A Stand-Up Comedy Virtual Reality Platform for Qatar Tourism

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Table of Contents

Introduction
Conclusion and Reflection on the Learning
Reference List

Introduction

The team identified a unique idea of developing a stand-up comedy virtual reality (VR) platform for Qatar tourism. The detailed market research that was conducted revealed that many people were bored and stressed, forced to spend most of their time in the house. The need to maintain social distance meant that physical interaction was limited. The product was designed to address these specific challenges that people in Qatar have been facing during this time of the pandemic. When developing this idea, some major challenges were encountered that threatened the ability to develop it into a commercial product. Choosing the right number of avatars, customization of the product, and pricing the product were the three major challenges that were faced in this project. The team had to develop effective ways of addressing these challenges to make this project a success. In this report, the researcher discusses these specific challenges and how they were effectively managed.

Description: The Nature of the Challenge

When developing this idea, the team went through a learning experience that can effectively be described using Gibbs’ reflective cycle. In this model, shown in figure 1 below, the first step is to describe what happened (Eriksson, Bigi and Bonera, 2020). The description will help in understanding the nature of the challenge. The team had to come up with a concept that solved a specific problem, met the needs of a specific population, and could easily be pitched to a client as a commercially viable idea. Based on these factors, several challenges emerged in the development stage.

The first challenge was defining the number of avatars in the VR. The number of avatars had to be large enough to create the feeling of a real-life effect while at the same time fitting in the room created comfortably. Some team members felt that as many as 200 avatars would be appropriate, while others argued that a realistic number would be 50. It took a considerably long time to reach a consensus on this issue. Members had to factor in the size of the creation, the ease of movement of avatars, and the reasonable distance from one avatar to another. Finally, team members agreed that 100 avatars were realistic enough for the platform created.

The second challenge that emerged in the development stage was the customization of the platform. The targeted clients have unique needs that cannot be easily met using a single item. Some viewers prefer local stand-up comedians, while others prefer those from the region or in foreign countries. The content of the message passed through these comedies also varies and meet the need of people in different ways. As such, customization was considered necessary when developing the product (Morgan et al., 2019). The team had to find unique ways of meeting the diversified needs of the targeted customers in terms of the content available on the platform.

The third challenge that was experienced was how to price the product in a way that would attract a large number of customers while at the same time creating sustainable profits for the business. Jeffery, Jarvis, and Word-Allen (2018) note that some of the most common strategies include penetration, discounted, premium, competitive, and economy pricing. Some team members felt that it was appropriate to use premium pricing as a way of demonstrating the high value of the product. Others suggested the use of competitive pricing, while some members felt that the appropriate strategy would be discounted pricing to encourage sales. The team finally agreed to settle on economy pricing after taking into consideration various factors. It was considered the most appropriate as it would be affordable for both the locals and visitors in the country with low purchasing power.

Figure 1. Gibbs’ reflective cycle (Harkness, 2020, p. 51).

Feelings and Thoughts

When using this reflective cycle, the next step that one should consider is their feelings and thoughts. When developing this new product, the team felt that there was an urgent need for entertainment services in Qatar. Like many other countries around the world, it was significantly affected by the effects of COVID-19 (Harkness, 2020). Many people were forced to spend most of their time in the house, with very limited interactions with other members of society. The team felt that it was necessary to develop products that would effectively meet the diversified needs of customers. It was at this stage that the challenge of meeting the specific needs of customers emerged during the customization face. The team felt that while taking into consideration factors such as religious beliefs and practices, it was equally important not to ignore the diversity in the country. According to a study by Harkness (2020), expatriates account for 88% of the population in Qatar, with Indians numbering over 1.2 million. It was important to ensure that the developed products met everyone’s expectations.

There was a thought that this product could be used beyond the tourism sector. Although the primary target of the product at the development stage was the tourism sector, the team felt that it could be used for general entertainment among people living in this country. It was at this stage of trying to define the specific industry and audiences to target that the challenge of the number of avatars emerged. In large stadiums and theaters, the population of the audience can be as large as 60,000 people. On the other hand, small theaters can hold a limited audience of 50 people. The team agreed that the size of the rooms and the number of avatars had to be the same. It was felt that such a form of standardization was necessary to make the product unique, even though the content was customized to meet a wide range of needs. The team was keen to accommodate the ideas of its members. Debate helped in the screening of the different ideas and views of members.

Evaluation

The team’s experience, especially when faced with the challenges identified above, had a positive and negative impact. One of the good things about the experience is that it enhanced our problem-solving skills. The three issues threatened to split the team and delay the project as members believed that their proposed solutions were the best. However, the reason was able to prevail and members agreed to discuss each of the proposals. Those that emerged as being the most viable ones were selected.

The experience enhanced the bond among the team members who undertook the project. As problems emerged when developing the idea, team members realized the significance of working as a unit. At first, there was a competition, with each member trying to ensure that their ideas prevailed. Along the way, members developed a unique approach of proposing random solutions and then discussing each in detail. The approach strengthened the bond among team members. It led to the realization that ideas can be improved with the input of different members taken into consideration.

Team members learned how to use their strengths to help colleagues overcome their weaknesses. When addressing the challenge of pricing, a section of the members based their proposed solutions on beliefs as opposed to economic facts. Financial experts in the team needed to conduct calculations and prove to members how specific pricing would ensure that the organization earned a profit. The other members of the team, who are marketing experts, were able to conduct a market forecast and determine what needed to be done to attract and retain the targeted clients. This approach made it possible to develop wholesome ideas that took into consideration marketing, financial, legal, logistical, and procurement issues.

The experience also revealed negative factors that should be addressed in the future when undertaking similar projects. One major challenge was racial insensitivity among a section of the team members. Qatar is a predominantly Islamic nation, just like most of the nations within the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. However, it is prudent to take into consideration that the country is one of the most diversified nations in the world because of its large population of foreign workers. As such, it is essential to ensure that when making a decision, the diversity of the country should not be ignored (Amelia, Salamah, and Sofyan, 2019). Some of the members proposed strategies that largely ignored the presence of these foreigners.

Analysis: How the Team Addressed the Challenge

The team encountered various challenges when finalizing the idea and creating a pitch on the stand-up comedy VR platform, three of which have been identified in this report. Determining the right number of avatars was the first challenge. The team solved this problem by reviewing similar products in the market and assessing the targeted audience’s needs. During the discussion, some of the factors considered were the size of common stand-up comedy halls in the country frequented by the residence, the need to create enough space for each avatar as a way of making the user comfortable, the general physical appeal of the VR room, and diversity factors that reflect the actual composition of this country and how popular social gatherings often look like. Based on these factors, the team settled on 100 avatars as the most appropriate number.

Customization of the product was the other major challenge that the team encountered when developing the idea. As mentioned above, some members had initially ignored the diversity in the country, proposing solutions that did not meet the expectations and demands of the entire population. This challenge was addressed through lengthy discussions among members. Using constructive criticism, members were able to identify the weaknesses of some of the proposals and explain why they would affect the popularity of the products. They then discussed an alternative solution that would customize the product as much as possible while at the same time reflecting the diversity in the country. The team was able to not only customize the products but to ensure that they are adjustable in case one would want to adjust them accordingly.

Pricing of the product was the third challenge that the team had to address when the idea had been fully developed into a product. The team wanted a pricing strategy that will not only attract a large pool of customers but also express the product’s high value. Because of the sharp differences that emerged among members, it was agreed that financial experts had to help in making the right decision. It was agreed that the decision had to take into consideration the ability of the firm to make profits while at the same time attracting as many clients as possible because of its affordability. Team members accepted the decision that was based on financial calculations.

What We Learned: Impact of the Challenge on Business Idea and Prospects

The challenges we faced provided important lessons and had a major impact on the business idea and business prospects. One of the fundamental lessons learned from the challenges was that earning small profits from a large sales volume is more economically viable than earning large profits from a small sales volume. As Olson et al. (2018) observe, the ability of a firm to succeed depends on its ability to attract and retain customers. The problem is that the process of attracting and retaining customers may require a firm to make sacrifices for its profitability. For a team that is futuristic and concerned about sustainability, the team learned that it is worth lowering profits. Companies such as Wal-Mart achieved massive success because of the same strategy of using economy pricing strategy to attract as many customers as possible. Although the strategy had initially been rejected by a section of the customers, everyone finally agreed with the fact that it was the most sustainable approach. It would enhance the sustainability of the business idea and its prospects in the market once it is launched.

The team members learned the significance of having a diversified management unit when making decisions. It is common to find cases where people prefer being in a team with others who share the same gender, race, religion, or other demographical factors (Vieira et al., 2019). Members of these teams were highly diversified in terms of gender, race, and religious beliefs. It explains why in the initial stages of addressing the above challenges, there were major differences. As it later emerged, diversity was important in understanding these problems from a different perspective. It created a major impact on the business idea as the team members agreed that future projects should reflect the diversity of society to find reasonable solutions.

The process of solving these solutions also demonstrates to the team members the significance of conducting research. One of the challenges that investors face is the general assumption that what they need is similar to the expectations of the market. As such, they design their products based on their personal views. When solving these problems, the team had to conduct research to find evidence-based solutions. The strategy had a major impact on the business idea and how it should be implemented. It emerged that when faced with a challenge, it is essential to conduct research instead of basing decisions on personal beliefs and unfounded opinions.

Action Plan: How to Approach Each Stage Differently

The team was able to address the challenges that were identified effectively and the proposed solutions were acceptable. However, it is possible to take different action plans when solving the identified problems. When addressing the challenge of the right number of avatars, the team decided to have a standard number of 100 items. However, it does not mean that the model is the only one that is appropriate. In the future, it is possible to have a system with a varying number of avatars. Some people prefer a larger audience close to one another as is always the case in large halls. Such a large crowd will be specifically reliable at such a time when some people are forced to quarantine because of the virus. It may also be necessary to have a system with a smaller number of avatars for clients who like small and quiet audiences in such entertainment programs. The goal will be to meet the diversified needs of customers in the country.

The second challenge involved the customization of the product to meet the specific needs of clients. In the future, this problem will be solved in a way that is different from the one proposed above. The solution will involve conducting detailed market research about the issue. Katsikeas, Leonidou, and Zeriti (2020) argue that although market research may take time to complete, it is one of the most effective ways of understanding and addressing the needs of customers. The team will take time to understand customers’ needs. This strategy will make it possible to segment the market based on these specific needs. Once the market is segmented, products will be developed to address those specific needs in the segment. Instead of developing a universal product, the team can develop three or more products for each of the segments identified. This action play may require more financing than was the case when only one product was developed.

Pricing of the product emerged as another issue, and as was explained, the team settled on economy pricing. However, that does not mean it is the most effective pricing strategy that should be observed in future products. The team can consider alternative pricing products most suitable for the products based on the changes introduced. As mentioned above, segmentation will be considered in future action plans. Each segment may have its unique pricing based on the purchasing power of the customers. It means that some of the products will have premium pricing, others will embrace competitive pricing, and others will retain the economy pricing. This new strategy will ensure that the company gets maximum profits from its products while at the same time covering a large segment of the market.

Conclusion and Reflection on the Learning

When finalizing the idea and creating a pitch on the stand-up comedy VR platform for Qatar tourism, various challenges emerged that had to be addressed to ensure that the intended goal was realized. The first challenge was selecting the right number of avatars for the platform. After a debate and a review of forces in the industry, it was decided that the most appropriate number of avatars would be 100. This number was selected based on industry standards and the need to create a feeling of comfort among the clients when using this product. However, the analysis shows that it is possible to adjust the number accordingly in future products when necessary.

The report also shows that the customization of the product was another issue. Qatar is a demographically diversified country because of the high number of economic migrants. After deliberations, the team agreed to make the system as diversified in its offering as possible. It included the content of local comedians and those from neighboring countries. Content from some international stand-up comedians was also included to meet the needs of the diversified customers. In the future, it will be necessary to develop products for different segments. The third challenge is the pricing of the product that was made available for customers. Economy pricing was used because of the need to penetrate the market. However, the marketing team must segment the market, develop products unique to each segment, and then develop pricing based on the purchasing capacity and requirements in each segment.

The most important part of this assignment was addressing challenges that elicited different views among the team members. When undertaking this project, issues about diversity affected the decision that members made. It also emerged that some members were oblivious of the level of diversity in the country. Through this study, they were able to learn about the significance of understanding diversity and providing relevant products. Members learned to solve problems through debates as opposed to taking hard stances. They realized that although they may have superior ideas, the discussion makes it possible to understand the views of others and to improve on those that one has. The team also learned about the importance of conducting research, especially when addressing a problem that may raise controversy or disagreement among members.

Reference List

Amelia, S., Salamah, H. and Sofyan, M. (2019) ‘Effect of marketing strategy and service quality against the decisions of parents’, Ilomata International Journal of Management, 1(1), 31-37.

Eriksson, T., Bigi, A. and Bonera, M. (2020) ‘Think with me, or think for me? On the future role of artificial intelligence in marketing strategy formulation, The Total Quality Management Journal, 32(4), pp. 795-814.

Harkness, G. (2020) Changing Qatar: culture, citizenship, and rapid modernization. New York: New York University Press.

Jeffery, D., Jarvis, L., and Word-Allen, A. (2018) Staff educator’s guide to clinical orientation: onboarding solutions for nurses. Sigma Theta Tau International.

Katsikeas, C., Leonidou, L. and Zeriti, A. (2020) ‘Revisiting international marketing strategy in a digital era: opportunities, challenges, and research directions’, International Marketing Review, 37(3), pp. 405-424.

Morgan, N. et al. (2019) ‘Research in marketing strategy’, Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 47(1), pp. 4-29.

Olson, E. et al. (2018) ‘The application of human resource management policies within the marketing organization: The impact on business and marketing strategy implementation’, Industrial Marketing Management, 69(1), pp. 62-73.

Vieira, V. et al. (2019) ‘In pursuit of an effective B2B digital marketing strategy in an emerging market’, Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 47(1), 1085-1108.

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