Marketing Research Case Study: Sperry/MacLennan Architects and Planners
Introduction
Marketing Research can be designed for many scenarios. It is often referenced in existing companies to understand how clients purchase their product, competition or how to best communicate with the audience. This type of research is also necessary in a successful world-wide expansion as it provides a company with a blue print of how to grow. This paper will examine a global expansion case study and how to perform marketing research in a global economy.
Background of Case Study
The Sperry/MacLennan Architects and Planners Firm is a successful Canadian architecture company. The firm has been in business since 1988 and is very strategic in making decision for the organization as well as when taking on a project. The firm specializes in sporting facilities such as pools and gymnasium buildings. The company has found a great deal of success by seeking jobs and by referrals. Sperry/MacLennan only pursues jobs that they feel they have a good opportunity wining, which saves the company time and effort. They have had several major wins such as receiving the Canadian Architect Grant Award, as well as get selected as the architects on government owned sports facilities.
The firm is interested in moving into a new market, specifically across international borders to plant roots in the United States. The location that they are interested in expanding to is the New England region of the U.S. due to the opportunity that exists in the sports facilities market and the location proximity to their current Canadian location. The research shows that America is in need of their services and that there is work once they arrive. The international expansion woul...
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... greater ease and convenience than traditional research.
Conclusion
The Sperry/MacLennan Firm’s consideration to expand globally is a major decision. When a business attempts globalization, they do not go in blind. The company utilizes marketing research to understand the country and culture they are attempting to enter. This research gives the company a framework to follow during the expansion and allows their decision to be reinforced.
Works Cited
Aaker, D. A., Kumar, V., & Day, G. (2007). The Marketing Research Process. Retrieved from https://ecampus.phoenix.edu/content/eBookLibrary2/content/eReader.aspx.
McDaniel, Jr, C. (2007). Marketing Research, Seventh Edition. Retrieved from https://ecampus.phoenix.edu/content/eBookLibrary2/content/DownloadList.aspx?assetMetaId=ce10b13a-0b36-4626-b085-acf87d5b4b2b&assetDataId=9caccd52-c053-4978-bd0f-2fb8eb1c2549.
Kotabe, M., & Helsen, K. (1998). Global marketing management. Temple University. New York: John Wiley & Sons.
S/M is a Canadian architect and planning company with roots that began in the early 1970's and was founded by architect, Drew Sperry. The company grew and eventually added a partner, John MacLennan to the company, thus creating Sperry/MacLennan Architects and Planners. Despite severe competition, the company rapidly expanded and grew its operations and strategically added a couple of branch offices to keep up with the "aggressive growth period" (Aaker, Kumar, & Day, pg. 72). Beginning in the 1980's the company experienced a slow period, however, rebounded by landing a couple of key projects and added to its menu of services. The company also received prestigious awards as well as industry recognition. Although, by the end of the 1980's the firm was secure and able to provide a variety of services, it was contemplating its plan for the future by its newest junior partner, Mitch Brooks. The company successfully...
Global marketing is defined as marketing on a worldwide scale, or taking commercial advantage of global operational differences, similarities and opportunities in order to meet global objectives. Marketing managers are also tasked with the responsibility of “wringing the pennies out of the activities.” Basically, they are responsible for and add value to their activities that will contribute to a higher value in the mind of their consumers. Managers must understand the role of their salespeople as marketers – they must collaborate and support them. They must work with their supply chain functional managers to accommodate international customer preferences. Communication must flow up and down the chain quickly in order to respond to emerging international marketing threats and opportunities. It is essential to monitor the firm’s global marketing efforts in a global market.
McDaniel, C., & Gates, R. (2006). Marketing Research (7th ed.). Retrieved from The University of Phoenix eBook Collection database.
Whenever a company has a new product or service it would like to offer to the public there are always questions it needs to answer and analyze first. For instance, who is the target market or markets we want to appeal to? Is the market receptive to a new entry or are the products or services already there sufficiently entrenched barring any successful new release into the market? How well will our product or service address the wants and needs of our customers? The answer to each of these questions requires this firm to conduct research, specifically market research, to gain the knowledge they seek. Using the Valley Yellow Pages Company as an example, this paper will define market research, identify the different types of marketing research used, and describe the importance of this research to the organization.
This case study states the problem of the global expansion of a company and the strategic and operational anticipated changes it must take into account to make this internationalisation a success. Can the reasons of Outback Steakhouse's success within the United States also be applied to other markets? If not, what are the inputs the company needs to take into account before being global?
Burns, A. C., Bush, R. F. (2006). Marketing research: Online research applications (5th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.
Since drafting the first blueprint in 1972, Sperry/MacLennan’s architectural practice has experienced the high and lows of business economics as well as adapted to changes within its business dynamic and focus. Case in point in 1983, Sperry/MacLennan gained national recognition for winning a national competition for the aquatics facility for the Canadian Games held in Saint John (Aaker, Kumar, & Day, 2007, p. 73). With this win, the organization shifted its business focus to recreational facilities while gaining a renewed passion for the industry with the “innovative and new” possibilities, and challenges, recreational faculties provided (Aaker, Kumar, & Day, 2007, p. 73).
Sakarya, S., Eckman, M. & Hyllegard, K. H. (2007). Market Selection for International Expansion - Assessing Opportunities in Emerging Markets. International Marketing Review, 24(2), 208-238.
Polaris Marketing Research (2008). Marketing Research Process: An Overview. Retrieved May 8, 2008, from http://www.polarismr.com/edctr_overview.html
Investing or venturing into the international market involves critical analysis of the internal and external environment in which the company operates. Usually, a company will decide to venture internationally due to a saturated market or fierce competition in the current country of operation. The demand for a company’s products may have diminished as a result of an economic crisis thus the company will target a foreign market to sustain its sales. In other words, the firms expand internationally to seek new customers for its products. For example, the current Euro zone crisis led to low demand in Europe and many companies extended their businesses to emerging markets where demand was high. A company may also venture in the international market to enhance the cost-effectiveness of its operations especially for manufacturing companies that will benefit from low costs of production in developing world. Global expansion is a long term project as it involves demanding logistics to be successful. Thorough research must be undertaken to ensure that the expansion will create value for share...
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The Marriott Company is a successful lodging and hospitality company. It is a company that is internationally recognized and has nearly 3,700 properties, 18 brands in 72 countries and territories worldwide (Marriott, 2012). With such success and worldwide prominence, it is no mistake that it operates with a winning formula that includes market research. "Our relentless focus on innovation and action fuel the way we do business" (Marriott, 2012). Organizations, like Marriott, not only have to compete in a rapidly changing technological environment and a highly diverse global environment, it must consider the importance and role that marketing research plays. Operating in such a competitive industry, the Marriott Company has realized that to be successful and survive for the long term, it incorporates market research in its business practices. This paper will define market research; identify the types, and the importance of marketing research that the Marriott Company uses.
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