IBM’s Smarter Planet Essay

1.(a) Using Medtronic as an example, explain how a mission statement gives a strategical direction. (b) Create a mission statement for your own c atomic number 18er. solving(a) A mission statement gives strategic direction by stating the what and how of a course in a clear, concise, meaningful, aspirational, statement that allow for continue to be relevant in the long-term. Medtronics mission statement identifies its customers, check intoet, yields and technology. They stated the agate line they argon in and their specific goals.(b) It is my business to progressively coordinate strategic methods of empowerment and to do so with passion and commitment.2.What competencies best describe (a) your college or university and (b) your favorite restaurant? adjudicate(a) Wayne College to provides high quality, accessible credit and noncredit educational opportunities to the citizens of Wayne, Medina, and Holmes counties and surrounding areas, and partners with and resource for the com munities and organizations it serves.(b) House of Hunan, Fairlawn, has quality Chinese, Thai, vegetarian, & sushi cho folderols. Ambiance is reminiscent of grey Chinatown and it is often full of patrons. Great chicken dishes, legal dumplings, and very good quality beef. Service is good, food is fresh and satisfying, and the price is fair value.3.Why does a fruit often start as a inquire mark and then move counterclockwise around the BCGs result-share matrix shown in Figure 2-4?AnswerWhen a fruit is introduced, it is usually a question mark because it is brisk and there is uncertainty near consumers acceptance of them. aft(prenominal) a period of time, depending on the production category, the not-so-new product could be classified as a star if its growth rate is sizeable and had a signifi so-and-sot share of the product category. If the growth rate in the product category falls substantially and there is great competition from competing brands, the product probably ordai n fall in the cash cow category. If, however, the product isnt support with an effective marketing program, it could receive a dog.4.Select mavin strength, one weakness, one opportunity, and one threat from the SWOT epitome for Ben & Jerrys shown in Figure 2-7. Suggest an action that a marketing tutor there might take to address each factor.Answer fortissimo Recognized for its social mission, values and actions. This piece of tail be used to reward their green base consumers by constantly updating the naturalness of their ice cream according to current food trends. Weakness B&Js social responsibility actions could reduce focus. By focvictimization on the product, and constantly innovating flavors, more than prospective customers (from all walks of life) could be gained. Opportunity increase U.S. demand for 100-calorie novelties such as cones and bars. They could look into developing new products in the low-calorie, low-fat, low-carb, low-sugar spectrum of frozen desserts. Thr eat Competes with General Mills and Nestle brands. Ben and Jerrys can research which products and flavors are the most popular among the competing brands and use that as inspiration for new flavors in their own line.5.What is the main result of each of the ternion phases of the strategic marketing put to work? (a) planning, (b) implementation, and (c) evaluation.Answer(a) Planning phase. Results are ball marketing plans that identify specific objectives to be achieved by a extra time and the specific actions to achieve those objectives. (b) Implementation phase. Results areformal timements of the results achieved, which can be compared with the plans established in the planning phase to determine if any(prenominal) deviations from plans occurred. (c) Evaluation phase. Results are new actions taken to exploit opportunities where deviations from plans are wagerer than expected or corrective actions where deviations from plans are worse than expected.6.The goal-setting step in t he planning phase of the strategic marketing process sets quantified objectives for use in the evaluation phase. What does a pluckr do if measured results fail to get a line objectives? Exceed objectives?AnswerIf the marketing manager discovers a planning gap, which is a difference between the projection of the path to reach a new goal and the projection of the path of the results of a plan already in place for the marketing program, he or she can take the side by side(p) actionsFailed Objectives Correct a negative deviation by making pocket-size or major tacks to the existing marketing program of a product to better reflect future expectations in the marketing environment.Exceeded Objectives Exploit a positive deviation by strengthening strategic partnerships and engage in a market development, or product development, outline to maintain or enhance the firms position.1.What is IBMs Smarter Planet business strategy? How does this strategy relate to IBMs mission and values?Answ erIBMs Smarter Planet strategy is based on the companys analysis that recognizes changes in the business environment and aims to create a global enterprise using connectivity. It includes the capability of telephones, computers, and other technology. This relates to IBMs mission and values because they are a company that seeks out offices to keep their consumers happy and are looking for more routes to innovate by developing more advancedtechnologies.2.Conduct a SWOT analysis for IBMs Smarter Planet first. What are the relevant trends to consider for the next three to tail fin years?AnswerStrengths Well-known name, owns many new technologies and patents, market sector is well defined, high quality employees, satisfy customers wants and drives, and have a clear, concise mission statement. Weaknesses With a big name like IBM, change may be difficult. many a(prenominal) of the products offered are not customizable. Lack of intercultural experience, narrow range of products offere d, and most business products are geared towards large businesses. Opportunities Offer new technologies and services topically and in developing countries. Smarter Planet involves new ways of thinking. Threats potential securities risks. need for Smarter Planet solutions will depend on interest in change rather than just reaction to problems.In the next three to five years we are likely to see fewer trade barriers, the growth of developing economies, and increasing access to the internet. Growth markets such as China, India, Brazil, and Africa will be able to use IBM products. Customers will have a need for more custom-made technological solutions and cross-technology connectivity. Businesses will need analytics and optimization, cloud and smarter computation solutions and technology for the globally integrated enterprise.3.How can IBM communicate its strategy to companies, cities, and governments? How is Watson a part of the communication strategy?AnswerThe current CEO of IBM, sur face-to-air missile Palmisano, sent out a letter for their annual report, titled letter from the Chairman. In this letter, he had a powerful statement about the Smarter Planet. According to him, Smarter Planet is not a metaphor. It describes the infusion of intelligence into the way the world actually works, the way that almost anything-any person, any object, any process or any service, for any organization, large or small-can now becomedigitally aware, networked, and intelligent. Palmisano also met with some Wall Street financial advisors and held six-hour training sessions with investors to answer questions about their business strategy. IBM also used print and TV ads to campaign in more detail what Palmisanos message was. These ads pore on the ability to improve the world now, with the help from IBM. The IBM website also supported the campaign with industry reports, video descriptions of the smarter major planet concept, and stats about the improvements at smarter planet clien ts.Watson, which is an artificial intelligence program, was also part of the communication strategy. Watson was featured on the game show Jeopardy, and competed against two different contestants, and won twain times. By having Watson on TV, where millions of people could view it, this was one more way to provide a consistent and integrated message.4.What are the benefits of the Smarter Planet initiative to (a) society and (b) IBM?Answer(a) IBMs Smarter Planet strategy benefits society by providing solutions for forward-thinking organizations that share a common outlook they see change as an opportunity and they act on possibilities, not just react to problems. The retailers, who enforced smart systems to analyze buying behavior, merchandise assortment, and demand were able to cope supply chain costs by 30%, reduce entry levels by 25%, and increase sales by 10%. The Memphis law Department reduced crime by 28% by using IBM solutions to analyze its data. Banks are also using smart systems to track loans and manage risk, increasing efficiency and customer service. The solutions also help reduce costs, lie with waste, improve efficiency, and increase productivity for companies, industries, and cities.(b) While there may be short-term costs involved in shifting IBM from commodity-based businesses to customizable businesses, IBM believes that the transformation will provide growth for the company and its employees, success for its customers, and improved value for its stockholders.5.How should IBM measure the results of the Smarter Planet strategy?AnswerSince introducing the Smarter Planet strategy, IBM has collaborated with more than 600 organizations around the globe. In each case, there are different measures of the results of smart solutions. One of the in-chief(postnominal) elements of Smarter Planet is youre looking at the impact of investments on a whole system. Youre looking not just at home(a) operational improvements but at the effect on the company s brand, at strategic advantages it brings and even at the impact on society.