Abstract: The present invention analyzes the impact of known or unknown events on the fulfillment of business goals. In light of a defined business strategy, a performance outcome related to the business goal is analyzed to determine the effect of an event on the business goal. For training evaluation, the actual impact of training given for particular skills on job and business performance is readily determined.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method of categorizing a customer includes steps of selecting a measure on which the status of the customer is to be analyzed, selecting a calculation period and selecting a comparison method. A lifecycle factor may then be computed, the lifecycle factor being related to both the size and the growth of the customer according to the selected measure. Both the size and growth are determined over two selected calculation periods using the selected comparison method. Selected customers may then be categorized into one of a plurality of lifecycle stages by evaluating a plurality of categorization criteria, at least one of the plurality of categorization criteria including the computed lifecycle factor. For example, the lifecycle stages may include the stages of New, Growing, Stable, Declining, Defected and/or Insignificant.

Abstract: A method of developing product characteristics for a new automotive vehicle comprising the steps of: generating a plurality of vehicle attributes including usage experience attributes, driving experience attributes, and design attributes; classifying each of the attributes; generating a preferred vehicle brand position as a function of the vehicle attributes; and, generating target vehicle characteristics as a function of the vehicle attributes and the preferred vehicle brand position. In this manner, the target vehicle characteristics represent customer-driven objectives for each of the plurality of vehicle attributes. An advantage of the present method is that it provides customer-driven products with identifiable brand images.

Abstract: A visiting plan generation method and system for promptly carrying out optimum formation of groups, optimum destination assignment to the groups, and optimum planning for each of the groups in an optimization problem of an action plan. In implementation, at least information on plural groups which are to take visiting actions, information on members of each of the plural groups, and information on destinations are received by input means, and optimum formation of the plural groups and optimum destination assignment to each of the plural groups are performed by cost calculation means which provides a cost function for evaluating a visiting plan. Thus, in preparation of a visiting plan for a plurality of groups to visit a plurality of destinations on a task-sharing basis, it is possible to carry out optimum formation or the plural groups, optimum destination assignment to the plural groups, and optimum planning for each of the plural groups.