Marketing Planning and Problem Solving
[MKTG 490; Fall 2006; Dr. Carter]
*** CASE ANALYSIS AND STRATEGIC CRITICAL THINKING SECTION ***
Introduction:
Welcome to the second section of our Marketing Planning adventure! Now that you have hopefully mastered the basic concepts, core definitions, and application techniques from the first section of the course, we are able to proceed towards greater “real world” critical thinking. In practice, marketing managers plan for a specific organization and apply strategic marketing concepts to achieve desired objectives. Likewise, as we enter the second phase of the course, your chosen organizational marketing objectives will guide your concept application and not the answers from the text test-bank.
For this reason, my “low risk” classroom approach was used to provide ample opportunity for observing and learning how to apply text concepts. Those of you who conducted your responsibilities like adults participated in a sufficient number of sessions to gain instructional direction and proficiency with this concept application process. Those of you who merely regarded non-required attendance as a chance to miss class chose to allocate your time in a less adult manner, and will now be at a disadvantage in performing the kinds of critical thinking required to complete the case analysis in this second section of the course. Still, I will avail myself to assist you and move you towards becoming mature learners
For the case analysis assignments, three strategic concept sets are aligned to guide you in the progression of marketing planning from market intelligence/research to “map” market demand [ch. 4 -- HOW TO GATHER INTELLIGENCE], to customer behavior analysis to “map” the key dimensions influencing customer/brand value [chs. 5 & 9 and 6 & 7 -- WHAT TO GATHER INTELLIGENCE ON], and finally to “map” profiles of target market customers -- including their ideal brand perceptions [chs. 8 & 10 – WHY INTELLIGENCE IS GATHERED].
I have selected four “case analysis” organizations from the actual endeavors of your classmates. (By the way, PLEASE e-mail your detailed bios) The four organizations will serve as in-class work groups to share “best-practices” in concept application techniques. However, the assignments are individual and you should prepare to complete submissions with your own original content and ideas. Because this second section of class assesses your critical thinking skills, participation in work-groups is required, and evidence of your contribution to the process of learning case analysis techniques will have to be submitted along with the final assignment report.
In-class participation will allow that evidence to be in the form of responses to questions or other constructive comment contributions. However, should you opt to not attend several class sessions during the “case analysis” module, you will have to submit (attach) e-mail transcripts of concept application process contributions that transpired between you and other work group members.
Case study and critical thinking is a subjective skill that cannot be learned from textbooks. Small group best-practice sharing and collaborative learning are the proven methods for acquiring this proficiency. Accordingly, you are accountable for participating in this process as well as the final case analysis report product.
In order to facilitate a deeper consideration of both the concepts and your case focus in-class discussions will be informed by the Wall Street Journal’s “market intelligencemapping” – to which I will orient you on the first full case study class session Monday 10/9. Our Wall Street Journal “scans” are included in the critical thinking process requirements for which you are each individually accountable [Please sign the WSJ subscription list to assure that you can participate as required].
MOST IMPORTANT, as is my style, I expect you to HAVE FUN WHILE LEARNING and the four case study groups are selected to make the assignment both varied and interesting. Select your preferred organization and market focus from the four options listed below. We will use random objective methods (e.g., coin toss) to address instances of too many or too few students selecting particular organizations.
Case Study Organization/Market Focus:
a)Education – CSUBExtendedUniversity and online education market.
b)Esthetics – CSUB Todd Madigan Gallery and campus/community arts market.
c)Entertainment – American Film Institute (AFI) and digital media content market.
d)Enterprise – Bakersfield Blitz and sports marketing/merchandising market.
The three case-study assignment requirements are itemized based on required text chapter concepts deliverables on the following pages.
CASE #1: Chapter 4: Marketing Research & Demand Forecasting (10 points)
[MONDAY 10/9 & WEDNESDAY 10/11 -- DUE FRIDAY OCTOBER 13TH (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 your organization’s market and required “core competencies.” The Wall Street Journal will be your primary source, but additional online searches should be conducted as well.
c)Complete a “primary marketing research” plan by following each step of Figure 4.1, the Marketing Research Process. Based on secondary information findings, determine a specific “research problem,” “hypothesis,” and “research plan.” Then, without actually gathering information, speculate about what types of data analysis and findings you expect to produce to support your organization’s marketing planning decisions.
d)Compose a “future market demand forecasting model” using techniques described in chapter 4, and the spreadsheet template provided on the course website. Focus on three primary demand function factors; company marketing effort, industry/competitive conditions (favorable/unfavorable), and broader marketing environment conditions (favorable/unfavorable). Be sure to articulate the meaning of your demand forecast for marketing planning – including the assumptions made regarding each forecasting spreadsheet model factor.
CASE #2: Chapters 5, 9 & 6 (7 optional): Customer/Brand Value & Cognitive Space[MONDAY 10/16 & WEDNESDAY 10/18 -- DUE FRIDAY OCTOBER 20TH (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. You may opt to substitute chapter 7 concepts for chapter 6 if your organization’s best focus is on organizations as customers.
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 target “Customer Perceived Value” for the organization’s customers, as compared with the potential “Customer Delivered Value” [Figure 5.2], in terms of achieving “Total Customer Satisfaction.”
e)Which two (2) of the FOUR“Pepper’s & Rogers” CRM determinants [pp. 153-154] would you recommend for your organization to pursue “Customer Relationship Management” [see chapter 5]. Also, specify exactly how CRM is created by describing your recommended plans for the organization’s customers at each level of the “Brand Resonance Pyramid” [Figure 9.2]?
EXTRA CREDIT ITEMS (2 points each)
f)How would you apply the text conceptual dimensions to your organization’s typical customer using Chapter 6 “Influences on Customer Behavior” – Cultural, Social, Personal, Psychological [choose one main factor]?
g)Explain how the organization’s typical customer proceeds through each stage of the “Customer Buying Process” [see Figure 6.4]. Use specific text concepts/terms as well as a chart of cognitive processes at each stage of the decision process?
CASE #3: Chs. 8 & 10 Segmentation, Market Targeting, Positioning, & Differentiation
[MONDAY 10/23 & WEDNESDAY 10/25 -- DUE FRIDAY OCTOBER 27TH (by e-mail)]
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 your organization’s prospective customers.
b)Explain which “Market Targeting Strategy” [Figure 8.6] is likely to establish your organization’s strategic capability to deliver the particular “value proposition” [Table 10.1] that they should create for the focal “E” market (e.g., education, esthetics, entertainment, enterprise).
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 your organization’s offerings/brands in the minds of target customers [Table 10.2] and construct a “perceptual map” [see Positioning website link] to demonstrate that strategy.
d)Determine which “differentiation” strategy your organization should implement to sustain the growth and viability of its offerings/brandsin the minds of target customers.
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