Market Position Analysis Throughout This Course You Will Com

Market Position AnalysisThroughout This Course You Will Conduct A Str

Market Position Analysis Throughout this course, you will conduct a strategy audit for a selected company. Begin this assignment by selecting an organization for your course project activities. In this module, you will assess the product portfolio of your selected business unit by analyzing the value proposition, market position, and competitive advantage of its products and services. Part I: Interview To gain an understanding of your selected business unit’s market position, value proposition, and competitive advantage, conduct at least one interview with a mid-level or senior manager. Use the interview to solicit the manager’s perception of his or her business unit’s product portfolio. Be sure to discuss the points of analysis listed below in Part II of this assignment. Part II: Analysis Based on the information gathered from the interview, analyze the product portfolio of your selected business unit. In your analysis, identify the business unit of your company and the product(s) and service(s) on which you will focus. Make sure to include the following points in your analysis: Describe the target customer for the product/service in terms of relevant characteristics that impact the marketing strategy, including location (how it should be reached) and buying habits. Identify each customer segment’s specific wants and needs. Explain why they buy your company’s product or service, or a competing product or service. Justify how well your product/service satisfies customer wants and needs. Identify any wants and needs that are not met by your product/service. Analyze the position of your product/service in relation to the competition. Identify the main competitors. Explain how your product differs in terms of features, function, quality, price, availability, brand image, and the like. Explain why this differentiation is important to your customers. Describe the source of competitive advantage for your product. Evaluate how sustainable is this source of advantage. Assess the long-term sustainability of the source of differentiation and competitive advantage. Include appropriate information from the interview in support of your answer. Part III: Matrix In comparing your product/service to that of the competition, construct a simple matrix in the following way: List the key customer wants or needs on the left-hand vertical axis. List the competing products on the top horizontal axis, starting with your product/service on the left. For each customer want or need, indicate how well each competing product satisfies the need using a scale of 0–2. 0 = need not met 1 = need partially met 2 = need fully met This is a simple but effective visual mechanism for comparing the relative position of multiple offerings from competing sources. Write a 3-page paper in Word format and attach the matrix as an appendix. Apply APA standards to citation of sources. Use the following file naming convention: LastnameFirstInitial_M1_A3.doc. For example, if your name is John Smith, your document will be named SmithJ_M1_A3.doc.

Paper For Above instruction

This paper presents a comprehensive market position analysis of a selected business unit within a company, integrating insights from an interview with a mid-level or senior manager. The purpose is to evaluate the product portfolio’s value proposition, market position, and sustainable competitive advantage by examining customer needs, competitive differentiation, and positioning strategies. The analysis is structured into three core sections: interview insights, detailed product and market analysis, and a comparative matrix illustrating competitive positioning relative to key customer needs.

Introduction

Understanding a company's market positioning is vital for strategic development and maintaining a competitive edge. This analysis focuses on evaluating how a specific product or service within a business unit aligns with customer demands and how it stands against the competition. The initial step involves conducting an interview to gather managerial perspectives on the product portfolio, followed by a detailed analysis of customer targeting, competitive differentiation, and sustainability of advantages.

Part I: Interview Insights

The interview with the mid-level manager revealed that the business unit’s core product is [Product/Service Name], targeting [primary customer segment], characterized by [key demographic or psychographic features]. The manager emphasized that the main value propositions include [list key benefits such as quality, price, convenience, brand reputation]. They highlighted that customer loyalty is driven by factors like [e.g., brand trust, product reliability, after-sales service], and identified competitors such as [list main competitors]. The manager also acknowledged challenges, including unmet customer needs like [list unmet needs], which open opportunities for strategic improvement.

Part II: Product and Market Analysis

Based on interview insights, the analysis focuses on [Business Unit and Product/Service]. The target customers are primarily [demographic and geographic characteristics], who purchase based on [buying habits, decision influencers]. For example, [describe location, purchase frequency, decision-making process]. Each customer segment has specific wants such as [list wants], and needs like [list needs]. Customers choose [our product] because of [reasons—price, quality, brand, convenience], and the extent to which the product satisfies their wants and needs is [assessment]. Certain unmet needs, such as [list], suggest areas for innovation or strategic repositioning.

Positionally, [product/service] competes with [main competitors], differentiating on features like [list features], quality levels, brand image, or pricing. The differentiation strategy provides a competitive edge because [explain why this matters to customers]. The source of competitive advantage is [e.g., proprietary technology, cost leadership, brand loyalty], which appears to be [sustainable/unsustainable] over the long term, considering factors such as [market trends, innovation potential, resource base].

Part III: Competitive Position Matrix

The following matrix compares the extent to which key customer wants are satisfied by our product versus competitors. Customer wants include [list key needs, e.g., price sensitivity, quality, availability]. The matrix uses a 0–2 scale for each product, indicating need fulfillment levels. For example:

• Price sensitivity: Our product – 2; Competitor A – 1; Competitor B – 0
• Product quality: Our product – 2; Competitor A – 1; Competitor B – 2

This visual comparison highlights where our product excels or falls short relative to the competition and provides strategic insights for positioning and improvement.

Conclusion

The integrated analysis underscores the significance of understanding customer wants and needs, differentiating based on sustainable advantages, and positioning effectively against competitors. Continued monitoring and strategic adjustments based on this analysis can reinforce the business unit’s market position and drive long-term success.

References

• Anderson, E., & Yoon, K. (1987). Customer perceptions of quality and value: How to measure and use them. Journal of Marketing, 51(4), 46-53.
• Porter, M. E. (1985). Competitive advantage. Free Press.
• Kotler, P., & Keller, K. L. (2016). Marketing management (15th ed.). Pearson.
• Barney, J. B. (1991). Firm resources and sustained competitive advantage. Journal of Management, 17(1), 99-120.
• Peters, T. J., & Waterman, R. H. (1982). In search of excellence: Lessons from America's best-run companies. Harper & Row.
• Prahalad, C. K., & Hamel, G. (1990). The core competence of the corporation. Harvard Business Review, 68(3), 79-91.
• Kim, W. C., & Mauborgne, R. (2004). Blue ocean strategy. Harvard Business Review, 82(10), 76-84.
• Day, G. S. (1994). The capabilities of market-driven organizations. Journal of Marketing, 58(4), 37-52.
• Barney, J. (1991). Firm resources and sustained competitive advantage. Journal of Management, 17(1), 99-120.
• Levy, S. J. (1959). Symbolism in consumer behavior. Harvard Business Review, 37(2), 55-61.

Overall, this analysis provides a strategic framework for understanding and improving the market positioning of the selected business unit, emphasizing customer-centric differentiation and sustainability of competitive advantages.