Marketing Challenge and Solution for Jim Dickson

Week 4, and corresponds to Program Learning Objective #3: Analyzes a marketing challenge and designs a proposed solution (problem solving/critical thinking).
READ THIS ENTIRE FILE BEFORE YOU LOOK AT THE CASE. Understand what you are expected to produce in your work.
This case is an excellent opportunity to explore the concepts of planning; market research; and segmentation, targeting, and positioning covered in the first few weeks of readings and discussions.
Step 1: DOWNLOAD AND READ THE CASE STUDY
1. Scan the case for a general sense of what issues it addresses. Once you have a general sense of the focus, situation, and issues of the case, think about the most significant issues Dickson ought to address now.
2. Read the case thoroughly to gather as much information as you can. Make notations as you read. to help yourself
• Identify the significant issues and factors. When you write notes as you read, you engage more of your critical thinking skills and gain deeper understanding of what you have read. Make and save notes from the discussions.
3. Assign some priority for the items you identify. Reflect a moment on what you have read and noted. What is most important that Jim Dickson do right now?
4. Decide the central issue(s) Jim Dickson should address and identify steps Dickson should take now. Review and analyze your notes. Think about the issues raised in the case. Dig into the information given to determine was the central issue or issues might be. It may be helpful to re- read the case once more and to read additional material on the topics presented in the case as a way of developing your ideas. While outside reading is not required, if you do use outside reading you must cite it in within the text of your essay and give a full listing at the end of your paper.
5. Write some sort of outline to organize your thoughts. This step is best done when writing by hand. Say your ideas aloud as you write as a way of further clarifying and developing your ideas.
6. In the outline, write succinctly the central issue facing Dickson now. Rather than point out what Dickson did not do or do well in the past; focus on
the current state he’s in as the business owner. Write in the form of an open-ended, rhetorical question.
Examples:
“How can Dickson accomplish . . .”
“In what ways might Dickson improve his . . .”
7. Frame your recommendations within your statement of the central issue(s) to be addressed. Evaluate your recommendations by determining whether Dickson can implement each recommendation. What if the Dickson cannot do what you suggest? What alternatives might he pursue? Determine whether you might have overlooked something or leave out a factor that could throw off your recommendations. Refer frequently to the details from the case.
Areas of marketing concepts that might apply include:
Market Strategy
➢ Show how various aspects fit together coherently.
➢ Tell how the company adheres to its resources and objectives. ➢ Argue how it could gain advantage over its competition.
Segmenting, Targeting, and Positioning
➢Demonstrate your ability to segment, outlining your steps through the process.
➢Define the selected target market(s) using the most appropriate methods of segmentation and explain how that market perceives the company and what it offers.
Marketing Mix
➢Product—Define the produce in marketing terms. Include the Product Life Cycle.
➢Place—Discuss channels of distribution and their advantages and disadvantages.
➢Promotion—Design a promotional mix and create a strategy. ➢Price—Choose and support the most appropriate pricing policy.
8. DOWNLOAD AND USE THE BRIEF FORM that I provided for this case.
9. Organize your responses into these three short-essay responses:
• Section 1: What is the central issue to address or problem to solve? State your sense in a brief (1-2 sentences) statement. Write this statement in the form of a rhetorical question. Examples:
• “How can Dickson accomplish . . .”
• “In what ways might Dickson improve his . . .”
• Section 2: What course of action do you recommend the owner implement now to address this issue or solve this problem? In the second section of the brief form, state your recommendations as action steps for Dickson to take now. Remember to structure these as actions Dickson can perform, based on what the case tells you about him. Your recommendations should address the central issue you stated at the beginning of the paper.
• Section 3: What significant factors from the case justify your recommended course of action. Present these factors in the third section of the brief form. Avoid simply elaborating on the action steps you presented in the second section. Rely on details from the case rather than your own thinking.
1. Up to 6 points.
In one or two sentences, clearly state the central issue(s) Jim Dickson must address. (Remember this course is about marketing!)
Begin your statement: “How can Jim Dickson . . . ” or “How can Jim’s Services, Inc., . . .”
2. Up to 12 points.
Present your recommended course of action by which Jim Dickson can address the central issue(s) you have identified in the previous section.
Present these recommendations as a step-by-step plan Dickson can follow and thus address effectively the central issue you identified in Section 1. Develop this plan as fully as needed for Dickson to know what to do.
3. Up to 7 points.
Fully support your recommended course of action with significant factors from the case.
Present only supporting evidence rather than repeat or expand on your course of action in Section 2.