STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT ASSIGNMENT RESEARCH PROJECT

1. Why do the dimensions in growth-share matrix (BCG) are relative to market

share and market growth rate and what do they signify? Take example of Tata Industries to explain how BCG matrix is applied and how the Business House has applied recommended strategies to business falling in different categories of the matrix. 2. In the Indian passenger car industry, the following companies are the important players. Critically evaluate their marketing strategy (focusing on segmentation, targeting and positioning) and explain why have they chosen to operate in the segment they are operating in? Maruti Suzuki Hyundai
3. During the last five years, the retail environment in most metros has

undergone a drastic change. For instance, the areas surrounding Delhi, now boasts of malls which lure customers on the promise of offering them a Unique experience. Gurgaon is now firmly established as mall city while Faridabad and Ghaziabad are also fast emerging as mall destinations.Evaluate the experience strategy and how Ghaziabad and Faridabad can evaluate the same.
4. The cell phone industry (mobile telephony) is passing through a stage of high

growth. What stage of product life cycle the industry is passing through and what are appropriate strategies for a company like Airtel &Vodafone to cope up with the competitive and customer challenges?
5. The dishwasher market in India has not yet taken off. The first dishwasher

was introduced in India way back in 1992. Apply the framework of diffusion of innovation and suggest why dishwashers have not excited the Indian

customer. Identify major blocks/barriers that are responsible for customer resistance and recommend suitable marketing strategies to overcome them. 6. How does reference group influence vary over product and brand choices. What kind of reference group influence do you predict in following cases: (i) Wrist watches (ii) Personal computers 7 How would marketers use this information to market the above products? An organization is desirous of changing the attitude of customer towards its brand and product. The product is flavoured milk called Energy. The organization is targeting not just children but also adolescents and adults. To expand the customer base it needs to change the attitude of customers towards the drink from that of a health drink into a fun product at par with other soft drinks available in the market. As an agency developing the advertising campaign for Energy how would the knowledge of attitude towards object and behaviour intention model come to your assistance? 8 The Red cross provides numerous services around the world, including disaster relief nursing, youth involvement and bio-medical services. One important activity is the collection of blood, with the Red cross receiving over six million volunteer blood donations a year. In the United State, e.g. someone needs a blood donation approximately every two seconds. The high demand for blood, coupled with concerns about safety of giving and of receiving blood and the hectic lives of potential donors, can make soliciting donations a challenge. How can you apply the marketing concepts to this activity? 9 Briefly distinguish between high involvement in decision making and low involvement in decision-making. What type of decision process do you think customer would follow in the following situations: a. Mens cologne b. Professional camera

10 (a) Take a look at shoes market. Do you think that Bata, Liberty, Woodlands,

Reebok, Nike are engaged in targeting in the same customer group? Do they have distinct segments to satisfy different needs? [Take help from advertisements, company objectives, company promotion materials, views of their customers, etc.] 11 ) How would you segment the markets for toothpastes, TVs, Cars, Carpets, and Chocolates? What is the basis of segmentation? What broad target marketing strategies are being adopted by them? Take one product and look at the variation in marketing strategies adopted by the players in the field. [Take help from brand shares, competitive materials, and tactics used by marketers.] 12 . Take a product each by Bajaj Auto & Honda introduced last year. What are the different levels of their products for which they stand- Core, Generic, Expected, Augmented. And Potential Product? 13 . Examine the statement and prepare a memorandum to defend your position.: A new food product out of the genetic engineered process, if required to be labeled as genetically engineered product on the package, would discourage consumer response, resultant sales, and the very process of new product development. 14 . Hindustan Lever Limited has long followed the policy of giving individual brand names to its products. Recently it changed its policy by using brand extensions for Lux and Pears. Find out the reasons for deviation of branding policy of HLL. Evaluate whether the change in their policy would help HLL improve its image, and sales? 15 . Suppose the wooden furniture is in the declining stage of the PLC, what could be the stage of steel furniture, moulded furniture, and cane furniture? What sort of pricing, packaging, promotion, and placement is desirable for the identified stages of PLC for each of the furniture types?

INDIVIDUAL ASSIGNMENT # 2 Study the following brands and analyse the current strategies in order to devise future proposition. The Brands are as follows:
1 2 3 4 5

Sony Ericssons Mobile Music Strategy Stararbucks: Selling an experience Horlicks: Repositioning strategy Toyota: Product Quality and Price positioning Kingfisher: The Funliner experience Walmart: Distribution excellence Airtel: Promotional strategies Titan: Portfolio Maximization Videocon: renewing the brand identity

6 7 8
9

10 Walmarts: Cost leadership strategy 11 Dell: Innovation Strategy 12 Google: Branding Strategy 13 Motorola: Differentiating Strategy 14 Britannia: Product Differentiating 15 WIPRO: Diversification Strategy
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AMD (Advanced Micro Devices): Virtual Gorilla strategy

17 Procter & Gamble: Open Strategy Innovation 18 Reliance Petrol: Retailing through Segments
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Hindustan Lever: Brand extension strategy

20 Samsung: Global branding

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Johnson & Johnson: Value to Customer