Exam 3: Elements of Marketing Strategy, Planning, and Competition

Starbucks is known to have shops located in close proximity to enable customers to shop conveniently. It appears that the coffee shop chain is offering place utility.

Sean attributes the success of his video game arcade to advertising on the most popular website for gamers. Recently, the website raised ad prices, so Sean has cut his advertising in half. He believes that positive word-of-mouth will be enough now that his game is well established. However, sales are slipping. Of the five primary activities in the value chain, this problem is most likely to occur in ________.

Joelle bought a new Coach purse for herself as a birthday present. She had never spent that much on a purse, but decided it was worth it because it was so elegant. This demonstrates how a customer's perception of ________ can influence buying behavior.

The best place in a SWOT analysis to list the availability of credit for a firm seeking to expand through new construction of real estate is ________.

Lately the demand for building materials has dropped due to the slowdown in new housing construction. Woods Corp. is thinking of closing its fine wood division that produces mahogany and cherry lumber for building cabinets and other applications. Under the Boston Consulting Group Growth-Share Matrix, the fine wood division would most likely be classified as a ________.

Lin Wai's company, New Home Builders Corp., specializes in designing homes that have wide hallways and walk-in showers that could accommodate the need to use a wheelchair or walker, and other amenities that allow couples to remain in their homes as they age. The company's strong value proposition has allowed it to maintain steady market share in a weak housing market. In the context of SWOT analysis, a discussion of this relative advantage would be included under ________.

Describe the four support activities and the five primary activities in Porter's value chain.

Mega-Big Corp. is interested in buying Soft works, a medical software firm. Soft works is highly regarded by medical practices for ease of use, but hasn't sold well. Two software engineers started the company, but they have made risky financial and poor management decisions. Mega Corp. believes that with proper management the software firm will become an industry leader. In the context of the BCG matrix, Soft works is most likely considered a ________.

Market penetration strategies allow the firm to introduce new products to new customers, often including international markets.

A window manufacturer has trouble getting glass for its high-end windows. Of the five primary activities in the value chain, this problem is most likely to occur in ________.

Value is some type of utility that a company and its products provide for customers.

Go Fish Sushi restaurants are primarily located in malls. The restaurants had rapid growth in their first seven years. The owner realizes that adding more restaurants would make it impossible to monitor operations. Therefore, he decides to continue current activities without making major changes. In this case, the owner is most likely pursuing a generic strategy of ________.

Inga, marketing manager at Sunshine, a professional preschool center, thinks the firm should start an after-school program for its current clients. This makes sense as she wants to extend the trusting relationship already established with parents and children. According to Igor Ansoff's Product-Market Matrix, this is an example of the ________ strategy.

The Hernandez brothers manufacture trailers that are used by lawn service companies. The company was started in Texas by their father with one production site and four sales and service locations. Since the sons took over, they have expanded in the last 12 years to include 26 sales and service centers throughout the southeast. In this case, the company is most likely using a generic business strategy based on ________.

When Christy developed her marketing plan for her new store, she kept in mind that conditions can change, so her plan would also change. This demonstrates the importance of staying strategic, but also staying on top of the tactical, in the tips for a successful marketing planning experience.

Jamal's boss wants him to travel to Canada to do some research on good locations for their retail stores, which they are planning to open in Montreal and Ottawa. The firm currently operates 278 stores in the United States. According to Igor Ansoff's Product-Market Matrix, the extension into a new geographic region is an example of the ________ strategy.

In the GE Business Screen model, the business position dimension looks at factors like government regulations, sensitivity to economic trends, and size of the market.

At the strategic level, marketing (little m) serves as the driver of business strategy.

Gabriel, vice president of marketing for Big Screen Televisions, wants the company to offer a DVD player, a product the company doesn't offer now. He thinks that the firm has many brand-loyal customers who would buy it. According to Igor Ansoff's Product-Market Matrix, this is an example of the ________ strategy.

Mega-Big Corp. has a small strategic business unit (SBU) that produces a component vital to the manufacturers of automobiles and has been extremely profitable for 18 years. The SBU acts as a key source of income for the firm. In the context of the BCG matrix, Mega-Big Corp. is most likely considered a ________.