Assessment

Answer the following questions concisely.

1. Give one role of the marketing channel and explain its relevance.
a. A marketing channel mainly performs the task of moving goods from the producers or
manufacturers to the final users. The channel is instrumental in overcoming the gaps
between the producers and consumers in terms of time, place and possession or
ownership.
2. Marketing is ever-evolving, and is distribution. Give one era besides our own and explain why it
will not be applicable in this day and age.
a. 1. Production Concept/Production-Orientation Stage:
i. Manufacturers believed that customers would seek out and buy reasonably
priced products, which are easily available, so they focused on increasing the
output. This led to the industrial revolution. The companies were dominated by
engineers and people with manufacturing backgrounds. At this stage, the
demand for goods generally exceeded the supply and the companies found little
problem in getting customers. Hence, they focused mainly on improving
production and distribution efficiency.
b. Product Concept:
i. According to the product concept, consumers will favour products that are of
superior quality, have innovative features and give good performance.
Therefore, organizations should devote their energies to making continuous
product improvements through strenuous R&D efforts.
c. Marketing Myopia:
i. The product concept can also lead to a situation called “Marketing Myopia” a
term coined by Theodore Levitt. According to Levitt, customers buy a solution to
their problem rather than a product. Thus, a buyer of a car wants a solution for
his transportation problem, which can be solved by a motorcycle also. So the
marketer has to see the buyer’s need rather than the product he sells. It is a
need the marketer is attempting to meet by selling a car, whether it be personal
transportation, status symbol or time saving.
3. Do you think it is possible to eliminate middlemen in the distribution channel? Why or why not?
a. Middlemen cannot be eliminated, but the supply chain can be shortened through
forward integrated cooperatives among the small farmers for higher income and
sustainability.