MARKETING ENVIRONMENT - PARTICULARITIES OF
AUTOMOBILES MANUFACTURERS
Petrescu Nicolae-Daniel
Academia de Studii Economice Bucuresti, Scoala Doctorala, Domeniu Marketing, Str. Nicolae
Titulescu, Nr 17, bl. I5ab, sc. b, ap. 5, Craiova, Dolj, ndpetrescu@gmail.com, 0741521761
Petrescu Mariana
Universitatea din Craiova, Facultatea de Economie si Administrarea Afacerilor, Master Managementul
si Dezvoltarea Resurselor Umane, Str. Nicolae Titulescu, Nr 17, bl. I5ab, sc. b, ap. 5, Craiova, Dolj,
mariana_petrescu@yahoo.com, 0724482330
In the marketing concept an important place is occupied by the environment where organizations are
developing their activities. Technology occupies the most important place in automobile manufactures
industry, and we can even says that if you have not a product in compliance with technology development
you disappear or you will be buy by which is most adapted to “new”. For the automobiles manufacturers
the globalizations means the fusion between important companies like Renault-Nissan group or DaimlerChrysler group (that functioned till recently) Philip Kotler defines the internal marketing environment
”The actors around the organization that influence the capacity to serve the customers: the organization
itself, the marketing intermediaries, customers markets and public categories.”
Cuvinte cheie: marketing, enviroment, technology , globalizations
In the marketing concept an important place is occupied by the environment where organizations are
developing their activities.
At the beginning of the third millennium an important change rate is recorded, the companies must observe
that the marketing environment is changed in just a few years The economic environment of our times is
shaped by two great forces: globalizations and technology.
For the automobiles manufacturers the globalizations means the fusion between important companies like
Renault-Nissan group or Daimler-Chrysler group (that functioned till recently), therewith the globalization
also means the buying of smaller brands by the bigger once, as Renault done with our traditional car
manufacturer from Pitesti, Dacia Automobile. For the example we can talk of one of the most success car
manufactures of the moment the Volkswagen group, which own the following brands Skoda, Seat, Audi,
but also the luxury sport car Lamborghini.
The best response to the globalization effects comes from Asia cars manufacturers, for example Toyota
was the biggest manufacturer of year 2008, modifying the tradition of the first place where the American
giant General Motors was situated not very long time ago. Even the Asian manufacturers have moments
when they were in the time of collapse, the Korean car manufacturers in the recent period becomes bigger,
Hyundai become one of the great manufacturer of the world the own another important brand KIA..
Hyundai is struggle with American brands on their own territory in US, (they have there plants). Not the
same thing we can talk about Daewoo Korean brand witch can be considered “a Korean disaster” as Jack
Trout said in his book “Diferentiaza-te sau mori”.
Daewoo was the second conglomerate in South Korea, from his size. The company was involved in no less
than twenty five activities (automobiles, telecommunications, pc, hotels, electronics, shipyards,
constructions, security systems, armament, etc).
This is the worst example of economic grow, because the chaebol expansion (Korean jokes saying that the
chaebol specification is: “from needles to satellites”) was based on government backing who also was
based on financial institutes who give funds to this desires of expansion. With 50 billions of debt it is no a
wander that the company was put for sale. One of the most profitable parts of the company the car
manufacturer was bought by the America giant General Motors, wearing now the Daewoo brand for Asia
market and Chevrolet brand for the other markets of the world. However GM decided to buy only the plans
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from Korea the other once letting them to utilize the Daewoo brand and give the components to carry on
their business. The Daewoo plant from Craiova was bough by Ford in the spring of 2008.
Technology occupies the most important place in automobile manufactures industry, and we can even says
that if you have not a product in compliance with technology development you disappear or you will be
buy by which is most adapted to “new”
An example of last generation technology is the last generation of Volkswagen group TFSI engines, which
have the most reduce carburant consume at this time.
It is also important to mention that the devise of Audi factories is “Progress by technology Discover your
Audi model “or “Your progress is our motivation”
Audi definition for “Progress by technology “is: “technological innovation is experience in this domain –
and a permanent search and attempt of find and implement new and revolutionary technologies. A belief
which involve sportive, perspective reflection and high quality and which is find again in each car how
have Audi logotype. Also Audi group says, “Words and imagines can not equal the intensive experience of
“Progress by technology “, “the real pleasure of driving an Audi. Have a pleasant time in choosing your
own Audi!”
Also in development and technology market growing strategy, Audi have devices your dynamism is our
passion – The dynamism is a factor of our progress –in this way the innovations in development of engine
are very important. Our absolute performance may be better observed at Le Mans 24 Hours racings. After
many victories obtained in this completion with motor engine FSI technology, we succeed in making
another big salt by equipage for first time a racing car with a diesel engine (TDI).
Audi also declare Our innovation spirit is Your advantage- However good are already our products, we
constantly make efforts to make them better Quattro, the integral traction Quattro, Audi Space Frame ASF
and the magnetic suspense system which have adapted are all products of this approach. This entire are
create for one single tendency –which you can live by driving the real “Progress in technology”.
Also technology means progress and progress means unless pollution- The cleanest Diesel in the World; In
the middle of the 2008 year, Audi will start the cleanest turbo diesel engine in the world. The new TDI
propellers will use the last common rail generation, with
Injectors and 2000 baric injection pressure a recalculation system very efficient and optimize extra felling.
For the first time in the world, for a good manage of burning process, were put on sensors in burning
room. The new Diesel versions, witch will respect Euro 5 norms above it will be enforce, will have a
reduction of nitrogen oxide emission with 90%.
In 2/07 Audi Magazine, to accentuate the top of the range of technology involve in its automobiles, Audi
make compare in time between the best planes of the time and his products.
In ’30 years compare is Audi Imperator and Junkers, the parallel auto-air in ’80 years put face to face Audi
100 and Boeing 707, in ’80 Audi quarto fight with F-18 Hornet, and in our days Audi A8 is placed near
Learjet -45 XR.
Those are only few ideas about technology that Audi try to use to promote his products, and we can say
they succeed to do this thing, Audi has in this moment Mercedes and BMW the main competitors on the
European market and also Romania, let’s remained our self that in ’70-’80 years Audi was not a high class
automobile how it is in the present days, its main competitors were Fiat, Renault, Peugeot, Citroen and
Opel.
The technology, changes and progress are presented by Mercedes in his start promotion of his new A class:
FOLLOW YOUR OWN WAY –Each generation is different. Each generation has her own dreams and
whishes .The tendency for our days is respect no tendency. People wishes to follow their own way. For this
people we built an automobile: A class.
Toyota company also, which became the biggest car manufacture in the world put the accent on
innovation, improvement and car technology improvement, as senior manager Takeshi Yoshida says: ”The
capacity of currently acquire and apply new knowledge for evolution and innovation is the lead force in
finding the excellence.
We can say that without adapting yourself at environmental changes and applying the new technology
development …safety, environmental pollution, lower user and service costs, quality and reliability you
can not survive on the market and then you will disappear.
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Philip Kotler defines the internal marketing environment “The actors around the organization that influence
the capacity to serve the customers: the organization itself, the marketing intermediaries, customers
markets and public categories.”
Marketing managers must create relations with clients by creating the value and customer satisfaction. For
realizing a good marketing activity it must by accomplish a good communication and interdependence
between different departments of company, customers, intermediaries, concurrency and those witch
formatted the network of value.
For creating the marketing plans the marketing managers must take in consideration other groups from the
company (the top management, the finances, the accounting department, the development-research
department, the logistics and production or exploitation department). The top management establishes the
strategies, the policies, and the objectives and firms mission. The finances department of automobile firm
is concerned with finding the most advantage source of finance for development some new projects. The
account department has to calculate the incomes and the costs in order to establish how the marketing
department accomplishes its role. The logistics departments establish materials, subsets, utilities supply in
order to create competitive products. The production department have an important role in create high
quality automobile witch will be sell then using the strategies establish by the marketing department.
The supplier
The suppliers are an important part of firm global system. The suppliers supply all that the firm needs to
manufacture automobile (parts supply, landmarks, subsets, projects, software, utilities). The problems with
suppliers can severe affect firm’s activity and also the marketing department. Because the automobile
production is very complex is important to study every time the level of supply resources, the strikes and
scarcity periods. This entire situation can influence in the short or medium run sales activity. Is a necessary
to monitor prices tendency of products and services delivered. The appreciation of products and services
used in automobile production cause the appreciation of final products prices and this cause selling
depreciation.
The intermediaries
The intermediaries help firm to promote its automobile, to sell automobile and to distribute its products to
final customers. The special intermediaries for automobile domain are firms witch resell cars, marketing
services agencies and financial intermediaries. Automobiles dealers and distribution channels help
company to find its customers and sell the products to the final customers. The selection of business
partners help automobiles promotion, distribution and selling, is not an easy thing because it had to
accomplish some demands and standards.
Marketing services agencies are firms specialized in marketing research, publicity agencies, firms
specialized in marketing consulting witch help automobile company to manage products to proper markets
and promote products.
The category of financial intermediaries takes banks, credit companies, assurance societies, and other kinds
of companies witch are associated with automobile buying and selling. Now days we can say that
automobile market can not function without financial intermediaries. An conclusive example for Romanian
market in Renault company witch development its own financial intermediaries firm RCI leasing, witch
contribute to credit its automobile and also establish partnership to other intermediaries firms (BRD)
The customers
The automobile organization had to study five types of markets for developing its business in good
condition.
The consumer market –is compose by individuals, families, households which buys automobiles for them
own use.
The business markets (organizational)-buy automobile for other processing for example auto tuning firms
and we can specify the partnership between Mercedes and tuning firm Brabus.
The reselling markets –buy automobile witch will be than resell with later profit, on this market we can
include firms or private persons witch buy and resell later, automobiles limited or collection editions.
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The governmental markets are composing by governmental agency which buy automobile for producing
public services.
The international markets are represented by all these markets, all markets placed on other countries
territory.
Each of these markets has their own particularities which are indicate to be study by the sellers.
The competitors
In order to succeed the automobiles firm had to deliver value and more satisfaction than its competitors, for
this reason the marketers had to adapt themselves to customers needs and requires. Is important to obtain a
concurrencies advantage by placing the penetrate market automobile in customer mind. “Chevrolet is one
of the most promote products in the world. In last years General Motors spent 178 million dollars for
promote Chevrolet brand in United States. This sum of money equate to 487 000 dollars spent on day or
2000 dollars on hour.”(Al Ries, Jack Trout,Pozitionarea lupta pentru un loc in mintea ta,pag.29)
We can not speak about optimal concurrencies marketing strategy for all the competitors. The important
companies use strategy witch small company can not afford.
Jack Trout in his book “Trout despre strategie” presents different aspects of Leader positions:
“Leader position in selling, Toyota Camry is the best sold car in America. But also other companies can
pretend that they have the Leader position in selling, if calculate the spellings in different ways. For
example Chrysler Dodge Caravan is the best sell van. Ford Explorer is the best sell all terrain vehicles.
This approach function because people buy what other people buy.(Jack Trout,Trout despre strategie)
“Leader position in technology. Some company witch have a long history of technological realization can
use this leader position aspect for making the difference.(Jack Trout,Trout despre strategie pag.53)
“Leader position in what means performance. Some companies have very big performances even if they do
not sell very well. (Jack Trout,Trout despre strategie pag.53)
We can affirm that exist victorious strategy and also strategy which do not have the best result, and not
always a bigger car manufacturer will has a better strategy than a smaller car manufacturer.
Public Categories
In marketing environment are included also different public categories. Public category – “Any group that
have an effective interest or potential in capacity of one organization to fulfill objectives or an effective or
potential impact over this capacity” (Kotler, Amstrong - Principiile Marketingului Editia a-III-a, pag 161)
Public categories that influence organizations from auto domain are:
Financial groups which influence the obtaining of found; here are entering banks, investment
organizations and shareholder.
Media groups, which are formed by magazines, newspapers, TV, radio, which make ideas, comments and
news about auto industry.
The civically groups they can contest the marketing decisions of auto manufacturers. In this part enters
consumers organizations, ecologists etc.
General public must be taken in care by the auto manufacturer because the attitude of public will influence
the organization image.
Local public groups are represented by community, the bigger car manufacturers have managers to
communicate with community for sustaining some causes of company.
Internal public groups are formed by employers, managers, board administrators. The firms make internal
notes because when internal groups are informed a motivated, and have a good opinion about the company,
will be very good for the company.
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