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Supplements the (A) case. A rewritten version of part of an earlier series.

Supplements the (A) case. A rewritten version of part of an earlier series.

After the initial ASSESSOR indicated problems in formulation, product position, and advertising copy, Enhance was modified and retested using ASSESSOR. Compares the new results as well as presenting teaching study data. Enhance is well below predicted share. Is the fault in the product, strategy, or execution of the plan?

Many small businesses and nonprofit organizations avoid doing marketing research because they have at least five misconceptions about it: the big decision myth; the survey myopia myth; the big bucks myth; the sophisticated researcher myth; and the most research is not read myth.

In today's world of little or no economic growth and rapid technological change, many companies are faced with declining product demand beyond their control. A study of the strategies of over 95 companies that confronted declining markets suggests that companies can often be very successful if they analyze all the characteristics that shape competition in the end game and act in accordance with their own needs. Strategic alternatives for declining business include leadership; niche; harvest; and quick divestment.

A large chemical company has developed a novel industrial maintenance item, for which a marketing program and budget must be prepared. Case requires students to forecast demand at end-user and industrial customer levels to identify elements of the marketing mix, and to prepare a plan and budget.

Companies increasingly rely on industrial distributors to sell their products. Products suitable for distributors usually: 1) have a large potential customer base, 2) are stockable, 3) are sold in small quantities, 4) are bought by people who are at low levels in their organizations, and 5) require rapid delivery and service. Companies should select distributors that serve the market segment, not just the geographic area, and are suited to where the product is in its life cycle.

Marketing executives at the company are considering the merits of a variety of communications programs designed to increase the effectiveness of the company's sales force of beauty consultants.

Describes a process for forecasting market demand for an emerging technology--cellular radio. The student must critically evaluate the demand model and the market estimates, and modify them as appropriate in order to develop a marketing plan and budget.

Trade show expenditures are the major form of organized marketing communications activity for many companies outside of efforts by their sales force and distributors. Yet managers are frequently unenthusiastic about shows, despite the opportunities they offer for contact with existing and potential customers. This attitude is primarily due to the difficulty of measuring the success of any given trade show program in effectively and efficiently meeting a company's marketing needs. It is useful to classify trade shows in terms of their function, dividing them roughly into those where the major focus is selling activities and those where satisfaction of nonselling objectives is a likelier consequence of participation.

A growing business evolves by adapting to changes in its environment through its marketing function. Usually this function goes through four stages: entrepreneurial marketing; opportunistic marketing; responsive marketing; and diversified marketing.

A large Ontario ski resort faces a decision about whether to invest in facilities for night skiing. Demand is very uncertain, so the management undertakes a market research study. Day skiers at the facility are surveyed about their potential interest during the months of February and March. The resort's management is suspicious about the validity of the results of the research, but has no time to collect further data.

Scott's, well-known for Kentucky Fried Chicken, is considering entering the pizza business. The corporate strategist has identified the two most attractive alternatives which he sees as strategically inconsistent: an acquisition would allow the company to penetrate the pizza market quickly with a minimum of innovative development; locating pizza outlets on company-owned land already occupied by Kentucky Fried Chicken stores would make a great use of existing corporate assets. In his recommendations to the Board of Directors, he needs to consider the results of a consumer survey as well as the company's strengths and weaknesses. Two follow-up cases are available Scott's Restaurants (B) and Scott's Restaurants (C).

This case is a sequel to Scott's Restaurants (A). The market research carried out in case (A) indicates that Scott's could establish a pre-emptive position in the take-out pizza market by concentrating on a limited number of basic requirements: cleanliness, product quality, and quality of service. Therefore, the pizza plan is implemented according to the marketing plan. However, early test results are not very promising. A new market survey is conducted for Scott's by a consulting firm.

A large Ontario ski resort faces a decision about whether to invest in facilities for night skiing. Demand is very uncertain, so the management undertakes a market research study. Day skiers at the facility are surveyed about their potential interest during the month of February and March. The resort's management is suspicious about the validity of the results of the research, but has no time to collect further data.

Johnson Wax has produced a new hair conditioner for problem hair. Before committing themselves to test market, they analyze the new product using a field based, pretest-market procedure called ASSESSOR. The testing reveals product positioning, advertising, and promotion insights which are important in the repositioning of the product.

In October 1982, Johnson & Johnson was confronted with a major crisis when seven deaths were attributed to poisoned Tylenol. The case reviews the facts as known a week after the incident occurred, and raises a wide range of questions regarding consumer behavior, corporate responsibility, and competitive reaction.

A study of 793 U.S. and Canadian consumer and industrial markets indicates that barriers to entry are surmountable and that direct entry may be a viable alternative to corporate growth through acquisition and to development of present markets. The entrant faces six major classes of barriers: 1) economies of scale, 2) product differentiation, 3) absolute cost, 4) access to distribution, 5) capital requirement, and 6) incumbent reaction. Direct entrants reduce or avoid barriers by taking one of two strategic approaches: 1) reducing barriers by employing the same competitive strategy as incumbents, or 2) avoiding barriers by using a different strategy altogether.

Supplements the (A) and (B) cases. Designed as an in-class handout at the end of Day Two.

Provides assignment questions and worksheets. To be handed out with the (A) case before Day One of the series.