Convenience Research Paper, Debate

There is a question of whether the Internet is more appropriate for
convenience shopping (like a 7-11 store), or more appropriate for
bargain shopping (like a WalMart).

The "research paper" phase of this assignment requires each team to
develop opinions about the convenience issue.  For your particular
industry, is convenience more important, or is price more important.
Why do you come to this conclusion?  For which industries do you think
convenience would be more important?  For which would price be?

The research paper must be written up in an attractive and clear
format, probably single spaced with clear headings, and handed in.

The "debate" phase will happen in class.  Two teams will be selected
to debate the convenience question.  The team winning the coin toss
will pick whether to defend convenience or price, and the other team
must defend the other alternative.  Coin toss means that the teams
will not know in advance whether they need to defend convenience or
price.  They must come prepared to defend either one.

The team representing convenience will go first.  For five minutes,
they will speak, attempting to convince the class that convenience is
really the more important aspect of shopping on the web.

Next, for up to five minutes the price team can cross-examine the
convenience team, asking for clarifications or for evidence to back up
claims that were made.

Next, for five minutes the price team will speak, attempting to
convince the class that price is really the more important aspect of
shopping on the web.

Next, for up to five minutes the convenience team can cross-examine
the price team, asking for clarifications or for evidence to back up
claims that were made.

Finally, the convenience team gets three minutes to sum up their
arguments, tell why convenience is the way, and tell why price is not
the way.  Then price gets the same opportunity.

After the debate, the other two teams (the ones that were not in the
debate) will each vote by secret ballot to indicate which team won the
debate.  We will probably follow up with an open discussion of
convenience versus price, and see what conclusions we can reach.