Theories of Marketing Development Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Theories of Marketing Development - Essay Example This theory applies to Sony considerably given that the organization spends heavily in R&D across all the product lines. As per statement released in 2003 by Nobuyuki Idei, Chairman & CEO of Sony Corporation, the organization planned to spend 500 billion Yens (about 5.1 billion US Dollars as per current rate) in three years to develop competitive key electronic devices through internal innovations although the organization invested 502 billion Yens (about 5.12 billion US Dollars) in 2005 itself. [Sony Corporation, 2003; Sony Corporation, 2005] Sony has been practicing creative destruction by forcing the old available products towards obsolescence by virtue of their innovations. One excellent example is the â€Å"style† innovation of Sony latest Pocket Style VAIO P that is expected to yet again create a new niche segment for Sony that may force laptops to obsolescence especially in applications like Internet usage, word processing, multi-media & entertainment, messaging, Internet-based telephony, etc. [Prokaza, Julian. 2009] Sony practices the strategy of Differentiation Strategy thus targeting niche markets where products are unique and sold at premium rates. They tend to develop unique market segments where there aren’t any competitions and the pricing strategies are totally in their own control. Walkman, Play Station, and now the Pocket Style Vaio P are examples of product uniqueness that Sony brings to the market. In these markets, Sony is not bogged down by competition that practice Cost Leadership strategy. Sony practices product uniqueness (differentiation) and achieves the same by virtue of huge investments in Innovation and R&D.

Examine the nature of personal selling and the role of the sales force Essay

Examine the nature of personal selling and the role of the sales force - Essay Example Most sales happen as a result of advertising. Advertising could be placed in mediums such as television, newspapers, billboards, internet web-pages, etc. These forms of sales employ one-way communication, whereby messages are communicated from manufacturer to end-consumer with no immediate feedback. Personal selling, on the other hand, differs from conventional advertising, in that salespersons of a company build and maintain a long-term relationship with their customers. They do this by directly interacting with customers via phone or web conferences or in person. Many companies include personal selling as part of their overall sales strategy, especially if they foresee complex selling situations. In this type of selling â€Å"salespeople can probe customers to learn more about their problems, and then adjust the marketing offer and presentation to fit special needs of each customer.† (Kotler & Armstrong, p.453) Even within personal selling, a wide variety of strategies are e mployed by managers. For example, while companies that sell only online or through catalogs do not need any salespersons, the ones such as IBM or DuPont do need a sales force. In companies such as Procter & Gamble and Nike, the sales force â€Å"plays an important behind-the-scenes role.