VICTORIA, KIM PATRICK C.

BA 505 - MARKETING
MANAGEMENT
MBA 2/22/2020

ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS IN A BRIEF BUT CONCISE MANNER.

1. You are interviewing for an internship. Create a value proposition for yourself that you may use to get the
company interested in hiring you or talking to you more.

ANSWER:
With proven track record of working as a government accountant for six years, actively seeking a
position to further widen my area of concentration and expertise. Equipped with administrative, supervisory
and management skills, I strive to make an impact to the organization. I am looking forward to joining a
dynamic team which revolutionize the government financial process and procurement system which is
responsive to the needs and expectations of its stakeholders. 

2. Describe the value propositions the social networking sites YouTube and Facebook offer Web users.

ANSWER:
In the advent of social communication, Facebook and YouTube creates real-time connectivity with
its users paving faster connections and exchange of ideas and contents among its users and bridging gaps
and breaking barriers to a more connected online universe.

3. Discuss how conducting a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats) analysis helps a firm (or
an individual) develop its strategic plan.

ANSWER:
SWOT Analysis helps a firm or an individual to assess and understand the current status in order
to plan better and anticipate what might happen next. Outlining internal factors such as strengths and
weakness helps the firm to maintain and use to their advantage the areas, they are good at and to think ways
to better improve or enhance areas that they lack at. External factors like opportunities and threats allow
proper planning to fully utilize the opportunities given and to minimize or prevent adverse impacts of the
threats.

4. Suppose you work for a major hotel chain. Using Porter’s five forces model, explain what you need to
consider with regards to each force.

ANSWER:
 Threat of Substitute – The challenge will always be to get the guest to choose your hotel over its
substitute like motels, transient houses and bed spacers. Though when accommodating large
guests, threat of substitute is generally low. The hotel must ensure to offer a wide range of services
that can facilitate small number of guests and backpackers.
 Bargaining Power of Buyers – The hotel must make sure to offer a variety of ways to facilitate
employee bookings and to ease doing business with them, making their stay truly convenient and
memorable one.
 Rivalry among existing competitor – The rivalry among competitors in the hotel industry is fierce.
People tend to seek the best price for the best experience. The hotel must guarantee to get their
money’s worth. We must offer a large range of amenities with minimal prices in order to achieve a
value for money stay in the hotel.
 Threat of New Entrants – Though initial investment in the hotel industry creates quite a barrier,
the hotel must create its unique brand of excellence in customer service and product and services
offering in order to establish differentiation, loyalty and goodwill among its guests.
 Bargaining Power of Suppliers - The hotel must ensure to establish a good rapport to its suppliers
especially in the field of labor. The hotel must create an impressive compensation or reward plan
 in order to attract excellent staff which may result in providing excellent and exceptional
experiences to the guests.

5. Explain why some strategies work for some companies but not others.

ANSWER:
Several reasons may be attributed why some strategies work for some companies, but others do
not, but the most evident reason is that no companies work alike, even companies within the same industry
have different outcomes. Companies have different goals and objectives and set of officers/employees who
are responsible for the implementation of the strategies. Level of commitment of implementors can also be
attributed to failure or success of the strategies.

6. What factors do firms entering foreign markets need to consider?

ANSWER:
Some of the factors that companies should consider before attempting to enter foreign markets are
local culture, customs, business practices prevailing in the foreign markets that makes it unique or different
from other markets, attitude of the government and consumers towards foreign companies, economic and
political scenario prevailing in the country, and laws and regulations.

7. Explain what physical factors, social situations, time factors, and/or moods have affected your buying
behavior for different products.

ANSWER:
 Physical Factors – physical factor or atmospherics especially smell greatly affects my purchases; I
have a liking in smelling the scents of roasted coffee so whenever I go to the mall, I always drop
by Starbucks to purchase caffeinated beverages. I also used to b coffee scented fresheners.
 Social Situations – during birthdays and other special occasions, I tend to go for extra services to
reward myself.
 Time Factors – I usually buy products after payday and during mall sales, because that is the time
when I have extra money to spend and low price of products.
 Mood – during workdays due to lot of stress, I buy products to minimize my stress level.

8. Can you market unsought goods? If so, how?

ANSWER:
Yes, all products are marketable. An extensive marketing campaign which includes high volume
of advertising in all media flatforms including but not limited to print, TV and internet. I saw an ad in
Facebook about a certain life insurance and it is deemed effective.

9. How do brands help companies market their products?

ANSWER:
Branding is important because it creates a memorable impression on consumer and creates a good
will on their expectations on excellence and quality of the product. It also adds business value and
generates new customers through satisfaction of their product quality and performance.

10. How does packaging add value for consumers and retailers?

ANSWER:
Packaging adds value to products in many ways like differentiating products, a well-designed and
functional package creates a sense of mystery and intrigued and influence shoppers’ perception on
purchasing products, the first thing that a consumer sees is its packaging and not the product itself. It also
secures the goods for possible damage in handling and transportation, thus giving the consumer the
product, they deserve.
11. Why, given the availability of good research practices, do so many new products fail?

ANSWER:
Products, despite the availability of good research practices tends to fail due to some factors like
failure to understand what the consumer really need or want, they also seems to target the wrong market
and those in charge of their implementation fail to deliver.

12. Select a product you are familiar with and explain the stages of the product’s life cycle and different ways
in which a company can extend its mature stage.

ANSWER:
PRODUCT – HUAWEI SMART PHONES

Product Life Cycle

o Introduction – First entry to the market was to establish its identity, offered cheap but
reliable phone models like the Nova Series. These models offer a good quality within a
low-price range.
o Growth – Started competing with high end camera phones like Samsung, LG, ASUS and
eventually IPhone with its P and Mate series.
o Maturity – Started to target photo enthusiasts by pioneering four back camera design and
artificial intelligence in capturing photos. In order to extend its maturity, the company
must introduce its new operating system and continue to revolutionize its photography
settings.
o Decline – Not yet applicable