Exam 4: The Marketing Environment

Which of the following businesses does not use direct retailing?

U.S.consumers rank certain characteristics as important to the quality of a product or service.Which of these characteristics would rank as the most important for a car sharer who wants a car on-demand most of all?

Quaker Oats and other cereal manufacturers have developed what they call "breakfast-with-one-hand" products-no-mess breakfast bars and drinks that can be consumed while commuting.The popularity of on-the-go food is largely the result of changes in _____ factors.

If you were to ask Americans what they most desire to make their lives easier,most will want more time.This feeling that there are not enough hours in a day is an example of a(n)_____ factor that has strongly influenced the marketing environment.

Just like a company that manufacturers the smartphones on which users can play Angry Birds,Rovio Mobile benefits from the principle of __________ in distributing its product via Microsoft,the App Store,and Android Market?

When many consumers think of adhesives,they think of 3M because it makes so many kinds of adhesives used in the home.However,the world's largest adhesive producer is Henkel Consumer Adhesives,maker of Loctite and Duck brand duct tape.3M and Henkel are part of each other's _____ environment.

There are several federal laws that affect marketing regarding the competitive environment,pricing practices,and false advertising.Name and briefly describe three of these federal laws.

Given that Angry Birds is available for iPhones,Microsoft,and Android phones,it is fair to say it enjoys __________.

China's new 5 percent tax on disposable wooden chopsticks,reflecting concerns about deforestation,has been praised by environmentalists.The move is hitting hard at the Japanese,who consume 25 billion sets of wooden chopsticks annually.Almost all of the chopsticks used in Japan come from China.The price of wooden chopsticks in Japan has increased by almost 50 percent.The price increase influences which factor of the external environment of restaurant owners in Japan?

Online sales of apps should always be seen as a direct channel to consumers.

The higher your _____,the higher your purchasing power:

Commercial truck drivers have suffered financially as a result of increasing diesel fuel prices.As they look for ways to make their trucks perform more efficiently,manufacturers have created truck body designs that are more aerodynamically sound.This is an example of how _____ factors can help during recessionary periods.

Marketers can control the external environment in which their organizations operate.

When Universal Studios Japan opened,health inspectors discovered the theme park had piped industrial-use water not suitable for drinking into its drinking fountains.The problem was unanticipated and costly to repair.This is primarily an example of how _____ factors can cause a business to incur unexpected costs.

Champion Lyte is a sugar-free sports drink designed to replenish electrolytes lost during activity or illness.Since the product was designed primarily for diabetics,healthcare professionals who treat diabetics are its primary target market.

E-cigarettes Smoking inflames nonsmokers and claims the lives of more than 400,000 smokers each year,so the electronic cigarette is a welcomed alternative.Electronic cigarettes,called e-cigarettes,are battery-powered devices that emit a vapor from nicotine,flavorings,and other chemicals.It looks like a cigarette and allows smokers to inhale the nicotine vapor in places where smoking is not allowed.The product has been touted as a means to quit smoking as well.However,critics,especially the Food and Drug Administration (FDA),claim that "vaping" poses risks.In fact,the FDA claims its tests revealed a toxic chemical that is found in antifreeze as well as other carcinogens.The FDA blocked a shipment of the product from China and banned the sale of this product in the United States.In addition to the safety issue,the FDA is concerned that children might be attracted to this product because it comes in flavors other than traditional menthol,such as bubble gum,chocolate,and strawberry.The FDA wants this product to go through the same rigorous testing that drugs must go through before being marketed.However,the FDA's authority over this product is questioned.While Congress has recently given the FDA authority over tobacco products,this is not a tobacco product and the Electronic Cigarette Association is fighting the ban. -Refer to E-cigarettes.The e-cigarette has been heralded as an innovative product that serves a need for smokers by helping them quit the habit.This innovative product was developed from changes in which environment?

Shabby Chic fashion boutique has responded to economic trends by placing an emphasis on improving the quality of merchandise it offers,improving customer service,and reducing its cost of goods sold because consumers are not shopping as much as they used to due to lower purchasing power.Shabby Chic is apparently dealing with which level of economic activity?

Students who work for Vector Marketing are a form of selective distribution.

_____ is a measure of the decrease in the value of money,expressed as the percentage reduction in value since the previous year.

E-cigarettes Smoking inflames nonsmokers and claims the lives of more than 400,000 smokers each year,so the electronic cigarette is a welcomed alternative.Electronic cigarettes,called e-cigarettes,are battery-powered devices that emit a vapor from nicotine,flavorings,and other chemicals.It looks like a cigarette and allows smokers to inhale the nicotine vapor in places where smoking is not allowed.The product has been touted as a means to quit smoking as well.However,critics,especially the Food and Drug Administration (FDA),claim that "vaping" poses risks.In fact,the FDA claims its tests revealed a toxic chemical that is found in antifreeze as well as other carcinogens.The FDA blocked a shipment of the product from China and banned the sale of this product in the United States.In addition to the safety issue,the FDA is concerned that children might be attracted to this product because it comes in flavors other than traditional menthol,such as bubble gum,chocolate,and strawberry.The FDA wants this product to go through the same rigorous testing that drugs must go through before being marketed.However,the FDA's authority over this product is questioned.While Congress has recently given the FDA authority over tobacco products,this is not a tobacco product and the Electronic Cigarette Association is fighting the ban. -Refer to E-cigarettes.In 1964,42 percent of Americans smoked,but now that rate has dropped below 20 percent.Which environmental factor has had the greatest impact on this trend?