Assignment Details

There is a difference between public relations, known today as earned media, and advertising, also known as paid media. Both disciplines are important in the overall marketing campaign of a brand, whether it is a product, business, company, service, person, idea, or place. Social media has also become an important way to advertise and publicize anything.

Key Concept Snapshot: Advertising is paid media, meaning the marketer crafts and pays for the message that they want to present to the audience. The marketer controls the published or presented message.

Key Concept Snapshot: Public relations is earned media, meaning the information being marketed through persuasive messaging is earned and the public develops its own opinions about the product, service, idea, and business and beyond. The marketer does not control the published or presented message.

There are several advantages to using both disciplines in crafting and marketing a message to sell products and services. To prepare for this assignment, do the following:

• To help you understand the difference between advertising and public relations, watch the following videos:
  • What is Public Relations
  • Earned and Paid Media
  • How to Start Social Media Marketing
• Reflect on these differences in your assignment.

Create your assignment.

Scenario: Suppose you want to start an online business part-time. Include the following 3 main ideas in your 3–5-page assignment:

• What’s the difference between public relations and advertising? First, write about the differences between advertising (paid media) and public relations (earned media). Provide examples.
• How would you advertise and publicize the business? Write about how you might approach advertising and public relations for a product of your choice. Explain your interpretation of the differences.
• Market, message, and media: Now that you have considered, reviewed, and analyzed public relations and advertising, think about your market, message and media. Explain your different ideas about messages to advertise and publicize a product or business.

References

Media Maven. (2019, May 23). What is public relations (and why is it important) [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cNUyZAKtnFs

Meylan, C. [Chris Meylan]. (2018, January 24). Owned – paid – earned (OPE) media [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0RiPrhAbPDc

Platten, J. [Jordan Platten]. (2020, January 5). How to start a social media marketing agency (SMMA 2021) – A digital marketing tutorial for beginners [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=754pSl_wm1E

Hopefully, you understand the relationship and the differences between public relations and advertising, as well as how both disciplines fit into the overall marketing strategy. Apply your skills and knowledge to examine another brand from a different industry.

Remember, it is always about extensive research about the marketplace, the competition, and your customer’s wants and needs to fully prepare for an effective marketing strategy that includes a combination of public relations and advertising to make your brand known in a competitive global marketspace.

One element that is added to this assignment is essentially your report card on how you are doing. This includes the following:

• Feedback: What does the customer think?
• Evaluation: How is the campaign working?
• Monitoring: What do you need to change in the future?

How do you know if your plan worked or is working? What do you need to change in the future to be effective? For example, if your brand’s image is not so favorable, how can public relations help with this? If the ad campaign needs tweaking, how can you add some Instagram or tweets to the plan?

For this assignment, consider these ideas to help you prepare and present. Polish it up through research and creation. Again, this unit is about bringing all of the research and knowledge together that you have gained since the beginning of the session about advertising and public relations and how these disciplines fit into the overall marketing of a product or service. Use the research and other academic ideas from the first four units, as well as your own research, to complete this assignment.

Include the following main elements with presentation details in this assignment:

• Select a brand from the automotive or fashion industry.
• Analyze the following ideas in your 3–5-page narrative.
  • Name 1 of the brand’s competitors.
  • Define 1 target market group.
  • Develop a main message intent to connect with the customer group. For example, your main message is safety features or high-quality fashion at an affordable price. Then, determine how more specific messages can be developed with this overall main message intent.
    • Show how the main message can be developed for the following communication channels (OPE):
      • 1 owned channel (social media)
      • 1 paid channel (advertising)
      • 1 earned channel (public relations)
    • Explain how these channels connect with the targeted customer group.
  • Monitoring and analytics
    • What is your brand’s grade? How do you measure this?

Individual Project Rubric

The Individual Project (IP) Grading Rubric is a scoring tool that represents the performance expectations for the IP. This Individual Project Grading Rubric is divided into components that provide a clear description of what should be included within each component of the IP. It’s the roadmap that can help you in the development of your IP.

ExpectationPoints PossiblePoints EarnedCommentsCustomer Communication: Accurately describes communication for brand competitors and target group

30

Creative Content Development: Develops the main message for the product or service (OPE)

30

Target Audience and Content: Develops specific content for a specific established target audience (OPE)

Regarding your research proposal topic selected in Unit 1 and your research question, hypothesis and 3-5 survey questions created in Unit 3, write a narrative 1,000–1,500-word paper describing your proposed research.

Preparing the Research Paper Introduction, Purpose of the Study, and Methodology

The required information for this Individual Project includes the following:

Introduction

• Brief overview of your project and what the proposal is going to consist of
• Purpose of your research and why it is exciting and worth pursuing

Purpose of the Study

• One research question
• Hypothesis or statement of the problem regarding the research question
• Your rationale for selecting your proposed research methodology

Methodology

• Research strategy that you will use to explore the problem
• Method for securing the sample population
• Method for delivery of the survey questions, or indicate whether interviews will be conducted
• Explanation of any biases or ethical considerations and what you will do to limit their impact on your research

Conclusion

• Why your research project is valuable
• How your research is connected to your major goals and your future research interest
  • A time line in chronological order of your research activities from start through completion

(((Notes and helpful information))

The unit one topic. research question, hypothesis and 3-5 survey questions created in Unit 3 will be included here:-

1- Unit one topic and research question.

Globalization and Technology

My research proposal topic will be technology and globalization. I would like to focus on business globalization and what businesses need to do to do to go worldwide. Also, the technology revolution in the global economy is very essential in globalization as businesses need to use technology to make globalization a success. In business, accordingly, globalization refers to the process by which businesses start to operate on an international scale or rather have an international influence. There has been an acceleration in globalization since the 18^th century because of the advance in technology and transportation. Technological globalization on the other side is the diffusion of technology on the global economy. It is the spread of technology in the business world. For example, developing an online store that can sell goods and services online. Customers from all over the world can purchase the goods and get delivered the goods on time. An example of an online e-commerce business is Alibaba. It is a company specializing in retail, technology, the internet, and e-commerce. Consumers from anywhere in the world can access this online business and purchase any goods. With the development of technology, communication between consumers and this online business has been made easier and the delivery of goods as well. In my interest in this research proposal topic, I would like to dig deep into the topic and what more is required to make globalization a success.

Differences between academic and business research approaches

Problems in the world need proper addressing, making research a significant factor that helps to develop viable approaches that deal with the problems. The human race faces both social and economic problems, which has led to different research approaches for business problems and general knowledge approaches. Academic research approaches focus on problems or crises where they come up with theories and facts to back up a viable approach geared to dealing with the problem. Business research, on the other hand, focuses on the economic, social, and management issues that affect business organizations. Business research is geared to increasing organizations’ efficiency to carry out their daily activities and realize better profit margins.

In my research proposal, I will use a qualitative research approach since it would help me explore the topic ideas and thoughts in depth. The qualitative approach deals with words and their meanings unlike quantitative which deals with the analysis of data and statistics. Also, a business research approach would be appropriate since I am dealing with a business topic. The business research approach will help me develop answers and recommendations on the topic.

References

Benjamin R. Lawlor (2008). The Age of Globalization: Impact of Information Technology on Global Business Strategies

https://newmr.org/blog/the-differences-between-aca…

2- Hypothesis and 3-5 survey questions created in Unit 3

Does Technological Globalization Firms Have a Higher Competitive Advantage than Business Markets Without the Usage of Technology Services?

My Hypothesis:

Global businesses who take use of technology like internet and e-commerce not only have a better competitive
edge than their competitors but also an efficient potential to earn more profit who may lack thereof.

My Reasoning:

In this world, the complex economic and technical forces are shaping a single social space. New difficulties and concerns have arisen for society. In one area of the globe, events, actions and measures made can profoundly impact people’s or community’s life in another. The effects of these developments are so enormous that governments and people are unable to dispute or reject them when it comes to our new profound technological globalization era. Globalization itself has four main trends: increased flows of goods and entities, broadening and looking to diversify financial activities, developing communication, networking, expertise and relations as well as growing disparities despite the fact that overall wealth has risen enormously as a result of globalization based on the expansion of trade goods being able to become more open or available on a more global scale. The study of my survey is based on a conceptual context that concerns technological globalization, the proliferation of e-commerce and how all this might correspond to repercussions on business performance. The economic structure of nations is projected to alter through globalization and e-commerce. This new structure is usually known as the knowledge economy, the new economic economy or the e-economy. E-commerce not only cuts communication costs but also makes localization more flexible. Research points to a growth in the international commerce in the field of Internet technology. Over time, world trade has grown, with technology utilized as a hypothesis. E-commerce, rather than direct interactions among individuals, is intended to characterize commercial sales transactions mediated via internet or other computer networks. Internationalization of e-commerce benefits in two ways: E-business technologies and procedures are directly substituted for physical locations, manual tasks or other accelerating services. E-commerce decreases costs of coordination which can reduce expenses of dealing with overseas subsidiaries still needed due to the product or service nature or regulations or cultural difficulties. Electronic commerce reduces costs business integrations. The primary engine for e-commerce dissemination is technological globalization. Highly global companies are anticipated to use ecommerce transactions more intensely than fewer global companies. Companies confronted by international competition have to use technology such as e-commerce that can defend or increase their market share and function more effectively. Companies conducting business outside their own countries might be more incentivized to reduce transaction costs by employing information technology (e.g. information seeking, negotiating and performance monitoring). The internet may save time and money when delivered goods through the use of rich data fluxes to simplify and expedite physical flows in the supply chains by leveraging the internet in transactions and coordination. This is especially the case for global, multinational-dominated network manufacturing, which may require e-commerce partners to do business with the multinationals. These are the reasons for my first
hypothesis.

My Planned Survey Questions:

• 1. Does technological globalization such as the usage of e-commerce mitigate the effects of globalization on business performance?
• If global firms in business globalization decide they do not want to expand into global markets with the essence of participating in technological globalization are those global firms setting themselves up for financial failure?
• Is technological globalization a shot for equality or in-equality?

PrimaryResponse: Within the Discussion Board area, write 200–250 words that respond to the following questions with your thoughts, ideas, and comments. This will be the foundation for future discussions by your classmates. Be substantive and clear, and use examples to reinforce your ideas.

For this Discussion Board, please complete the following:

Reflection is important to the process of writing research-supported arguments. Particularly when writing persuasive arguments, we should reflect on our experiences and how to bring those to life for our reader.

In your post, as you reflect on your own experiences in this class, describe how you will use research in your professional or personal writing going forward.

• What have you learned that you can apply at work or in your personal writing?
• How might incorporating research help to strengthen your arguments personally and/or professionally?

Tips for Completing Your Post

• Consider the most recent time you made an argument in writing. Perhaps you wrote an e-mail to a supervisor or colleague at work in which you had to persuade them to take a particular course of action. Maybe you commented on a news article posted online.
• How could you use research in these types of writing activities in the future to strengthen your argument and drive your point home for your reader?

Reading and Learning Materials

Use the following resource to help you complete this assignment:

• Using Evidence to Prove Your Point in Business Writing

Responses to Other Students

Respond to at least 2 of your classmates with at least a 50–100-word reply about their Primary Response regarding items you found to be compelling and enlightening. To help you with your discussion, please consider the following question:

• Discuss how the example listed by your classmate might impact your life or community.
• Discuss differences or similarities you see between your posting and other classmates’ postings.

Discussion Board Rubric

Expectation	Points Possible	Points Earned	Comments
Application of Learning Material Content: Post demonstrates understanding of Learning Material content.	20
Application of Course Knowledge: Post contributes unique perspectives or insights gleaned from personal experience or examples from discipline.	20
DB Responses: Responds substantively to two posts. Responses encourage interaction in the Discussion Board and classroom community.	20
Organization: Post presents information logically and is clearly relevant to discussion topic.	8
Professional Language: Posts contain accurate grammar, spelling, and punctuation with few or no errors. (APA formatting is not required.)	7
Total Points	75
Total Points Earned

View a downloadable version of the Discussion Board Grading Rubric.

Primary Discussion Response is due by Friday (11:59:59pm Central), Peer Responses are due by Tuesday (11:59:59pm Central).

Primary Task Response: Within the Discussion Board area, write 400–600 words that respond to the following questions with your thoughts, ideas, and comments. This will be the foundation for future discussions by your classmates. Be substantive and clear, and use examples to reinforce your ideas.

Part 1 (post this response in the main U2 DB thread “Unit 2 Discussion Board”)

In the Unit 1 Discussion Board, you reviewed a strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats, and trends (SWOTT) analysis of a fast-food franchise that was done in 2013. There have been many more recent changes with the fast-food giant toward improved business results. Read this article on these changes, and conduct a brief SWOTT analysis based on these new changes that includes the following:

• Strengths: The internal and external characteristics of a company that are stronger than its competitors
• Weaknesses: The internal and external characteristics of a company that are weaker than its competitors
• Opportunities: The issues internal and external to a company that can affect the company and its competitors in a favorable way
• Threats: The issues internal and external to a company that can affect the company and its competitors in an unfavorable way
• Trends: The internal and external patterns in the organization, market, or industry

Part 2 (post this response in the appropriate topic within U2 DB (labeled “for” and “against”)

Based on the first initial of your last name, complete the following:

• First initial A-L: Provide an argument for the success of the strategies that a fast-food franchise has instituted. Submit your position by posting in the Unit 2 Debate forum under the for topic. ( My First Initial Is A )

in both considerations, provide research that supports your assertions.

Responses to Other Students: Review the opposing thread comments. Respond to at least two of your classmates in the opposing thread with at least a 100-word reply about their Primary Task Response regarding items you found to be compelling and enlightening.

For assistance with your assignment, please use your text, Web resources, and all course materials.

Reference

Peterson, H. (2015, May 2). McDonald’s is about to unveil a huge plan to save its business – Here are 8 things investors need to hear. Retrieved from the Business Insider Web site: http://www.businessinsider.com/mcdonalds-unveils-t…

First Student : Sarah

Part 1) S- McDonald’s has two clear advantages over it’s rivals that it can exploit. The first is clear brand recognition. Many competitors cannot rely on the golden arches attracting hungry travelers from all around simply by being recognized. The other advantage is their internal supply chain. McDonalds has an ability to sell its products cheaper and keep its self-supplied simply because of the volume that it is capable of moving. It can reach out to many different regions and make sure its stores have what they need while many competitors must pay higher prices and take greater risk with supply.

W- What was once McDonalds greatest strength has also become a weakness. The brand has suffered recently from bad press and outdated stores that no longer provide top quality products. Rebranding a company is time consuming and expensive, but to remain on top McDonalds needs to make some major perception changes and get customers to believe it.

O- Breakfast has become a major seller as busy customers find ways to save time in the morning. Offering a good quality breakfast at a low cost will win customers over and possibly bring them back as the day progresses if they decide they like the offerings well enough.

T- As the healthy eating trend continues, fast food is facing a shrinking market share in general. Customers have a desire for healthier food options, and it is something McDonalds will have to address while keeping its costs low to meet its current value proposition of cheap and convenient.

T- The trend is for faster service at cheaper prices. McDonalds will need to identify a way to make it a quick option to stop in for a bite to go. If the bill startles the customer or they wait for 10 minutes they will lose patients and become more willing to explore other options. Give the customer what they came for and Taco Bell is not a major competitor.

Part 2) The new strategy set forth by McDonalds CEO, Steve Easterbrook will be successful. McDonald’s has been allowing itself to gradually drift from its value proposition of fast quality food at a low price. With the emergence of the health trend McDonalds has faced a slump in sales. There is still a large market available for traditional fast food however and McDonalds has the name to dominate it. The attraction to fast food is its low cost and convenience (Business Insider, 2015). By refocusing the company on providing quality fast food it can recapture its lost customer base and expand into competitors as well. A large market demographic for McDonalds is the 15-40 age group which is interested in eating out for cheap (UKessays, 2021). The updating of their stores and improving of the quality of their menu will help to bring this demographic back into the fold. Paying employees more may also help improve quality which will in turn encourage repeat business from this demographic.

McDonalds is also focusing on how fast they can turn out product to reduce waiting times. They have several initiatives in place that will increase speed of delivery. This will allow for a greater turnover which will lead to increased sales and it will also improve customer satisfaction since fast food is meant to be fast. The simplification of the menu and the decreased promotions will allow employees to fill orders faster while also increasing revenue by simplifying their tasks and the burden on the supply chain (Peterson.H, 2015). The decision to add an all-day breakfast option is also a sure winner since the breakfast out trend has become very popular. It is likely that these new strategies will work well for McDonalds and allow them to resume their place at the top of the fast-food chain.

Citations

1) A market analysis of the McDonalds corporation. UKEssays.com. (n.d.). https://www.ukessays.com/essays/marketing/a-market-analysis-of-the-mcdonalds-corporation-marketing-essay.php.

2) Peterson, H. (2015, May 2). McDonald’s is about to unveil a huge plan to save its business – here are 8 things investors need to hear. Business Insider. https://www.businessinsider.com/mcdonalds-unveils-turnaround-strategy-2015-4.

Second Student : Brain

May 20, 2021

McDonald’s decline has occurred for numerous reasons as previously discussed. However, with a dominating share of the market and their decision to focus on the issues brought to them by their franchisees they remain in a strong position to regain their position in the market. In a more health conscious society, McDonald’s was able to capitalize on the opportunities to “right” some wrongs of the past. Announcing more natural meal ingredients with the focus on moving away from GMOs and other unnatural ingredients. While the article details the issues caused by the larger menu, we can see McDonald’s has taken some action on that while simultaneously attempting to solve another weakness in their SWOTT analysis. Mentioned last week the lack of the “connoisseur” burger has allowed the opportunity for them to attempt to compete with the offerings of Five Guys and other competitors.

There’s no doubt that some of McDonald’s decisions over the past few years have strained their relationships with franchisees and diminished their reputation in the process. As the article mentions, free coffee promotions no doubt impacted bottom lines, and wait time. Again, as mentioned last week, their coffee fared well against perceived higher end competitors in taste tests. Building their coffee brand reputation was an opportunity to create a strength and drive in business even while taking a short turn loss.

Although this article was written prior to its full implementation we can see McDonald’s putting a lot of this SWOTT analysis into action with the “All-Day Breakfast Menu”. McDonald’s breakfast represented a strength, and the weakness of it was the limited hours of the offering. The natural opportunity from there seemed like an easy fix. While this didn’t solve many of the struggles mentioned with the menu items and wait times. It is a difficult balancing act for any restaurant corporation to achieve. While the wait-times and other issues were less existent years ago when burgers and fries were the only option, it’s hard to argue McDonalds wouldn’t drive away numerous customers to other establishments if it suddenly contracted offerings. Seizing on their weaknesses compared to competitors offering value menu, success of other food items, is the reason that McDonald’s made these decisions in the first place. According to QSR McDonald’s loyalty programs initiated recently in some areas has driven both customer satisfaction a likelihood to repeat as McDonald’s Q1 sales surpassed their prepandemic numbers. The use of other technologies, ordering through the app for pick up, and doordash/ubereats can also allow them to combat the longer wait time issues. McDonald’s needs to continue to perform a SWOTT analysis on helping their franchisees cover costs of remodels and staff raises the article highlights, but the strength of a corporation their size is the certain capital they have to solve these problems.

References

Coley, B. (2021, April 29). McDonald’s Loyalty Program Gathering ‘Overwhelming’ Response. QSR magazine. https://www.qsrmagazine.com/fast-food/mcdonalds-loyalty-program-gathering-overwhelming-response.

Peterson, H. (2015, May 2). McDonald’s is about to unveil a huge plan to save its business – Here are 8 things investors need to hear. Retrieved from the Business Insider Web site: http://www.businessinsider.com/mcdonalds-unveils-t…

A well-balanced marketing strategy for your product or service includes advertising and public relations elements, along with digital (social media platforms) and nondigital channels (traditional communication channels).

What motivated you to purchase the last non-essential product that you bought?

Was the message advertised or publicized through a digital or nondigital communication platform?

What communication channels do you respond best to when it comes to the products and services that you buy?

Responses to Other Students: Respond to at least 2 of your fellow classmates with at least a 100-200 word reply about his or her Primary Task Response regarding items you found to be compelling and enlightening. To help you with your discussion, please consider the following questions:

What did you learn from your classmate’s posting? What additional questions do you have after reading the posting?

What clarification do you need regarding the posting?

What differences or similarities do you see between your posting and other classmates’ postings?

For assistance with your assignment, please use your text, Web resources, and all course materials.

first Student: Brian Kenny

What motivated you to purchase the last non-essential product that you bought?

Aside from some small things like books, the last non-essential item I bought was a Playstation 5. I originally wasn’t in a hurry to purchase one, but I think a lot of the coverage about them only being available online through 2022 and how quickly they sold out motivated me to get one a

little quicker. A get them if you can mentality. The other motivating factors, honestly probably just that it was the newest video game console and playing games is one of my hobbies. I would say that anything I knew about them was through earned media. Any video game websites that review details about the new consoles helped influence my decision. Thinking about it now though, I’m sure there was plenty of advertising for the new consoles or games for them on the various websites. Banner ads or other targeted advertising. Lastly, any coverage of E3 (a video game expo) that covered the system or games coming out for them also probably influenced my decision.

Was the message advertised or publicized through a digital or nondigital communication platform?

From the previous paragraph you can probably figure out the message was advertised through digital platforms. I don’t get the newspaper, have cable TV (unless it’s football season), listen to the radio, or drive past any billboards only way to work so I suppose that only leaves digital advertising as an option. Even learning about where to find one in stock was done through digital platform. From reading articles about shortages of new consoles, I found the best way to find one was through following certain accounts on twitter. I had an account I never really used before to follow those notifications.

What communication channels do you respond best to when it comes to the products and services that you buy?

Digital channels are just about the only way to advertise to me. My purchase prior (indoor speakers) was advertised to me through podcast ads. I wouldn’t have known anything about the speaker brand otherwise when I saw them in stores. I still find a lot of items I end up with through in-store advertising and their displays. Otherwise ads through any streaming tv platforms, podcasts, and digital advertising/PR are the most effective channels for me. 

Second student: Richard  Streck             

• What motivated you to purchase the last non-essential product that you bought?

The last non-essential product that I purchased was a new video game called MLB: The Show 21. It is the newest game in the popular “MLB: The Show” series developed by Sony Interactive Studio and San Diego Studio. I was motivated to purchase the new game for many reasons. One of the main reasons is that I have been a long-time fan of the series and have purchased nearly every one of the games. Once any consumer, including myself, finds something they enjoy and find value in, they will most likely continue to purchase the same or similar products. Another reason I decided to make the purchase was because the game went cross-platform for the first time in its history. That means that players who used Playstation or XBOX could play against each other online instead of only players using their same platform. This created a massive spike in sales and made it the top selling game in April of 2021 (Good, 2021). These reasons plus many other motivated me to buy the game, even when the money could have been used more wisely elsewhere.

• Was the message advertised or publicized through a digital or nondigital communication platform?

The message to buy this particular game was publicized mostly through digital media, such as social media. I personally saw targeted advertisements on my Instagram at least five times a day as the game was nearing its release date. Major League Baseball and most of their teams promoted the game on Twitter and Instagram as well. I watch the local baseball team every night on television and there were multiple commercials per game about it on there as well. I’m sure there were advertisements in magazines and publications too, but I do not usually consume those forms of media. The game is geared for a younger demographic, so the advertisements probably did better on digital sites.

• What communication channels do you respond best to when it comes to the products and services that you buy?

As with many people in the 20s and 30s, I prefer most if not all of my media to be delivered to me through digital channels. My phone is connected to me nearly the entire day and I also use laptop on a daily basis. The benefits of digital channels are numerous, but the most important one to me is the fact that you do not have to leave your home or even your bed to consume media and information. This makes is much easier on the consumer but also makes delivering marketing material easier for companies as well. If I did not have the use of a digital channel, I would not hear of near as many products. 

References

Good, O. (2021, May 27). April’s bestselling video game is … MLB The Show? Polygon. https://www.polygon.com/2021/5/27/22457307/mlb-the-show-21-sales-figures-xbox-playstation-npd.

Part 1

Within the Discussion Board area, write 200-300 words that respond to the following questions with your thoughts, ideas, and comments. This will be the foundation for future discussions by your classmates. Be substantive and clear, and use examples to reinforce your ideas.

The line managers in the production department have heard a lot of good things about value chain management. They heard that you have done considerable research on this topic. They have come to your office today to discuss value chain management with you. Complete the following:

• Summarize 3 examples of how value chain helps companies become more competitive. You are presenting these to the administrative team from the production department.
• Discuss how value chain management helps companies create and build value for their clients and partnering organizations by answering the following questions:
  • How do you believe value chain management works?
  • How do you think value chain management can help companies be more competitive?
  • How do you think value chain management helps companies create and build value?

Be sure to include your required references, and format your submission in APA format.

Part 2

This course uses a simulation (separate from Intellipath) to support student learning of operations management, with real world scenarios and issues. In units 2-4, you will be completing various ‘modules’ in the simulation and tasked with including content in your submitted work that reflects lessons learned while in the simulation. The following video will help you prepare a bit for what is to come.

Watch this video explaining operations management.

• Discuss 2 items that caught your attention in the video. Write 100 words on Part II
• Be sure to include the required reference:

McGraw-Hill Irwin. (2005). What is operations management? [Video file]. Retrieved from http://www.viddler.com/embed/7042139e/?f=1&player=…

Responses to Other Students: Respond to at least 2 of your fellow classmates with at least a 100-word reply about their Primary Task Response regarding items you found to be compelling and enlightening. To help you with your discussion, please consider the following questions:

• What did you learn from your classmate’s posting?
• What additional questions do you have after reading the posting?
• What clarification do you need regarding the posting?
• What differences or similarities do you see between your posting and other classmates’ postings?

First student Mary 

   Value chain management is important in the process of operating a business. Operations in an organization is responsible for the production of goods and the delivery of the goods to customers. All manufacturing organizations and service organizations acquire inputs such as  the people, products and equipment and combine them through a transformation process to provide output. For example, making a burger at McDonalds will require equipment to cook the burger,  employees to make the burger with products collected from various places (such as condiments) to put on the burger to make it a complete burger order. After the burger is completely assembled, then serving the customers’ needs will be the output of this process. 

         Delivering efficient output can help companies to be more competitive. For example, companies that follow feedback from customers and try to improve to deliver better service can gain trust from their customers. Therefore, gaining trust can also gain more customers and with more customers the company can also gain profits. 

         Value chain management is built from coordinating all activities from the start of the process of operating a business, and delivering, servicing and improving on, continuous service to its customers. Transformations from labor, management, materials, and capital can add or eliminate anything that does not need to be in the process.

Reference

https://class.ctuonline.edu/_layouts/MUSEViewer/As…

Part II

         McDonalds and Honda caught my attention in this video. The video showed me that both companies made their operations successful from the beginning of their operations with collaborations and adjustments that they made. For example, McDonalds, incorporates suppliers, distributors and employees to deliver great service to the customers.McDonalds partnered with local producers to deliver the best possible food item. To be cost effective, McDonalds also purchases products from other countries at affordable prices and still gains profit. Honda company has its service by building trust with its suppliers. By bringing its suppliers in early during the process can eliminate errors and or parts that need to be fixed prior to delivering the end result. If this is not done prior to customers’ purchase,some errors can be found later on that can be costly to the company.  

Reference

McGraw-Hill Irwin. (2005). What is operations management? [Video file]. Retrieved from http://www.viddler.com/embed/7042139e/?f=1&player=… 

Second student Robert 

Part 1

            By definition, “A value chain consists of any activities an organization might take to deliver a valuable product or service to the consumer” (Editorial Board, 2015).  All companies have their own version of a value chain but the success of it depends on how well this chain is managed.  Inputs and outputs will change regularly during this process eliminating any unnecessary steps and adding new ideas for upgrades.  The complete process of a value chain consists of the starting point to the finish line of a product from procurement all the way up to the asset being in the hands of the consumer.  The value part is a company having the best quality product at the most effective price they can manufacture it.  Most companies are willing to dish out a little more money in the manufacturing process to upgrade a product if the consumers are asking for it.   The company will pay more for a higher quality product knowing that more consumers will buy it in the end.  

            Value chain management can help companies be more competitive by listening to the customers wants and needs.  There are so many companies producing similar products that they need to stand out to be noticed.  The cell phone business is a great example.  Apple is coming out with IPhones about once a year and I can only imagine how difficult it is to make the next model even better than the last model.   Apple has to reach out to camera companies to make this models camera even better than the previous, along with app manufactures and everything else that goes into manufacturing the best phone they can.  Put in more money for what the customer’s want and they payout will be great.  At the same time as staying competitive this strategy will also help the company create and build value.

            Here are 3 examples of how the value chain helps companies become more competitive.  “If the consumer demand changes for a good or service, then more of a product must be manufactured” (Editorial Board, 2015).  You can’t make a profit off of product you don’t have and you won’t want your competition to sell more just because they were able to keep their product on the shelves.  “Example 2 is if the quality of a good or service must be improved (Editorial Board, 2015).  If there is any reason why a customer will not buy your product, make the necessary improvements to make them happy.  “Finally, if priorities must be changed to remain in the competition (Editorial Board, 2015).   If a different company improves their product and consumers love it, you must make the necessary change to stay relevant.

Reference

Editorial Board. (2015). 21st Century Complexities of Operations Management, Schaumburg, IL: Words of Wisdom, LLC. Retrieved from Colorado Technical University (CTU): 21st Century Complexities of Operations Management (vitalsource.com)

Part 2

            This video was extremely eye opening as a peek into operations management.  One part that caught my attention was how Honda uses statistics to determine their failure rate which could help them make adjustments to eliminate defects.  What I never thought about was just how many parts of a car need to be tested for quality.  In the video it shows the test of the exact speed and power it takes to close a door without having to slam it.  A test I never would have thought about if it wasn’t featured.  The second part that caught my eye was Disney World’s fast pass system.  I love Disneyland but what person loves lines?  As a customer I remember how happy I was when the fast pass system came into play and of course it made me want to go to Disneyland immediately.  This is a perfect example of how a business can please their customer because I would prefer Disneyland over any other amusement part that requires an hour plus wait to get on a ride. (McGraw-Hill Irwin, 2005).

Reference

McGraw-Hill Irwin. (2005). What is operations management? [Video file]. Retrieved from http://www.viddler.com/embed/7042139e/?f=1&player=…

This course features a debate component within the Discussion Boards. To prepare for the debate topic within this course, click here to view a video that reviews and considers the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats, and trends (SWOTT) analysis of a fast-food franchise. Once completed, provide a quick synopsis (100-200 words) with 2-3 points that stand out to you in particular. This video will be the construct by which the Discussion Boards will structure a debate discussion.

Reference

Ddd9925. (2013, January 8). McDonald’s SWOT [Video file]. Retrieved from the YouTube Web site: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qbyb0ht-dsk&feature=youtu.be

Student number one Brandon.

I really enjoyed reviewing the video about McDonalds, and how they suffered a little in 2007 based off the market demand for a healthier menu, a value menu, more breakfast options as well as a “bigger” burger market share they were currently missing. It was also very interesting that they use something very similar to what we use at work when discussing our hi potential employees. Discussing the strengths that McDonalds currently has, their Brand Name, their award winning coffee, and others to work on their weaknesses to develop a strategy that allows them to take something great they already have and use it to influence something new or a change to meet the market needs. I also enjoyed the different variations of tactics that could be used and how you take the Strengths, opportunities, and weaknesses, and intertwine them to come up with different expected results.

Student number 2 Seth

After carefully watching the YouTube video of a McDonald SWOT analysis conducted in 2007, I have learned a lot about how operations are conducted in the company. I made a couple of major points in areas of interest. The most influential strength was its Brand name. I also noticed some opportunities like consumers bargaining on the menu, and the major threat was finding better, healthier food to replace some of their menus.

However, the brand name Mcdonald’s is one of the largest in the entire world since 2007 and is up there with Apple, Samsung, and GM. During the recession in 2007, Mcdonald’s modified one of their opportunities and executed an affordable meal on the menu known as the value meal. This was a massive success because of its affordability and quality.

Furthermore, most American fast-food companies face a familiar threat of not having an alternate or a substitute for healthier fast food in 2007, and Mcdonald’s was not an exception. They changed and added vegetables, yogurt, and other healthier foods to their menu to a healthy one to meet customers’ demand.

Reference

Ddd9925. (2013, January 8). McDonald’s SWOT [Video file]. Retrieved from the YouTube Web site: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qbyb0ht-dsk&feature=youtu.be

First part 

please provide the warehouse manager a summative report of the main points of focus you wish to communicate regarding the module experiences you just encountered. What realizations did you come to and when? Please respond with 200–300 words to the following questions:

• When scheduling production of your products, what were the key factors considered?
• Why is the reputation of an organization so important?
• How do your customers differ from one another?
• What are holding costs and why is it important to manage them?
• Based on your overall performance, what are your thoughts on your overall experience of the simulation program? Did application of the skills you have learned help you to maximize your ability to meet your customer needs?

Responses to Other Students: Respond to at least 2 of your fellow classmates with at least a 100-word reply about their Primary Task Response regarding items you found to be compelling and enlightening. To help you with your discussion, please consider the following questions:

• What did you learn from your classmate’s posting?
• What additional questions do you have after reading the posting?
• What clarification do you need regarding the posting?
• What differences or similarities do you see between your posting and other classmates’ postings?

Notes 

You can read the student posts first to get the idea of the good answer. I will include 3 students posts to read all of them and answer the first part. for the student responses you just have to write a response to two students only. 

POSTS

Post 1

Supply chain Management relies on the five basic functions of plan-source-make-deliver and return according to Board, E (2015). Within the five basic functions exists the need for management of the processes each function requires. There are important factors that must be considered to achieve the best return on investment and profit maximization. Some of those considerations include the scheduling of production, the different needs of the end use customer, and holding costs associated with inventory or raw product.

During the process of scheduling production, there are several factors that should be taken into consideration. Key considerations are the availability of the proper quality and quantity of product, equipment availability for production that will take place (McGraw Hill, 2015) and having properly trained employees in the correct position to execute the production. Properly prioritizing production jobs to maximize the output of the equipment and personnel is another important part of the production process according to (McGraw Hill, 2015).

Earning a great reputation yields additional business. In research from McGraw Hill (2015) customers who receive the proper quantity and quality of product when they receive their order on time, will give you return business and increase a positive reputation. Conversely, incorrect quality, missing items and late delivery will cause a loss of sales and increase the sales of your competitors.

Customers are not the same. Some customers place a premium on quality products while others want a less expensive lower quality product. There is not a one size fits all way of supplying product to customers, however customers are not dissatisfied when they receive a higher quality product for the same price they were quoted on the contract for the lower quality product. When this occurs, the customer receives value, and the reputation of the supplier increases.

Holding costs are expenses derived from the storage of excess inventory. According to research (McGraw Hill, 2015) expenses that derive from holding inventory include increased taxes (that some governments charge for inventory on hand), Loss by theft or damage to inventory during storage, storage costs of space rental or physical plant purchases to hold the excess inventory, and opportunity costs that are the result of the expenses spent on holding the inventory. Holding inventory can cause a reduction in cash that could be used to better the business in other areas.

Reflecting on my experience of the simulation program, the principles operations management were put into action with an overview that permitted me to see how each part of the supply chain actions worked in synchrony to achieve the best results. Balanced skills in all areas of the production process are necessary to optimize success in completing the production process. There are a lot of moving parts in the supply chain process, and if one part is not working properly, there is an effect on the entire process. Understanding the entirety of the process will help me maximize my customer needs.

References

Board, E. (2015). 21st Century Complexities of Operations Management. [Colorado Technical University (CTU)]. Retrieved from https://coloradotech.vitalsource.com/#/books/9781938390999/

McGraw Hill. (2015). Practice Operations Student Manual.pdf. In Practice Operations Student Manual (pp. 1–25). https://www.mhpractice.com/files/Practice_Operatio…

Post 2

• When scheduling production of your products, what were the key factors considered?

The key factors considered when scheduling the production of products were the expected delivery time and the size of the order. If there was an order for 400 units 4 weeks out, and and order for 400 units 8 weeks out, the order 4 weeks out is going to be prioritized. If there was an order for 400 units 4 weeks out and an order for 2000 units 8 weeks out, the production management might choose to work on both orders at the same time because an order for 2000 units might take 8 weeks to produce.

• Why is the reputation of an organization so important?

There are many aspects that affect the reputation of an organization. Some of those aspects are the way an organization brands themselves, their relationship with customers, and their relationship with their vendors. In the case of the simulation, the reputation was important because you could only deal with companies of equal “star” reputation, unless you gave the higher reputation companies a discounted bid offer.

• How do your customers differ from one another?

The delivery, quality, and quantity expectations differed in every customer.

• What are holding costs and why is it important to manage them?

Holding costs are the costs associated with storing unsold inventory. It is important to manage holding costs because holding materials inefficiently can create waste.

• Based on your overall performance, what are your thoughts on your overall experience of the simulation program? Did application of the skills you have learned help you to maximize your ability to meet your customer needs?

I had a great experience with the simulation program. I found that it had a great workflow. There were a couple times where I wish I had more production information but that just goes to show difficult tracking production can be. Taking notes throughout the simulation provided valuable support.

Post 3

Michele Funches

This unit showed us that when scheduling production of products, some of the key factors to be considered are bidding on contracts, purchasing (raw material and/or machinery), manufacturing, shipping and receiving. The supply chain manager must have these factors working together for customer satisfaction, company reputation and company profit. The reputation of an organization is important for maintaining customer trust, competitive advantage and gaining new customers.

The customers in this lesson differ from one another in what they consider priorities. Where quality was a top priority to some customers (Shield & Serendipity), timeliness (Perfect Mountain) was important to another. Also, a company like Stallion had one star reputation and low price was their priority, while Down Under had 2 star reputation but large orders were a priority. It appears that the higher the reputation (Gold Button, Shield and Serendipity), quality is the high priority.

According to a definition on www.investopedia.com, Holding costs are associated with the storing of unsold inventory. A firm’s holding costs include storage space, labor and insurance. Holding costs can also include the price of damaged or spoiled goods. Minimizing costs is an important part of supply chain management strategy. During one of the simulation tries, holding costs were incurred when a shipment of denim came in that was not ordered and there wasn’t a customer to absorb the material. I let it sit in inventory while putting in a bid. The bid was rejected so the material sat in the warehouse while I tried more bids. The denim should have been returned or sold back immediately since I did not put the order in for it.

My overall simulation performance was horrible. I would feel like I was on the right tract, then when I went to check production, there were too many red dots. Figuring out why the red dot showed was not hard but actually fixing the problem took more time than what was left. At one point, 5 bids were accepted, material was bought but the production floor was stopped. So what was in the warehouse, I shipped and the machinery that was needed bought. Again, time ran out and no contracts were complete.

I have come to the conclusion that my overall experience with the simulation program showed me that I would not like to be a supply chain manager at all. At one point by the time I figured out what had to be done, it was too late and there was a negative cash flow. Once the supply manager fails one part of the process it can affect the whole supply chain. I was not able to meet customer needs.

References

www.investopedia.com

Have you ever purchased a product or service and thought, “Wow! Other people need to buy this…” or “Everyone needs to avoid this.” This is the beginning of an argument. Nearly every day, we encounter and use arguments to inform and persuade others. A great argument is more than just an opinion, though. To be persuasive, an argument needs to use claims and credible evidence to prove its point.

Write a brief (no more than 2 pages) review of a product or service you recently purchased or used. Include at least 2 credible outside sources in your review to support your claims. Format your product review using the CTU APA Template and remember to cite your sources using both in-text citations and a References page for your two sources (the last page). Your product review should include the following parts:

• An introduction paragraph that tells your reader what the product is, why you are interested in it (or why you chose that product to review), and your argument and overall recommendations about the product.
• At least 2 separate body paragraphs that present claims and evidence to support your argument.
  • In your body paragraphs, be sure to include appropriate in-text citations to indicate where you are bringing in information from your outside sources.
• A conclusion paragraph that includes your recommendation on whether your reader should buy the product.
• A References page that correctly lists each of the outside sources you used, formatted appropriately using the CTU APA Guide.

Submit your completed assignment under the Unit 4 Individual Project – Product Review by uploading an MS Word document with the questions and your answers or by typing your answers to the questions directly in the assignment Submission area. To help with your assignment submission, you may use the optional Unit 4 Individual Project Template.

Tips for Completing This Assignment

• Think about your audience and purpose as you go through the writing and research process. To whom are you writing, and why is it important that they read your product review?
• Remember the steps of the writing process as you plan, draft, revise, and edit your product review before submitting it. The better you plan, the easier it will be to produce your first draft!
• Be sure to view the Example Product Review so you know what a finished product for this assignment should look like.
• Use the CTU APA Template to ensure that your review is properly formatted.
• Save the template to your computer, rename it, and then upload it as an MS Word document. If you need help with this last step, reach out to your instructor.

Grading Rubric

Expectation	Points Possible	Points Earned	Comments
Includes a complete introduction paragraph that describes the product or service and states the reasons why you chose to review it.	15
Introduction paragraph includes a statement of the argument and overall recommendations about the product or service.	15
Includes at least two separate body paragraphs that present claims and evidence to support the argument (10 points for each of the two complete body paragraphs).	20
Body paragraphs include appropriate APA in-text citations to give credit to outside sources.	15
Includes a Conclusion paragraph that restates the argument and includes a recommendation regarding the product or service.	20
Includes an APA formatted References page listing each outside source used.	15
Organization: Assignment presents information logically and is clearly relevant to discussion topic.	15
Professional Language: Assignment contains accurate grammar, spelling, and/or punctuation with few or no errors (APA formatting is not required).	10
Total Points	125

In this unit, we will explore the role of stakeholders and their impact to an organization, the stakeholder model, and the ethical obligations of an organization to those stakeholders. Remember that ethical obligations are duties that a person owes to a company in terms of his or her decisions and how he or she behaves. In considering the stakeholder model, it is helpful to reflect on the stakeholders in our own lives.

If you would like to review the stakeholder model, read this article.

Reflect on a decision that you made in the past, and apply what you have learned about decision making and the stakeholder model. Then, respond to the following questions:

• Who were the stakeholders who were involved in that decision?
• How did your decision affect them?
• What were your ethical obligations to those stakeholders?
• Would you make a different decision? Why or why not?

Individual Project Rubric

The Individual Project (IP) Grading Rubric is a scoring tool that represents the performance expectations for the IP. This Individual Project Grading Rubric is divided into components that provide a clear description of what should be included within each component of the IP. It’s the roadmap that can help you in the development of your IP.

If you need help submitting your Individual Project, please review the following:

Submitting an Individual Project from a laptop 

Submitting an Individual Project on the Mobile app

ExpectationPoints PossiblePoints EarnedCommentsAssignment-Specific: Identify stakeholders involved in the decision.

35

Assignment-Specific: Explain their ethical obligations to stakeholders and vice versa.

35

Assignment-Specific: Explain how their decision making would be different if they made the decision again.

30

Organization: Assignment presents information logically and is clearly relevant to discussion topic.

15

Professional Language: Assignment contain accurate grammar, spelling, and/or punctuation with few or no errors.

10

Total Points

125

Assignment Details

Not everyone is going to be interested in your product, service, or idea. Rarely does a brand appeal to every potential customer. Most companies do not want to waste budgets on advertising to disinterested customers. To interest your target audiences, you must match the opportunities with their preferences.

Various tools are used by marketers for successful advertising and publicizing their wares in the marketplace. The marketing formula of segmentation, targeting, positioning, and differentiation (STP / D) helps the marketer create a strategy that groups customers based on their likes or preferences and targets customers with specific advertising and public relations messages.

Customer Segmentation and Interests

Segmentation allows marketers to group or segment customers based on similar variables. To segment customer groups, the marketer finds commonalities in the demographic and psychographic information, along with likes and product preferences.

Calling out segmentation and targeting helps marketers pinpoint specific customers or audiences. Demographics and psychographics are two key elements of marketing that are essential in finding the right customers and matching them to your products and services.

Key Concept Snapshot: Demographics is data generated about your customer’s age, gender, education, and income—or the statistical or numeric data about your customer groups. Psychographics studies the lifestyle preferences of customers such as their hobbies, likes, and dislikes. Psychographics also studies an individual’s behaviors, attitudes, and lifestyles (e.g., hobbies, interests, or types of preferred foods).

This customer data and information helps marketers divide customers into three groups, as follows:

• Primary: Frequent users of the product or service
• Secondary: Occasional users of the product or service
• Tertiary: New users of the product or service

All are designed to expand customer reach. To prepare for this assignment, do the following:

• View this video.
• Begin analyzing this scenario:
  • Targeting the right customers (i.e., those interested in your product or service) is key in successfully connecting what you want to sell to them. Carlos is interested in your Web site that sells a wide range of gifts, mostly for females between 18–34 years old. The name of the Web site is GoGirlGifts.com, with the advertised tagline, “We match the perfect gift to your special someone…”

GoGirlGifts.com’s primary customer profile is as follows:

• Demographic profile
  • Age: 18–34
  • Gender: Female
  • Income: $30,000+
  • Education: College graduate
  • Occupation: Professional
• Psychographic profile
  • Health conscious
  • Places importance on fashion and home décor
  • Avid marathoner and cyclist
  • Loves aromatic candles for home and office
  • Techno-expert

The first thing that you might notice is that the Web site is aimed more at females who want to buy stuff. However, with so many items, the secondary audience could be males and others not in the specific demographic age range. View one of the following Web sites that are aimed at this customer profile:

• Apple
• Magnolia | Inspiration for Life and Home | Chip & Joanna Gaines

Add the following main ideas in your 3–5-page assignment:

• Begin the analysis by first segmenting your secondary targeted customer. Create a profile about Carlos, who is most likely a secondary customer. Create a profile for him that includes the following:
  • Gender
  • Age
  • Income
  • Education
• Next, profile his psychographics. What does he like to do?
• How would you advertise to this secondary market? List some of the keywords and phrases that you might add to the advertisement (paid). List about 10–20 keywords or phrases that you might use.
• Write about considerations related to 1 paid media (advertising) and 1 earned media (public relations) as possible communication channels. Outline some messaging topics and ideas to reach customers such as Carlos and other possible customers like him.
• What are some main ideas that you believe the company should promote to its secondary audiences to promote business and market reach? If you could help shape an idea for the company, what would you like the press or social influencers to focus on about the Web site from a public perspective?

References

365 Data Science. (2019, October 24). Segmentation, targeting and positioning – Learn customer analytics [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/Fij1aBcl_Ts

Apple. (n.d.). [Home page]. Retrieved April 15, 2021, from https://www.apple.com/

Magnolia. (n.d.). [Home page]. Retrieved April 15, 2021, from https://magnolia.com/

Nordstrom. (n.d.). [Home page]. Retrieved April 15, 2021, from https://www.nordstrom.com/?mrkgadid=3296931153&mrkgcl=760&mrkgen=mtext&mrkgbflag=1&mrkgcat=Terms&utm_content=1263338912172163&utm_term=kwd-78958705499862:aud-808275727:loc-

Primary Response: Within the Discussion Board area, write 300–500 words that respond to the following questions with your thoughts, ideas, and comments. This will be the foundation for future discussions by your classmates. Be substantive and clear, and use examples to reinforce your ideas.

For this Discussion Board, please complete the following:

As more customers shop online, connecting with them is more important than ever. For example, Amazon is a popular online site for ordering almost anything. The brand is always in the news, illustrating the importance of public relations in trusting the brand. You will often find various forms of advertising about the brand—from digital pop-up advertising to traditional television customers and a social media presence—encouraging customers and others to try the brand. From a public relations perspective, you will sometimes find a variety of articles from sites covering business news, profits, and executive leadership at Amazon. There are other popular online sites that use public relations and advertising to keep the brands in the news for customers.

• What is a product that you might purchase or have purchased online?
• How do you think online shopping has attained its dominant seller position? How did it attain its position in your shopping life?
• What balance do online sellers use in brand marketing relative to advertising (paid media), public relations (earned media), or social media (owned media)? Share some examples.

Responses to Other Students: Respond to at least 2 of your fellow classmates with at least a 100-200 word reply about his or her Primary Task Response regarding items you found to be compelling and enlightening. To help you with your discussion, please consider the following questions:

• What did you learn from your classmate’s posting? What additional questions do you have after reading the posting?
• What clarification do you need regarding the posting?
• What differences or similarities do you see between your posting and other classmates’ postings?

Student 1 : Richard Streck

coming increasingly popular for consumers to do a significant amount of their shopping online instead of in traditional brick and mortar stores. This trend has been evident for several years but was made even more obvious during the COVID-19 pandemic. Consumers have realized that it is quicker, easier, safer, and usually cheaper to shop online for nearly every product. This shift in shopping styles has drastically changed the way companies view their advertising and public relations tactics.

I shop online for products less than many people my age, but I still find it easier when searching for certain products. One specific item that I like to purchase online instead of in-store is vinyl records. While it is definitely fun to go to a record store and dig through hundreds of vinyl records, I have found that shopping online helps me find the desired record quicker and easier with the added benefit of never leaving my home. The prices are usually similar when shipping and handling is factored in, but it is much more convenient to search for the exact record I want and have it sent directly to my home.

Online shopping has attained a dominant seller position due to the explosion of technology and the rapidly changing, digital world. Over 69% of American consumers have now made a purchase online (Ouellette, 2021). Consumers are now able to find the exact product they need in a split second and have it delivered to their home within a couple days. In the past, consumers would have to search multiple stores to find the desired product and then go to additional stores to compare prices. Online shopping makes price comparison simple, which is another reason it attained a dominant position. Selling products online is beneficial to the store owner as well because they can reach a larger group of consumers and do not have to spend as much money on a traditional store front. For me personally, online shopping obtained a dominant seller’s position during the pandemic when most store fronts were closed. I have always preferred to shop locally, but the pandemic forced me to be more accepting of online shopping.

The balance of advertising, public relations, and social media used by online retailers depends on the type of products being sold. Some products, such as sewing machines, need specific advertising because a direct audience is needed. Other products such as clothing and apparel can rely more on public relations because every customer is essentially an ambassador for the brand. Social media usage is a way to utilize both advertising and public relations. Targeted ads are useful when trying to reach a certain demographic while simple shoutouts from customers on social media (public relations) can boost traffic to an online retailer’s site.

References

Ouellette, C. (2021, January 6). Online Shopping Statistics You Need to Know in 2021. OptinMonster. https://optinmonster.com/online-shopping-statistics/#:~:text=So%20far%2C%2069%25%20of%20Americans%20have%20shopped%20online%2C,People%20all%20over%20the%20world%20understand%20the%20benefits.

Student 2 : Brandy Vierra

What is a product that you might purchase or have purchased online?

There are several products that I purchase online every month. In fact, since covid started I began purchasing more items online to avoid having to go into stores. I purchase a lot of my household essentials on Amazon including toilet paper, paper towels, coffee, paper plates, plastic utensils, disposable cups, batteries, feminine products, etc. I also purchase business supplies such as shipping bags, ribbons, tissue paper, tags, cellophane, etc. I also do a lot of shopping online for other items such as clothes, jewelry, gifts, etc. Now that’s just online purchases, that’s not counting things I purchase from target on my target app for pick up. Our target only lets us pick up nonperishable items. I purchase all canned goods, sauces, condiments, beauty products, deodorant, laundry detergent, dish soap, cleaners, snacks, etc. In fact, I go into a grocery store maybe every other week for meat, chicken, fish, pork, etc and about once a week for vegetables, fruits, bread, etc. If I could have those items delivered to my house, I would avoid having to run to the store.

How do you think online shopping has attained its dominant seller position? How did it attain its position in your shopping life?

I think online shopping has attained its dominant seller position because it’s so easily accessible. It’s easy to hop onto Amazon from your phone while eating lunch for instance to make your purchases. The products will be at your door in 2 days. Or to hop onto the Targets app from your phone to order products you need today. Just make a fast stop at Target to pick up your items in the parking lot after work. Shopping online has made my life easier. Especially if I need only an item or two. Keep in mind I live on a small island. Our shopping is limited anyway. For example: we only have one Costco, Walmart and Target. I do not want to stop at an overcrowded store on my way home from work or drive 30 minutes to the nearest Costco, Target or Walmart on my days off to pick up a couple things.

What balance do online sellers use in brand marketing relative to advertising (paid media), public relations (earned media), or social media (owned media)? Share some examples.

Online sellers use different balances of brand marketing relative to advertising and public relations. Larger companies such as Amazon, Target, Walmart, etc use lots of advertising via all channels of advertising such as television, radio, newspapers, magazines, billboards, etc while smaller companies don’t have the resources to advertise that much. For example: Amazon’s largest advertising campaign is 2 day free shipping with Prime Membership. Most companies don’t offer free shipping to customers in Hawaii and even when they do you have to make a purchase of a certain dollar amount usually $50 or $100. Public relations for Amazon like any other company is uncontrollable. They maintain their positive image in my perspective by maintaining a high level of customer service. There were times that my products were damaged when they arrived. I explained the situation and was refunded for the item without any hassle. My orders are always on time or before the expected delivery date. Of course Amazon has a huge owned media presence with social media accounts on every platform as well as their own website and app. Smaller online companies like an independent seller of homemade jewelry wouldn’t have the funds to market their jewelry via advertising such as television, radio, newspapers, magazines, billboards, etc. Several of these companies use other online websites such as Amazon, Etsy, Ebay, etc to advertise their business. Some companies even own their own websites. Most of these companies have a huge social media presence since it’s free. Public relations is normally high as long as the products are of high quality and issues are handled properly. Each purchase is an opportunity of more business. For example: The company might sell a set of earrings to a new customer via Amazon. The sale is an opportunity for repeat business. Something as simple as adding a business card with your company contact information along with your website link will allow customers to visit your website to view all products offered by your company. Packaging is another important aspect. You want to make sure your packaging is attractive as well as durable enough to handle shipment without damaging the product.

References

Media Maven. (2019, May 23). What is public relations (and why is it important) [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cNUyZAKtnFs

Meylan, C. [Chris Meylan]. (2018, January 24). Owned – paid – earned (OPE) media [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0RiPrhAbPDc

Platten, J. [Jordan Platten]. (2020, January 5). How to start a social media marketing agency (SMMA 2021) – A digital marketing tutorial for beginners [Video]. YouTube.