Marketing

For this assessment, consider that you work as a marketing analyst for a consulting firm and that your manager asked you to develop an analysis white paper that will be used for marketing purposes to showcase the firm’s consulting capabilities. Choose a product or service made by an organization that is large enough to generate primary as well as secondary research resources. Research the product or service and write an analysis of your findings. In your analysis: Describe the company and relate the product or service to the mission or values of the company. Assess how well a company’s product or service meets customer requirements related to a product or service. Analyze the company’s competition in relation to its product or service. Explain how product positioning strategies contribute to competitive advantage in the marketplace, and assess strengths or weaknesses of the strategies used. Explain how the company’s product strategy attempts to carve out a niche or maintain market share leadership. Consider branding, design, product positioning, and other relevant product-related elements.

Key Learning Objectives (for all written activities): 1) Apply knowledge learned in specific modules to actual business phenomenon. 2) Develop/enhance business research and analysis skills. 3) Communicate marketing knowledge in a formal business style research report/insight. Instructions • For citations, please use APA style. Information on APA style can be found through various online sources. Please note that there may be various variations of the APA style so whichever one you use would be fine. However, please maintain consistency in whichever format you use. Here is an example. In-text Citation Example Transaction cost theory, originally proposed by Coase (1937) and then developed upon by Williamson (1975), examines the efficacy of performing a particular transaction internally versus externally (Geyskens, et al., 2006). In that regard, TCA evaluates the benefits and disadvantages of outsourcing vis a vis in-house development of a product (Ang and Straub, 1998; Bhali and Rivard, 2003; McNally and Griffin, 2004). This information is proprietary to Dr. Imran Khan. Scanning, copying, website posting, or reproducing and sharing in any form is strictly prohibited. 2 | P a g e Bibliography Format Example McNally, R.C., and Griffin, A. (2004). Firm and individual choice drivers in make-or-buy decisions: a diminishing role for transaction cost economics? Journal of Supply Chain Management. 40(1), 4-17. • The research paper must have a minimum of 10 references in the bibliography section. The sources that are provided in this paper can be part of the 10 references. • Page Length: 4 -7 pages, single-spaced (including any charts; excluding cover page and bibliography). The paper must be at least 4 pages in length. While there is no penalty in terms of going over the 7-page limit, it is recommended that you stay as close to that number as is possible to minimize any repetition, etc., in the write-up. • Students are not required to include charts/figures but if you do choose to use these, charts must be embedded in the main body of the paper (in relevant sections) and not in an appendix. Chart/figure numbers and titles must be used. Please make sure that the chart/figure is legible. Please cite the source for the chart at the bottom. Example Figure 1: Housing Demand in the US, 2019 Source: Zillow Group • Important – Students are required to meet the Turnitin threshold of 20% content match or less. Turnitin is already integrated in Moodle and all you need to do is click on the assignment link and it will give you the option to upload the paper and will generate a content match percentage score. If your match percentage is higher than 20%, you will have the opportunity to take down the document and re-submit it until the due date. Please note that sometimes the Turnitin system, This information is proprietary to Dr. Imran Khan. Scanning, copying, website posting, or reproducing and sharing in any form is strictly prohibited. 3 | P a g e depending on how busy their servers are, takes a bit longer (perhaps several hours) to provide the match percentage score. If the system does not generate your match percentage right away, please log out of Moodle and log back in and you should be able to see the match percentage score. A tiered penalty system will be applied for match percent higher than 20%. Please avoid excessive use of direct quotes from any of the research sources. The write-up/answers should be in your own words and excessive use of direct quotes will almost certainly raise the Turnitin content match percentage. • Each question must be labeled, {e.g. Q1 (a)}, and must be answered separately. • Students should use additional research (beyond what is provided with the assignment) to support your answers. • Unless otherwise, late submissions may not be accepted or may receive partial credit only. If an extraordinary event prevents you from submitting your paper on time, please advise both myself and the academic coaches ahead of time or at your earliest. This activity relates to material covered in Modules 1 & 2. Please leverage relevant information from the modules to help you develop answers to activity questions. This activity focuses on Casper, the mattress/bedding products company, which uses direct and indirect channels to sell its products. Relevant URLs 1. Casper Main Site 2. Casper Labs 3. Casper – Investor Relations 4. Casper First Quarter 2020 Earnings 5. Casper – Investor Presentation – June 2020 6. CNBC Article 7. Sealy – Investor Presentation – May 2020 In addition to the above URLs, you must conduct additional research to develop a deeper understanding of trends in the mattress/bedding products market. Q.1. (a) Develop a SWOT analysis for Casper. In doing so, identify and explain 3 strengths, 3 weaknesses, 3 opportunities and 3 threats which may affect the company. Your SWOT analysis should focus on the company, its products, and business model. It should not be driven solely by COVID-19 and its impact. Use research to support your answer. (25 points) This information is proprietary to Dr. Imran Khan. Scanning, copying, website posting, or reproducing and sharing in any form is strictly prohibited. 4 | P a g e Hint: Strengths and weaknesses are internal in nature. Opportunities and threats are tied to the macro environment such as social/cultural shifts, economic outlook, competition, regulation, etc. Opportunities are not the same as recommendations, i.e., Casper should enter foreign markets. Rather an opportunity is a trend, e.g., growing consumer incomes in emerging markets. Similarly, threats are also external to the company and should not be confused with weaknesses. Answer Format: Use headings and sub-headings. For instance, the main heading could be Strengths and you can use a sub-heading for each strength followed by an explanation. Or the main heading can be Strengths and you can create a bullet-point list below that. However, each bullet-point must have sufficient details/explanation and it cannot be just trengths and you can create a bullet-point list below that. However, each bullet-point must have sufficient details/explanation and it cannot be just a two or three word sentence. (b) Are any of Casper’s strengths sustainable over the next 24 months? Explain your answer. Use research to support your answer. (10 points) Answer Format: Identify the strength (s) using a heading followed by brief explanation. Q.2. (a) Identify and explain 5 evaluation criteria (and not the steps in the purchase decision-making process) a consumer is likely to use when purchasing a mattress. Use research to support your answer. (25 points) (b) How does Casper rank on each of these criteria? (Excellent, Good, Fair, Poor)? Explain your rationale. (10 points) Answer Format: For part (a), list each criterion using a heading followed by an explanation of why that criteria are likely to be important to a buyer. For part (b), you can develop a chart/matrix or use a different format. Briefly explain the rationale behind each ranking. Q.3. (a) Which of the following marketing growth strategy(ies) is the company employing currently? See Figure 1 below. Use research to support and explain your answer. (15 points) Hint: Growth strategies typically focus on expanding revenue, market share, and profitability, or a combination of these. (b) Which strategy(ies) (see Figure 1 below) makes the most sense over the next 12 – 24 months? Explain your answer and list any assumptions you made in proposing the strategy. (15 points) Hint: For part (b), one way to come up with a relevant strategy is to review the SWOT analysis to see if you can find something there that relates to Figure 1 and may be worth This information is proprietary to Dr. Imran Khan. Scanning, copying, website posting, or reproducing and sharing in any form is strictly prohibited. 5 | P a g e exploring. Another way would be to look at the customer purchase criteria which you identified. Answer Format: Each part must be answered separately. Use headings or subheadings followed by an explanation

In this first week of your course project, select an organization to study in depth over the next five weeks. Each week, your assignment will require you to evaluate this organization. You may use an organization you currently belong to, a past organization, or an organization that you identify through research. Be sure to review the types of information you will need for the project (all five weeks) before choosing your organization. You might need to create some hypothetical details to fill gaps in researched information. However, the project should use as much real information as possible. You should have your organization approved by your instructor before moving forward with the assignment. Contact your instructor early in the week to gain approval. For the Week 1 paper, complete the following tasks: • Summarize key details about your organization. What does it do? Who are its customers, clients, prospects, or constituents? For convenience in this class, we will call them customers. • Perform a SWOTT analysis, placing particular emphasis on long-term trends affecting your organization and what your competitors are doing. • Analyze the organization’s mission statement. Does it address the following core components? o Customers—who do we serve? o Product/service—what do we provide? o Market—who/where are our customers? o Core competencies—how do we provide or deliver our product/service? What gives us a competitive advantage? o Measurability—how do we know when we are successful? • Defend a new/revised mission statement. It should be a succinct statement of what the organization is, what it does, and who its customers are. Be sure to support why your revisions are an improvement to the current mission statement. Submission Details: • Submit your plan in a 3- to 4-page Microsoft Word document, using APA style. • Name your plan document SU_MBA6011_W1_LastName_FirstInitial.doc. • Submit your document to the Submissions Area by the due date assigned. You will receive feedback and suggestions from your facilitator. Note: On the basis of the suggestions and feedback from your facilitator, refine your work for the course project. If additional input is needed from your facilitator, please arrange for the consultation. ________________________________________

Part 1 Choose one of the documents for distributing information to the media discussed in the text including: 1. print news release 2. internet new release 3. publicity photos 4. mat release 5. media alert 6. fact sheet 7. media kit, or 8. pitch letter For the method chosen, discuss the specific written format, and the content and other considerations needed when creating. What are the pros and cons of choosing this method? Explain with support and examples from the text. Part 2 If you had a news release on a company, product or person you are representing, to distribute to daily newspapers in your region, what delivery method would you use? Why? Based on the information in the text, how successful do you expect this method to be? What are the pros and cons of the method chosen? How would Reference: Reber, D.L.W.G.T.C.B. H. (2015). Public Relations: Strategies and Tactics. [Purdue University Global Bookshelf]. Retrieved from https://purdueuniversityglobal.vitalsoursuper ce.com/#/books/978132349782

M4 Discussion – Dealing with an Omni-channel World The 1990s were marked by a back-office revolution in efficiency, systems and re-engineering. As we transition into the 21st century, the key revolution is the front-office interface with customers. It is no longer a simple mix of brick and mortar integration, or even “bricks and clicks” integration. Rather, with the advance of social media, mobile media, always-on communications, the Internet of Things and multi-channel markets, the new catchphrase is “Omni-channel.” Here is what I would like you to respond to for this discussion: Is Omni-channel truly different than multi-channel? Do traditional marketing approaches work in an Omni-channel world? What new capabilities do firms need to put in place to take advantage of this world? Discussion Instructions This discussion is intended to help you further explore and think critically about the information you are reading and viewing. You are expected to be an active participant in the discussion, and meet the minimum criteria of one (“main”) substantive initial posting of around 150 – 200 words. Each discussion response must be spell checked, well-written and cite references in support of arguments.

The case MUST include the following clearly-identified four sections:  1) Abstract/Identification of the strategic issues and problems.  – Challenges must be based on Covid-19 issues Identifying strategic issues is the heart of the strategic planning process. A strategic issue is a fundamental policy question or critical challenge affecting an organization’s directives, mission/values, product or service mix, customers/clients, costs, financing, structure, processes, or management. This section contains a focused paragraph defining issues and problems that the organization is currently facing. The issues and problems are found through your research of the organization, and environmental scan/SWOT analysis (section 2). The identification of the strategic issues must be a clear statement as to the underlying problems facing the organization and what your paper tends to prove or uncover.  2) Analysis and evaluation. This section contains thoughtful and concise assessment of industry, market, buyer behavior and organization. Be careful not to restate information presented in the video. Rather, focus on your current research, assessment and interpretation of the facts, qualitative and quantitative data, and management views. A SWOT analysis framework should be included (from part 1) as it is one of the useful tools to use in case analysis.  This section should also present three alternative courses of actions with pros and cons analysis for each alternative. The company’s objectives should be defined in specific terms so management can measure progress and take corrective action to say on track.   3) Conclusion/Recommendations. This section presents set of recommendations chosen from the alternatives discussed in the previous section. Make sure those recommendations are coming out of your assessment of the situation. Recommendations should be operational and realistic in the given case situation.  4) References.  To develop successful strategies and action plans, marketers need current information about the environment, the competition, and the market segments to be served.  A reference page is the last page of a case study/research paper that’s been written in APA style. It lists all the sources you’ve used in your project so readers can easily find what you’ve cited. 5 references are required, in addition to the textbook. Wikipedia and blogs are NOT acceptable. References should be cited throughout your paper where applicable. Submission: This assignment will go through Turnitin plagiarism software upon submission. Scroll down until you see the “Load Case Study in a New Window” button. This will take you to a new window where you can upload your paper to Turnitin. The percentage should be in the 20-25% range. Assignments submitted with high percentages are subject to point deductions and/or a grade of “0”. Late cases will not be accepted.

Visit Wikipedia, the free “open-content” online encyclopedia at http://en.wikipedia.org. Find an entry in Wikipedia about a topic in which you have expertise. Then edit the entry, amending or adding four to five facts. Answer the following questions: What is Wikipedia’s approach to gatekeeping? How does this affect the reliability and accuracy of the information in Wikipedia? Your submission must include screenshots of the original content edited, and screen shots of your edits. Place the screenshots in a Word document that contains a 200-300 response to the questions. Your work must reflect college-level writing skills.

There are two completely different areas I want you to post on for this assignment. You should write one paragraph of at least 8 sentences for question 1. For question 2, just rate the restaurants on the 2 product attributes. VALS Go to the VALS site and take the VALS survey. At the end of the survey, you will be told your primary and secondary VALS type. Write those down. Take the survey here – Link http://www.strategicbusinessinsights.com/vals/presurvey.shtml Then go to this page and read about your primary and secondary VALS types – Link (http://www.strategicbusinessinsights.com/vals/ustypes.shtml). Do you think the survey did a good job of putting you into a type? Do you strongly fit into your primary VALS type, your secondary VALS type, a combination of the two, or is neither a good fit for you? Explain why. If neither is a good fit for you, what VALS type do you think would be a better fit for you? 2. Perceptual Map – Rate each of the following restaurants on the 2 product attributes below. Health value of food offered (1=Junk Food, 9=Very Healthy) Convenience of getting food (1=Hard To Get, 9=Easy To Get) Restaurants McDonald’s Applebee’s Red Lobster Subway Pizza Hut Please make sure to clearly tell me the score you are giving each restaurant on each attribute. I will use the class scores to create a simple perceptual map.

Blog articles are written in an informal style with a conversational tone. Bloggers connect with readers by treating them as friends. Bloggers want to show their audience that they are interested in sharing valuable and entertaining information on an ongoing, regular basis. In your blogs, be sure to enable “comments” so that you may interact with visitors. This week, you will: Locate two other WordPress blogs on your chosen topic. Write a 150-200 word analysis of what you like and don’t like about the blogs. Consider design elements, content, blogger involvement with visitors, and widgets. Then write your first blog post. Include a graphic to go with your text and sign off from the post by including your name (i.e. “Best wishes, Johannes Doe”). Your blog post might be a “how-to” article, product/service review, or otherwise entertaining or informative. Give your readers something of value. Your blog post should be 150-400 words. To complete this assignment, submit your analyses of the two blogs you have selected and a direct link to your signed blog post for the week. You must be careful about taking images from other websites without giving credit to the site from which it came, or the permission of the owner of intellectual property. You don’t want to be guilty of plagiarism. Using stock photos and royalty-free material is wise. Here are some sites that offer free material:

Discussion Forum 1 Internet Impact In Discussion Forum 1, post your response to the following discussion questions. Reply to at least two classmates’ responses by the date indicated in the Course Calendar. How has the Internet impacted your life? List and explain your top 5 preferred or most used sites and explain why you prefer or use these sites. Describe three ways that using the Internet has changed your life. Have these changes been for better or worse?