Peer Review

Select-A-City for Demographic and Economic Opportunities, Using an Online Database

Material Detail page

Reviewed:: Jan 21, 2025 by Business

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Ratings

Overall Rating:

Content Quality:

Effectiveness:

Ease of Use:

Overview:

This scenario activity can be designed or adjusted to fit many classes and topics, using the ERsys.com website that provides a comprehensive collection of demographic and economic profiles for approximately 2600 US cities. A scenario problem asks the student to select a city which will provide the best opportunity /choice of location, using the data available from the ERsys.com website. In a principles of marketing class you might ask students to select from two or three cities the best place for a specific business to locate, or to pre-test a new product. If you are teaching a consumer behavior class, you might ask students which city in a pre-selected option would provide the greatest customer base for a specific product, retailer, or service provider. In a marketing research class, you might use this site to have students analyze population or economic variances, or to compare population density maps of major cities in a state.

Type of Material:

Assignment

Recommended Uses:

In class
Lecture
Homework
Groups

Technical Requirements:

The reviewer used Google Chrome with no issues.

Identify Major Learning Goals:

Analyze demographic data and statistics of multiple cities available via a public database
Critically analyze multiple cities for best location strategies, based upon the problem assigned
Make data-driven decisions related to business location, target markets, or research,
Justify selections based on available data.

Target Student Population:

Upper-level marketing classes
Graduate level business classes

Prerequisite Knowledge or Skills:

Courses related to marketing, consumer behavior, retailing, and marketing research
The exercise requires critical thinking, data analysis, and the ability to make informed decisions based on demographic and economic information, which are essential skills for using this material effectively.
Students should possess basic knowledge of marketing, retailing or consumer behavior.

Content Quality

Rating:

Strengths:

The scenario offers students an engaging and relevant opportunity for real-world problem-solving, focusing on the interplay between demographics and economics.
This practical exercise harnesses the ERsys.com website, a valuable resource with authentic data.
The beauty of this activity lies in its adaptability; it can be customized to fit a range of courses, including marketing, consumer behavior, retailing, and marketing research, thus making it a versatile tool suitable for various educational contexts.
The information appeared to be accurate and was easy to use.

Concerns:

The activity primarily relies on data from a specific website (ERsys.com), which may have data accuracy or availability limitations.
The data was from 2022. We are now in 2025. The reviewer is not sure when the data will be updated, but would hope this site would be updated when the data is updated.

Potential Effectiveness as a Teaching Tool

Rating:

Strengths:

The author identifed learning objectives and potential uses of the item.
Future usage can be expanded to whatever an instructor would want to see from students.
The scenario encourages students to think critically about demographic and economic data, helping them develop analytical skills.
It simulates decision-making processes that professionals might encounter in their respective fields, offering practical experience.

Concerns:

The assignment's effectiveness may vary depending on students' familiarity with data analysis and online databases.
Some students might require additional guidance to navigate and utilize the ERsys.com website effectively.
The main deficiencies will come from the upkeep of the data. As long as the data is kept current, the site will prove to be a valuable tool for students.

Ease of Use for Both Students and Faculty

Rating:

Strengths:

The scenario outlines the desired demographic features and cities for analysis, clearly defining the objective for the students.
Instructors can modify the scenario to meet different business, economics, and sociology courses and themes.
The site is easy to navigate and was in working order at the time of the review.
The instructions are easy to understand.

Concerns:

Instructors might need to provide additional support to students unfamiliar with data analysis or website navigation.
Offering a brief tutorial or demonstration of ERsys.com could enhance usability.
It would be nice if the link to the data was at the top of the site versus the bottom of the site.

Other Issues and Comments:

This site is a great opportunity for students to compare multiple states and cities for economic opportunities. This can help determine company location and relocation as well as the marketing of products real estate ventures.
This simulation is a great exercise for marketing, consumer behavior, retailing, and marketing research classes since it shows students how data analysis is used in real-world situations.

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