Method for analyzing information to provide an objective assessment of a predefined subject

• US 6,757,660 B2
• Filed: 08/26/1999
• Issued: 06/29/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Blane Canada Limited
• Original Assignee: Blane Canada Limited
• Inventors: Canada, Eric P., Blane, Nancy A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Trammell, James P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Boyce, Andre D.
• Application Number:
  US09/383,352
• Publication Number:
  US 20030033188A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,769 Days
• Field of Search: 705/7, 705/10, 705/3
• US Class Current: 705/7.32
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0203 Market surveys; Market polls
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0205 Location or geographical consideration

Abstract

A method for evaluating the relative importance for a predefined subject of predefined core characteristics. To evaluate the importance of the predefined subject, a first data set is created that contains information inquiries, wherein each information inquiry is related to one or more of the predefined core characteristics. A second data set is created that contains responses to the information inquiries. Thereafter, a matrix analysis is performed using the first and second data sets to generate an importance value for each predefined core characteristic.

Claims

1. A method for evaluating a relative importance to a business entity a predefined subject of predefined core characteristics to access the benefit of a company to a community, comprising:

storing in a database a first data set containing a plurality of predefined core characteristics that describe the subject;

storing in the database a second data set containing information inquiries, wherein each information inquiry is related to one or more of the predefined core characteristics;

correlating each information inquiry to one or more of the predefined core characteristics to determine a hierarchy of information inquiries;

linking each information inquiry to at least one of the predefined core characteristics by degree of importance and determining a linking factor for each information inquiry;

applying a weighting factor to each information inquiry, wherein each weighting factor is selected depending upon the position of the information inquiry in the hierarchy;

electronically calculating a numerical value for each information inquiry using the linking factor and the weighting factor;

performing matrix analysis using the first and second data sets to generate an importance value for each predefined core characteristic;

using the importance values to assess whether the company benefits the community;

wherein the predefined core characteristics comprise at least one of community value information, growth potential information, community satisfaction information, and marketing opportunity information; and

identifying the business entity with a geographic region; and

correlating the first data set for each predefined core characteristic by geographic region.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of creating the second data set comprises the step of:

creating a survey containing the information inquiries; and

collecting responses to each information inquiry.

3. A computer-implemented method for analyzing survey results collected from a population of individuals to determine whether a company benefits a community, comprising:

storing in a database a plurality of predefined core characteristics;

storing in the database a plurality of information inquiries, wherein the information inquiries comprise background information and survey information;

storing in the database a plurality of background statistics for each individual in the population;

associating selected ones of the information inquiries with each of the plurality of predefined core characteristics, wherein the predefined core characteristics comprise at least one of community value information, growth potential information, community satisfaction information, and marketing opportunity information;

associating selected ones of the plurality of background information statistics with each of the plurality of predefined core characteristics;

assigning a numerical value to each of the plurality of information inquiries and to each of the plurality of background information statistics;

inputting responses for each of the plurality of information inquiries;

electronically determining a numerical value for each predefined core characteristic using the numerical value for each associated information inquiry and each associated background information statistic;

for each individual in the population outputting a normalized value for each predefined core characteristic, wherein the normalized values are used to assess whether the company benefits the community, wherein the population of individuals comprise a plurality of business entities;

identifying each of the plurality of business entities with a geographic region; and

correlating the numerical value for each predefined core characteristic by geographic region.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the step of assigning a numerical value comprises the steps of:

relating the relative importance of each information inquiry to each of the plurality of predefined core characteristics to create a hierarchy; and

determining a weighting factor for each possible response to each information inquiry based on the position of each response in the hierarchy.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the step of determining a numerical value for each predefined core characteristic comprises the step of summing the numerical values for each associated response and for each associated background information statistic.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the step of associating selected ones of the information inquiries with each of the plurality of predefined core characteristics further comprises the step of linking each information inquiry to at least one of the predefined core characteristic by degree of importance and determining a linking factor for each information inquiry, and wherein the step of determining a numerical value further comprises the step of using the linking factor.

7. The method of claim 3, wherein the step of associating selected ones of the plurality of background information statistics with each of the plurality of predefined core characteristics further comprises the step of linking each background information statistic to at least one of the predefined core characteristic by degree of importance and determining a linking factor for each background information statistic, and wherein the step of determining a numerical value further comprises the step of using the linking factor.

8. The method of claim 3, wherein the step of outputting a normalized value comprises the steps of:

determining a common denominator by summing all numerical values for all individuals in the population for each predefined core characteristic; and

dividing the numerical value for each predefined core characteristic by the common denominator.

9. A computer-implemented method for analyzing the relative importance of predefined core characteristics of a subject to individuals within a group to determine whether a company benefits a community, comprising:

storing in a database a plurality of predefined core characteristics of the subject, wherein the predefined core characteristics comprise at least one of community value information, growth potential information, community satisfaction information, and marketing opportunity information, wherein the subject comprises business retention, and;

introducing a background information for each individual;

defining information inquiries, wherein the information inquiries comprise the background information and survey information;

correlating the information inquiries to the predefined core characteristics to determine a hierarchy of information inquiries;

linking each information inquiry to at least one of the predefined core characteristic and determining a linking factor for each information inquiry;

applying weighting factors to the information inquiries;

electronically calculating a numerical value for each information inquiry using the linking factor and the weighting factor;

collecting responses to the information inquiries;

for each individual, calculating a numerical value for each of the predefined core characteristics and displaying the numerical value, wherein the numerical values are used to assess whether the company benefits the community, wherein the individuals comprise business entities; and

identifying each of the plurality of business entities with a geographic region; and

correlating the data set for each predefined core characteristic by geographic region.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising the step of outputting for each individual a normalized value for each predefined core characteristic.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the step of calculating a numerical value for each of the predefined core characteristics comprises the steps of:

creating a data set for each predefined core characteristic, wherein each data set includes the associated responses and associated background information statistics; and

computing rating values for each predefined core characteristic using the data set for that predefined core characteristic.