MKTG7512, Sem2, 2023
MKTG7512 - Strategic Marketing Management, 2023, Semester 2
Assessment 2: Case study report (40%)
• Scope: Course contents from lectures 1-5 and relevant textbook chapters
• Due date/time: 24th September 2023, 3:10 pm (AEST/Brisbane time)
• Submission portal: On Blackboard (open from 2nd September 2023)
• Format: 18 pages max. A4 sized, 2cm margin, 12-point font (Times New
Roman). Inclusive of all contents (cover page, abstract/executive summary,
main text, tables, figures, references, appendices, if any). All texts should be
double-spaced except tables, figures, and pictures (optional; if there are any).
• References: APA style; minimum 8 references; 4 academic and 4 non-
academic (no limit on the maximum number of references)
The task:
Select a focal product OR product line from a company/firm of your choice, conduct a
situational analysis (SWOT) of the company, evaluate the industry competition
(Porter’s five forces model), identify the market segments and target consumers, the
customer positioning (perceptual map) of the product/product line, and provide
recommendations on the potential repositioning of the product or product line.
The report should include the following components:
(1) A cover page, which includes the title of the report (e.g., “An analysis of
xxx”), course code, your name, and student ID (1 page)
(2) An abstract or executive summary of the report (1 page)
(3) (From here starts the main body of your report): A background section to
introduce the firm, the main/core products it offers, and the focal product
/product line your case study focuses on (2 pages)
(4) A situational (SWOT) analysis of the company (2 pages)
(5) An analysis of the industry competition based on Porter's five forces model (2
pages)
(6) Analyse the segmentation (or segments) of the consumer market (2 pages)
(7) Select two key product attributes of the focal and competing products, and
construct a perceptual map onto which the four products are located (2 pages)
MKTG7512, Sem2, 2023
(8) Compare and contrast the current positioning strategy of the firm on the focal
product, and offer recommendations on possible repositioning of the product
or the development of a new product. Develop a slogan for the repositioned or
new product (2 pages)
(9) References (1-2 pages)
(Note: page numbers for each section are merely suggestive)
Details:
(A total of 90 points for the sections described below; 10 points are for
presentation/professionalism and not covered here. See marking rubric for details)
1. Background section (10 points)
• A brief introduction of the firm and the main/core products it offers
• Explain why you chose this firm (e.g., undesirable market performance, good
market performance but potential for improvement of expansion, self-interest
[you are the consumer of the firm/brand/products])
• Choose one product or product line of the firm and briefly describe it; this
becomes the focal product of your report
2. Company and Industry (32 points)
2.1 (16 points) – SWOT analysis
• A situational analysis (i.e., the competitive position) of the company using
SWOT analysis (strength, weakness, opportunities, threats)
• List items in a SWOT table or by bullet points; selectively describe or
explain some items after the table. Cite relevant information to support
your analysis.
2.2 (16 points) – Porter’s Five Forces model
• Analyse the competition of the industry using Porter's five forces model
(intensity of competition among firms, entry barrier, the threat of substitutes,
buyers' bargaining power, suppliers' bargaining power)
• Explain and analyse each force; cite relevant information to support your
MKTG7512, Sem2, 2023
analysis
• Provide an overall assessment for each force (e.g., the overall entry barrier is
high/low, hence reducing/intensifying competition)
• Provide an overall assessment of the intensity of the overall competition in
the industry (e.g., high, low, moderate, averaged across the evaluation of
each force)
(Note: Students frequently forget the last step; make sure you provide an overall
assessment of the industry competition; otherwise, this analysis is incomplete and
therefore inconclusive)
3. Segmentation, targeting, and positioning (48 points)
3.1 (16 points) - segmentation
• Based on the consumer characteristics discussed in class (i.e., Consumer
background characteristics, Attitudinal characteristics, Behavioural
characteristics), (1) select two characteristics, and (2) two levels for each of
the characteristics, that will segment the consumers into four quadrants. (That
is, a 2 x 2 table, with the horizontal and vertical axes representing the two
characteristics).
• Label and briefly explain each segment (or consumer group, or “quadrant”)
• Explain or justify why the two characteristics are relevant and important for
segmentation (based on searched information; or when such information is
unavailable - based on common sense)
• Determine the attractiveness of each segment based on the (1) size and the (2)
growth rate or growth potential of the segment from your information
search (e.g., academic journal articles, industrial reports, newspapers.)
Note:
A common mistake is to choose whatever characteristics are "handy" or quickly come
to mind – for example, income, gender, and education level. While they do apply to
some products, this is not always the case, nor are they universal or good solutions.
MKTG7512, Sem2, 2023
Depending on the nature of the product, carefully select two characteristics that are
relevant and important in segmenting the market.
3.2 (16 points) – perceptual map
• Select two attributes of the focal product, construct a two-dimensional
perceptual map, and place the focal product and three competing products
from competing firms onto the same perceptual map (ensure that the three
competing products are representative of the overall industry – e.g., a strong
competing product and two weak competing products, or a weak one and two
strong ones).
• Explain or justify why the two attributes are relevant and important to the
consumer characteristics used in your earlier segmentation analysis.
• Briefly explain or justify why you believe the four products (the focal plus the
three competing products) are located in such a way on the perceptual map
(e.g., information searched from academic journal articles, industrial reports,
newspapers.)
Note: The locations of the focal and two competing products need NOT be precise;
however, they should roughly correspond to the reality in the current market.
For example – the focal product is an Internet plan X. "Usage" (behavioural
characteristic) and "Income" (socioeconomic characteristic) are used for
segmentation. "Data quota" and "Monthly charge" are used to construct the
perceptual map for product positioning. You then argue that heavy vs. light
Internet users have different needs for the amount of data per month and that
those with less income may prefer a cheaper plan, hence the relevance (or
“matching”) of product attributes to the consumer characteristics.
Note: You may find it easier to first select relevant product attributes, construct the
perceptual map, and then work backwards on two consumer characteristics for
segmentation.
3.3 (16 points) - repositioning
MKTG7512, Sem2, 2023
• Explain or justify (1a) how the focal product can be alternatively positioned by
changing existing features and appeals to a target segment (or consumer
group), OR (1b) how a new product can be introduced by the firm to replace
the old one and appeals to a target segment. Be specific about the description
of the features of the repositioned/new product.
• Place the repositioned/new product onto the perceptual map (the one you have
in 3.2)
• Create a product slogan for the repositioned/new product.
Note: A product slogan is a short phrase that conveys the distinctive benefits or
values of the product to the target consumers. It's different from a brand slogan,
which conveys the overall values of all relevant products from the same brand.
A good repositioning strategy takes into account the results from your earlier
segmentation analysis (3.1), SWOT analysis (2.1), and Porter's Five Forces model
(2.2).