Directions for Project Set
Overview. Each project set consists of five projects labelled 1, 2, 3, and so on and each project consists of multiple sections labelled a, b, c, and so on.
• The recommended word count is a minimum of 1000 words per project (Total 5000 words minimum).
• There is no recommended word count per section.
Self-reliance. Business students are expected to rise to the challenge of open-ended assignments, surf the web for answers to their emerging questions, and frequently swap ideas with classmates. That said, the professor will regularly reserve some class time for Q&A.
Adaptations. The projects in this course are specific enough to provide you with a high-level structure. However, the assignments are also general enough to leave ample room for customization and creativity. Students are free to make adaptations to projects to match their specific career interests.
Grading. The maximum score on a project set is 20 points. The score is determined as follows: (15 points for 5 solid projects) + (5 "wow" points for exceptional quality).
Exceptional quality. What constitutes "exceptional quality" is necessarily defined by competition. That said, here are some very basic quality markers:
• clear, logical, and theoretical argumentation; shorter sentences are generally clearer
• concepts and frameworks from the slides and beyond (e.g., Changing Minds)
• concepts and frameworks are explained before they are applied
• appropriate data from appropriate sources
• useful examples to illustrate points
• no long quotes, which signal an inability to synthesize
• elegant presentation including clear organization and consistent formatting
• meaningful visuals (e.g., associate networks, flowcharts, perceptual maps, and tables)
Final checklist for your project set. Please review the following guidelines before you start and before you submit your work:
1. Include your name on the cover page.
2. List page numbers in your table of contents.
3. Cite all your sources in any standardized format. Include web links if applicable.
4. Use readable single-spaced 10-12 point fonts for the majority of the text.
5. Clearly number projects (1, 2, 3...) and alphabetize sections (a, b, c...).
6. Create project titles and section subtitles to guide the reader.
7. Insert page breaks after each project.
8. Run a spelling and grammar check.
Project Set
1. MARKET ANALYSIS. Pick an industry that interests you. Here is a sample list of industries from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, but you can define an industry as broadly or narrowly as you want (e.g., apparel or men's suits). Imagine you work for a relatively small player in the industry that has hired you because it wants to expand its business nationally or globally. (a) Identify key industry data sources to answer the following questions. List at least 5 links. (b) What is the current size of the industry in industry-appropriate terms (e.g., # of providers, # of clients, and dollars)? (c) Consolidate any demographic data you can on the current customers in the industry. Present the most relevant data in reader-friendly charts. If you are using ready-made charts from other sources, be sure to cite your sources. (d) Summarize your conclusions as to which customer segments are most and least worth pursuing and why. (e) Of these segments, which customer segment would you recommend that your company target first and why? (f) Use data and assumptions to assess the size of the target segment.
2. BRAND MANAGEMENT. Consider a recent consumer experience in which you considered a number of brands in a product category (e.g., laptops, phones, restaurants, socks, or yogurts) before you made your selection. (a) Recall all the brands you thought about buying during your search. Name the brands that you did not buy and detail all the factors that led you away from purchasing them. (b) What general brand management lessons can you derive from your experience as a consumer? (c) Surf the web to understand what brand managers do. Discuss what aspects of brand management you would be good and bad at and why.
3. CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE MANAGEMENT. Conduct observational research in a large store (e.g., Apple store) or any other retail environment (e.g., a mall, supermarket, tourist destination, etc.) and answer the following questions. (a) Describe the neighborhood. (b) Describe the store or site. (c) Describe the customers. (d) What seem to be the 3 major causes of consumer frustration? (e) What seem to be the 3 major causes of staff frustration? (f) What recommendations would you give the store manager to help reduce all these frustrations in the short-term (~next 5 weeks)? (g) What recommendations would you give the corporate office for the long-term (~next 5 years)? Be sure to explain how your short and long term recommendations will increase customer and staff satisfaction.
4. JOB HUNTING: Find 5 different job ads (internships or permanent jobs) in marketing or other business areas that interest you. Aim for as much variety as possible. At least one of these jobs should be at a global company (e.g., Nestle, P&G, Unilever, etc.). At least one of these jobs should be at a relatively small company in NYC. (a) Provide web links to the descriptions of each of these 5 jobs. (b) Which of these jobs most closely aligns with your personal values and how? (c) Identify all the educational, experiential, psychological, and practical hurdles you might face in securing these jobs. (d) Enumerate the steps that you are going to take to overcome these hurdles and get these jobs in the next few months.
5. THINKING FORWARD. (a) Develop 3 ideas of "positive" or "social" innovations in any 3 product categories that interest you. A social innovation is one that generates value for multiple stakeholders, including not only consumers and shareholders, but also communities, employees, laborers, ecosystems, animals, and/or future generations. Many examples are offered in Table 1 of this article. (b) From all the slides discussed in the course so far, elaborate on 3 course slides that could be helpful for your current or future goals. Your descriptions of each slide should clearly convey exactly how you might use the slide. Describe your next steps where possible. (c) Describe 3 character strengths that you improved upon during this course. Describe where you used to be, how you have progressed, and if applicable, where you hope to be in the future.
Review the following book:
1.Creating firm, customer, and societal value: Toward a theory of positive marketing?Ahir Gopaldas ?Fordham University, United States
2.Marketing: Creating and Capturing Customer Value.
Attachment:- personal_values_for_project_4_0.rar