Database Assignment
Car Dealer and Car Maker Compliance
Developing Data Query Skills

Adopted with permission from Borthick, A. F., Jones, D. R., and Kim, R. 2001. Developing database query proficiency: Assuring compliance for responses to Web site referrals. Journal of Information Systems 15(1), copyright © American Accounting Association. 2/26/01

More and more, business managers are looking to accountants to be business advisors that can help them solve any business problem, not just the ones that involve traditional accounting reports such as cost analyses and financial statements. For example, managers are hoping accountants will be able to build databases from scratch, to work with databases to convert raw data into useful business information, and to query databases. This assignment develops your skills in querying databases to convert raw data into useful business information. Other assignments will develop your skills in building databases from scratch.

Part 1: Assurance for the Car Maker about Dealer Compliance

  1. Based on the cars2000.mdb (download the file with a version 5.0 or higher browser) database and the business situation and the database described in Car Dealer and Car Maker Compliance Database Querying, develop the following sequence of database queries and use the query results to explain the extent to which car dealers are contacting customers referred to them within 48 hours.

    1. Determine response times for dealer-reported responses.
    2. Find the average response time by dealers for self-reported times.
    3. Determine response time for dealers' emailed responses.
    4. Find the average response time for dealers' emailed responses.
    5. Compare dealers' self-reported response times to dealers' emailed response times.
    6. Find the average time difference between dealers' self-reported and emailed responses.

  2. Use the query results to explain the extent to which car dealers are contacting customers referred to them within 48 hours.

Part 2. Assurance for Dealers about Car Maker Compliance

  1. Based on the cars2000.mdb (download the file with a version 5.0 or higher browser) database and the business situation and the database described in Car Dealer and Car Maker Compliance Database Querying, develop the following sequence of database queries and use the query results to explain the extent to which the car maker is referring customers to the closest dealer. "Closest" is defined as the dealer that minimizes the abolute value of the difference between the customer's and the dealer's postal codes.

    1. For each referral, determine the difference between the postal codes of the customer and the dealer receiving the referral.
    2. For each referral, determine the minimum postal code difference over all dealers.
    3. For each referral, determine whether the referred dealer corresponds to the minimum postal code difference.

  2. Use the query results to explain the extent to which the car maker is referring customers to the closest dealer.

On a class day specified by your instructor, your instructor will answer your questions about the querying and the interpretation of the results. Come to the class prepared to ask questions about aspects of the querying with which you need help.