Marketing is a complex process that involves more than just promotional activities. Marketing can be defined as a process of facilitating an exchange of something of value for something needed. This implies that the marketing process is likely to come along with some costs.
Marketing is a very important element in any organization. It is therefore necessary to have a clearly designed marketing plan or strategy in order to have a successful organization. This is achieved through marketing research, which is a systematic process of gathering data that is associated with issues concerning marketing products and services, recording it and finally analyzing it for effective decision making.
Marketing research entails a process or function that brings together various components of a market for instance the consumers, the public as well as the customers to the marketer. This is made possible through appropriate information.
In marketing of existing products, it is necessary to understand the customer’s needs. This understanding will act as guideline in moulding the product and service to maximize customer satisfaction (Lamb, 2009). This piece of work will look at Beeline Vietnam Company and aspects related to research marketing strategy.
Marketing Mix Critique – Section 1
Telecom industry in Vietnam is highly competitive. For this reason, it requires application of appropriate marketing strategies by various business organizations in an effort to secure a good market share in the competitive world or rather attain and maintain a competitive advantage.
Beeline Vietnam Company is however confident enough to succeed in its operations based on the fact that it has succeeded in other countries. All in all, strategic marketing strategies ought to be adopted.
“In spite of being a newcomer in the Vietnamese telecom market, Beeline VN inherits the experience of building telecom networks in many countries in the world and has international and Vietnamese professional, experienced, enthusiastic and passionate human resources. Beeline VN is completely confident to succeed.” (Vietnam Business News 2010, par 2).
Marketing mix is a crucial tool in a business organization. Organizations are usually defined by the products and services they offer. Marketing mix is a combination of various aspects of marketing that are geared to drive a company into achieving its goals and objectives.
Marketing mix, therefore lays a benchmark for the implementation of the company’s marketing strategies. The main elements of the marketing mix are product, place, price, and promotion.
Product is the goods or services that are produced by a company, which in this case, are telecommunication services. The telecommunication services are offered to the different customers in an effective manner as a marketing strategy.
The brand name, Beeline, is also unique in its own way especially with the re-creation in 2005 having black and yellow striped circle. This brought about the principles of simplicity, brightness, effectiveness, and friendliness an aspect that differentiates the brand from the competitors’ products (Beeline 2011).
Place refers to the locality where the Beeline or rather the telecommunication services can be purchased or accessed from. It describes how the product will follow the distribution channel before reaching the final customer. The company applies direct marketing and personal selling as a form of distribution technique for the telecommunication services.
Price refers to the amount of money that the consumers will be willing to pay for the Beeline and telecommunication services in the market. Before deciding on the price to impose on the products and services, the company compares the prices of the competitors so as to make sure that their prices are at par. After the company has broken even, it will be upon it to review the prices with the changing environment.
Promotion is the other marketing mix element that is deemed to be extremely crucial in a business organization. The promotion of the Beeline Vietnam Company is done through various means for instance Advertising, Sales Promotion, Public Relations Activities, Direct Marketing as well as Personal Selling.
Advertisement has been utilized in Beeline Vietnam Company. The negative aspect is that online advertisement has not been emphasized much in the company despite the fact that it could capture many customers particularly the young people. Twitter, Facebook, and My Space could for example enhance the success of the company greatly.
Sales Promotion- Sales and promotions help to sway consumers to risk buying a new product. Product specials encourage a customer to try the product, often giving the much needed boost to sales. This is an aspect that has been utilized in the company for instance through lowering of prices (Trehan and Trehan, 2009).
Public Relations Activities- The best way to increase awareness and public relations for your company is to donate a small amount of the profits to charity. Not only does this give back to the community, but it also gets a lot of free publicity as a way of corporate social responsibility.
To make sure that the public relations are well taken care of, the company should make sure that new product news briefs are well written, properly formatted, and convey the right message about the product. There is only one chance to release a press release for a new product, and editors will not run it more than once.
Direct Marketing- Marketing a product directly to the public is another great way to advertise a new product. This is an aspect that Beeline Vietnam Company has utilized to the maximum and has contributed greatly to its overall success. Positive peer pressure is achieved through direct marketing and thus it is an excellent advertising campaign that raises awareness for the Beeline product and the telecommunication services.
Personal Selling- Marketing and selling the product to the distributors is the largest form of personal sales that a manufacturer takes on, in addition to running commercials that are viewed by the general public and consumers. In general, once the product is doing well, the Beeline Vietnam Company has tried to look for television promotions that in one way or the other increase its popularity and consumption.
Global Marketing Environment
Change is inevitable. The marketing environment is faced with a lot of changes with various factors emerging day by day. For this reason, there are trends which can clearly be observed in the global marketing environment with respect to both micro and macro forces.
Some of the micro forces include the organization, competitors and the intermediaries. The macro forces on the other hand include demographics, economic and technological aspects.
Marketing Mix Critique – Section 2
The above named micro and macro forces affect the global marketing environment differently. The organization operations affect its success or failure level. An organization’s success contributes to the whole industry’s success and vice versa. Competitors could lead to benefits or drawbacks in an organization where healthy competition enhances product quality and profits and vice versa.
Intermediaries on the other hand affect the profit share got by the organization and the entire industry. Demographics for instance the age, income level, and gender of the population affects the demand and preferences of products and services and thus the total profits made.
The economic conditions also affect the telecom industry in that favourable economic conditions boost the industry and vice versa. With respect to technological aspect, the Beeline Vietnam Company falls in an industry that is directly related to technology advancement. Adoption of emerging technology enhances success of the company and vice versa (Moore and Pareek, 2009).
Marketing Strategy Critique
In every organization, the main target is to maximize the level of sales. Marketing is one of the main strategies through which an organization can manage to win its potential customers.
For this reason, marketing process is very significant bearing in mind the current situation where the market is characterized by a very high level of competition. Marketing strategy entails different marketing concepts for instance product, price, place, place, physical evidence, processes and people (Pride, 2006).
Product is the good or service that is produced by a business organization. The telecommunication services provided by Beeline Vietnam Company are appropriate and helpful to its customers. What needs improvement is on the coverage where the organization ought to extend it and serve more customers.
Price refers to the amount of money that the consumers are willing to pay for the products and services offered in the market. Low but competitive prices are a strong point of Beeline Vietnam Company.
Place is the locality from where products and services can be obtained. The fact that customers are able to access the services of Beeline Vietnam Company, anywhere and any time, is a positive move.
Promotion- There are various strategies that could be utilized by Beeline Vietnam Company as a way of promotion. They include; advertising, sales promotion, public relations, directs marketing and personal selling. From the discussion of these strategies in section, the company has tried but it ought to improve on online advertisement (Hoffmann, 2008).
Because the Beeline Vietnam Company is more of a service business there are the additional three Ps – Physical evidence, Processes, and People.
Physical evidence- This is an incredibly crucial element in the service mix. It allows the consumers to have a clear understanding of an organization through making judgments based on the location where products or services are offered. Professionalism has attracted considerable number of subscribers to the company, some of them being from the competing networks. This is enough justification that the company has done greatly in this sector (The Chartered Institute of Marketing, 2009).
Processes refer to the systems that are utilized to enhance service delivery in organizations. Mobile selling booths is an example of processes used in this company and it has helped greatly in portraying its professionalism.
Through this, customers are in a position to approach Beeline Vietnam Company without difficulty and in a convenient manner (Vietnam Business News 2010, par 7). This therefore shows that in regard to this sector, the company has done well.
People- This entails the staff and people involved in a given organization. In regard to Beeline Vietnam Company it is evident that it has done well. It has for instance recruited qualified staff and trained them effectively such that they have good interpersonal skills and service knowledge.
Recommendations
It is evident that the Beeline Vietnam Company has faired relatively well in the telecom industry. All in all, here are some recommendations that the company ought to take to maintain and improve its position. It ought to enhance its advertisement especially on online advertisement.
The company should also review its marketing strategies regularly to be at per with the changes in the global market. Extending its operations far and wide is also a positive move toward enhancing the company’s success.
Reference List
Beeline (2011). “Beeline” Brand. Web.
Hoffmann, S. (2008). Are the 4 P’s of International Marketing of Equal Importance to All Firms? What Factors Might Cause Some to More Or Less Important Than Others?: A Short Article. New York: GRIN Verlag.
Lamb, C. (2009). Marketing. Canada: Cengage Learning.
Moore, K. and Pareek, N. (2009). Marketing: The Basics. New York: Taylor & Francis.
Pride, W. (2006). Marketing: Concepts and Strategies. Boston, MA: Cengage Learning.
The Chartered Institute of Marketing (2009). Marketing And The 7Ps: A Brief Summary Of Marketing And How It Works. Web.
Trehan, M. and Trehan, R. (2009). Advertising and Sales Management. New Delhi: FK Publications.
Vietnam Business News (2010). Beeline Vietnam: Highly Competitive in Telecom Market. Web.
The definition of design usually depends on the field that the definition applies. This is not very strange given the differences in opinion regarding the fundamental components of design. Design as a function applies to the fashion industry as well as to the manufacturing industry. This function is also vital in the software industry as well as architecture. This explains why it is almost impossible to find a single definition for use across different fields.
On the other hand, design thinking is becoming the uniting thread that ties all the design approaches found in different fields. This refers to the approach, rather than the specific methods that designers use to develop design options. This paper explores the implications of design thinking to businesses.
The fundamental inquiry that this paper deals with is whether marketers can benefit from design thinking. To achieve this, the paper examines design approaches and methods in order demonstrate their relevance to business.
Design Approaches and Methods
Design thinking is the overall philosophy that guides designers regardless of their fields. The first element of design thinking is that it focuses on people. The goal of design is to provide solution to various problems that people face. This means that any item that comes from a designer’s desk must meet the functional requirements needed to meet consumer needs.
However, the designer must also think about how people will interact with the product. This aspect is called “emotional design”. Engineers use ergonomics to ensure that final designs are pleasant and suitable to use, while software designers use concept like intuitive design to make software products easy to use.
The second element that governs design thinking is message. This concept arises from the realization that people interact with products, not just as functional items, but also as extensions of themselves. In this sense, people want products that feel right. People interact with products as an intimate part of their lives.
The products send out a message about them to the wider community. For instance, the clothes people wear determine how people look at them. Designers must ensure that whatever they design sends out the message that the customers want. Lawyers want suits that project power and self-confidence, while musicians want attires that demand attention and brand them as musicians.
The third element of design thinking is achieving balance between the art of design, and the science of design. The art of design refers to the freedom of thought, and the evaluation of possibilities in relation to a specific design process. The science of design ensures that the design options meet the constraints of a design project.
Design thinking requires setting aside considerable time to explore the possibilities, and then subjecting these possibilities to extensive analysis to determine whether it is possible to turn them into real products.
Design thinking is a disciplined process that has multiple manifestations. On one hand, engineering designers use linear thinking and iterated processes to develop products, while fashion designers tend to be free spirited. The level of linear thinking associated with design depends on the constraints associated with a design project. In engineering, the level of constraints is higher.
Successful production of a design depends on the availability of materials that can meet the design specifications, and the existence of manufacturing processes for production. In other fields such as fashion design and fine art, constraints are fewer. This means that the designers in these fields have more liberty to pursue intuitive designs.
Design thinking, regardless of the field, required designers to posses both intuitive design skills, and linear design skills because they complement each other. An engineering designer with intuitive skills will produce use friendly products. For instance, the design of a gamepad requires a high level of intuitive thinking as well as linear thinking to ensure that the pad is easy to handle, and is functional.
Implications of Design Approaches to Organizations, Managers, and Entrepreneurs
Managers and entrepreneurs can learn a number of lessons from design thinking. Essentially, managers and entrepreneurs solve problems on a daily basis. Some of the problems require novel solutions because of their uniqueness. Other problems need innovative solutions because of their impact on the business.
Entrepreneurs handle these situations more often because they usually have to develop the processes required to establish their businesses. Organizations also deal with various challenges that require attention. Design thinking can help them to deal with these problems.
Organizations, managers, and entrepreneurs can benefit from design thinking by making people their primary focus. Organizations exist to solve problems. These problems affect people. In this sense, a people centered approach to the development of solutions can help an organization to arrive at better solutions. In the case of managers, most of the problems they deal with concern their subordinates, and their customers.
The design thinking implications for managers is that all solutions they arrive at should take into account the fact that they are dealing with people. For instance, solving problems associated with lateness for work requires managers to find out whether employees who report late have other challenges such as small children, or unpredictable traffic, before creating rules.
Similarly, entrepreneurs should always bear in mind that while their primary objective is to make profit, they must meet all the people-needs in their businesses to guarantee long-term success.
The element of message in design thinking is very applicable to organizations, managers, and entrepreneurs. Organizations must ensure that everything they do communicate a consistent message to all stakeholders. The reason for this is that if an organization does not communicate a consistent message, stakeholders lose faith in the purpose of the organization.
On the other hand, managers must also ensure that all the efforts they put in the management of their employees communicate the correct message to the employees. The message the manager should communicate is not the sloppiness of employees, if the problem lateness. This can damage the working environment. Any measures adopted to curb lateness should communicate the exact problem. In the case of entrepreneurs, the challenge is even greater because of the variety of stakeholders.
The balance between the art of design and the science thereof is also very vital for organizations, managers, and entrepreneurs. With growth, organizations tend to drift towards rigid processes that result in bureaucratic tendencies. This often stifles innovation and slows down decision-making. In other words, too much reliance on linear thinking can results in a monolithic structure that is unresponsive to environmental stimuli.
Organizations must allow a healthy coexistence of structured processes, and unstructured initiatives especially in segments that have high growth potential. For managers, the difference between the science and the art of design is the degree of reliance on proven theories and operating procedures checked against the need for flexibility in decision-making.
The willingness to institute flextime policies to help curb lateness is a good example of this balance if some employees can have manageable schedules by either reporting later or earlier for work. Entrepreneurs on the other hand tend to be intuitive. Many of them will thrive on the art side of design, at the cost of the science side.
There is need to institute systems necessary for running the business. For instance, entrepreneurs should have predictable financial systems that allow them to receive payments and pay suppliers with ease. Successful businesses are contingent on strong financial management.
Shaping Personal Approach to Learning, Knowledge and Design
The discussion presented above illustrates how design thinking can help to strengthen other areas of business. While the second section deals with the possibilities presented by design thinking to the running of the organizations, they equally apply to marketing. In short, marketing deals with people just like the design process.
All marketing efforts must focus on the people who are likely to buy a product. This fact demonstrates the need to look at design as a possible source of learning for marketing students. In particular, every marketing student needs to learn about people.
On the issue of message, the relationship between design and marketing is very close. Marketers are very keen on the message that they put across to potential clients. In fact, marketers frame the language that an organization uses to market its products. This is a very intimate connection with design thinking because message is also a fundamental part of design thinking.
The implication for marketing student and learners is that it is beneficial to understand the message the designers of a product or process intended to communicate when they designed the product. This can help a marketer to market the product more effectively. It also means that marketing practitioners need to pay attention to designers because designers infuse messages into products that marketers send to consumers. Collaboration can only improve the efficiency of marketing.
Design thinking abhors constraints and promotes possibilities. The use of design thinking relegates the evaluation of ideas based on constraints to a later stage. In current marketing practice, the development of marketing strategies starts with the consideration of constraints. Marketing managers start by looking at the marketing budget, and the size of the marketing team.
The application of design thinking to marketing means that marketers should evaluate the actual marketing needs, and consider how best to meet these needs, before considering the constraints. The reality is that many companies have very strict budgets. Budgets are however justified by the results. If a higher marketing budget results in a more effective marketing campaign, then it is naïve to limit marketing efforts to constraints.
Conclusion
It is clear that marketers can benefit from design thinking. In fact, design thinking is a welcome dimension in the operations of organizations as well as the work of managers and entrepreneurs. The main benefits that marketers can get from design thinking include the opportunity to focus on opportunities rather than constraints.
Secondly, design thinking can help to improve the process of developing a marketing message. The third benefit is that design thinking can help marketers to perpetuate people-centered marketing.
Reference List
Brown, T 2009, Change by Design: How Design Thinking Transforms Organizations and Inspires Innovation, Harper Collins, New York, NY.
Ferrell, OC & Hartline, MD 2008, Marketing Strategy, Cengage Learning, New York, NY.
Liedtka, J & Ogilvie, T 2011, Designing for Growth: A Design Thinking Tool Kit for Managers, Columbia University Press, New York, NY.
Martin, RL 2009, The Design of Business: Why Design Thinking Is the Next Competitive Advantage, Harvard Business Press, Boston, MA.
Robert, GB 2007, Bringing User Experience to Healthcare Improvement: The Concepts, Methods and Practices of Experience-based Design, Radcliffe Publishing, Oxon.
Verganti, R 2009, Design-Driven Innovation: Changing the Rules of Competition by Radically Innovating What Things Mean, Harvard Business Publishing, Boston, MA.
In the globalising world, marketing becomes more and more complicated. The market competition grows these days rapidly. In order to survive the pressure of the competition and stay in good demand, the companies need to be able to please their customers, fulfil their needs, follow the change of the preferences carefully. The companies need to be flexible and ready to answer any kinds of requests if they want to keep their clients loyal and satisfied. Otherwise, there is a risk that someone more modern and developed will attract consumers and income.
Consumerism is highly developed in the world of nowadays. The modern society and its members are mainly characterised not by what they produce, but by what they consume. A couple of decades ago the main question to ask in order to get to know a person was “what do you do?” because the individual’s occupation was an aspect that said a lot about the person. Today the main question people ask each other is “what are you into?” because getting to know a person these days means learning what they consume the most: the music they like, the food they prefer, the type of clothes they wear. The marketers are well aware of this new tendency, and this is why they try to win their customers by means of introducing more items people would want to consume.
The main purpose of marketing research is to find out what needs and wishes the potential customers have and how they can be fulfilled. The researchers are to collect the data and analyse it in order to identify the components of the future marketing strategy of the company. The goal of the marketing research is to answer the question “what do the consumers want?”. Of course, all of the most important and essential items are already being produced and sold by many organisations, and the competition in such spheres is very high. This fact leaves the marketers and the manufacturers with the spheres of human life that are not as important, yet if someone started to sell a certain product, the demand for it would appear over time. The consumers often start wanting a product only after they see someone selling it.
One of the most important stages of marketing research is asking the clients about their needs and preferences, dividing the consumers into groups according to a certain principle. After the data is collected and analysed, new goods may appear in the market in order to create a completely new line of competition. These goods are not essential, not important for life, yet they are demanded. These are frivolous goods. One of the great examples of this kind of products is a recently introduced pillow shaped as a female’s lap, designed to provide lonely men with an illusion of having an affectionate life partner. This invention originates from Japan.
Obviously, this product appeared after the Japanese marketers performed marketing research and found out that a great number of the consumers are lonely single men dreaming about having a girlfriend or a wife. The manufacturers designed the pillow in order to help fulfil the consumers’ dreams literally.
Marketing research nowadays stimulates the development of frivolous products because most of the companies cannot survive the growing competition in the most popular spheres of market, this is why they have to research the needs of consumers and come up with less important, but still demanded goods, because frivolous business is still a business (Rehn 2013).
Reference List
Rehn, A. (2013). Frivolous Business. Bloomington, Indiana: Booktango. Web.
The activities of the modern companies and enterprises cannot be successful without the marketing researches. The marketing research is generally defined as the systematic search, collection, analysis, interpretation and presentation of the information and data concerning the specific market situation that the company has faced. The marketing research allows the company to get the valuable information about the needs of the customers, as well as the main tendencies of the competition. Furthermore, the marketing research generates the data for the forecasting of the sales volume, the customer satisfaction and the customer loyalty (Saxena 164).
The experts define the following main steps of the marketing research that should be executed: to ascertain the need for the marketing research, to identify the problem, to define the research objectives, to conduct the desk research and collect the secondary information, to carry out the qualitative and quantitative field research and collect the primary data, to analyze the collected information, to interpret the data and define the conclusions and recommendations, to prepare and present the final research report (Smits 1).
The analysis of the collected data is one of the most important stages of the marketing research. On this stage, the two main types of the analysis can be used – the qualitative analysis and the quantitative analysis. The Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (hereinafter – the SPSS) is acknowledged to be the excellent tool for the quantitative analysis of the marketing research information. It is the computer program for the statistical data processing, the powerful modern analytical tool, designed to conduct any type of the marketing research information analysis.
After the quantitative field research, the company has the database that must be further compressed. The data compression is the process of the marketing research data description by calculating the several values, which define the database completely. The compression narrows the database in such a way, that the residual characteristics are entirely sufficient to formulate the conclusions of the conducted research.
To start the compression, it is necessary to input the information in the SPSS at first. The program offers the three main ways of the data input: to import the database from the other sources (Microsoft Access, Microsoft Excel, etc.), to input the data directly with the help of the specialized software called the SPSS Data Entry, or to enter the data manually. After the input of the information, the SPSS will help to encode the variables, to sort and aggregate the marketing data, and to process the received information by the means of the statistical analysis in order to meet the objectives of the marketing research. All of the above-mentioned functions describe the role of the SPSS in the marketing research analysis.
Furthermore, the use of the SPSS ensures the following advantages over the qualitative methods of the analysis (such as the Delphi method, the brainstorm method, and the scenario development method) and the other quantitative methods:
The SPSS allows answering the accurately defined questions, processing the large volumes of the information and using the statistical analysis methods instead of the subjective ones.
It enables the calculation of the multi-version marketing indicators on the basis of the input research data.
The SPSS allows uniting two different databases with the one common key field. It can be very useful when there is a need to unite the databases with the different marketing questionnaires into the integrated one for the further procession.
It contains the facilities for the visual representation of the processed and analyzed data, such as the simple and interactive graphs and diagrams, as well as the one- and multidimensional tables.
The SPSS has the powerful tool for the experienced researchers called the command syntax. With its help it is possible to automatize the repetitious operations (for example, the creation of the significant number of the statistical regressions), and to get the access to the advanced set of the statistical analysis procedures.
It enables the testing of the marketing information for the normalcy of the distribution that is crucial for the accuracy and efficiency of the statistical analysis.
Burns and Bush claim that the statistical analysis is the critical stage of any quantitative marketing research. Due to the successful statistical analysis the company will be able to transform its marketing strategy on the chosen markets with the due regard for the customers’ needs and preferences, the actions of the competitors and its own potential. Burns and Bush define the following main steps of the statistical analysis of the marketing research, which should be combined to get the best result:
The descriptive analysis is the first step when the basic values are calculated, such as the gender and the age of the respondents, as well as the description of the customers’ preferences. The statistical indicators used in this stage of the analysis can be useful for the answering to different important marketing questions (for example, for the calculation of the probability that the customer will purchase the new product).
The logical deduction analysis is designed to create the proper sample, which will satisfy the statistical requirements for the accuracy and reliability and on the basis of the sample to formulate the conclusion about the customers’ preferences in the country as the whole. This step of the analysis is very convenient, as there is no need to question all the potential customers. However, the only requirement is the proper filling of the sample.
The distinctions analysis is used to compare the average indicators of two or more samples. For example, the researcher may be interested whether there is the significant statistical distinction between the expenses of the customers in different cities, countries or different groups of customers to purchase the specific product. This kind of the analysis provides the crucial information for the further segmentation of the markets, as well as for the development of the company’s price strategy. At this stage, the following tools of the SPSS will be necessary: the logical regression, the discriminant analysis, the factor analysis, and the cluster analysis.
The associative analysis allows identifying the connection between the variables and the peculiarities of this connection, for example, whether the increased sales volume depends on the growth of the sales personnel training expenses, or what will be the customers’ reaction on the new advertising campaign – positive or negative. At this stage of the analysis, the SPSS will be useful with the statistical methods such as the correlation analysis, the linear regression, and the cross-dispensing.
The prognostication is the most difficult and the most important step of the statistical analysis. The company often has a need to prognosticate the demand, the potential sales volume in the new market, the competitors’ actions, etc. The success of any company will be impossible without the efficient prognostication.
Works Cited
Burns, Alvin C., and Ronald F. Bush. Marketing Research, 7th edition, Pearson Prentice Hall, 2012. Print.
Saxena, Pratiksha. “Application of Statistical Techniques in Market Research: A Sample Survey.” International Journal of Applied Engineering Research. Vol.2, No 1 (2011): 163-171. Web.
Smits, Johan 2011, Marketing Research with SPSS: A Practical Approach. Web.
A major dream in every business venture is to expand its jurisdiction and customer base. This is no exception for Professional Hair Care (PHC), a leading business enterprise in Victoria, which markets and sells various hair care products. For a long time, the company has operated without a website, which is essentially a critical aspect of expansion of business.
In order to expand the business and realize a superior competitive advantage, the business had to come up with a means of establishing a company’s website. The main idea behind this project was to establish a marketing research analysis for clients to help the company build a website.
The creation of this website is very essential to the company since it would help to transform the marketing approach. With the website, the company can go global and operate beyond Victoria, consequently generating a wider customer base.
The project was also client-based, where the project team carried out various surveys to get valuable information from customers. This project would create a lasting visible change in the business, thereby transforming the entire marketing strategy of the company.
Goals and Objectives
Goals and objectives are declarations that depict what the project will achieve, or the organizational value the project will attain (1). Goals offer the overall purpose of the project while the objectives offer specific activities or outcomes that helps in attaining the overall purpose or goals of the project (Mochal, Para 3, 2011).
This implies that the realization of the main goals of a project highly depends on successful accomplishment of the set objectives. The objectives of a project therefore aim at accomplishing the goals.
In this project, the set goals and objectives entailed the specific endeavors of the project team. This means that the project team concentrated on achieving the goals and objectives of the project.
The team directed all its efforts in ensuring that the objectives and the overall goal of the project are attainable for the success of the project. In addition, the team ensured that the set goals and objectives were measurable, attainable and realistic.
Cross (Para 2, 2011) agrees that the project’s goals and objectives determine and define all the efforts concerted by the project team members. In addition, a successful project team is one that defines the goals and objectives of the project in a clear manner, which leads to positive outcomes.
If a project team embarks on implementing a project without clearly defining the goals and objectives of the project, their efforts might be unsuccessful or produce inappropriate results. The project team in this project clearly understood the required specifications of undertaking the project and therefore did not carry out a bogus exercise.
Page (Para 1, 2011) indicates that goals and objectives of a project determine the success or failure of the project. They help the team members to understand specifically what they should do to obtain the results the project is aiming to accomplish.
In many cases, there is often one major goal of a project and several objectives to realize this goal. For this project, the project team clearly defined the main goal of the project as expanding the business beyond Victoria to reach as many clients as possible.
This major goal however required various specific objectives, which would help in its realization. The project team members worked towards this ultimate bearing in mind that the success of the project depends highly on its accomplishment.
In project management, objectives have to be precise and specific for them attain their purpose. When objectives are precise and specific, there are increased possibilities of such objectives yielding specific and precise results. This means that project objectives should not be unclear, but should reveal the success of a project. (Miller, Para 1, 2011).
For objectives to be specific the project team defined them in terms of the actual outcomes that the project entails to fulfill. Originally, the objectives included maximization of sales, extending business beyond Victoria as well as reaching as many customers as possible.
In addition, another major objective of the project was to offer a platform through which the management can understand the needs of the clients. Understanding the specific needs of the customers and prospective customers is very essential since it helps the company to plan for the future.
The realization of these objectives depended highly on the collaboration of the team and the definition of the main goal of the project. The measurement of the overall success of the project highly depended on the successful accomplishment and realization of the set goals and objectives.
Project Problems and Risks
The successful completion of any project will have to incur some risks and problems. These problems and risks offer a challenge to the project team to realize effective mitigation strategies of handling such risks.
A project team that often ignores the possibilities of problems and risks will not offer a concise outcome of the project. Particularly, the project team should be in a position to determine the major and minor risks that the project will have to accrue. This determination is helpful for timely planning and decision making.
Realizing the weight and importance of determining the potential project risks, the project team developed a schedule indicating the potential risks of the project and their solutions.
The project team indicated that the main risks would be change of objectives from clients, project size and complexity, slow customer review and feedback as well as unclear roles and responsibilities. The team also drafted possible solutions to these risks including preparing contingency plans, effective communication with stakeholders, setting clear goals and having a back-up plan for solving any new issues.
This kind of a detailed plan of potential risks and their mitigation strategies was very helpful to the project team. This is because every project must have a clear approach of dealing with risks since they are inevitable. Without a clear risk management and reduction strategy, the project team might incur overwhelming set-backs at various stages of the project.
Miller (Para 1, 2010) states that project teams and stakeholders should subject project decisions to a certain form of risk analysis and evaluation. He adds that such an analysis should not occur at every stage of the project cycle. There should be a planned strategy and an informal awareness concerning the potential risks surrounding the project
One of the main risks that the project incurred was the possibility of reduced work input from the project team. The project incurred this risk due to the departure of one of the members from the project team. I this case, the departure this team member caused laxity in the project completion.
This is because the remaining team had to re-design the already structured work plan to fill this vacuum. However, this vacuum left by the member was difficult to fill without a secondary strategy. Consequently, this forced the team members to construct a contingency plan.
Contingency Plan
Contingency planning is developing a back-up plan in case a risk occurs and undoes a presumption that founded the original plan. A good example is for a company which might prepare a contingency plan to avert unanticipated competition for its new product. This would occur is such a company anticipated that its new product will not face stiff competition in the near future (Richards, 3, 2011).
In most cases, a contingency plan offers new strategies to deal with an already occurred risk. For this departure by a team member, the contingency plan developed a new strategy of working with the remaining two team members.
The developed contingency plan mainly focused on the project schedule and the responsibility matrix. Since one of the team members had departed from the team, the responsibilities accorded to the member, fell on the other two team members.
Often, it is not possible to introduce a new team member in to the project team once the project has started. This is because a project needs commitment and collaboration as well as a clear understanding of the goals and objectives of the project.
Although there are various means of risk management and reduction, contingency planning was best suited for this kind of risk. This is because the risk had already occurred the project team did not anticipate the likelihood of such a risk.
The construction of a contingency plan occurs only in the event that a risk has already occurred and the project has to continue. Other means of reducing and managing risks include reduction and prevention of the risk from occurring.
Project Scope
For successful implementation of a project, the project team should adequately establish the scope and extent of the project. This will help I proper implementation as well as completion of the project. In addition, project scope helps the team members to successfully complete the project satisfactorily in every step (Shumba, p. 2, 2010).
Project scope determines the extent of output that the project will achieve. In addition the project scope specifies the exclusions from the project, responsibility matrix as well as the main project deliverables and project milestones. All these determine the final outcome of the project.
The project team clearly determined the scope and extent of the project for successful implementation. Originally, the scope of the project was very wide and comprehensive, covering two major project goals and several deliverables. The original scope covered extensive research in information technology and marketing plan. The deliverables were also very extensive and ranged from documentation to sales increase.
Deliverables are measurable goods or services that the project team aims to complete and deliver after the completion of the project. Before a deliverable reaches the client, it must meet certain specific conditions once completed. In addition, deliverables are the end-results of the successful implementation of a project (Manda, Para 1, 2011).
Some of the deliverables of the project included a clearly written report that could be used as a reference in future for instance in case of recommendations given. Another deliverable included establishing a rapport with clients to realize and understand their specific needs. Moreover, the project was able to generate a classic website, which customers will interact with the company on a daily basis regardless of their location.
These deliverables developed by the project team and in consultation with the stakeholders, were very specific than the original objectives. These project results clearly resembled their specifications and served to achieve the set objectives.
The results of the project represented the successful completion and implementation of the project. In addition, these deliverables were able to perform extraordinarily and in accordance to their specification in the scope.
As Redman (Para 3, 2011) indicates, “Project deliverables are more specific than project goals or objectives.” The deliverable section of a project outline comprises the precise specifications for a final good or a service. The deliverable explains the appearance and performance of the actual and exact final product.
Clearly outlining the various deliverables of a project is a vital aspect of the planning process in project management. Since the project plan is viable to various changes at different levels, it is vital for the project team to maintain a clear documentation of updated list of deliverables. (Burian, Para 2, 2011).
This documentation is very essential in keeping the affected groups informed of the changes. The project was able to maintain a record of the deliverables and their milestones. Documentation of the milestones helped the project team to evaluate the success of the project in terms of period and time of completion of the project.
After completion of the project, it was clear that the project team adhered to the project milestones and achieving of the deliverables.
Variation from the Scope
The project had to incur a variation from the original project scope that the team developed. First, the project scope was very wide making it somehow unrealistic and not clearly defined.
A well defined scope helps in attaining levels of Excellency in project development. After reviewing the scope, the project team re-defined it from marketing plan and website creation to a marketing research analysis for the clients to develop a website. This definition of the scope became much easier for the project team to work with and realize the project deliverables.
It is therefore evident that in most cases, variation of the project scope would occur. In case of any variation from the project scope, the project team should redefine the deliverables and manage the change in a way that the variation will produce positive rather than negative results.
Manello (Para 1, 2011) affirms that most project managers and project team members’ endeavor to reduce the extent and number of alterations to the project scope. However, project managers and project team members should realize that changes to the scope have to occur.
Variations of the project scope may occur due to various reasons. For instance, the scope might be very large such that the team members available cannot adequately implement it. In addition, changes might occur due to departure of one or more project team members.
Such a case, the defined scope might alter due to the responsibilities of such departed members. The variation of scope in this project occurred due to the complexity of the project as the team members deemed it was very large for implementation and development.
Appropriate management of scope variation entails proper verification of the project scope. The main aspect of verification of the project scope entails analyzing the set deliverables to ensure their successful completion. In the case of early termination of the project, the project team should clearly establish and document the level and extent of completion (Ritter, Para 2, 2009).
In the case of this project, the project team re-defined the deliverables and generated more defined and attainable deliverables. After re-defining them, the main deliverables included generation of a well written report of the surveys and customers’ response and the designing of a website as per the customers’ response.
Even though the project team re-defined the deliverables as well as the project scope, there was no much variation of the project milestones. This was because altering the project milestones could have altered the entire project plan.
As Symonds (Para 6, 2011) affirms, the project team should set the milestones at strategic points within the project. In case of variation of project scope, it is evident that many task estimates will also change. However, the project team should endeavor to maintain the milestones to prevent the original composition of the project plan from changing too frequently.
Stakeholders’ interaction
The major project stakeholders included the organization owner, Lutfi El-Hila, the operations manager Zahra El-Hila and the project supervisor Leon. There are various levels of relationships in a project. There are interactions that occur between the project manager of supervisor and the stakeholders.
Other interactions occur among the stakeholders themselves and between the project team and the stakeholders (Bourne, p. 3, 2006). In most cases, the stakeholders interaction is the most valuable and decisive form of interaction in project management. This is because stakeholders are the main movers of the project towards its implementation.
In this project, the main stakeholders interacted and cooperated in a sustainable manner, which led to the successful completion of the project.
The owner of the organization was very keen to follow the advice provided by the project supervisor since he had the expertise. In addition, the project stakeholders clearly agreed on the quality of the deliverables. Manda (Para 6, 2011) asserts that stakeholders must agree on the grade and quality to finalize a deliverable that meets its objectives.
To realize the objectives of the project, which was essential in attaining the overall goals, the project stakeholders agreed on the specifications of the required variations.
In addition, upon considerable considerations, the project supervisor consulted with the operations manager and the owner of the organization in relation to the milestones of the project. Together, the stakeholders agreed on the specific periods for the completion and attainment of various deliverables of the project.
Good stakeholders’ interaction is essential in establishing and ensuring the success of the project. These interactions make the stakeholders to trust each other, which helps in achieving the set goals and objectives (Young, Para 1, 2009).
In the case of this project, the owner of the organization trusted the project supervisor and the operations manager fully. Due to this, the project supervisor was able to deliver good results according to the needs of the owner. This means that good interaction is essential for the building of trust among various stakeholders of a project.
Another significant aspect of stakeholders’ interactions was effective communication. There was good interpersonal communication among all the stakeholders, which further accelerated good interaction. All the stakeholders were very open to each other and this helped to strengthen their relationship.
This also ensured that there are no conflicting opinions and interests, which ensured a high level of commitment among all the stakeholders. Bourne (p. 3, 2006) agrees that efficient communication is an important component in the process of establishing and maintaining stakeholder interactions. In addition, such effective communication is vital in maintaining the support and commitment of all stakeholders.
Evaluating the Success of the Project
The wish of every project manager and project teams is for the project to be successful. The main indicators of the success of a project include the realization of deliverables, realization of measurable organizational value of the project, proper management and leadership of the project manager or supervisor and team ethics.
For this project, these indicators revealed that the project as a success and that it met the required objectives thereby realizing the main goals of the project.
Measurable Organizational value
The main goal of the project management should be to create customer value hence helping the company obtain, sustain and grow, long term, profitable relationships with its intended customers. Consequently, the company will gain by getting increased asset utilization, improved cost structure, expanded revenue opportunities and ultimately long-term shareholder value (Ainsworth, p. 3, 2009).
The project was able to add measurable value to the organization. In this case, the successful completion of the project ensured the generation more clients and maintenance of the existing customers. This is because the project made the clients trust the organization thereby adding value to the business.
Effective Project Management
The management of the project offered good leadership in managing the project from its inception to its completion. The project manager ensured adequate and timely planning, which helped in the overall success of the project. As Mehta (p. 3, 2005) asserts, it is true that not all managers are good planners.
In addition, there is a difference between planning and executing. It is important to involve the project’s executers during planning in addition to crosschecking of facts and calculation using a spice of practicality. It is necessary to consider availability of good resources during planning.
A project cannot run effectively without the right team not only in experience but also in personality and attitude. This is necessary because the team will work like a team but not as individuals leading to competition within an organization. (Symonds, Para 5, 2011).
The project team offered showed much concerted efforts towards the management of the project. In this case, every team member involved in the completion of the project worked hard for the success of the project.
It is always a challenge for a project manager to communicate honestly with the stakeholders about risks, costs and status. However, the ethical principles require the project manager to be truthful but also use a comprehensive language by all stakeholders groups (Brown, Para 5, 2011).
The interaction between the project management and the stakeholders ensured that there are no loopholes in the project. The management of the project used effective communication strategies when reaching the project stakeholders for any information.
Team Dynamic and ethics
The relationship and interaction of the project team is another essential way of measuring the success of a project. Members of the team agreed on the means of evaluating the success of the final product. In this way, there were no conflicts of interests when the project finally came to completion.
This shows that the project was very successful. Anderson (Para 7, 2011) argues that before onset of any task, the team should agree on the way of judging the final product. Since there will be unison agreement about the standards, the standards will help encourage the group to carry out their duties at its highest level.
In ethical relationships, there should be absolute respect for individual abilities and cultural differences (Brown, Para 4, 2011). In this regard, the individual project team members conducted themselves in ethical and professional manner. The team members brought in different expertise to the management of the project, and each member respected the opinions, beliefs and perspective of the other members.
Litsikakis (Para 11, 2006) adds that during project execution, it is necessary to have in place a good project team. The core skills of the team should easily transform to core competences and capabilities for the whole organization. In addition, the team members should concert their efforts to the success of the project and the general mission of the company.
Conclusion and recommendations
The project was actually a success and it delivered the intended goals and objectives. The management of the project was very effective, which ensured the completion of every task within the set time. In addition, the stakeholders’ interactions helped to propel the project forward.
There was also effective cooperation in the project team but the only set back was the departure of one of the team members. In the end, the project was able to successfully achieve the set objectives and deliverables, which ensured the attainment of the overall goal of the project.
Due to the vast variation in the project scope, future project team members should clearly define the project scope and avoid a very wide and unachievable scope.
References
Ainsworth, H., 2009, Can project management create organization value? Web.
In market research, the method used to analyze any given piece of information is as weighty as the method used to gather data. Failure to use the right data collection method would mislead a researcher into assembling irrelevant data. Likewise, using the wrong data analysis method would result into wrong results and unwarranted conclusions even in situations where a researcher has the right data (Diamantopoulos 77). This article is a presentation on factors that usually influence a researcher’s choice of statistical analysis method to apply in analyzing a set of data (Diamantopoulos 87). The paper presents pertinent considerations that guide a researcher’s choice between parametric and non-parametric analysis techniques.
Key learning points
Diamantopoulos’ article has the following key learning points:
A market researcher should not leave the selection of the appropriate analytical method to his or her computer software, instead
The researcher should carefully consider his or her analysis objectives, that is, what s/he is attempting to accomplish
The researcher should think carefully about the nature of data s/he is working with; that is, data characteristics
The computer is a device that makes work efficient and can do only what it is instructed to do. Bear in mind that the reliability and accuracy of the results it produces rely on the quality of data fed into it and expertise with which it is instructed to analyze it (Diamantopoulos 78).
Critical analysis
Setting analysis objectives is a decisive step in the analysis process because it lays out the path towards getting the correct results which forms the basis for making relevant conclusions that are a true picture of the reality (Zikmund and Babin 68). A focused researcher should bear in mind the three main roles that coming up with clear analysis objectives play. This includes ensuring that the researcher undertakes only relevant analysis (Diamantopoulos 78; McDaniel and Gates 18).
It is pertinent to note that if the analysis undertaken does not contribute directly towards answering the research topics of interest, then it is not relevant. Secondly, setting analysis objectives enables the researcher to ensure comprehensiveness of the process (Diamantopoulos 78). The Depth of the analysis process ensures that the researcher has fully used the information potential in a set of data. In other words, analyzing data on just some variables makes your analysis incomprehensive even though it may be relevant. Third, setting analysis objectives enables a researcher to shun redundancy (Diamantopoulos 78).
Having analysis objectives ensures that, the only relevant thing is done, and it is done adequately without repetition (Diamantopoulos 78). This can be likened to having a clear roadmap with signposts that warn a traveller against dangerous and unnecessarily long routes as s/he moves toward his or her destiny.
Different parts of a research study should be properly related because; each part determines how successful the researcher is, in getting correct results that are a true reflection of reality. For instance, the research objectives form the point of departure for coming up with analysis objectives. Therefore, the link between research objectives and the analysis objectives should be clear (Diamantopoulos 79; Hair, Bush, and Ortinau 49).
This means that developing analysis objectives should start with a thorough reassessment of the research objectives. In any case, the researcher should always have the research objectives on his or her fingertips throughout the study. Otherwise, conducting a research study whose objectives are not clear to the researcher is not worthy doing let alone doing it well. Right from the beginning the research objectives should be short, succinct and realistic. Such research objectives will in turn ensure that appropriate analysis objectives are developed when the researcher sets out to analyze the collected data (Diamantopoulos 79). Two kinds of decisions inform the process of deriving analysis objectives from the research objectives. The first decision relates to the content of the analysis which encompasses choosing of variables to be used in actual analysis (Diamantopoulos 79).
The second decision involves considering the focus of the analysis in terms of analytical orientation to be used. The selected orientation could be an assessment of relationships between variables of the study or an ordinary description.
Considering the above mentioned momentous decision is followed by a selection of one of the three fundamental forms of focus of the analysis namely description, hypothesis- testing and estimation (Diamantopoulos 80). In particular, description has appropriate matching statistical techniques that a researcher can use to conduct an analysis known as descriptive statistics. Once again at this juncture, the choice of the preferred form of focus of analysis is informed by the set analysis objectives. Data characteristics are also as powerful as the content and focus of the analysis in ensuring a fruitful and meaningful analysis. Therefore, it should be considered carefully (Diamantopoulos 81). The choice of data analysis is critical to the fruitful use of well assembled set of data. As such, it is significant to answering research questions and the ultimate achievement of the research objectives. It enables the researcher to unearth reality beneath the ordinary business as usual activities.
Practical implications
The value of Diamantopoulos’ article to my profession in reality can not be underestimated. Market research is the informative eyes through which marketers seek to understand the target audience for their products and services, as well as, other factors shaping the general economic behaviour of the society during different times. It, usually, involves data collection and data analysis in order to arrive at results that can help a marketer make correct conclusions about the market with the least margin of uncertainty. Therefore, the subject matter of this article can help me in ensuring that I do not assign the role of choosing an analysis method to my preferred computer software. It can help me to look at the computer always as a device whose main role is to make my work efficient.
For this reason, in reality this article can help me ensure that I feed my computer with the relevant data so as to ensure reliability and accuracy of the information it generates. This article is a wake up call for me to the challenge of the need to hone my data entry and data analysis skills continuously, which are critical in making sure that I am competent in handling data meaningfully. I can also apply the subject matter of this article in establishing clear links between research objectives of a typical research study and the setting of analysis objectives. This is critical because the starting point of setting analysis objectives is re-examination of the research objectives.
The derived analysis objectives in turn ensures that the data gathered is used in a relevant way, adequately and without redundancy. This would enable me to increase chances of getting the right results and thus make reliable conclusions about a given phenomenon of interest. In a nutshell, this article can be particularly useful to me in a real business situation.
Works Cited
Diamantopoulos, Adamantios. “Getting started with data analysis: Choosing the right method.” The Marketing Review, 2000. Web.
Hair, Joseph, Bush, Robert, and Ortinau, David. Marketing research: within a changing information environment. London: McGraw-Hill/Irwin, 2005. Print.
McDaniel, Carl, and Gates, Roger. Marketing research essentials. New York, NY: John Wiley, 2005. Print.
Zikmund, William, and Babin, Barry. Exploring marketing research. New York, NY: Cengage Learning, 2006. Print.
The products that HP Computer Company in the United Arab Emirates deals in include laptops, toners, calculators, all in one printers, notebooks, digital cameras desk tops, all in one pc’s, fax machines, scanners and media storage devices, accessories and services, and all consumer products.
HP remains to be the leading technology and solutions provider in the region. Dubai internet city has attracted other key players in this sector that are competing with HP. These are Oracle and Microsoft computer based companies (Rehman, 2007, p. 157). Besides, Hp being a US based company has other competitors that include Dell, Sony Ericsson, PeopleSoft Computer Associates and Cisco systems. However, Hp has managed to occupy about 60% of the server market.
HP has very unique and quality products that make it very outstanding in the Dubai market. For example, it developed the HP Envy laptop which is among the global’s lightest and smallest laptop. It is protected with an advanced protectsmart that prevents data loss from the laptop incase it is dropped by accident.
In 2010, HP liaised with Jacky’s electronics in Dubai to come up with a Facebook competition that required fans to win the HP envy. This did not only improve the marketability of the company’s products, but also penetrated the market and received customer feedback on its products. In the last few years, HP managed to outdo Dell in the sale of PCs.
Hp markets most of its products such as low cost computers to Africa, and South and Central Asia. In addition, the government provides between 40% and 45 % market of the IT sector in Dubai. Besides doing this, the company encourages both businesses and consumers to utilize the products from HP and other companies (Oxford Business Group, 2007, p. 183).
Hp is a first mover company in the UAE market. Given that it could not compete with Dell in its direct sale approach, it devised and invented its own strategies in the market aimed at reaching at the retailers. Consequently, Dell imitated this as a second mover.
The competitors of HP have devised certain strategies. For example, Dell invented a marketing strategy to sell directly to customers at friendly prices. On the other hand, Oracle has liaised with Amazon Company. Oracle’s software runs on Amazon EC2 without allowing the customer to use an extra license.
Through this, its marketability is widened. The market share of HP and IBM has been rising while that of Dell and CAN has been declining. The reason for this is Dell’s strategy to sell directly to its customers at low costs. On the other hand, HP and IBM are performing well due to access to a greater market and research and extension.
SWOT Analysis
The strengths for HP are that first, it leads not only in the provision of imaging and printing, but also in the provision of personal computers. Second, it offers diverse customer based services such as support services, infra structure technology, business process outsourcing and maintenance. Moreover, it has a strong financial capability, global presence and a work force that is highly talented and seven organized business units which arte effective.
The company’s weaknesses include first, the dependence of its financial position on the nation’s economy. Second, the investments of research and development are less compared to the company’s expenditure. Third, employees have been demoralized due to pay cuts. Moreover, there’s inability to manage third party suppliers.
HP’s opportunities include, first, increased market growth and use of IT. Second, the internal IT structure is being restructured and this may provide more opportunities. Additionally, its digital printing portfolio is being expanded. The threats include stiff competition from other providers in the sector, competition in printing and imaging is increasing, and changes in foreign exchange of currency.
Database Segmentation and Targeting
HP is an IT based industry that has about 670 employees. It’s the leading provider in both technology and service. It has several outlets in numerous Middle East countries. It has occupied at least 60% of the market. The company has a long list of potential buyers and distributors of its products. Examples are Atlantix Global Systems, Web IT, West Coast ltd and Jap Tech Inc, among many others.
Market segmentation
Demographically, HP has a greater market share compared to its competitors. It is about 60% within the Middle East. Other markets include Africa and some Asia (South and Central). To access a greater number of consumers, HP provides the market with highly competitive products that suit the user needs. The products marketed by the company are need – based such that they are environmental friendly and enable customers to use IT in sustaining the environment.
Through HP, consumer based enterprises area able to get resources and tools to help in minimizing environmental effect of IT. Globally, the company ensures that consumers are provided with information on labor laws, environmental impact, social investment, privacy and human rights. Thus, this segmentation gives a clear picture of the target.
HP sells most of its products through numerous purchasing firms who help it distribute them to customers in different parts of the world. Their products are not only environmental friendly, but also enable consumers to save. Through its clear mechanisms in marketing its products to the customers, HP can influence the decision maker. The company also understands how the products should be used.
Reference list
Oxford Business Group (2007). The Report: Dubai 2007. Web.
Rehman, A. A. (2007). Dubai & Co: global strategies for doing business in the Gulf States. NY: McGraw-Hill Professional. Web.
The level of brand awareness among different people has a significant effect on the success of the business producing the products (Aljunaidi and Ankrak 1). In the past, companies with operations in the FMCG used traditional means of reaching customers that were associated with innumerous problems such as difficulties in reaching a large audience (Djukic 17). In spite of this, technological improvement has made operations quite easy by providing social media platforms where it is possible to reach a large customer base within a very short time.
The research proposal provides an overview of the role of social media platforms in increasing the level of customer awareness among FMCG industries. The study applied descriptive research design to collect reliable data which was analyzed to determine the effect of social media. Empirical results and findings indicated that social media platforms have become popular among corporate. The social media platforms are used create high market penetration, by enhancing easy distribution of content, improving customer service and improving audience insights.
Company background
The focus of this study will be on establishing the role of social media platforms in creating brand awareness in the FMCG industries, case study of Coca-Cola Company. Coca Cola Company is a multinational company in the FMCG industry (Aljunaidi and Ankrak 1). In the UAE, the company holds a considerable market share. However, there is a need for the company to grow and develop effective marketing and product promotion to ensure that almost every potential customer in UAE is aware of the existence of Coca-Cola brand in the region.
Coca Cola is a popular brand across the globe due to its advertisement strategy that employs daily communication between the consumers and the brand for purposes of creating loyal customer (Aljunaidi and Ankrak 1). For example, following the need for a strong customer base, as well as to critically maintain a high teens’ market share, Coca Cola launched the Coke Zone via the social media that targeted the creation of loyalty among the young adults and teenagers (Ammerman 7). Customers shared their experiences and purchased via different media platforms, which ensured that there was a high and sustainable loyalty among all the users.
Problem statement
Technological advancement following the introduction of computers and the internet has changed various aspects of the corporate world; many companies are now experiencing high growth in revenue due to effective strategies for product marketing and promotion (Ammerman 7). For example, social media use has become widespread among businesses especially as a suitable avenue to reach, attract and grow a large customer base.
In spite of the high use of social media within the corporate sector there are numerous concerns on the effectiveness of social media platforms in the creation of brand awareness for a given company (Djukic 26). As such, this study will seek to establish the role of social media platforms like Google plus, Facebook, and Twitter in the creation of brand awareness, Coca-Cola will be used as the case study.
Research objectives
The primary objective of this study will be to establish the significance of social media platforms in the creation of brand awareness in the FMCG industry.
Literature Review
Introduction
The literature review in this case provides an in-depth analysis of the concept of social media platforms and brand awareness. The review of literature will focus on past studies about the use of social media as an advertisement tool in the corporate world and to establish any correlation between social media platforms and the creation of brand awareness for different brands within the FMCG industry.
Many companies in the industry have always faced challenges in the endeavor to come up with effective ways of engaging their customers (Ammerman 7). Usually, first the producers of the goods are considered unique items, which are very important among different individuals and are often bought on a daily basis through an autopilot approach. According to Djukic (70), it has always been a challenge for most individuals to find a brand that is highly dependable, and readily available at a price that the consumers are willing and able to buy.
Due to the difficulties associated with establishing the right product to meet the consumers’ demands, it has become tricky for FMCG industries to determine what goods are demanded at the prevailing price. Usually, the products are found in supermarkets as well as in other large retail stores. The fact that these products are available in such areas makes it hard for the brands to determine the final price since it is determined by the stores where they are found.
Industries that deal with the manufacture of various products now understand that effective penetration of such goods can only be successful if the consumers are engaged before the products are availed in the stores (Aljunaidi and Ankrak 1). Such engagement is done through social media platforms, mobile engagement, as well as paid social advertisement. Involvement of social media platforms in brand promotion provides an opportunity for the effective marketing of the first moving consumer goods whereby the producers can develop with buyers and hence provide offers that are designed basically for specific customers (Banerjee and Ashwini Kumar BJ 62).
As such, through social media platforms, FMCG industries are able to engage consumers into communications that were not possible with the traditional advertisement (Djukic17). In addition, trends indicate that different FMCG industries have a potential for developing strategies whereby social media platforms are set for specific brands where they are sold directly to their customers, as opposed to selling in stores and supermarkets.
Social media can is defined as the set of applications that are based on the internet and are suitable for building technological and ideological foundations, whereby users can create and exchange content (Ammerman 7; Banerjee and Ashwini Kumar BJ 67).
As such, social media can be in different forms such as internet forums, podcasts, social blogs, weblogs, and social network, among others. With the introduction of social media, the traditional means of marketing as well as branding has since lost sense of fashion and significance. Nowadays, many organizations have shifted their concern from traditional means of marketing and branding to adopt new marketing and branding measures and strategies based on social media platforms(Banerjee and Ashwini Kumar BJ 75). A review of the trends in branding and marketing shows that there is a significant change in the strategies that many firms are using nowadays, with majority of them turning to social media for creation of strong brand awareness (Chen, Fay and Wang 85).
As pointed out by Banerjee and Ashwini Kumar BJ the use of social media marketing involves a complete adoption of unique method through which brands communicate with their prospective brand end-users (75). Through this type of marketing, marketers change from being broadcasters to aggregators whereby the primary goal is to bring customers together (Chen, Fay and Wang 85). As such, through social media marketing and branding, the marketers focus on organizing as well as encouraging social networks that attract a large customer base for a particular brand (Aljunaidi and Ankrak 1). In addition to the creation of attractive content in brands’ website, social media marketing strategy ensures that there are different retail points where the customers can find the advertised products.
Recent studies have provided a lot of evidence regarding the role of social media marketing strategies and brand awareness in the corporate world nowadays. This can be attributed to the growth in the number of businesses and individuals discovering the worth of social media marketing and brand awareness (Djukic 71; Chen, Fay and Wang 85). Aljunaidi and Ankrak observed that most marketers believe that there has been a lot of exposure of businesses and different brands through the use of social media as marketing and brand awareness tool (1). There are numerous benefits that are associated with the adoption of effective social media marketing strategy.
For example, Djukic pointed out that social media platforms such as Facebook, Google+, and Pinterest among others form a rich customer base (34). As such, efforts to advertise on such areas can be effective in winning a considerable number of customers. This can be attributed to the fact that social media platforms and social media use has become common among people of all types, implying that creation of brand awareness through the social media platforms can be successful in reaching a wide range of customers for given products and services.
Additionally, social media platforms have been considered to be effective means of creating brand awareness because they have the capacity to improve customer service, enhance the insights of diverse audience and provide for easy distribution of content to many potential customers. Chen, Fay and Wang also showed that social medial platforms are effective in increasing traffic of customers with the implication of increased engagement of prospective consumers of certain products and services (85).
Aljunaidi and Ankrak (1) observed that “Social media platforms have played a significant role in spreading information regarding a given product or brand. Additionally, social media platforms form a large percentage of the number of referrals that any business gets. For this reason, it becomes important for businesses to ensure that they align the content they distribute with the interests of the intended audience and the business”
Importance/Benefits of the study
This study is very significant in that the results and findings from the study will act as an addition to the existing body of knowledge in relation to the role of social media in product marketing and promotion. Such findings will also be useful to companies in the FMCG industry to assist in new market segmentation as well as designing effective marketing strategies in relation to the findings of the study.
Research Design
Creswell (9) defines research design as the plan of actions that a researcher follows to carry out a given research study. Different types of research design exist including descriptive, correlational, semi-experimental, and review research designs. In the case of the proposed study, the descriptive research design will be used. The choice of this type of research design is informed by the fact that descriptive research design is effective in the collection of valid and reliable data for the purpose of answering any identified research questions.
Additionally, Creswell (98) observed that descriptive research design is suitable in helping to provide indexes concerning the study variables under examination. As such, it can be seen that the descriptive study is suitable in the collection of reliable data that can be used in drawing the necessary inferences as well as recommendations.
In addition, descriptive study design is very suitable in cases that are specific and require large amount of data is required. In the case of descriptive study for the proposed Coca-Cola case, large data is needed, which will be effectively collected through the use of questionnaires.
Data collection and analysis
The study will use effective data collection and analysis methods to ensure that reliable data is gathered, analyzed and the necessary inferences drawn. As such, questionnaires will be used to collect data from the Coca-Cola Company. The choice of the use of questionnaire in the collection of data was based on the fact that questionnaires are effective in collecting data on personal opinion, perspective and experiences. The questionnaires are easy to administer to large study samples. After the collection of the data, it will be recorded and stored for analysis. Various methods of data analysis such as statistical package for social sciences (SPSS), regression and correlation analysis will be used for the analysis purposes.
Nature and forms of results
In the case of the proposed study, and the outlined objective, the nature and forms of results to be expected from the study will mainly revolve around significance of social media platforms in creating brand awareness. Additionally, it is expected that the results of the study will show various benefits of social media platform in product promotion and marketing. As pointed out in the past empirical studies, social media platforms are very important in increasing customer traffic, easy distribution of content, improving customer service, as well as in improving audience insights.
Qualification of researchers
This study does not have any specific qualification as far as the researcher is concerned. However, prior knowledge on FMCG industry and the concept of social media will help in carrying out the study as expected.
Budget
Item/requirement
Total
Stationary
$ 400
Travelling expenses
$1000
Printing/ Distribution of questionnaires
$600
Miscellaneous
$1000
Total
$3,000
Schedule
The table below outlines the schedule for the entire project.
Task
Start
Duration
End
Start of project
4/1
30
4/31
Choosing a topic
4/1
2
4/3
Research topic
4/3
10
4/13
Proposal
4/14
1
4/15
Schedule plan
2/14
2
4/16
Facilities and special resources
The study will require no special facilities. However, other resources such as capital and learning materials and resource centers will be very instrumental in the collection of the required data for the study.
Project management
Project management refers to the necessary practices undertaken to ensure that the set goals and objectives of the project are achieved. In the case of the proposed study, familiarizing with the study variables and subjects of the study will be very instrumental in achieving project’s success.
Works Cited
Aljunaidi, Alla, and Samuel Ankrak. “The Application Of Lean Principles In The Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG)”. Journal of Operations and Supply Chain Management 7.2 (2014): 1. Print.
Banerjee, Baisakhi, and Ashwini Kumar BJ. “Trends In The Use Of Social Media As A Tool Of Marketing Communications In FMCG Sector In India”. International Journal of Online Marketing 3.3 (2013): 62-75. Web.
Chen, Yubo, Scott Fay, and Qi Wang. “The Role Of Marketing In Social Media: How Online Consumer Reviews Evolve”. Journal of Interactive Marketing 25.2 (2011): 85-94. Print.
Creswell, J. W. “Editorial: Mapping The Field Of Mixed Methods Research”. Journal of Mixed Methods Research 3.2 (2008): 95-108. Print.
Djukic, Suzana. “The Role And Importance Of Social Media In Communicating Brand Value”. Marketing 42.1 (2011): 17-26. Web.
In most areas of business, marketing is the key to the company’s growth and success. Advertisement is one of the essential marketing tools explicitly used to affect the customer’s decision-making scheme, thus causing him or her to choose one product over its competitors. Marketing research, on the other hand, aims to determine effective advertisement and marketing strategies by studying the correlation between two variables, where an independent variable represents typically a factor that is not influenced by the other factors considered, whereas the dependent variable changes in accordance with changes made to other variables.
The role of marketing strategies – specifically, the choice of advertisement – on the consumer’s decision-making is thoroughly explained in Kumar and Raju’s article “The Role of Advertising in Consumer Decision Making.” The study’s authors explore the relationship between two variables: customers’ emotional response and their buying behavior. After conducting the study of over 100 customers, the researchers found that advertisements indeed have a strong influence on the customer’s decision to buy a particular product and can persuade the customer to buy a product even when he or she does not need it (Kumar and Raju 45).
Another article by two researchers from India focuses specifically on the psychological side of marketing. The article presents an empirical study that aimed to measure the impact of the advertisement. For instance, the researchers found that the customer’s attitude towards the ad itself can influence its effectiveness and make customers trust the brand: “Research studies indicated that the consumers’ attitudes toward advertisements and their attitudes toward brands might shape their purchase intentions” (Rao and Rao 15). One of the most important findings of the study is that the effect of advertisement depends on the person’s demographic background, such as age, gender, and occupation (Rao and Rao 18), which demonstrates the psychological nature of marketing.
Finally, the influence of ads and marketing on the customer’s purchase decisions is studied by Gîrboveanu et al. The authors introduce the idea that the purchase process always involves decision-making process under risk: while “A purchase decision can be considered as an optimization process through which buyers seek the product or the brand that will yield the greatest satisfaction” (Gîrboveanu et al. 896), there is always a risk that the customer will not be satisfied with the purchase. Therefore, effective ads persuade the customer to buy the product by decreasing the feeling of risk and promoting the product as reliable and trustworthy. The study also found that buyers tend to pay more attention to different brand advertisements when they are seeking information on these specific brands (Gîrboveanu et al. 897).
A useful source of information on marketing research is Nargundkar’s book Marketing Research – Text & Cases. The author explains the concept of dependent and independent variables in marketing research giving specific examples. For instance, Nargundkar states that sales volume is a common dependent variable in marketing, whereas one of the most frequently used independent variables is the “quantum of advertising” (188). Other examples of dependent variables in marketing, according to Nargundkar, are the quantity of product bought and consumer satisfaction. In contrast, independent variables may include family size, product availability, and personal income (188).
Overall, market research is a crucial part of creating a marketing strategy. To comprise an effective advert, for example, marketing experts must study the target population and consumers’ interests. A good marketing strategy allows one to attract more customers and increase revenues by influencing the consumer’s thought processes to persuade them to buy the products or services offered by the company.
Works Cited
Gîrboveanu, Sorina-Raula, et al. “The Role of Advertising in the Purchase Decision Process.” Annals of the University of Oradea: Economic Science Series, vol. 17, no. 4, 2008, pp. 895-900.
Kumar, D. Prasanna, and K. Venkateswara Raju. “The Role of Advertising in Consumer Decision Making.” IOSR Journal of Business and Management, vol. 14, no. 4, 2013, pp. 37-45.
Nargundkar, Rajendra. Marketing Research – Text & Cases. 2nd ed., McGraw-Hill Education, 2003.
Rao, K. Rama Mohan, and U.V. Adinarayana Rao. “Impact of Advertisements on Consumer Decision Making Process.” PRIMA: Practices and Research in Marketing, vol. 3, no. 1, 2012, pp. 15-27.
The main types of scale identified by using the search engine are measurement scales (nominal scale and ordinal scale, interval scale and ratio scale). For the measurement of attitudes, researchers use physiological measures of effect, indirect qualitative methods and self-report. In self-report, researchers distinguish single item scales and multi-item scales, numerical and non-numerical scales, pictorial and graphical scales (Google Search 2008). Also, researchers distinguish comparative scales: rank-order scales, paired comparison and constant sum. Taking into account studies and researches of theoretical literature, no new and innovative approach have been developed. Thus, the researched scales allow choosing the best one for further research (Huberman and Miles 2002).
The weaving and sifting of categories of variables to formulate the relationships among them allow for, at least, a claim of subjectivity on the part of the researcher and, at most, a gross misinterpretation of actual facts. The grounded theorists accuse the empiricists of imposing a priori rating scale values and codes on the subjects’ responses, while it may be that the grounded theorists’ own processual analysis is even more firmly based on researcher bias (Flick 1998).
In place of immersion in the sources followed by a sudden insight, quantitative research demands the testing of a suggested relationship with statistical procedures. While statistics cannot “prove” the metaphysical “truth” of any statement, they can help examine the nature of the connections between variables assumed in a given hypothesis. Basically, this procedure involves rejecting the null hypothesis, which states that chance might have produced the same result. The kind of mathematical techniques to be used in testing a given relationship between variables are determined by the four levels of measurement:
Nominal measures assume only that categories are exclusive and exhaustive. For instance, Nazi members can be either male or female, but not both.
Ordinal measures are rank-ordered categories, implying some hierarchy of value. One might, for example, assume that college professors and industrialists were members of the elite, store clerks and craftsmen members of the middle class, and industrial workers part of the proletariat and rank them accordingly on a descending scale.
Interval measures demand a standard unit of measurement which remains constant in size.
Until the last decade or so, it was generally true that the higher the level of measurement, the more powerful were the statistical procedures that could be applied, but more recently, statisticians have developed sophisticated analytical techniques for categorical variables as well (Gubrium and Holstein 2001).
In contrast to a general sense of meaning, quantitative research necessitates the stringent interpretation of the statistical results. The importance of this last step cannot be overemphasized. All too often, scholars drown in a mass of confusing printouts without coming to grips with the original hypothesis. In principle, there are three ascending levels of formality: Even the most simple procedure will already yield descriptive statements about the data set. Especially in cases where the research is path-breaking, such basic information about the structure or development of masses of data will already constitute considerable scholarly progress.
More analytically promising is the testing of the initial hypothesis. The confirmation, rejection, or more likely modification of the original statement about the relationship among variables ought to be the normal aspiration of a quantitative historian since it uses the powers of the method more adequately. Possible only in a minority of cases where the data are strong enough to support theory is model building. The combination of several hypotheses into one model is likely to do the complexity of historical processes greater justice than the testing of a single hypothesis. However, it can only be achieved in fortunate circumstances where the database includes enough factors, and there is already a preexisting theoretical framework (Denzin and Lincoln 1995).
The differences between these categories and to be able to identify which scale each variable in a data set reflects. The descriptive and inferential statistics that are appropriate for answering particular research questions are largely determined by the scale of measurement of the variable or variables involved. The values of nominal scale variables represent a set of exhaustive and mutually exclusive categories of the characteristic or quality being measured.
Hence they are also sometimes called categorical variables. Such variables, in effect, derive from simple classification schemes. The only information imparted by such variables is that cases assigned to one category are deemed equivalent with respect to some characteristic being measured and different with respect to that characteristic from cases placed in other categories (Denzin and Lincoln 1995).
Though it is customary to do so, it is not necessary to assign numbers to the categories of such variables since letters or any other set of unique symbols would do as well. But it is important to remember that any numeric values employed are merely labels applied without regard to their ordering or magnitude. In the Fort Moultrie data, birthplace, occupation, and marital status would be good examples of nominally scaled variables. Other common categorical variables in historical research include sex, religious preference, and province or state (Denzin and Lincoln 1995).
Ordinal scale variables satisfy the exhaustive and mutually exclusive categorization rule for nominal scale variables. In addition, their categories must be orderable to indicate which cases have more or less of some property. While the numeric values assigned reflect their categorical ranking, they do not indicate the magnitude of any differences between them in the amount of the property (Denzin and Lincoln 1995).
Interval scale variables have all the ordinal properties with the addition that the intervals between the ordered categories have equal values. This means that differences between values can be measured by subtraction and that the zero points on such scales are arbitrary. The most familiar illustrations of this measurement type are the Fahrenheit and centigrade scales for temperature. While each has a different zero point with respect to water freezing, it is possible to calculate differences in temperatures in constant units on each scale and to compare these differences (Denzin and Lincoln 1995).
The measurement for ratio scale variables is even more stringent than for interval variables due to the requirement of an absolute zero point. Thus, not only can differences be compared as ratios, but also ratios of the values themselves. Age and value of the real estate in the Fort Moultrie data are examples of ratio scale variables. For most practical statistical purposes, the subtle distinction between interval and ratio scales can be ignored, and the two types of variables are thought of together as quantitative or continuous variables (Denzin and Lincoln 1995).
Bibliography
Denzin, N.K. and Lincoln, Y.S. 1995, Handbook of Qualitative Research, Thousand Oaks CA: Sage.
Google Search: “Attitude Scales and Marketing research”. Web.
Gubrium, J. F. and Holstein, J. A. (eds) 2001, Handbook of Interview Research, Thousand Oaks CA: Sage.
Flick, U. 1998, An Introduction to Qualitative Research, London: Sage.
Huberman, A. M. and Miles M. B 2002, The Qualitative Researcher’s Companion, Thousand Oaks CA: Sage.