Week 1 - Form 1: Applied Research Project FORM 1 Brief description of your proposed Applied Research Project: Topic: Effect of Increasing Training Budget Justification and/or reasons why you want to do this project: INTERPRETING PRESENTATIONS OF DATA ANALYSIS IN ARTICLES OR REPORTS LEARNER’S NAME CAPELLA UNIVERSITY APPLIED BUSINESS ANALYTICS INTERPRETING PRESENTATIONS OF DATA ANALYSIS IN ARTICLES OR REPORTS FEBRUARY, 2019 General Motors: The Business Context Publicly traded multinational corporation (CNN, 2019) Only 14.5% of its gross revenue comes from markets outside North America (Statista, 2019) Downsizing of the company (CNN Business, 2018) Recent shift toward the production of autonomous electric vehicles (General Motors, 2017) Hello, all. In today’s presentation, I will discuss two graphs that provide insight into the global economy, and this will go on to provide a clearer perspective of our business context and direct us toward profitable decision-making. In the past decade, the company has been through turbulent times. We have faced bankruptcy, acquired the status of a government-owned company, and have again become a publicly traded company (CNN, 2019). Although we are one of the largest automakers in the world, only 14.5% of our gross revenue for 2018 was generated from sales in markets outside North America (Statista, 2019), a major concern from the standpoint of growth in revenue and profitability. The company is currently undergoing major restructuring at the global level. We have shut down five facilities in North America and have cut our salaried workforce by 15%. These decisions have been tough but are necessary to remain flexible, increase savings, and stabilize profits (CNN Business, 2018). Today, General Motors is moving toward a bright future by investing in the production of cutting-edge automobiles. Our 2017 sustainability report highlighted the successful operation of five electrified automobile models developed by us. This accomplishment is accompanied by our commitment to introduce 20 electric vehicles by 2023, which is in adherence to the goal of zero-emission vehicles (General Motors, 2017). The value of this direction should be understood against the backdrop of the automobile industry’s future in self-driving cars and its changing competition arena. Technological firms from the Silicon Valley are challenging traditional automakers with self-driven car models. Therefore, the way forward is to stay ahead in the innovation race (CNN Business, 2018). 2 Variance in Returns on Invested Capital for North American Firms (as cited in Dobbs, Koller, & Ramaswamy, 2015) The line graph offers a visual representation of the variance in returns on invested capital for North American firms over a period of 50 years. The graph explains the relationship between two variables, with the value of the first depending on the value of the second. The time duration (m ...

1. Week 1 - Form 1: Applied Research Project
FORM 1
Brief description of your proposed Applied Research Project:
Topic: Effect of Increasing Training Budget
Justification and/or reasons why you want to do this project:
INTERPRETING PRESENTATIONS OF DATA ANALYSIS IN
ARTICLES OR REPORTS
LEARNER’S NAME
CAPELLA UNIVERSITY
APPLIED BUSINESS ANALYTICS
INTERPRETING PRESENTATIONS OF DATA ANALYSIS IN
ARTICLES OR REPORTS
FEBRUARY, 2019
General Motors: The Business Context
Publicly traded multinational corporation (CNN, 2019)
Only 14.5% of its gross revenue comes from markets outside
North America (Statista, 2019)
Downsizing of the company (CNN Business, 2018)
Recent shift toward the production of autonomous electric
vehicles (General Motors, 2017)
Hello, all. In today’s presentation, I will discuss two graphs that
provide insight into the global economy, and this will go on to
provide a clearer perspective of our business context and direct
us toward profitable decision-making.
In the past decade, the company has been through turbulent

2. times. We have faced bankruptcy, acquired the status of a
government-owned company, and have again become a publicly
traded company (CNN, 2019). Although we are one of the
largest automakers in the world, only 14.5% of our gross
revenue for 2018 was generated from sales in markets outside
North America (Statista, 2019), a major concern from the
standpoint of growth in revenue and profitability. The company
is currently undergoing major restructuring at the global level.
We have shut down five facilities in North America and have
cut our salaried workforce by 15%. These decisions have been
tough but are necessary to remain flexible, increase savings, and
stabilize profits (CNN Business, 2018).
Today, General Motors is moving toward a bright future by
investing in the production of cutting-edge automobiles. Our
2017 sustainability report highlighted the successful operation
of five electrified automobile models developed by us. This
accomplishment is accompanied by our commitment to
introduce 20 electric vehicles by 2023, which is in adherence to
the goal of zero-emission vehicles (General Motors, 2017). The
value of this direction should be understood against the
backdrop of the automobile industry’s future in self-driving cars
and its changing competition arena. Technological firms from
the Silicon Valley are challenging traditional automakers with
self-driven car models. Therefore, the way forward is to stay
ahead in the innovation race (CNN Business, 2018).
2
Variance in Returns on Invested Capital for North American
Firms

3. (as cited in Dobbs, Koller, &
Ramaswamy, 2015)
The line graph offers a visual representation of the variance in
returns on invested capital for North American firms over a
period of 50 years. The graph explains the relationship between
two variables, with the value of the first depending on the value
of the second. The time duration (measured in years) is marked
on the x-axis. The variance in returns on the invested capital for
North American firms (measured in percentage) is marked on
the y-axis (Dobbs et al., 2015).
The variance in returns on invested capital for a year represents
the percentage difference in return on invested capital in
relation to the previous year. This variance is representative of
volatility in the returns on invested capital. By connecting the
series of variance values through straight line segments for
subsequent years, the line graph helps in determining the
predictability of the returns on invested capital. The graph also
helps compare predictability trends for corporate profits
between two different time periods to draw important
conclusions (Dobbs et al., 2015).
The graph presents a comparison of the average variance in
returns on invested capital for two time periods: 1965 to 1980
and 2000 to 2013. The average variance for the former period
was 57%, a reflection of the postwar economy in which
corporations evaded risks and consumer behavior was needs-
based. The average variance for the latter period stands at 93%,
a reflection of volatile economic conditions wherein consumer
demands are erratic and quick to change. The many
technological changes ushered by high-powered IT firms have
made a significant impact on social and economic life. With

4. high levels of unpredictability in the economy, the profits of
traditional multi-national corporations depend on how well their
products or services cater to rapidly changing consumer
demands. The volatility of the market also makes it vital for
corporations to remain flexible and carry out sustainable
innovations (Dobbs et al., 2015).
3
Trends in Working-Age Populations and Future Projections
(as cited in Leke & Yeboah-
Amankwah, 2018)
The graph depicts the projected estimates of working-age
populations in Africa, India, China, Europe, and North America
from 2000 to 2050. The x-axis measures the passage of time and
the y-axis measures the number of working-age population in
billions. Each of the five lines in the graph represents the
populations of Africa, India, China, and Europe and the
combined populations of Canada, Mexico, and the United States
(Leke & Yeboah-Amankwah, 2018).
From the graph, it is evident that both European and North
American working-age populations have been stagnant and will
continue to remain stagnant in the coming decades. Further,
while the Indian working-age population will continue to rise in

5. the near future, it is expected that the Chinese working-age
population will decline. In contrast, the most noteworthy trend
is that of Africa. The graph displays a sharp, continuous rise in
Africa’s working-age population over the past 20 years and
projects a robust growth in the near future. The graph estimates
that Africa will have the largest working-age population by
2034 and that the population will continue to grow in the future
at a rate that exceeds the other regions measured here (Leke &
Yeboah-Amankwah, 2018).
4
Applying Graphical Data to General Motors’ Business Context
Volatile market conditions as a challenge
Responding to the demand for autonomous electric vehicles
Africa, a potential region for investment
While various errors on the part of our management cannot be
neglected, the looming economic milieu made it a challenge for
us to succeed. Rapidly changing consumer behavior, increasing
competition from companies in the emerging markets, and
disruptive technology trends are some of the factors fueling the
crisis in our business (Dobbs et al., 2015).
The volatility in returns on invested capital for North American
firms can be understood as one of the considerations behind our
management’s decision to become more flexible in offerings.
The decision to cut down on some of the traditional offerings
and expand the focus to include the production of autonomous
electric vehicles is reflective of a sound understanding of the
volatile market and a vision for the future of the industry (CNN
Business, 2018).
The graph depicting the trends in working-age population
projects Africa as the future leader of the working-age
population (Leke & Yeboah-Amankwah, 2018). This puts Africa

6. at the forefront of steering the global economy of the future.
Africa’s growing young population would produce a nimble
workforce while also making it a thriving market for
investments. With only 14.5% of our gross revenue coming
from the international market (Statista, 2019) and stringent
competition in the Asian markets for both labor and market
share, Africa is indeed a potential region for investment.
As we are going through a phase of significant restructuring
both at the level of technology and global expansion, increased
flexibility and engagement with newer markets will offer us
optimal conditions to consolidate our revenue.
5
References
CNN. (2019). General Motors fast facts. Retrieved from
https://edition.cnn.com/2014/04/08/us/general-motors-fast-
facts/index.html
CNN Business. (2018). GM is reinventing itself. It’s cutting
15% of its salaried workers and shutting 5 plants in North
America. Retrieved from
https://edition.cnn.com/2018/11/26/business/gm-oshawa-
plant/index.html
CNN Business. (2015). GM’s total recall cost: $4.1 billion.
Retrieved from
https://money.cnn.com/2015/02/04/news/companies/gm-
earnings-recall-costs/index.html
Dobbs, R., Koller, T., & Ramaswamy, S. (2015, October). The
future and how to survive it. Harvard Business Review, 48–62.
Retrieved from https://hbr.org/2015/10/the-future-and-how-to-
survive-it
General Motors. (2017). General Motors 2017 Sustainability
Report. Retrieved from https://www.gmsustainability.com/
Leke, A., & Yeboah-Amankwah, S. (2018, November–
December). Africa: A crucible for creativity. Harvard Business
Review, 116–125. Retrieved from

7. https://hbr.org/2018/11/africa-a-crucible-for-creativity
Statista. (2019). General Motors company’s sales and revenue
streams in FY 2018, by region (in billion U.S. dollars).
Retrieved from https://statista.com/statistics/258057/revenue-
by-region-of-general-motors/
Interpreting Graphical Representations of Data in Articles or
Reports Scoring
Guide
CRITERIA NON-PERFORMANCE BASIC PROFICIENT
DISTINGUISHED
Introduce the
business context or
company
background for the
data.
Does not introduce
the business context
or company
background for the
data.
Partially describes
the company
background
associated with the
data, but does not

8. provide the full
picture of the
business context.
Introduces the
business context or
company
background for the
data.
Provides rich introduction
of the company
background and the
factors affecting the
business context using
examples and history.
Explain how the data
can impact the
business context or
be used by the
company in decision
making.
Does not explain
how the data can
impact the business
context or be used
by the company in
decision making.
Partially describes
how the data can
impact the business
context or be used by
the company in

9. decision making.
Explains how the
data can impact the
business context or
be used by the
company in
decision making.
Explains comprehensively
and thoroughly how the
data can impact the
business context or be
used by the company in
decision making, including
relevant examples of data-
based decision making
from the field.
Interpret or explain
the meaning of two
different graphical
representations of
data.
Does not interpret or
explain the meaning
of two different
graphical
representations of
data.
Partially interprets or
explains the meaning
of two different
graphical

10. representations of
data.
Interprets or
explains the
meaning of two
different graphical
representations of
data.
Interprets and explains the
meaning of two graphical
representations of data in
depth, including analysis of
the business in relation to
the field or specific
examples.
Format citations and
references correctly
using current APA
style.
Does not format
citations and
references using
APA style.
Formats citations and
references with
errors in APA style.
Formats citations
and references
correctly using
current APA style.

11. Formats citations and
references flawlessly in
current APA style.
Present content
clearly,
professionally, and
logically for the
identified audience.
Does not present
content clearly,
professionally, or
logically for the
identified audience.
Presents content with
some flaws in
organization or clarity
that affect
professional delivery
for the intended
audience.
Presents content
clearly,
professionally, and
logically for the
identified audience.
Presents content with
exceptional clarity,
organization,
professionalism, and
appropriateness for the

12. identified audience.
Scenario
You are an analyst in a business. You may choose a real or
fictional business of interest. Any business that has practical
meaning for you is an appropriate choice for this assessment.
You have been given you a report containing some graphs and
charts and must interpret and explain two of them at a
department meeting.
Your Role
You have been invited to be one of many presenters at a
departmental meeting that employees of all levels will attend.
You have been allotted 5–8 minutes, and the purpose of your
speech is to explain the two charts or tables that your analyst
has given you.
Instructions
1. Select two graphical representations of data, such as pie
charts, bar charts, scatter plots and trend lines, or tables.
. You may use published articles, annual report graphics from
publicly traded companies, or any published business report.
. A list of appropriate articles has been compiled for this
assessment. You may select one of the articles from the list in
Resources or find your own article that meets the criteria.
. If you cannot find any published data graphics, you may create
them.
· Identify the business context, such as an online store, a brick-
and-mortar business, year-end review, product kickoff, recently
merged or new IPO company, or a family-owned business.
. This company background information should help explain
why the data is relevant.
· Interpret your chosen data representation in the context of the
business situation. The following are typical questions an
analyst would use to interpret the data:
. What is being measured (the variables)?

13. . What are the relationships among the variables?
. What are the trends in the data?
. How can the data be applied in the business context?
· Create an effective 6-slide PowerPoint presentation that could
be presented at a departmental meeting.
. An effective PowerPoint presentation for this purpose
typically includes:
. 1 title slide, APA formatted.
. 1 introduction slide explaining the business context.
. 1 slide for each of the two graphics in your report.
. You may insert or paste the charts and include an appropriate
citation (2 total slides for this portion of the presentation).
. Explain the meaning of each graphical data representation.
· 1 conclusion slide in which you explain how the data may
affect the business context or how each graph may be applied in
your business context to inform decision making.
· 1 slide with APA-formatted references, including the source of
each graph.
· Prepare a short speech that presents your analysis so that it is
relevant to people of all levels of the company and include
detailed presenter's notes in the PowerPoint slides.