Name – Rajat Kapoor

Roll No – S052

Programme- MBA EX 2022-2024

Campus – South Campus

Assignment NO -2

Subject – MBAEXE 8105 Data Analysis and Optimization

Professor – Prof H V Verma Sir

Assignment -

Question 1 Review of the article Marketing Myopia, HBR, April 1960

Myopia in generic term is a medical condition in which short sightedness of vision happens. (Things closer close is not
visible clearly). In the article written by Theodore Levitt published in HBR in year 1960.Marketing Myopia is a term that
describes a business or company that looks within themselves to define their value proposition rather than focusing on
the needs of the consumer. This characteristic is found in companies who continue to sell the products that they have
been successful with, without deviating from the original even if the customer’s needs or wants to have changed. A
company that suffers from marketing myopia will typically not be able to last long because they do not intend to change
as societal needs change which forms a barrier between the company and the customer. To be successful, a company
must be actively engaged in updated market research and avoid marketing myopia.

The predominant industry that is said to be myopic in the article by Theodore Levitt is the railroad industry and the Oil
Industry The problem with this industry is that they considered their focus to be the trains themselves rather than the
potential these railroads had to transport passengers across country. But not only did they not focus on the passengers,
but they ignored the fact that they might have had a chance to expand into other modes of transportation other than
trains.

Question 2. Take a product which has vanished form the market like type writers, and explore the reasons behind its
disappearance AND take a product or new venture/start-up which has become a success, explore the reasons- by
building connections with market environment (look for environment in any book on Marketing management).

Kodak (Failure Story) – There was a time when Kodak’s cameras were at peak of the market. They kept on producing
the same product over for years. When Sony introduced its revolutionary Digital camera in the market – it became a huge
success and gradually Kodak camera were kicked out of the market.

Reason for failure –

Internal Factors – The company didn’t innovate new products as per customer need – the problem was the recurring cost
of Negative roles which was put in. An technological innovation was need of the hour was it was not done at Kodak’s end
which resulted in customer which to an alternative which was available in market . Digital camera has no problem so
storage and can be carried digital and relatively economical. The company became Myopic at their end.

External Factors – Competition came out with new innovation and understanding the customer needs and their
perspective.
Urban Clap (Success Story)

Urban Clap claimed to be the largest mobile services marketplace in India in various customer services.

The company enables users for professional services like yoga teacher, barber, plumbing, gadgets repair and servicing,
Professional photograph etc.

The company connects with their users by giving them a marketplace to goods services at reasonable prices.

Internal factors of success-

 Understanding the requirement of services and cost reasonability assessment by the company/ business.
 Keeping customers on the top game – requirement / pricing and service oriented.

External factors of success- lack of suck innovative concept – basic and

The company changed the dynamics of the ease of customer’s usability making it an External factor. The competitive
pricing makes it a great company based on economic angle.