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Rossin Greenberg Seronick & Hill (RGSH), a New England advertising agency, was keen to secure the account of Microsoft Corp. The case describes the bid for the account, which included the submission of a "flier" referring to knowledge of a competitor's plans, as a result of hiring two new creative people who had worked on the account of Lotus Development Corp. at another agency. Teaching objectives: 1) to examine how agencies bid for advertising accounts, 2) to consider how companies review agencies, and 3) to show how aggressive marketing may lead to allegations of misconduct.

Teaching objectives: 1) to show how aggressive marketing can lead to allegations of misconduct, 2) to consider responses under crisis management, and 3) to explore the importance of credibility within marketing communications.

Teaching objectives: 1) to consider legal and other obligations advertising agencies owe to their clients, 2) to show how aggressive marketing can lead to allegations of misconduct, 3) to explore conflicts of interest which may arise for professional service companies in marketing their expertise to more than one company within another industry, and 4) to consider the responsibilities of a corporation taking legal action against another.

Describes the means by which management has empowered the sales clerks and part time employees of this chain of 131 department stores. They are responsible for all sales and inventory management. This empowerment has led to fewer stockouts, higher sales, lower inventory levels, less inventory loss, higher profits, higher quality, and higher commitment levels on the part of employees. Also describes how their innovative management has overcome inefficiencies in the Japanese distribution system.

The leading manufacturer of motors in Canada is threatened by a loss of market share in oilfield pumping motors because a major customer, having tested several competing motor brands, finds a competitor's motor to be superior. A central issue is whether to make a special purpose motor for this market, reduce the price on the current design, or contest the test results. A rewritten version of an earlier case, no longer available, by the same author.

James Clabough, marketing vice president at Ingersoll-Rand, has to decide on the distribution policy for a new product. The decision has marketing as well as organizational ramifications.

Peter Baldwin takes over Clabough's job and is charged with the responsibility to improve sales force morale, control expenses, and improve market share.

Describes the actions taken by Peter Baldwin to address the issues.

Raises some exciting issues concerning the role of product warranty as a strategic marketing tool. General Motors, in response to a sharp drop in its market share, makes a dramatic change in its warranty policy. Ford has to decide how best to respond to this change.

A new trademark law took effect January 1, 1989, that clarifies the basis for taking competitors to federal court for making reckless claims in comparative advertising. Comparative advertisers can make themselves less vulnerable to attack by not running ads that make false claims, that contradict the facts, or that use the truth to mislead, among other things.

For a long time VideoStar Connections, Inc. had supplied Digital Equipment Corp. with temporary satellite networks for private TV programs. When a Digital contract for a permanent TV installation went to a new competitor, VideoStar was forced to take a fresh look at its business. Self-examination revealed the importance of the customer's perception of the business, the product, and its own needs. VideoStar's response was to determine what business to aim for, to summon help from customers and suppliers, and to build long-term relationships through its sales force to garner operational support and maintenance contracts.

American Hospital Supply's order-entry system represents a trend toward "electronic markets," networks that allow customers to compare and order from competing suppliers. By cutting transaction costs, electronic markets make it cheaper to buy than to make many products and will lead to more market activity and fewer vertically integrated companies. Customers like the efficiency and convenience of electronic sales channels but want to choose among different vendors. Business can take advantage of the trend by creating electronic markets - alone or as part of an industry group.

A comprehensive description of industrial distribution systems. Written from the perspective of industrial products manufacturers, concerned about building and managing channels systems for taking products from point of manufacture to point of use. Covers: 1) channels design options, 2) factors influencing design choices, 3) producer-reseller relationships, 4) distribution costs, 5) intrachannel and interchannel conflict, and 6) coping with change.

Provides an integrated discussion of the basic elements of industrial marketing strategy and develops a strategic marketing planning model. May be used as either an introductory or a summary reading for an industrial marketing course or course segment.

Selling industrial goods has become more complicated in recent years. It is more likely to be the domain of teams that handle large accounts by coordinating their efforts across product lines. Even without formal teams, greater coordination is often required to land the sale and keep the customer. Three concerns have the most serious effect on coordination with an account-sharing strategy: compensation systems, goal setting, and staffing and training.

Provides a framework for assessing and enhancing an organization's reputation. Points out two dimensions of a corporate image--visibility and credibility. Discusses several critical issues that must be addressed in building an image. Finally, provides an assessment of how well various marketing tactics build visibility and credibility. Based on observations of corporate positioning issues in five industries: management consulting, public accounting, computer hardware, computer software, and systems integration.

Senior marketing executives of a major international airline are deciding on a strategy to address a crisis situation precipitated by a series of terrorist acts. The company is experiencing the worst downturn ever in its U.S.-U.K. travel business due to media reports and resulting consumer perceptions that Europe is under a "reign of terror." Alternative strategies range from doing nothing to staging an ambitious sales promotion. Major issues include: the role of sales promotion in addressing consumer perceptions of a life-and-death issue (i.e., terrorism), and the implementation and integration of advertising, sales promotion, and public relations efforts within a compressed time frame.

Forward-looking companies, installing marketing and sales productivity (MSP) systems, are seeing increases of up to 30% in sales and sales force productivity. MSP systems automate routine tasks and gather and interpret data that was either scattered or uncollected before. They not only upgrade sales and marketing efficiency but also improve the timeliness and quality of executives' decision making. Viewed as a corporate strategic investment, companies can exploit the synergies possible from linkages with other parts of the organization.

In June of 1988, Lee Greenspoon and Michael Bellman, two students at The University of Western Ontario, were excited about a new business proposal. After months of research they were anxious to launch their own bean bag chair to the university student market. Many decisions including product type, price and promotion strategy needed, would have to be made quickly if they were to be ready to sell bean bags by September 1988.

When a customer turns combative during a negotiation, it is important to avoid confrontation or compromise. Instead, a salesperson should lure the customer into a search for creative solutions to tough problems. To do this, salespeople should: 1) increase their variables and know their walkaway, because the more options, the greater the chances of success; 2) keep aggressive customers talking and listen for valuable information about the customer's business; 3) pause often and summarize the progress to reassure the customer; 4) assert their own company's needs to prevent making concessions; 5) try to make the customer commit to a full solution that works for both partners; 6) save the hardest issues for last; 7) start high, concede slowly, and know the value of every concession; and 8) avoid giving in to emotional blackmail and always refuse to fight.