Six Sigma is a data-driven initiative, and so if you are to apply it to any process, you must start with some data.
Over at ThomasNet, they shared Thanksgiving by the Numbers. Figures that will matter to mostly service industries, e.g. hospitality, transportation, retail, among others.
EATING
- 271 Million – The preliminary estimate of turkeys raised in the U.S. in 2008, with 49 million expected to come from Minnesota [Source: USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service, U.S. Census Bureau]
- 46 Million – The number of turkeys predicted to be eaten at Thanksgiving, with the average turkey weighing 15 lbs [Source: National Turkey Federation]
TRAVELING
- 41 Million – The number of Americans anticipated to travel more than 50 miles from home this Thanksgiving weekend [Source: AAA]
- 33.2 Million – Holiday travelers expected to go via car, a 1.2 percent decrease from 2007 [Source: AAA]
- $1.89 – National average price of gasoline per gallon as of Nov. 24 [Source: Energy Information Administration]
SHOPPING
- 34% – The percentage of shoppers hitting the stores on “Black Friday” — the day after Thanksgiving [Source: Maritz, Inc.]
- $875 – Amount to be spent on gifts by 33 percent of Black Friday shoppers; 17 percent plan to spend over $1,000 [Source: Maritz, Inc.]
- 1.2% – Expected sales gain on Black Friday, down 7.1 percentage points from last year’s 8.3 percent sales increase [Source: BDO Seidman, LLP]
To my friends in the U.S., Happy Thanksgiving!
