Area model.
In this model the inner ring is within a 1-mile drive of the store and the
outer ring more than a minute, but less than a 3-min drive. Drive time
is a common measure of convenience and shopping area appeal. Review
the Market Area Report for this model. What conclusions can you draw
about the differences in the market areas for each store.
Which market area approach is most appropriate for this analysis? Why?
Which of the two stores should serve as the “model store” for the firm’s
planned new store?
Analyze the locations of available store sites
Unselect the various market area models and select the Available Properties
layer. This layer contains six properties which Better Books can acquire
for its third San Francisco store. (Two of the properties are very close
together and will appear as one until you zoom in on them.) Your first task
is to eliminate any sites which would cannibalize existing sales because
they are too close to them or would draw too heavily from existing
customers. Which three sites would you recommend for elimination? Why?
Zoom to the locations of the remaining three sites. Display the Competing
Bookstores layer and review competing stores' characteristics to assess the
general level of competition in each area.
Analyze the market areas of available store sites
Select the Avail Prop 1 Mile Market Areas layer to display one mile ring
market areas for each store. Display the various demographic layers to
explore the demographic characteristics of the market area for each store.
Review the Available Properties Market Area Report. What differences do
you find between the market area populations for the available sites?
Which site best fits the model store you identified above?

Recommend a site for Better Books’ new store
Based on your analysis, recommend one of the available sites for Better
Books third San Francisco store. Explain the rationale for your
recommendation using the demographic and market area analyses you
have performed. Use this MS Word template design and print (or save
and insert) maps which illustrate the conclusions of your analysis and
support your recommendation.

1. Select and unselect the appropriate layers to display
existing data.
2. Zoom in and out and for detailed views of the
market area and store characteristics.
3. Use the Pan and Zoom functions to move from store
to store.
4. Review the reports for each model to determine
market area demographic and income
characteristics.

1. Select and unselect the appropriate layers to display
existing data.
2. Zoom in and out for detailed views of the
available sites and their characteristics.
3. Use the Identity tool to view information about
each site and competing store.
4. Use the Pan and Zoom functions to move from site
to site.

1. Select and unselect the appropriate layers to display
existing data.
2. Zoom in and out for detailed views of the
market area and store characteristics.
3. Use the Pan and Zoom functions to move from store
to store.
4. Review the reports for each model to determine
market area demographic and income
characteristics.
1. Select and unselect layers to design maps that
support your analysis.
2. Use the Print tool to print copies of the maps you
design.
3. Use the Save tool to save maps as graphics images
to insert in your report using MS Word.

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