Author: chris

Market Research Concepts

Statistics Canada is a key source of secondary data in Canada, particularly for basic demographic information on Canadian cities and regions. Using both Statistics Canada data  and any other data you can find on the Internet, develop a report on a Canadian city of your choice that answers these questions:

1. What is the total population of the city?

2. Using means (averages), frequencies (number of people), and percentages provided by Statistics Canada describe:

◦                   The population in terms of age, income, education, ethnic background, marital status, occupation, and housing

◦                   The demographic characteristics of the entire Canadian population

◦                   The most significant thing you learned from this exercise

  1. 3.

4. Review all of the information provided on the Statistics Canada website. For marketers seeking to develop market segment profiles or marketing strategy, what are four advantages and four disadvantages of using this data, from a marketing perspective?

2.2: Organizational Buying Behaviour (20 marks)

Read the case study “Venture 4th” on pages 232–233 of the textbook and answer the following three questions:

1. How does the Venture 4th purchase process compare with the model illustrated in Figure 6.6 in the text (page 218)? (6 marks)

2. How does it compare to consumer decision models discussed in Chapter 5 (summarized in Figure 5.1 on page 168 and Figure 5.4 on page 175)? With respect to Figure 5.4, what type of decision is Venture 4th’s decision? (4 marks)

3. Assuming that this process is typical, what are five implications for sales and marketing organizations, i.e., what should marketing organizations do to increase their chance of success in selling to a company like Venture 4th? (10 marks)

2.3: The Klondike Bottling Company—SWOT Analysis, Segmentation, Positioning (50 marks)

 

This part of the assignment will be assessed using the following criteria:

  • Strategic insight of the SWOT analysis
  • Level of detail in the target market segment profiles
  • Depth of rationale and use of marketing terms and concepts to support conclusions or recommendations

Read the case study by following this link to the case study “Klondike Bottling Company,” then complete the following tasks.

1. Conduct a SWOT analysis of the strategic context facing this organization. This can be done in point form. Be sure to identify the marketing strategy implications of your observations (how they might influence your marketing decisions). (13 marks)

2. Identify what you consider to be the five most important observations by boldfacing these observations in your SWOT analysis. Explain why you think these five are the most important. (5 marks)

3. Develop a segmentation approach for this market and provide rationale (from a marketing perspective) for why this approach is a good one. (5 marks)

4. Then develop detailed profiles (see Figure 3.5, page 79 of the text) of three of these target market segments using your own experience, secondary research, and exploratory research methods (interviews with customers and/or direct observation), ensuring that you apply consumer or organizational buying behaviour concepts and terms in the profile development. (12 marks)

5. Make and justify (from a marketing perspective) a recommendation for the selection of a primary market segment that you think this organization should target. See Chapter 3, and in particular page 95 for criteria. (5 marks)

6. Develop a positioning strategy for the Klondike Bottling Company for your chosen target market segment. In doing so, make a recommendation for how you think this company should compete in this market (strategic thrust). (4 marks)

7. Describe what allows this organization to defend this positioning (i.e., sources of advantages over competitors) or what competencies (marketing or other) would need to be developed. (4 marks)

8. Draw a positioning (perceptual) map to illustrate your thinking. See pages 102–103 in the textbook for an example. (2 marks)

2.4 Customer Relationship Management (10 marks)

This part of the assignment will be assessed using the following criteria:

  • Level of detail in the explanation of CRM
  • Use of marketing terms and concepts to support the process

Review the information about Customer Relationship Management in your textbook on pages 223–228 and answer the following questions. (10 marks)

1. What is CRM and why is it important? (5 marks)

Describe the steps used in implementing a CRM System. (5 marks)

Marketing Concept

1. Based on your own intimate understanding of this organization, interviews with employees or volunteers, and your reading of materials (annual report, brochures, website, etc.), assess the extent to which this firm follows the philosophy behind the marketing concept (see textbook, page 9) and New-Era orientation (see textbook, page 20). What specific observations or findings led you to draw your conclusions? (10 marks)

2. What type of value (from a marketing perspective) does this organization create for customers? What marketing mix (product, price, distribution, and communication) decisions has it made to create this value? (See the Introduction to Topic 1.1). (10 marks)

3. Describe two ethical and/or social issues that affect this organization. What, if anything, does this organization do to respond to or address these issues? What else could it do to be more socially or ethically responsible? (10 marks)

1.2: SWOT Analysis (30 marks)

  • The depth (detail) of the SWOT analysis
  • Your understanding of the internal vs. external environment
  • Strategic insight of SWOT analysis marketing mix (4Ps) implications
  • Justification for the most important internal environmental SWOT observations and implications

Read the Ginch Gonch Case summary on page 524 of the textbook and watch the video “Ginch Gonch” on the MyMarketingLab website. Using the SWOT framework described in Module 2 overview, do a SWOT analysis of this company, identifying at least six relevant factors (facts or observations) in the internal environment (indicate which ones are strengths and which ones are weaknesses) and six relevant factors in the external environment (indicate which ones are opportunities and which ones are threats). Ensure you identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats separately.

As you complete your SWOT analysis, be sure to describe the strategic marketing implication (product, price place, promotion) of each of the facts or observations you think are important in the internal and external environment (i.e., explain why each fact or observation is important to understand). You might also want to Google this brand and visit some of the related websites for further insights.

When you have completed your SWOT analysis, review it to decide and report which four internal environmental facts or observations do you think are the most important to understand when developing a strategy for the Ginch Gonch Company, and why.

The marks will be allocated as follows:

1. SWOT Analysis: internal environment factors (6 marks) and implications (6 marks)

2. SWOT Analysis: external environment factors (6 marks) and implications (6 marks)

3. Four most important internal environment factors and rationale (6 marks)

1.3: Segmentation and Positioning Concepts (40 marks)

 

1. Develop a segmentation scheme for the automobile industry in your country of residence. Using benefit segmentation, behavioural segmentation, or some other basis of segmentation, identify at least four of the major groups of consumers in this market that are evident to you. Justify, from a marketing perspective, (explain) why your segmentation scheme is an appropriate one, using the criteria in Figure 3.2 (page 77). (5 marks)

2. Choose three of the segments that you have identified and develop a rich profile for each of those segments in point-form, using all of the major headings in Figure 3.5 (page 93) in the textbook. Indicate with an asterisk (*) the characteristics or attributes of each segment that are assumptions that you would want to test with research. (15 marks)

3. Generate at least three ideas for how the marketing mix strategy of an auto manufacturer might be different for each of these three segments based on your profiles. Provide three ideas across the marketing mix for each segment. (6 marks)

4. Assume the role of the marketing manager for a car brand (you can decide which one and whether is it a model brand such as a Honda Civic or a variant such as a Honda Civic CRV. Identify the role you are assuming, and then choose which segment you would focus on as your primary (most important) segment. Provide rationale for why this segment is more attractive than alternative segments you rejected. (6 marks, 1 for each rationale)

5. Identify three car brands/models that are currently positioned to be attractive in one of the segments you profiled in Assignment 1.3.b. Describe how these brands/models are positioned by identifying 1) at least three ways in which the brands/models uniquely appeal to customers in this segment or are more attractive than their competitors and 2) at least three ways the three brands/models in this segment differ from brands/models competing in other segments. (6 marks)

Based on your answer to question 1.3.e, develop two positioning maps that illustrate how these car brands/models are positioned in your country. (2 marks)

genetically modified seeds

Companies like Monsanto own patents to genetically modified seeds grown on many commercial farms. How are genetically modified crops viewed around the world? Where they are used, what effect are they having on commercial farmers? On organic farmers? Do you think that genetically modified foods pose a potential environmental threat? What benefits are there to farmers to use genetically modified crops? What benefits are there to the broader global population and the environment?

High sodium diets

On average, an American consumes about 7 pounds of sodium chloride every year.  High sodium diets have been linked to a number of health problems, including cardiovascular and kidney diseases.  What do you think contributes to this increased consumption?  Do you think you should curb your sodium intake and what is your approach to doing so?