MBA 514 PROJECT ASSIGNMENTS

Week 2 Project Assignments: This is the first research project assignment for this course (NOTE: The research project builds on itself and will culminate with your final research paper submission during Week 8). Ensure you choose your project topic wisely (i.e. choose something that you are interested in). You will use this project for the duration of the course! Each student will work on a research project of their choosing throughout the duration of the course. Project work will be conducted independently on the students own and NOT in conjunction with other students (i.e. This will be an Individual Project, NOT a Group Project). Therefore, each student should choose a different and unique project. It is important that you choose a research topic that interests you. You may select any research topic of your choosing but it must involve some type of business endeavor or process. Feel free to send me an e-mail with your ideas if you are not sure if your research topic will be appropriate before writing your research project Introduction. NOTE: This will be the first section of your final paper! Assignment: Select any company of your choosing. It may be a real or fictional company, and the company may range from a small start-up to a major international corporation. 1. State the name of the company that you selected and the industry that it operates in. 2. Provide a brief description of the company and its core competency (ies). 3. Develop a new product or service idea for this company. The product or service does not have to be entirely original, but some aspect of it must be new and not currently exist in the market. 4. Describe how the product will deliver value to the customer. Describe the value delivery process and value chain for your company and product/service. 5. Conduct a SWOT analysis for your companys product/service. 6. Provide an analysis of the macro business environment that will affect your proposed product/service. 7. Provide a brief forecast of demand for your product/service and describe how you developed this forecast. Week 4 Project Assignment: Assignment: Use the same company that you selected in week 2 and complete the following: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Which market segment will your product/service appeal to? How will you brand the product/service idea that you developed during week 2? How could you extend your product/service to both B2B and B2C markets? How will you create and maintain customer loyalty? Create a detailed marketing strategy for each stage of the product/service life cycle

Week 6 Project Assignment: Assignment: Use the same product/service and company that you selected in week 2 and answer the following questions: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. What marketing channels will you develop for your product/service? What major decision will you have to make in managing your marketing channels? How will you promote channel cooperation? How will you manage channel conflict and competition? How will you integrate e-commerce practices in marketing your product/service? Describe the supply chain for your product/service? How will you integrate logistics systems? Describe your retailing and/or wholesaling plan for your product/service?

Week 8 Final Project Assignment: Assignment: Use the same product/service and company that you selected in week 2 and answer the following questions/ provide analysis on the following topics (note: you may use your responses to week 2, 4 and 6 interim research assignments in completing this final assignment): 1. State the name of the company that you selected and the industry that it operates in. 2. Provide a brief description of the company and its core competency(ies). 3. Develop a new product or service idea for this company. The product or service does not have to be entirely original, but some aspect of it must be new and not currently exist in the market. 4. Describe how the product will deliver value to the customer. Describe the value delivery process and value chain for your company and product/service. 5. Conduct a SWOT analysis for your companys product/service. 6. Provide an analysis of the macro business environment that will affect your proposed product/service. 7. Provide a brief forecast of demand for your product/service and describe how you developed this forecast. 8. Which market segment will your product/service appeal to? 9. How will you brand the product/service idea that you developed during week 2? 10. How could you extend your product/service to both B2B and B2C markets? 11. How will you create and maintain customer loyalty? 12. Create a detailed marketing strategy for each stage of the product/service life cycle. 13. What marketing channels will you develop for your product/service? 14. What major decision will you have to make in managing your marketing channels? 15. How will you promote channel cooperation? 16. How will you manage channel conflict and competition? 17. How will you integrate e-commerce practices in marketing your product/service? 18. Describe the supply chain for your product/service? 19. How will you integrate logistics systems? 20. Describe your retailing and/or wholesaling plan for your product/service?
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21. How will you create and communicate value to your customers? 22. Describe your marketing communications mix. 23. What media types/vehicles will you use? 24. How will you integrate the following personal communication techniques: Direct marketing, interactive marketing, word of mouth, and personal selling? 25. Describe the sales force that you will need for your marketing campaign. How will you manage the sales force?