Seminar 6, November 30- December 4, 2009

Seminar 6, November 30- December 4, 2009

Student Goup Presentations on Comapny SWOT Analysis

Seminar 5, November 23-27, 2009

Seminar 5, November 23-27, 2009

Topics Covered



A. Finalising Groups and Companies for the Group Case Study Assignment
 
B. Review of How to Write the Synopsis/Summars

C. Review of How to Present the Case Study (starting Week 10 and finishing in Week 11)

D. Which Groups will get Good Grades?

E. Weekly Case Study - McDonald's


A. Finalising Groups and Companies for the Group Case Study Assignment


1. Register your group and yourself with your seminar tutor

2. Choose any one company from the following list:

- Nokia

- Microsoft

- Procter and Gamble

- Unilever

- M arks and Spencer

- BP

- BA

- Virgin

- or any other company (with the agreement of your seminar tutor)


B. Review of How to Write the Synopsis/Summary

Please note that you are required to submit a group summary of about 500 words about the presentation you are making during week 10 and 11 to the student office latest by 30th November 2009 2pm.


Also please note that the word limit of 500 words does not include bibliography or references. Pease ensure that your summary covers the following:

1. A small introduction about the company
2. The main highlights of the SWOT analysis performed
3. The recommendations
4. A small concluding remark
5. Sources of information in the form of bibliography


Also please note that your summary should be submitted as a word document which should be formatted as follows:

1. Cover page that should mention the following

- The title

- Module Name

- Module Number

- Name of Module leader

- Date of submission

- The names of students in the group

- The student number of students in the group

- Total number of words


2. Double spaced

3. Font to be used: Times Roman

4. Font size: 12


The assessment of your summary will be based upon the following criteria:

1. The arguments made

2. The analysis performed

3. Authenticity of information used

4. Level of research performed to make the analysis

5. Writing style


C. Review of How to Present the Case Study (starting Week 10 and finishing in Week 11)

For presentation:


a. Prepare a SWOT analysis of the company

b. Recommend an action plan that you as a group think would

i. capitalise on the opportunities identified

ii. overcome the weaknesses discussed
 
Please note:


a. Presentation Time: 6 minutes per group

b. Number of slides: Max 6 pages including title page and bibliography

c. It is mandatory for every student to present at least one slide

d. Students should maintain business dress code

e. Hard copy of presentation should be submitted before making a presentation to the tutor

f. A copy of the assessment sheet mentioning the following should be stapled on the left hand corner on the top of the presentation copy

i. Title of the presentation

ii. Names of all the students

iii. Student numbers of all the students


D. Which Groups will get Good Grades?

1. Researched information from academic sources (minimum 5 numbers)


2. Demonstration and understanding of your recommendations in relation to the company chosen.

3. Demonstrate how the understanding of how all the elements of the framework used works in the given environment.

4. Demonstration of learning process experienced.

5. Good use of business language

6. Effective and clear communication

Seminar 4, November 16-20, 2009

Seminar 4
Seminar Tutor: NG

Topics Covered

A. Finalising Groups and Comapnies for the Group Case Study Assignment
B. Review of How to Present the Case Study (starting Week 10 and finishing in Week 11)
C. Which Groups will get Good Grades?
D. Overview of the Market Research Process
E. Weekly Case Study - iPod


A. Finalising Groups and Companies for the Group Case Study Assignment

1. Register your group and yourself with your seminar tutor

2. Choose any one company from the following list:
- Nokia
- Microsoft
- Procter and Gamble
- Unilever
- M arks and Spencer
- BP
- BA
- Virgin
- or any other company (with the agreement of your seminar tutor)



B. Case Study Presentation Assessment
MKT111/1112/1113
Year: 2009-2010
Learning Week 10 and LW11


1. Register your group and yourself with your seminar tutor

2. Choose any one company from the following list:
- Nokia
- Microsoft
- Procter and Gamble
- Unilever
- M arks and Spencer
- BP
- BA
- Virgin
- or any other company (with the agreement of your seminar tutor)

3. For presentation:
a. Prepare a SWOT analysis of the company
b. Recommend an action plan that you as a group think would
i. capitalise on the opportunities identified
ii. overcome the weaknesses discussed

4. Groups which do the following will achieve higher grades:
a. Present well researched information from different academic and practice sources (minimum 5 numbers)
b. Demonstrate how the understanding of how all the elements of a framework such as 4Ps can be used works in the given environment.
c. Demonstrate the learning experienced in the form of output presented.
d. Good use of business language
e. Effective and clear communication
f. Demonstrate application of theories studied in the recommendations made for the company chosen.

5. Please note:
a. Presentation Time: 6 minutes per group
b. Number of slides: Max 6 pages including title page and bibliography
c. It is mandatory for every student to present at least one slide
d. Students should maintain business dress code
e. Hard copy of presentation should be submitted before making a presentation to the tutor
f. A copy of the assessment sheet mentioning the following should be stapled on the left hand corner on the top of the presentation copy
i. Title of the presentation
ii. Names of all the students
iii. Student numbers of all the students



C. Which Groups are likley to get higher Grades?

1. Researched information from academic sources (minimum 5 numbers)
2. Demonstration and understanding of your recommendations in relation to the company chosen.
3. Demonstrate how the understanding of how all the elements of the framework used works in the given environment.
4. Demonstration of learning process experienced.
5. Good use of business language
6. Effective and clear communication


D. Overview of the Market Research Process

E. Weekly Case Study - iPod

Case 13 iPod

Teaching Objectives:

• To discuss the impact of research/information objectives on questionnaire design
• To evaluate the appropriateness of different research designs
• To investigate the implications of different sampling methods

Questions:

1. Will the proposed questions answer Apple’s questions? Outline any problems and suggest solutions.
2. Assess the expertise required, and costs associated, with the two proposed survey methods. Which design would you recommend and why?
3. Assess the strengths and weaknesses of the two proposed sampling methods. Which would you recommend and why?

Q1 Apple’s Information Needs:
• Ownership and usage patterns of the different iPod models – number owned, when used, order purchased
• Usefulness of features – overall and by age group
• Accessories used and when purchased
• Attitudes towards the iPod – hedonistic/stylistic or functional?

Q1 Continued…Questions- Problems and Solutions:
Examples:
What is owned, but does not consider when each is used nor order in which they were purchased ?
Solution: Ask for dates of purchase
Does not consider when accessories are used
Solution: Add question for usage situations



Q2 Survey Methods: Expertise and Costs

1) Mail Survey:

A) Expertise: Fairly low level
B) Costs: Postage & Printing
C) Issues: Response rates; Time to collect sample

2) Online Survey:
A) Expertise: relatively high level
B) Costs: Low implementation costs
C) Issues: data security; getting responses from all groups


Q3 Survey Methods: Strengths and Weaknesses:

1) Sampling Frame
A) Customer Database: Current Customers

B) iTune Users: Potentially new Customers and users of other MP3's

2) Sample Unit

A) Customer Database: Divided into 3 groups
B) iTune Users: Probability Sampling Using iTunes Metrics


3) Sample Size


A) Customer Database: 500 from each group
B) iTune Users: iPod users and non-iPod users

4) Timing


A) Customer Database: Repeated mailing - time delay
B) iTune Users: Faster & more immediate

There is no Seminar, November 9-13, 2009

There is no seminar this week.

However, you are required to take a summative multiple choice test which is on OasisPlus.

You have 30 minutes to finish the online test.

Please do it by Friday November 13 afternoon.

There is no Seminar, November 2-6, 2009

There is no seminar this week as it is the reading week.

However, I strongly recommend that you start talking to your classmates in your own seminar group in regards to getting into groups.

Also you may find the following reading on how to do a case study helpful:


A Guide to Using Marketing Cases

Prof. John Fahy,
University of Limerick,
May 2006.

Introduction

Though estimates vary it is said that we are exposed to up to 1,000 marketing messages per day. Behind all of this activity are marketing managers making real decisions, which will determine the success or failure of their organisations. Therefore, the actual work of the marketing manager involves making many choices and ensuring that desired actions and activities happen. It is a very real life activity. The case study aims to simulate this kind of activity. It puts the student in the shoes of the marketing decision maker, asking you to make choices and make decisions based on the information in front of you. To many this can be quite daunting but the purpose of this note is to guide you through the process of case analysis which will help you to make better decisions in both imaginary and real business situations.

What Are Case Studies

In short, case studies are written descriptions of sample business situations. Those situations can be real or fictional, though in most instances they describe real organisations. They come in many shapes and sizes. For example, the marketing spotlights at the start of each chapter of Foundations of Marketing might be described as a short case, which illustrates a business situation and could be the subject of analysis and discussion. In contrast, some cases can be much longer and extremely detailed. Cases may focus on industries, large global organisations, small, entrepreneurial organisations, not-for-profit organisations and so on. The greater the variety of cases examined, the more the student is exposed to the richness of organisational life. In the main, the kinds of cases that the introductory marketing student is exposed to includes the following,

• The Incident Case: This kind of case describes some particular set of circumstances that an organisation has faced such as a crisis that has been caused by a product recall, for example. It asks the student questions like, how well did management handle the crisis and what can be learned from it, etc.

• The Illustrative Story: The business literature is full of stories of what organisations have done and whether these initiatives have been successful or not. The illustrative case builds on these stories, usually to depict the strategies pursued by organisations in trying to achieve the goals they have set themselves. These kinds of cases are very useful in helping us to gain insights into effective marketing practice.

• The Puzzle & Answer Case: These are less common but as the name suggests, they present the reader with a puzzle-type situation and ask for a solution. The reason they are unusual in marketing is that few if any marketing situations will lend themselves to just one answer.

• The Exercise Case: Like the illustrative story, the exercise case is very common in marketing. Its purpose is to present situations in which the student can apply the tools and concepts that they have learned.


Objectives of Case Studies

There are different ways of acquiring knowledge but the principle underlying case studies is that of inductive learning. In other words, the aim is to develop knowledge and over-arching principles through examining and analysing individual situations. Case studies are also underscored by the principle of learning by doing. We know marketing is a real-life activity but few marketing courses will bring us into contact with real-life managers. The case, which simulates an organisational situation, is as close as many of us will come to real-life before we begin our working careers and by working on several cases, we build our skill sets. In summary then, the objectives of case analysis are as follows,

• To develop diagnostic and analytical skills in areas such as situation analysis, evaluation of alternatives, making choices and justifying recommendations.

• To apply the techniques, concepts and theories learned in class and from the literature to help solve business problems.

• Cases gets the students to be active rather than passive so it requires them to get out of the habit of being a receiver of concepts and into the habit of diagnosing problems and coming up with proposed solutions.

• To develop skills in critical thinking, as with cases there are no right answers and arguments need to be formed and justified.

• To develop the communications skills necessary to present case solutions either verbally or in written format.

• To develop listening skills. Much of the learning in a case study comes out of listening to other points of view and acknowledging the different perspectives that people can bring to the problem.

• To get practice in working out problems for yourself or in working as part of a team.


Analyzing Cases

One of the great challenges of case analysis, and indeed real-life business is that all situations are different. Therefore are no step-by-step procedures for case analysis or no neat proven framework that will work in all instances. That said, there are a number of elements of good practice that should be followed when working on a case.

1. First, read the case through quickly. The purpose of this initial reading is to get familiar with the main issues in the case such as the organisation, its situation and the kinds of challenges or difficulties that it may be facing.

2. Then, either individually or in groups, read through the case carefully and note the key facts. Do not try to enumerate all the information as some of it will be more important than others. Identify the key information and issues.


3. Decide what assumptions are reasonable in relation to the situation under discussion. Remember that in business, managers rarely have all the information that they need. Sometimes it is necessary to estimate, guess and speculate.

4. Now it is time to begin the case analysis proper. The first step is to conduct a thorough analysis of the external situation facing the organisation. This might mean looking at the macro and micro environments of the organisation, looking at the information that is available on consumer behaviour and/or on competitive activity. This analysis helps to articulate clearly the challenges facing the organisation.

5. Second, it will be necessary to thoroughly analyze the organisation under study. What are its strengths and weaknesses. It may be necessary to examine in depth, the quality of its marketing management, i.e., its segmentation, targeting and positioning. Or the focus may be on its brand management, its distribution strategy, the nature of its marketing planning or whatever emerges as most critical in the particular situation under analysis.

6. Then the strengths/weaknesses of the organisation needed to be compared with the opportunities/threats in the marketplace. The goal of this phase is to clearly articulate what are the problems and/or opportunities that are facing the organisation under study.

7. The next step is to devise a number of alternative plans of action to resolve the problems or take advantage of the opportunities. It is important not to lock on to one solution straightaway but rather to look at a range of possible solutions.

8. Finally, it is critical to recommend and justify a solution. The importance of coming up with a proposed solution should not be underestimated. Business is about making choices. Too often students do very good analysis but then proposed alternatives or solutions are very weak. Be unambiguous about your choices and justify them. Don’t worry about being right or wrong because remember there is always likely to be more than one possible solution. What is important is that you make a choice and that it is logically supported by your arguments. That is much more important than trying to chase some elusive ‘right’ answer.


Getting the Most Out of Cases

From a tutoring point of view, there are four ways of dealing with cases. These are (a) lecturing a case, (b) theorizing a case, (c) illustrating a case and (d) choreographing a case (Rangan 1995). Each of these are quite different approaches with different objectives and likely results. For example, when lecturing a case, the instructor takes a class through the case analysis emphasising what he/she deems to be most important. Similarly, when theorizing a case, the instructor uses the case to convey a particular concept or piece of theoretical knowledge. Likewise, illustrating a case means it is used to show what particular organisations have done which may or may not have been successful.

But the best value can be had from cases when the case class is choreographed. What this means is that the instructor takes a leading but not dominating role as happens in the three instances described above. Also it places the onus on students to be fully prepared for the class. They must have studied the case, done their analysis and come to their conclusions. The classroom can be a stimulating environment when different points of view are being put forward and debated. No individual is going to think of everything so a great deal can be learned from realising that you have missed certain things despite working hard on a problem. It is the instructor’s job to guide the discussion without dominating it. He/she must not reject points of view but rather if the analysis is flawed, these weaknesses should be pointed out. And the onus is on the instructor to lead the class to a conclusion. A good case analysis should always lead to a thoughtful, well-reasoned conclusion with a set of action items if you were the protagonist in the case.


References:

Rangan, V. (1995), ‘Choreographing a Case Class, Harvard Business School, 9-595-074.




_______________

Seminar 3, October 26-30, 2009

Seminar 3
Seminar Tutor: NG


Topics Covered

A. Important Reminders
B. Introduction to the Group Case Study Assignment
C. Weekly Case Study - Plant All
D. Optional-Short podcasts for you to watch in your spare time

A. Important Reminders:

It is you obligation to come to class prepared, having looked at all updated class announcements on OasisPlus and having done the required reading.

For example, by now you should know that the online multiple choice exam is during Week 7 and not during Week 6 (which was the Reading week next week).

By now you should have either bought the required book or decided on how you plan to do your work without having bought the text at minimum.

You are to participate fully and constructively in seminars.

If you do not obey lecture and seminar rules, you will be asked to leave the classroom and be marked as absent for the day.

If you come to the seminars any later that 10 minutes without a valid excuse (i.e. NOT 'I missed my train' or or 'I had to go somewhere important' or 'I overslept'), you will not be allowed into the classroom. And you will be market as absent for the day.

If you miss more than 20% of the lectures or the seminars, you are going to fail the module.


B. Introduction to the Group Case Study Assignment::

Choose any one company from the following list:
Nokia
Microsoft
Procter and Gamble
Unilever
Marks and Spencer
BP
BA
Virgin or any other company (with the agreement of your seminar tutor).

Prepare a SWOT analysis of the company and recommend an action plan that you as a group think would capitalise on the opportunities identified and also overcome the weaknesses discussed.



C. Weekly Case Study - Plant All:

PLANT-ALL

Teaching Objectives:

To show the decision-making unit (DMU) in action

To illustrate the importance of understanding the choice criteria of the DMU members

To appreciate how for some products and in some industries it is necessary to understand the wider distribution channel and distribution partners


Q1 Identify the DMU Roles

Initiators – in this case, the sellers
Users – employees
Buyers – purchasing agents
Influences – Fred Elliot – Lauren Belle
Deciders – the buyer (Lauren Belle and Bradley Jons)
Gatekeepers – secretary (Anne Sheffield)


Q2 Choice Criteria of the DMU

Lauren is interested in the business and financial aspects of the transaction e.g. cost, price and promotional support

Margaret Francis is interested in the supply side, stock levels and customer satisfaction



Q3 KAM: Lessons Learned:

Correct decision to secure Greenvale account
In the future important to consider wider distribution channel for company products
Careful inventory control needed to maintain balance between supply and demand
Importance of promotions to stimulate sales at store level
Working closely with colleagues to ensure mechanics of promotions are understood.
Establishing appropriate levels of contact



D. Optional-Short podcasts for you to watch in your spare time:

You may enjoy and benefi from watching the following videos:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJ7aVrtTbg0&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VfJ-Mk2g1NY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XYrbF6nWOnU&feature=related

Seminar 2, October 19-23, 2009

Seminar Tutor: NG

Topics Covered:


A. Important Reminders

Please rember that you should check the class announcements regularly on OasisPlus as well as refer to your module handbook.

By now, you should have gone over your class handbook and be completely clear about what is expected of you to pass this module successfully. If for some odd reason you do not have your module handbook, it is your obligation to go to OasisPlus and print a new copy.

You should have bought the required text for the module. You are also highly encouraged to consider buying the recommended texts.

By now, you should have attended a Learning Resources training seminar at the Library. It is your obligation to know how to use all the Learning Resources we have available on campus.

You have to attend both the lectures and the seminars to be able to pass the module. If you miss more than 20% of either the lectures or the seminars, you will fail the module. Missing 20% of the lectures or seminars equates to missing 1 day of every five days of the working week in professional life, which in return is likely to mean that you would be fired.

If you come to the seminars any later than 10 minutes without a valid excuse, you will not be allowed into the seminar and you will be marked as absent.

You are required to come to the seminars having done the work required of you. Otherwise you will be asked to leave the class for that day.

You are not to use mobile PDA devices, phones, laptops dusing the seminars. If you do, you will be asked to leave the class for that day.

Please turn off all mobile devices.

You are required to respect each other's time and presence in class. So absolutely no talking among students!

If you have a question, you will have to ask the seminar tutor. If your discussion is not class related, you will be asked to either follow the class rules or leave the seminar for that day.


B. Online Multiple Choice Exam is Coming Up!

30 Questions in 30 minutes!

It is open book, but you are not going to have time to search for the answers: Remember, 30 Questions in 30 minutes.

You have to study and practise how to take online exams.


C. Online examination Practice

Please click on the following link and use the process S.G. has explained to you to practice self-test for the online examination that you have to do during week 7.

http://highered.mcgraw-hill.com/sites/0077114159/student_view0

You can copy and paste this link into your internet explorer.


D. Case Study: Cappucino Wars

Teaching Objectives:

To understand the motives of consumers when choosing to visit coffee bars
To appreciate the factors which influence consumer choice regarding which coffee bars to visit
To understand why companies need to change their products offering as consumer demands change
To encourage students to think about new market opportunities.

Questions:

Why have coffee bars been so popular with consumers in the UK?
You are considering visiting a coffee bar for the first time. What would influence your choice of coffee bar to visit? Is this likely to be a high or low involvement decision?
Coffee bars are mainly located in the centres of towns and cities. Are there other locations where they could satisfy customer needs?
Why has the coffee republic been forced to abandon its traditional coffee shop positioning in favour of a delicatessen format?

Q1: Reasons For Popularity Of Coffee Bars

Improved quality and increased range of the coffee sold in coffee bars compared with the previous offering available
Opportunity to relax providing an oasis of calm for people between their homes and offices or between periods of work.
Status considerations: consumers ‘moving up’ to coffee bars from ordinary cafés or low-end department stores.
Allows them to demonstrate connoisseurship, thus, in turn, enhancing the consumer’s self-image.


Q2. Choosing A Coffee Bar - Choice Factors

Convenient location
Cleanliness
Comfort and facilities
Speed of service
Appearance, style, layout
Comfort and facilities: sofas, newspapers, wi-fi and buying CDs
Speed of service
Image: does the coffee bar match the consumer’s self-image?
Perception of price
Perception of quality and range of quality


Q3. Other Possible Locations for Coffee Bars

Out-of-town shopping precincts
Supermarkets and department stores
Suburban areas
Airports
Railway stations
Bookshops
Coffee shops have already begun moving into such locations:
- Starbucks have a deal with Waterstones
- Costa Coffee has strong links with the transport sector placing coffee chops in stations and airports.


Q4. Coffee Republic’s Retail Positioning Using Delicatessen Format?

Coffee Republic in fourth competitor position
Lack of economies of scale compared to the competition
Poorly controlled marketing communication budget
Repositioning as delicatessen is an opportunity to create differential advantages
Other food/coffee players such as Pret A Manger could be strong rivals for market share.

Seminar I, October 12-16, 2009

Welcome to the Seminar Section of Principles of Marketing MKT 1112

Seminar I
Seminar Tutor: NG


Topics Covered:

A. Important Ground Rules

B. How to Analyse a Case

C. Case Study: Sony Shock


A. Important Ground Rules

By now, you should have gone over your class handbook and be completely clear about what is expected of you to complete this module successfully.

By now, you should have bought the required text for the module. You are also highly encouraged to consider buying the recommended texts.

By now, you should have attended a Learning Resources training seminar at the Library.

You have to attend both the lectures and the seminars to be able to pass the module. If you miss more than 20% of either the lectures or the seminars, you will fail the module. Missing 20% of the lectures or seminars equates to missing 1 day of every five days of the working week in professional life, which in return is likely to mean that you would be fired.

If you come to the seminars any later than 10 minutes without a valid excuse, you will not be allowed into the seminar and you will be marked as absent.

You are required to come to the seminars having done the work required of you. Otherwise you will be asked to leave the class for that day.

You are not to use mobile PDA devices, phones, laptops dusing the seminars. If you do, you will be asked to leave the class for that day.

Please turn off all mobile deices. otherwise you will be asked to leave the seminar for the day.

You are required to respect each other's time and presence in class. So absolutely no talking among students! If you have a question, you will have to ask the seminar tutor. If your discussion is not class related, you will be asked to either follow the class rules or leave the seminar for that day.


B. How to Analyse a Case

Step 1
- Read the case thoroughly with a view to understanding the key marketing issues illustrated in the case
- Discriminate between information which is relevant and that which is superfluous and/or ambiguous
- Select and apply relevant theoretical marketing models.

Step 2
- Define clearly and concisely the basic problems in the case
- Identify main issues, e.g. increased competition, changes in underlying consumer tastes. Do not be confused with “symptoms” - e.g. declining market share, lower profitability.
- Identify the key decisions to be made, e.g. how to expand, how to position the product, how to increase competitiveness, etc.

Step 3
- Company strengths and weaknesses, external opportunities and threats (SWOT Analysis).
- Use the Information and facts provided in the case to analyse the situation: the market, demand…etc.

Step 4
- Based on the analysis in 3, identify possible alternative strategy solutions to cope with the problem defined in 2.
- State assumptions, which are made in order for the strategies to work.
- Evaluate the pros and cons of each alternative. This should form the main focus of your attention.

Step 5
- Recommend a course of action selecting the alternative proposed in step 3.
- Which would you consider most appropriate to solve the problem identified in step 2 taking into consideration the analysis made in step 3?

Step 6
- Edit your recommendations based on the latest Web-information that you can access by going to the company’s web site.


C. Case Study: Sony Shock

Teaching Objectives:
To identify the rapidly changing nature of the marketing environment and its impact on marketing strategy.
To help delineate between micro and macro environmental factors
To identify the need for continuous innovation and product development.
To conduct a SWOT analysis.
To discuss how firms can react to changes in the marketing environment.

Questions:
Discuss the importance of product innovation to the future success of Sony, in regard to the changing marketing environment.
Conduct a SWOT analysis on Sony.
What are the strategic options available to Sony, in the wake of “Sony Shock”? Furthermore recommend a course of action for Sony.


Q1 Importance of Product Innovation to Sony’s Future Success
Product innovation enables Sony to:
Retain is brand status
Benefit from innovative products – higher prices
Add to the brands reputation as innovative products are seen as technologically superior
Maintain dominate industry position
Reduce the risk of technological leapfrog
Set proprietary standards
Creates demand
Acts as a barrier to entry for potential new entrants
Helps create new markets
Helps reposition a business
Helps in defending market share


Q2. SWOT Analysis: Strengths
Global Size and Market Share
Presence in numerous markets
Solid brand image
Creates market-defining products
Experience and strength of brand
Level of vertical integration
Strength of "Playstation" Brand
Japanese Strength in Electronic Engineering Design
Alliances with other manufacturers
Exposure to global markets
New leadership


Q2. SWOT Analysis: Weaknesses
Overcapacity
Too broad a product range
Low profit margins
Collapse of Cathode-Ray Television market
Bureaucratic culture
Sony’s development of new technology - too slow
Failing to focus on its core operations
Slow to market products
Over reliance on Playstation


Q2. SWOT Analysis: Opportunities
Expansion of global presence
Taking advantage of producing in low cost economies
New technology which could become industry standard, encourage upgrading to newer versions and leading to new product opportunities
Model count reduction and investment in manufacturing capabilities to improve efficiencies.
Sony divesting non-strategic assets
Utilize electronic platforms to distribute products.
Further integration of business
Creating interoperability
Develop crossover products


Q2. SWOT Analysis: Threats
Increased foreign competition
Increased commoditization of products
Technologically Leapfrogged
Changing technology altering the competitive landscape
Boardroom clashes with partners such as BMG and Ericsson
Heavily reliant on Japanese market
Reliant on fickle entertainment industry
Failure to establish Blu-Ray as a proprietary standard
Failure to successfully implement turnaround strategy


Q3 Strategic Options:
New management team
Move production to low cost economies
Renew and revitalise advertising campaign and focus on brand image
Continue aggressive price promotions
Continue to reduce inventory levels
Introduce innovative products
Greater investment in R&D
Exit personal computing market
Improve distribution network
Rethink product portfolio
Consider partnerships and reorganisation