Assignment Task: You are a senior marketing consultant working for Ashanti Marketing Solutions (AMS) Limited. You have just been commissioned by a company that wants to enter a suitable country with a new product or service. The problem is that, they do not know the kind of product or service to offer within the country you will be recommending.
The assignment brief requires that you understand your role as a consultant of Ashanti Marketing and choose the following for your assignment:
A company to represent (local or International)
- Choose one International Market they want to enter
- Choose a country of origin where the company is currently based
- Choose a new product or service they want to launch to the international location you have chosen
Please bear in mind that you are not expanding Ashanti Marketing internationally, you work for them and are generating a well-researched report for an external client.
All the theory that you apply within the report must relate back to the company you have chosen and how the external environment and market conditions of the country you have chosen affect their business.
An account of just the company research, or just academic theory without relation to one another will not be sufficient to get a passing mark.
Word limit above or below 10% of the 1500 word limit is allowed and beyond that will be penalized.
LO1: Understand how to analyse an organisation’s current and future internal and external environment
LO2: Develop a strategic marketing plan to realise organisational objectives
Task 1: Recommend a product or service and a country and provide a macro-environmental analysis (PESTEL) explaining the possible opportunities as well as threats your client could face within the market of your recommended country and provide possible solutions. (30%)
- This will require a theoretical knowledge of all aspects of the PESTEL model academically as well as an understanding how these relate to the international market and company of your choice. For example: The impact of the political stability of China on companies such as Unilever who want to launch a new product in China.
Task 2: Critically assess three modes of market-entry that could be suitable to your client. Out the three options, make a recommendation with justification as to the most appropriate one. (20%)
- This needs to include modes such as Joint Ventures, Franchising, Multinational Companies, Partially Owned subsidiaries etc. You are required to briefly mention the pros and cons of all three methods, and then make a recommendation for your company for one mode of entry, justifying it by relating the pros and cons to your chosen company:
Mode 1 – pros & cons
- Mode 2 – Pros & cons
- Mode 3 – Pros & Cons
- Recommendation for chosen company
Task 3: Applying the concepts of market segmentation and targeting critically evaluate the potential target market of your client. (20%)
- You are required to have a sound understanding of the theoretical concepts of segmentation, targeting and positioning
- You are expected to define and justify the ideal target market (age, gender, income, demand patterns, living conditions etc) for the new product or service launching in a new market based on research you have conducted about demographics, psychographics etc, for the new location.
Task 4: Applying Porter’s generic strategy, explain how your client could gain competitive advantage in the new market by adopting one of the generic strategies in your recommended market
(Discussion on the strategic clock)
(20%)
- Please note that this is NOT the same as Porter’s Five Forces model.
- Generic strategies include: Cost Leadership, Differentiation, Focus Strategies which have to be in relation to the location and company that you have chosen.
Executive summary: General summary of nature of report, Key findings and recommendations and should NOT be more than a page.
Introduction: (150 words) Main aim(s) and objectives of the report. Also introduce and orientate the reader as to the content and what the report will cover.
PESTEL (300 words): This is a country specific analysis of all the factors. Also cover the major opportunities and threats that the company could face in your chosen country as well as possible solutions to such threats.
Market-Entry options (300 words): You will need to critically explain the main market entry modes including but not restricted to Strategic Alliances, Mergers and Acquisitions, FDIs etc. Then choose one option you deem to be most suitable to your client with justification of choice.
Market Segmentation (250 words): You will need to critically explain the meaning of Market segmentation and Targeting in general terms and show how your client could target its customers effectively. Also explain the potential target customers with justification.
Porter’s generic strategy: (250 words) First of all, explain Porter’s generic strategies. Choose one of the generic strategies and critically analyse why it will be the best suited strategy for your client to pursue within the chosen market compared to the other generic strategies.
Conclusion: (300 words) Summarise the key points you have covered. You do not need to introduce anything new
