MARKETING CASE ANALYSIS & PROBLEM SOLVING PHASE GUIDELINES
[MKTG. 490; Spring 2K6; Dr. Carter]
- The Wall Street Journal “Mapping” Intelligence Code – Finding Out
- Mapping Marketing Research – Figuring Out
- Mapping Customer/Brand Value & Cognitive Choice Processes – Filling Out
- Mapping Target Markets, Positioning & Differentiation – Filtering Out
Introduction:
The “Case Analysis” phase of the course allows you to apply specific concepts to a “real world” marketing planning situation – based on the retail fashion apparel market. The emphasis for this second phase is not on simply understanding “WHAT” concepts mean and “HOW” they apply to marketing. In addition, we now focus on deciding at a detailed level “WHO” is doing the marketing and being targeted, as well as “WHEN, WHERE, AND WHY” successful market relationships will result from planned strategies. For each of those factors, we rely on the Wall Street Journal daily as a trusted source of intelligence. It serves as our “medium” for scanning and “mapping” the market – because marketing managers are not omniscient. But, the bottom line is that the second phase moves fromknowing and notating the answers todeciding and doing the strategic marketing techniques that turn problems into solutions.
In order to facilitate a deeper consideration of both the concepts and case situation, in-class groups are used to spur discussion and allow you to spar with peers over the rationale for case study choices pertaining to specific marketing planning chapters. These in-class discussions should be used to practice deciphering the Wall Street Journal’s “market mapping codes” – which I will orient you to at the onset. You should also benefit from the in-class group as a kind of “marketing management huddle” to make sure everyone understands “the strategy play” and is prepared to perform individually on the case-study report – not to piggy-back off of others’ ideas or solely socialize with group members. We are using collaborative learning as a knowledge sharing vehicle and not a knowledge shirking vice, ok?
The focus of all three case-study assignments will be; “Marketing Bakersfield Style (b.Style): A Meadows Field Fashion Merchandising Makeover.” Using what we know about strategic landing, planning, and scanning for retail fashion apparel outlets, we will now chart a retail fashion merchandising “flight plan” to navigate KernCounty’s MeadowsFieldAirport onto the passenger radar screen as a preferred shopping destination. Members of study groups are expected to share information and informal research related to the present and potential future Meadows Field terminal characteristics. Likewise, in-class discussion should consider for how assigned concept techniques can be applied to achieve the desired “Fashion Merchandising Makeover” possibilities. However, the precise path chosen for “Bakersfield Travel Style,” as well as the particular changes created by applying marketing strategy techniques, must be the original work product done by individual students.
Our Wall Street Journal “daily scan” will not necessarily provide articles on KernCounty or MeadowsFieldAirport, but it will “map” the market of supply and demand forces relating to every dimension we became acquainted with in “strategic landing.” In turn, our skill at “scanning” those market patterns will in fact create a market in the class of those who align their demand for knowledge with the Wall Street Journal’s intelligence supply, and those who engage in marketing decision making with far less competent knowledge exchange. The three case-study assignments are itemized based on both required text chapter concepts and the “Meadows Field Fashion Merchandising” deliverables on the following page.
UP, UP, AND AWAY!!!
“Marketing the Bakersfield Style (b.Style):
A Meadows Field Fashion Merchandising Makeover
1. Market Intelligence “Scan” Orientation: Wall Street Journal as “Market Mapping Code”
a)Bring Wall Street Journal issue and follow the orientation in class to understand the Wall Street Journal as a coded “media space” map for scanning “real world” market dynamics
2. CASE #1: Chapter 4: Marketing Research & Demand Forecasting (10 points)
[WEDNESDAY 4/19 & MONDAY 4/24 -- DUE TUESDAY April 25th (by e-mail)]
a)Read text chapter 4 and focus on learning how to “do” marketing research/information system and demand forecasting tasks.
b)Perform “broadsecondary information assessment” to discover present facts about MeadowsFieldAirport (packet) and “explore” the potential future retail apparel possibilities (WSJ). The Wall Street Journal should be your primary guide to relevant trends impacting the retail fashion merchandising opportunities at MeadowsFieldAirport. In addition, material in this case analysis packet can be used as “baseline” data as well as information included on “benchmark” airports for California and western cities of similar size to greater Bakersfield.
c)You should, however identify at least two (2) other secondary data sources (e.g., websites or library reference sources) to inform your decision making, and also serve as “indicators” in the “demand forecasting” model that you must compose.
d)Complete a “primary marketing research”plan by following each step of Figure 4.1, the Marketing Research Process. If desired, you may use members of the class or other CSUB students as a small “sample” for collecting data after determining the specific “research problem,” “hypothesis,” and “research plan.” Describe your “analysis,” “findings,” and “decision recommendations” stages of the MR process after speculating on the expected data results. This documented analysis ofprimary data from student samples can then be extended to the broader market based upon your “demand forecasting” index in step “e.”
e)Compose a “future market demand forecasting model” using techniques described in chapter 4, and the spreadsheet template provided on the course website. First establish a marketing planning decision contingency should be established and stated in “if/then” terms with respect to the level and conditions for market demand forecasted by your model.This model should be formulated using the Wall Street Journal trends identified, as well as data index components that can be identified using a “Google” search.
“Marketing the Bakersfield Style (b.Style):
A Meadows Field Fashion Merchandising Makeover
3. CASE #2: Chapters 5, 9 & 6 (7 optional): Customer/Brand Value & Cognitive Space[15 Points – WED. 4/26 & MON. 5/1 -- DUE THURSDAY May 4th (by e-mail)]
a)Read text chapters 5 & 9 to understand the “relationship” between customer value (ch.5) and brand value (ch.9)
b)Read text chapter 6 to analyze the external stimuli acting upon, and the internal stages activated within, the individual consumer’s cognitive space.
c)Continue to rely on your decision intelligence findings from Case #1 – including daily Wall Street Journal “scans” -- to inform decisions and concept applications for Case #2.
d)Use concepts in Chapter 5 to explain the typical Meadows Field Airport traveler’s “Customer Perceived Value” for a retail fashion shopping experience, as compared with the potential “Customer Delivered Value” [Figure 5.2], in terms of achieving “Total Customer Satisfaction” – such as might be achieved at the airports in Orange County, Reno, or Vancouver [see material in packet and use a diagram to respond to this item]?
e)Which two (2) “Pepper’s & Rogers” CRM determinants[pp. 153-154] would you recommend for your MeadowsFieldAirportshopto pursue “Customer Relationship Management” [see chapter 5]. Also, specify exactly how CRM is created by describing your shop’s plans for customers at each level of the “Brand Resonance Pyramid” [Figure 9.2]?
f)How would you describe the detailed profile of the typical regional airport “style shopper” using Chapter 6 “Influences on Customer Behavior” – Cultural, Social, Personal, Psychological[choose one factor]?
g)Explain how the typical regional airport “style shopper” is likely to proceed through each stage of the “Customer Buying Process” [see Figure 6.4 and use specific text concepts as well as a diagram to chart to cognitive processes at each stage of the decision process]?
“Marketing the Bakersfield Style (b.Style):
A Meadows Field Fashion Merchandising Makeover
4. CASE #3: Chs. 8 & 10 Segmentation, Market Targeting, Positioning, & Differentiation
[15 Points – WED. 5/3 & MON. 5/8 -- DUE FRIDAY May 12th (by e-mail)]
Completing strategic planning through the ability to create and develop “real world” market life
a)Using Chapter 8 lessons, explain HOW the “Level of Segmentation” [Figure 8.1] and specific “Segmentation Variables” [Table 8.1] support the target customer profile from “Case #2” for the regional airport “style shopper.
b)Explain which “Market Targeting Strategy” [Figure 8.6] is likely to establish Meadows Field’s strategic capability to deliver the particular “value proposition” [Table 10.1] that they should create for the retail fashion merchandising market.
c)Using the “positioning” concepts from chapter 10, explain HOW to pair specific “Point(s) of Parity” (POP) and “Point(s) of Difference” (POD) to distinguish Meadows Field fashion apparel merchants in the minds of “style shoppers” [Table 10.2] and construct a “perceptual map” [see Positioning website link] to demonstrate that strategy.
d)Determine which “differentiation” strategy MeadowsFieldAirport should implement to sustain the growth and viability of “Bakersfield Style (b.Style)” in the minds of travelers and other “style-shopping” customers.
“Marketing the Bakersfield Style (b.Style):
A Meadows Field Fashion Merchandising Makeover
*** Review for “Shops,” “Exhibits/Art,” “Services,” & “Retail Amenities” ***
Meadows Field [Kern/Bakersfield]
Ray Bishop Kern County Director of Airports
MeadowsFieldAirport Specifications
CSUB Alumni Marketing Manager Kern County Airports
*** BEST OF CLASS ***MinetaSan JoseInternationalAirport
** PLANNING BENCHMARKS **
FresnoYosemite
JohnWayneOrangeCounty
Reno, Nevada
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Vancouver, British ColumbiaCanada
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