BBB 4M – Unit 4 Lesson 4 Handouts
Assignment 1
Marketing Myopia
Answer the following questions in a word processor and submit your work to
your teacher.
Complete questions in a word processor. Before you submit your file, ensure your name
appears on the top of every page of your document.
Do you have marketing myopia? Name a product that you use now that you think could
not ever be replaced by another product in the future. This isn’t about your favourite
product. Consider any good or service that you currently use that you cannot imagine
being substituted. Explain your answer.
Find an example of a product that was once popular that has declined in use not
because it became redundant and was replaced by something technologically superior
but it just went out of fashion. Offer an explanation as to why it failed.
Resources
There are many marketing information sites on the Internet. For obsolete, redundant, or
otherwise forgotten products of the past you might consider visiting these websites:
1. CBC Marketplace
2. Failure Magazine
Assignment 2
Market Segmentation Slide Show
Complete the following assignment and submit your work to your teacher.
Design and create a ten slide presentation about a country of your choice. This
presentation should include demographic, geographic, and psychographic profiles. In
some cases, depending on the country you have chosen, it might be difficult to
determine psychographics. Please refer to the accompanying rubric for direction about
how your slide show will be assessed.
Resources
Demographic, geographic, and psychographic information about foreign nations can be
found at many websites. Some good ones include:
1. CIA Factbook (https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-worldfactbook/index.html)
2. Nation Master (http://www.nationmaster.com/)
3. Country Reports (http://www.countryreports.org/)
4. Altapedia (http://altapedia.com.searchnut.com/)
5. United States Department of State
6. Lonely Planet (http://www.lonelyplanet.com/)
7. Library of Congress Global Gateway
(http://www.loc.gov/rr/international/portals.html)
Rubric
Market Segmentation Slide Show Rubric
Category /
Criteria
Knowledge/
Understanding
Level 1
(50 - 59%)
Level 2
(60 - 69%)
Level 3
(70 - 79%)
Level 4
(80 - 100%)
- misinterpreted
statements, graphics and
questions and failed to
identify relevant
accomplishments.
- some relevant
information was
obtained from poor
sources. Graphics
are only adequate.
Relevant material
is missing.
- recorded relevant
information from
multiple sources of
information, evaluated
and synthesized
relevant information.
- accurately
researched varied
information sources,
recorded and
interpreted
statements, graphics
and questions and
evaluated alternative
points of view.
- includes content that is
vague in conveying a point
of view and does not
create a strong sense of
purpose.
- includes little information
with few facts.
- some of the information
may not seem to fit.
- includes content
that attempts to
follow a logical
progression.
- information
comes from poorer
quality sources.
- includes content that
is written with a logical
progression of ideas
and supporting
information.
- includes persuasive
information from quality
sources.
- includes content that
is written clearly and
concisely with a
logical progression of
ideas and supporting
information.
- information is
accurate and current.
Communication
Clarity
- overall readability is
difficult with lengthy
paragraphs, too many
different fonts, dark or
busy background, overuse
of bold or lack of
appropriate indentations of
text.
- sometimes the
fonts are readable
but there are some
distractions that
interfere with the
readability of the
presentation.
- sometimes the fonts
are easy-to-read, but in
a few places the use of
fonts, italics, bold, long
paragraphs, color or
busy background
detracts and does not
enhance readability.
- the fonts are easyto-read and point size
varies appropriately
for headings and text.
Text is appropriate in
length for the target
audience and to the
point. The
background and
colors enhance the
readability of text
Communication
Layout
The layout shows some
structure, but appears
cluttered and busy or
distracting with large gaps
of white space or uses a
distracting background.
Generally the
layout is
appropriate
The layout uses
horizontal and vertical
white space
appropriately.
The layout is
aesthetically pleasing
and contributes to the
overall message with
appropriate use of
headings and
subheadings and
white
Communication
Correctness
Spelling, punctuation, and
grammar errors distract or
impair readability
The text is
adequately written
but some editing is
required
The text is clearly
written with little or no
editing required for
grammar, punctuation,
and spelling.
The text is written with
no errors in grammar,
capitalization,
punctuation, and
spelling.
Research
Thinking
Content
IKEA – Profile of a company that has been successful with international
marketing strategies
The IKEA concept is based on the market positioning statement. "We do our part"
focuses on our commitment to product design, consumer value and clever solutions. By
using inexpensive materials in a novel way and minimizing production, distribution and
retail costs, our customers benefit from low prices.
The IKEA product range is developed to be extensive enough to have something that
appeals to everyone and to cover all functions in the home. The products are modern
not trendy so they are practical enough for everyday use.
IKEA is the home furnishing specialist. IKEA products are functional and appealing, and
enable many people to improve their home life through practical solutions to everyday
problems.
Low price is not appealing unless it represents good value for money. This is where
IKEA is able to make a real difference. IKEA is committed to having a good relationship
with our suppliers and so we are able to purchase good quality, economically produced
designs that are bought in bulk to keep costs down. By making all our furniture flat
packed we cut down on transportation and assembly costs.
Function
IKEA products are based on a functional approach to design. IKEA design means
products that are attractive, practical and easy to use. They don't have unnecessary
features; they give genuine solutions for specific home furnishing needs and are made
of the most suitable materials for their purpose.
The Right Quality
The quality of a product must be appropriate for the intended use. For example there is
no need for an expensive back panel on a bookcase if a less expensive alternative does
a good a job as long as the bookshelf is used for the purpose it was intended for. IKEA
products are subjected to
Convenient Shopping
The IKEA store offers "everything under one roof", most of it available for immediate
take-away. IKEA offers service where you need it, but allows customers to make most
of the decisions themselves. This means that we need to make it easy to choose the
right products by displaying them correctly, describing them accurately and having a
simple returns policy.
A Day Out For The Whole Family
IKEA aim to look after our customers by planning for their needs. Not only do we
provide inspiration and ideas, but we also encourage people to touch, feel and use the
products on display to see how they would fit into their own home. We have new
products arriving all the time, seasonal themes, play areas for children, special events,
and a great value family restaurant.
Swedish IKEA
The key IKEA messages all have their roots in the Swedish origin of IKEA. Swedish
furniture is light and fresh yet unpretentious. The warm welcoming Swedish style has
become a model of simplicity, practicality, and informality that is now world renown.
Assignment 3
IKEA
Answer the following questions in a word processor and submit your work to
your teacher.
Complete questions in a word processor. Before you submit your file, ensure your name
appears on the top of every page of your document.
1. How can you explore the IKEA product range?
2. What is IWAY?
3. What does IKEA do if it finds one of its suppliers or their sub-contractors
employing child labour?
4. How many items are there in all of IKEA’s product lines?
5. What is IKEA’s largest market?
6. In April 2006, IKEA opened its second-largest store outside Sweden in Japan.
The opening of the store marked the re-entry of IKEA into the Japanese market
after an unsuccessful 12 years stint between 1974 and 1986. Although the
company plans to adapt its offerings to Japanese preferences, it still expects to
face several challenges from the Japanese customers who are known to be
inconsistent and unpredictable, and have forced many a foreign retailer to exit
from Japan. What kind of challenges could it face?
Resources
IKEA’s Corporate website
For information about IKEA’s attempt to penetrate the Japanese market in 2006, you
could go to:
1. Investors.com
2. Beijing Times
3. 3yen.com