...manages the steps along the path leading into the future making sure company goals are meet and if not what changes need to be made in order to stay on course. Developing a strategic management plan can be difficult. Implementing an environmental scan will help identify both internal and external problems and influences used to build or change and existing strategic management plan. Several factors can influence the planning process. Many of the factors can be identified and taken into consideration when planning for the future. No matter how well an organization builds their strategic management plan there are always going to be unforeseen problems that will need to be addressed. Developing a strategic management plan that is able to manage change is essential to the success of the organization. Changes in market trends, consumer demands, and technological advancements are just a few areas change is inevitable. If the strategic management plan is going to work it must manage and implement changes in both internal and external environments. Two organizations that have continuously been at the top of their industry and have a significant competitive advantage are Wal-Mart and Target. Both Wal-Mart and Target have implemented brilliant strategic management plans since their conception, but not without proper planning, goals, and, measurement guidelines. Both of these giant retailers have had great success while going about it in different ways, applying...
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...impact ethics have on marketing communications and develop Integrated Marketing Communication (IMC) strategies accordingly. This paper will discuss various ethical challenges facing marketers today, identify internal and external factors on IMC, and formulate two ethical questions based upon the analysis. Ethics in Marketing The practice of ethics within an organization is an important but difficult concept to understand and practice. The reason ethics are difficult to manage is that the concept is so subjective (Duncan 2002, pp. 671). Ethical values differ between societies and individual relationships, therefore a company must decide on an ethical communication strategy and portray it as consistently as possible. Duncan (2002) describes three ethical considerations companies must understand when developing marketing communications and relationships with customers. Stereotyping Stereotyping plays a significant role in developing marketing strategies that are both effective and ethical. "The challenge for brands is to develop messages that strike a chord with targeted audiences without reinforcing negative stereotypes" (pp. 672). Companies must ensure that their marketing tactics are not alienating certain individuals or groups while reaching the appropriate target market. In order to build and maintain profitable customer relationships, a company's marketing strategy should reflect the values of a diverse culture without the possibility for misinterpreted communication...
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...must conduct environmental scans to determine their internal and external environment as part of the strategic plan process. There are numerous organizations using environmental scanning to develop their strategic plan. Today the author will look at three successful companies, which are Southwest Airlines, Target, and Whole Foods Market. The purpose of this paper is to gain insight into the corporation’s competitive advantage, measurement guidelines, and how it contributes to their strategic effectiveness. Additionally the author will discuss how companies who create value are able to sustain competitive advantage in their perspective markets. Each of the companies in question, operate in highly competitive markets, where innovation, customer service, and brand recognition have allowed them to not only sustain, but prosper in a volatile economy. Southwest Airlines Southwest Airlines started as a small airline carrier and over the past 40 plus years, emerged as one of the top two airlines in America, due to its low fares and above average customer experience (Davies, 2013). June 1971 marked the year Southwest Airlines began commercial flights from Dallas to Houston and San Antonio (“Southwest”, 2015). The company has managed to prosper when other airline carriers struggled or went under. One could contribute this success to understanding its strengths and weaknesses. Southwest Airlines monitors key internal and external areas of its corporation to ensure proper planning...
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...rouis@essca.fr COURSE OUTLINE INTRODUCTION TO STRATEGIC MARKETING PLANNING AND MARKET ANALYSIS Session 1: Introduction to Course Session 2: Strategic Marketing Planning Session 3: Market Analysis (1) – The Internal and External Environment Session 4: Market Analysis (2) – Buyer Behaviour DEVELOPING DOMESTIC MARKETING STRATEGY Session 5: Strategy Development Session 6: Segmentation, Targeting and Positioning Session 7: Marketing Mix (1) – Product and Price Policy Session 8: Marketing Mix (2) - Distribution and Communications Policy Session 9: Student Presentations (Project Stage 1) STRATEGIC MARKETING CONSIDERATIONS AND IMPLEMENTATION Session 10: Developing and Maintaining Long-Term Customer Relationships Session 11: Marketing Implementation Session 12: Marketing Control Session 13: Student Presentations (1) (Project Stage 2) Session 14: Student Presentations (2) (Project Stage 2) and Class Revision Key Learning Objectives : Develop capacity to analyse a situation/environment and identify/integrate relevant information Design and implement a marketing plan in coherence with the organisation’s strategy and environment TODAY’S SESSION • Review of last session • Market Analysis • • • • Student presentation Conducting a situation analysis The internal, customer and external environment Collecting Marketing Information and Data • In-class exercise 3 REVISION OF KEY CONCEPTS FROM LAST SESSION 4 MARKETING PLANNING Marketing planning is the structured process of...
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...FUNDAMENTALS OF MARKETING ASSIGNMENT # 2 ------------------------------------------------- ANALYSIS OF FIRM: LEXUS Contents SUMMARY 3 OBJECTIVES: 3 THE FIRM: 3 THE PRODUCT: 3 THE ENVIRONMENT OF LEXUS 4 INTERNAL ENVIRONMENT OF LEXUS: 4 TOP MANAGEMENT: 4 EXECUTIVES AT LEXUS: 5 EMPLOYEES: 5 FINANCIAL ENVIRONMENT: 5 OPERATIONS: 6 EXTERNAL ENVIRONMENT OF LEXUS: 6 CUSTOMERS: 7 COMPETITORS: 7 MEDIA: 7 MARKETING MIX OF LEXUS 8 PRODUCT STRATEGY: 8 PRICING STRATEGY: 8 PROMOTION: 8 PLACEMENT: 9 TARGET MARKET 9 MARKETING SEGMENT 9 SOURCES 10 SUMMARY OBJECTIVES: The aim of this paper is to analyze a firm of choice and study how it has successfully managed to establish itself in the market with the aid of appropriate and effective marketing strategies. The following aspects will be studied: 1. The Environment of the Firm a. Internal Environment b. External Environment c. How these environments affects the firm 2. Define Firm’s Marketing Mix (focusing on any one product) 3. Target Markets d. Which markets does it target? Businesses or Consumers? 4. Define Firm’s Market Segments THE FIRM: The firm chosen for this paper is Lexus. Lexus is the luxury vehicle division of Japanese automaker Toyota Motor Corporation. First introduced in 1989 in the United States, Lexus is now sold globally and has become Japan's largest-selling make of premium cars. Lexus is headquartered in Toyota...
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...| | |Marketing Management 2A | |BCom Marketing Management Year 2 | |Student Number: 500429 | | | | | | | |Mohamed Reza Carrim | |09/04/2013 | | | Question 1: Theoretical elements of market segmentation, market positioning and market targeting Market Segmentation The purpose for segmenting a market is to allow your marketing/sales program to focus on the subset of prospects that are "most likely" to purchase you’re offering. If done properly, this will help to insure the highest return for your marketing/sales expenditures. Depending on whether you are selling your offering to individual consumers or a business, there are definite differences in what you will consider when defining market segments. When the focus is on segmented markets, the company's marketing...
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...Components that Affect Mitchells Fruit Farms Organization's External Environment Generally, The external environment of an organization are those factors outside the company that affect the company's ability to function. Some external elements can be manipulated by company marketing, while others require the organization to make adjustments. Monitor the basic components of company's external environment, and keep a close watch at all times. Customers customers are among the external elements you can attempt to influence, via marketing and strategic release of corporate information. But ultimately, your relationship with company’s clients is based on finding ways to influence them to purchase company’s products. Market research is used to determine the effectiveness of company’s marketing messages, and to decide what changes can be made to future marketing programs to improve sales. Government Government regulations in product development, packaging and shipping play a significant role in the cost of doing business and company’s ability to expand into new markets. If the government places new regulations on how you must package company’s product for shipment, that can increase company’s unit costs and affect company’s profit margins. International laws create processes that company’s company must follow to get your product into foreign markets. Economy As with the majority of the elements of your organization's external environment, your company must be efficient at monitoring...
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...fa Factors Effecting Small and Medium Enterprises, Selection of Market Entry Mode Naveed Hussain Malik (naveed.hm@gmail.com) 770325-3059 Masood Hussain Chudary(zindagi03@hotmail.com) 801014-5855 Supervisor: Eva Wittbom Masters Degree Thesis in Business Administration School of Management Sciences Date of submission Abstract Development in infrastructure limits the communication gap, speedy travel and low cost tariff barriers as well other drivers of globalization have made overseas markets easier to get small firms and gave more opportunities to SME´s internationalize. The market entry mode choice or selections have strong effect the success or failure of the company. For instance an insufficient or wrong entry mode selection can decrease opportunities and limit important choice for the firm and could lead to high financial loss as well as lose control on overseas market. The purpose of research study is to provide a deep and better understanding of the factors those effecting SME´s selection of market entry mode. Research question how can the influence of internal and external factors on the selection of market entry mode. A frame of reference led to the building of summary which in turn became the basis for data collection. Two qualitative case studies for Pakistani SME´s namely socks knitter Pakistan and RK International were undertaken. The main findings shows the clear link between the theories claim to be internal and external...
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...* WEEK1-DQ#1: (DUE: Wednesday, July 25th)Min. 200 Word Count: Class, According to Hawkins-Mothersbaugh-Best the definition of consumer behavior “…is the study of individuals, groups, or organizations and the processes they use to select, secure, use, and dispose of products, services, experiences, or ideas to satisfy needs and the impacts that these processes have on the consumer and society.” Hawkins, D., Mothersbaugh, D., Best, R. (2007). Consumer Behavior: Building Marketing Strategy, 10th Edition [University of Phoenix Custom Edition e-text]. The McGraw−Hill Companies. Retrieved January 24, 2010, from University of Phoenix, MKG485 – Consumer Behavior Course Web site. Question: What considerations do you feel a marketing manager in today’s world should make in terms of consumer behavior? In terms of your current or past employer what processes did consumers go through to become your client? What was the impact of this process on your client and or society? ANSWER: According to Hawkins, Mothersbaugh & Best (2007), “At its current state of development, consumer behavior theory provides the manager with the proper questions to ask. Given the importance of the specific situation or product category, it will often be necessary to conduct research to find the relevant answers to these questions.” (p. 7). In terms of consumer behavior, Marketing managers in today’s world should know the following about their customers: * What they think about the product of the company and...
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...The primary objective of any business is to maximize on profits. So as to achieve the set goals and objective of any firm there is need to come with strategies which are plans set to achieve a given goal. There is need to have marketing strategies which will help the product to do very well in the competitive business world. For a strategic marketing the company should be able to take opportunities both in marketing and promotion (Lorette, 2015). Marketing manager should be able to research and evaluate the target market and how to make more customers of the company’s product. The company should study the external and the internal environment so that it can successfully grow and market the products in places where there are more chances of growth. Internal environmental factors are those which can be controlled by the company for instance employees, resources and management. External environment include political, economic, technological demographical and sociocultural factors (Tucker, 2015). A proper analysis of the SWOT is necessary for an ideal marketing strategy this is because of the assessing the strength, weakness, opportunity and threats of a company. SWOT of Unilever in market line in UK There is need to analyze the strength, weakness, opportunity and threats in Unilever especially in United Kingdom. This is because the recent political issues in the UK can greatly affect the growth strategy of the Unilever both locally and globally. According to (Cescau & Rivers...
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...mastered the facts and other information, isolate the major problem to be solved. Identify the key problems faced by the manager in a strategic sense. Do not forget the context of the organization and its situation. The problem must be solved within this context. Proceed with the analysis of the major points or areas. For the purpose of this course, the analysis is the most important part of the report. At this time in your career and in this course, the reasoning behind how you arrived at the recommended course of action carries more weight than the actual decision. The analysis consists, at least in part, of studying the problem from many different perspectives and of attempting to foretell the probable effect upon, or reaction of, the many factors which influence the success or failure of a certain course of action. As the analysis proceeds, alternative courses of action or possible solutions to the problem will come to mind. Refrain from leaping to a conclusion before all the...
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...Course: Tutor: Date: Business environment A business environment can be identified as the combination of both external and internal factors that have an effect on the company’s operations. Factors found in the business environment will include the suppliers, clients, owner, and its competition. The company’s operation will also be affected by the government’s policies and the laws that affect any business operation. The internal environment can be defined as the conditions and factors found within the organization that have an effect on the behavior of the employees. This factors that can be identified with the internal environment will include the leadership styles, the organization culture and the organization mission statement. The external environment can be defied as the conditions and factors that surround the organization affecting the organizations activities and choices. Dell It’s a multinational computer company that is based in America, it develops, sells and supports computers and computer related services and products. It’s one of the largest technological companies that enjoy a large share in the world. Internal environment The internal business environment is identified to be multidimensional; hence it will be affected by political, economic, social and technological factors. Each factor will be affected by the base in which the company is set up. This base will determine the goal and objectives that the company holds...
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...[pic] King Saud University College of Administrative Sciences Strategic Management 597 BUS Case analysis Target Corporation Professor Dr. Nadia Ayoub Submit by Ghadeer Al- Mutawa Reem Abdul Jabbar 9, January 2007 Contents Introduction Vision Statement Mission Statement Strategy Analysis State 1: The Input Stage External Factor Evaluation o Opportunities o Threats Competitive Profile Matrix Internal Factor Evaluation o Strengths o Weaknesses Summary of Financial Ratios in Target Corporation Stage 2: The Matching Stage 1) The Strengths-Weaknesses-Opportunities-Threats (SWOT) Matrix, 2) The Strategic Position and Action Evaluation (SPACE) Matrix, 3) The Grand Strategy Matrix, 4) The Internal-External (IE) Matrix. Summary of Matrix Analysis Stage 3: The Decision Stage Quantitative Strategic Planning Model [QSPM] Recommendations Epilogue Introduction Target Corporation is a powerful retail brand. It has a reputation for value for money, convenience and a wide range of products all in one store. Target Corporation is the third-largest general merchandise retailer in the United States. It offers an assortment of general merchandise, including consumables...
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...analysis Target Corporation Professor Contents Introduction Vision Statement Mission Statement Strategy Analysis State 1: The Input Stage External Factor Evaluation o Opportunities o Threats Competitive Profile Matrix Internal Factor Evaluation o Strengths o Weaknesses Summary of Financial Ratios in Target Corporation Stage 2: The Matching Stage 1) The Strengths-Weaknesses-Opportunities-Threats (SWOT) Matrix, 2) The Strategic Position and Action Evaluation (SPACE) Matrix, 3) The Grand Strategy Matrix, 4) The Internal-External (IE) Matrix. Summary of Matrix Analysis Stage 3: The Decision Stage Quantitative Strategic Planning Model [QSPM] Recommendations Epilogue Introduction Target Corporation is a powerful retail brand. It has a reputation for value for money, convenience and a wide range of products all in one store. Target Corporation is the third-largest general merchandise retailer in the United States. It offers an assortment of general merchandise, including consumables and commodities; electronics, entertainment, sporting goods, and toys; apparel and accessories; and home furnishings and decor; as well as a line of food items. The company operates its stores under Target and SuperTarget brands. It also sells its merchandise online, as well as offers credit cards to its customers. In addition, the company runs Target Clinics...
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...planning that the company perform environmental scanning to monitor, evaluate, and disseminate information from their internal and external environments to the right people who make the decisions (Wheelen & Hunger, 2010). Environmental Scanning is the process of gathering information (internal and external) to evaluate the company’s position. The evaluation is performed using the SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) analysis. The SWOT analysis is divided into two parts, the first looks at the company’s internal environmental strengths and weaknesses and the second the company’s external environmental opportunities and threats (Wheelen & Hunger, 2010). Wal-Mart and Target are two very large successful corporations, who happen to compete against each other to provide quality products and services to people in their communities. Both companies use environmental scanning to help them gain the edge against the other. Top management, to make decisions about the company’s future, uses information gained from the scans. * Internal Environment * The internal environment is made up of the company’s own structure, culture, and resources (Wheelen & Hunger, 2010). When it comes to the internal environment of Wal-Mart and Target they are very different on many counts. Wal-Mart’s internal environment is very strong. It has a firm infrastructure that is heavy in the human resources department with a strong...
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