testing

[Ha]

Just testing how to use this forum

[leahlandicho]

Glen, is this where we can post questions about the past exam papers that you've given us?

[Glenn]

Yes

[jastej]

hi glen, i m facing prblm in Q7 which u gave last week so cn u help me nxt week

[diana]

hi i find something about the product life cycle hope it is usful
Product life cycle
The product life cycle goes through many phases, involves many professional disciplines, and requires many skills, tools and processes. Product life cycle (PLC) has to do with the life of a product in the market with respect to business/commercial costs and sales measures; whereas product lifecycle management (PLM) has more to do with managing descriptions and properties of a product through its development and useful life, mainly from a business/engineering point of view. To say that a product has a life cycle is to assert four things: 1) that products have a limited life, 2) product sales pass through distinct stages, each posing different challenges, opportunities, and problems to the seller, 3) profits rise and fall at different stages of product life cycle, and 4) products require different marketing, financial, manufacturing, purchasing, and human resource strategies in each life cycle stage.

The different stages in a product life cycle are:

Market introduction stage
cost high
sales volume low
no/little competition - competitive manufacturers watch for acceptance/segment growth losses
demand has to be created
customers have to be prompted to try the product
Growth stage
costs reduced due to economies of scale
sales volume increases significantly
profitability
public awareness
competition begins to increase with a few new players in establishing market
prices to maximize market share
Mature stage
Costs are very low as you are well established in market & no need for publicity.
sales volume peaks
increase in competitive offerings
prices tend to drop due to the proliferation of competing products
brand differentiation, feature diversification, as each player seeks to differentiate from competition with "how much product" is offered
Industrial profits go down
Saturation and decline stage
costs become counter-optimal
sales volume decline or stabilize
prices, profitability diminish
profit becomes more a challenge of production/distribution efficiency than increased sales

[edit] Market Identification
A "micro-market" can be used to describe a Walkman, more portable, as well as individually and privately recordable; and then Compact Discs ("CDs") brought increased capacity and CD-R offered individual private recording...and so the process goes. The below section on the "technology lifecycle" is a most appropriate concept in this context.[clarify] Most of the context is not in English so you may need a translator.[clarify]

In short, termination is not always the end of the cycle; it can be the end of a micro-entrant within the grander scope of a macro-environment. The auto industry, fast-food industry, petro-chemical industry, are just a few that demonstrate a macro-environment that overall has not terminated even while micro-entrants over time have come and gone.


[edit] Lessons of the Product Life Cycle (PLC)
It is claimed that every product has a life cycle. It is launched, it grows, and at some point, may die. A fair comment is that - at least in the short term - not all products or services die. Jeans may die, but clothes probably will not. Legal services or medical services may die, but depending on the social and political climate, probably will not.

Even though its validity is questionable, it can offer a useful 'model' for managers to keep at the back of their mind. Indeed, if their products are in the introductory or growth phases, or in that of decline, it perhaps should be at the front of their mind; for the predominant features of these phases may be those revolving around such life and death. Between these two extremes, it is salutary for them to have that vision of mortality in front of them.

However, the most important aspect of product life-cycles is that, even under normal conditions, to all practical intents and purposes they often do not exist (hence, there needs to be more emphasis on model/reality mappings). In most markets the majority of the major brands have held their position for at least two decades. The dominant product life-cycle, that of the brand leaders which almost monopolize many markets, is therefore one of continuity.

In the criticism of the product life cycle, Dhalla & Yuspeh state:

...clearly, the PLC is a dependent variable which is determined by market actions; it is not an independent variable to which companies should adapt their marketing programs. Marketing management itself can alter the shape and duration of a brand's life cycle.[1]

Thus, the life cycle may be useful as a description, but not as a predictor; and usually should be firmly under the control of the marketer. The important point is that in many markets the product or brand life cycle is significantly longer than the planning cycle of the organisations involved. Thus, it offers little practical value for most marketers. Even if the PLC (and the related PLM support) exists for them, their plans will be based just upon that piece of the curve where they currently reside (most probably in the 'mature' stage); and their view of that part of it will almost certainly be 'linear' (and limited), and will not encompass the whole range from growth to decline

[diana]

hay here some information about strategic planing
208.42.83.77/plan_dec/str_plan/basics.htm

[diana]

look here for information about operation planning
www.nsms.org.uk/images/CoreFiles/Operational_Planning_PHRU_March_07.pdf

[diana]

some information about motivational theory
www.neiu.edu/~aserafin/421/motivation/aMotivation/sld005.htm

[diana]

Glen what do u think about the information i found about motivational theory is it a good one

[diana]

some information for stratigic planing
What is Strategic Planning?
Simply put, strategic planning determines where an organization is going over the next year or more and how it's going to get there. Typically, the process is organization-wide, or focused on a major function such as a division, department or other major function. (The descriptions on this page assume that strategic planning is focused on the organization.)

How to Get a Feel for Strategic Planning -- There's No Perfect Way to Do It
Planning typically includes several major activities or steps in the process. Different people often have different names for these major activities. They might even conduct them in a different order. Strategic planning often includes use of several key terms. Different people might use apply different definitions for these terms, as well.

Don't be concerned about finding the "perfect way" to conduct strategic planning. You'll soon notice that each writer seems to have their own particularly interpretation of the activities in strategic planning. However, as you read the materials linked from the topic Strategic Planning in this library, you'll begin to notice some information that is common to most writers.

Read the basic description described below on this page. Then review the various materials linked from the library in the topic Strategic Planning. Once you start strategic planning, you'll soon find your own particular approach to carrying out the process.

One Way to Look at Strategic Planning
One interpretation of the major activities in strategic planning activities is that it includes:

1. Strategic Analysis
This activity can include conducting some sort of scan, or review, of the organization's environment (for example, of the political, social, economic and technical environment). Planners carefully consider various driving forces in the environment, for example, increasing competition, changing demographics, etc. Planners also look at the various strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (an acronym for this activity is SWOT) regarding the organization.

(Some people take this wide look around after they've identified or updated their mission statement, vision statement, values statement, etc. These statements are briefly described below. Other people conduct the analysis before reviewing the statements.)

(Note that in the past, organizations usually referred to the phrase "long-range planning". More recently, planners use the phrase "strategic planning". This new phrase is meant to capture the strategic (comprehensive, thoughtful, well-placed) nature of this type of planning.)

2. Setting Strategic Direction
Planners carefully come to conclusions about what the organization must do as a result of the major issues and opportunities facing the organization. These conclusions include what overall accomplishments (or strategic goals) the organization should achieve, and the overall methods (or strategies) to achieve the accomplishments. Goals should be designed and worded as much as possible to be specific, measurable, acceptable to those working to achieve the goals, realistic, timely, extending the capabilities of those working to achieve the goals, and rewarding to them, as well. (An acronym for these criteria is "SMARTER".)

At some point in the strategic planning process (sometimes in the activity of setting the strategic direction), planners usually identify or update what might be called the strategic "philosophy". This includes identifying or updating the organization's mission, vision and/or values statements. Mission statements are brief written descriptions of the purpose of the organization. Mission statements vary in nature from very brief to quite comprehensive, and including having a specific purpose statement that is part of the overall mission statement. Many people consider the values statement and vision statement to be part of the mission statement. New businesses (for-profit or nonprofit) often work with a state agency to formally register their new business, for example, as a corporation, association, etc. This registration usually includes declaring a mission statement in their charter (or constitution, articles of incorporation, etc.).

It seems that vision and values statements are increasingly used. Vision statements are usually a compelling description of how the organization will or should operate at some point in the future and of how customers or clients are benefitting from the organization's products and services. Values statements list the overall priorities in how the organization will operate. Some people focus the values statement on moral values. Moral values are values that suggest overall priorities in how people ought to act in the world, for example, integrity, honesty, respect, etc. Other people include operational values which suggest overall priorities for the organization, for example, to expand marketshare, increase efficiency, etc. (Some people would claim that these operational values are really strategic goals. Don't get hung up on wording for now.)

3. Action Planning
Action planning is carefully laying out how the strategic goals will be accomplished. Action planning often includes specifying objectives, or specific results, with each strategic goal. Therefore, reaching a strategic goal typically involves accomplishing a set of objectives along the way -- in that sense, an objective is still a goal, but on a smaller scale.

Often, each objective is associated with a tactic, which is one of the methods needed to reach an objective. Therefore, implementing a strategy typically involves implementing a set of tactics along the way -- in that sense, a tactic is still a strategy, but on a smaller scale.

Action planning also includes specifying responsibilities and timelines with each objective, or who needs to do what and by when. It should also include methods to monitor and evaluate the plan, which includes knowing how the organization will know who has done what and by when.

It's common to develop an annual plan (sometimes called the operational plan or management plan), which includes the strategic goals, strategies, objectives, responsibilities and timelines that should be done in the coming year. Often, organizations will develop plans for each major function, division department, etc., and call these work plans.

Usually, budgets are included in the strategic and annual plan, and with work plans. Budgets specify the money needed for the resources that are necessary to implement the annual plan. Budgets also depict how the money will be spent, for example, for human resources, equipment, materials, etc.

(Note there are several different kinds of budgets. Operating budgets are usually budgets associated with major activities over the coming year. Project budgets are associated with major projects, for example, constructing a building, developing a new program or product line, etc. Cash budgets depict where cash will be spent over some near term, for example, over the next three months (this is very useful in order to know if you can afford bills that must be paid soon. Capital budgets are associated with operating some major asset, for example, a building, automobiles, furniture, computers, etc.

[Feenz]

Hey, I was not in the class last week 4/11. Was in the meeting . What did you do in the class.

[Ha]

Message for Feenz.

Last week we did the past paper EY2007 Part B - Network Diagram.

Tonight Tuesday we will have a long class from 5:30pm to 9pm in the last room of D1. We will do and discuss any question on the past papers (any past paper). Prepare for this Friday night second test 14/11