True / False Questions
1.
Strong supplier relations and efficient supply chains help firms such as Walmart to achieve operational excellence.
True False
2.
To build a sustainable competitive advantage, companies should focus on a single strategy.
True False
3.
It is not always necessary to go through all the steps in the marketing planning process.
True False
4.
A mission statement describes the specific actions a firm will take to achieve its goals.
True False
5.
iTunes software is often credited for the success of the Apple iPod MP3 player, because it made the iPod easier to use than competing players, and was difficult for competitors to duplicate. This is an example of a sustainable competitive advantage.
True False
6.
STP refers to segmentation, testing, and promotion.
True False
7.
The components of a SWOT analysis are Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Tactics.
True False
8.
Firms are typically more successful when they focus on opportunities that build on their competitors’ strengths.
True False
9.
Duke’s is a surfer-themed restaurant chain in Hawaii. Most of its customers are tourists. In a SWOT analysis for Duke’s, the possibility that the recession might cut back on tourism in Hawaii would be considered a Weakness.
True False
10.
Price should be based on the value that the customer perceives.
True False
11.
Geraldo manages the electrical turbine engine division of General Electric Corporation. He makes most decisions independently, without consulting headquarters. Geraldo manages a strategic business unit.
True False
12.
The marketing planning process always proceeds sequentially through the five steps.
True False
13.
Isaac is looking for ways to offer new goods and services to his existing customers. He is pursuing a market development strategy.
True False
14.
If Starbucks decided to start selling organic meals to corporate eating facilities, it would be pursuing a diversification strategy.
True False
15.
Sandisk’s MP3 player product line (called the Sansa) has a low relative market share. The MP3 player market is expected to decline over the next few years. In BCG portfolio analysis, the Sansa would be considered a dog.
True False
16.
The “Implement Marketing Mix” step of the strategic marketing planning process is part of the control phase.
True False
Multiple Choice Questions
17.
If a firm wants to develop a sustainable competitive advantage, it should:
A.
begin an aggressive campaign to buy up competitors.
B.
copy the innovative features of other firms that are attractive to customers.
C.
examine its operations and customer relations to identify significant things competitors cannot easily copy.
D.
increase its marketing budget so that it outspends its competitors.
E.
arrange to meet with competitors to discuss how to avoid direct competition.
18.
Which of the following is NOT one of the four overarching strategies to create and deliver value and to develop sustainable competitive advantage?
A.
Locational excellence
B.
Customer excellence
C.
Operational excellence
D.
Product excellence
E.
Planning excellence
19.
When Ramona, the keynote speaker at a major business leaders’ conference, arrived in the middle of the night at the Ritz-Carlton, she was exhausted and her suit was wrinkled from her ten-hour plane trip. The night clerk found someone to dry clean Ramona’s suit and have it ready for her morning presentation. She has been a loyal Ritz-Carlton customer ever since. In this example, Ritz-Carlton demonstrated the macro strategy of:
A.
customer excellence
B.
operational excellence
C.
product excellence
D.
promotional excellence
E.
global excellence
20.
Taking steps to encourage customer loyalty is one way to:
A.
test new products.
B.
promote efficiency.
C.
sustain an advantage over competitors.
D.
develop new pricing strategies.
E.
improve supply chain effectiveness.
21.
Some banks have begun offering special accounts designed to attract junior high school students. These kids save in such small amounts that the accounts cost banks more to maintain than they are worth. But bankers know that consumers are creatures of habit and hope that the young people they serve now will become adult customers. These banks recognize:
A.
that operational excellence is an important macro strategy.
B.
the lifetime value of customers.
C.
that product excellence leads to loyal customers.
D.
the importance of making decisions based on short-term results.
E.
that as long as customers bring in some revenue, costs do not matter.
22.
Narbonne’s, an upscale department store, instructs sales personnel that whenever a customer asks where something is, they should drop what they are doing and offer to escort the customer to what they are looking for. The company’s reputation for excellent customer service has probably resulted in:
A.
product design excellence.
B.
mission statement satisfaction.
C.
sustainable price decreases.
D.
a sustainable competitive advantage.
E.
producer excellence.
23.
Firms achieve ___________ through efficient procedures and excellent supply chain management.
A.
customer excellence
B.
locational excellence
C.
customer loyalty
D.
value-based pricing
E.
operational excellence
24.
Marketers want their firms to develop excellent supply chain management and strong supplier relations so they can:
A.
persuade stores to refuse to carry competitors’ products.
B.
use their power within the supply chain to force weaker firms to accept less favorable pricing.
C.
control prices and lock in margins.
D.
create a sustainable competitive advantage.
E.
justify charging higher prices than competitors do.
25.
For many years, Southwest Airlines distinguished itself as the low-cost airline. Now, many other low-cost competitors have entered the market. Similarly, Southwest was one of the first airlines to offer online ticketing. Now, all airlines have online ticketing. These examples suggest that:
A.
no single strategy is likely to be sufficient to build a sustainable competitive advantage.
B.
situation analysis is a continuous process.
C.
customers rarely remain loyal to companies.
D.
product excellence is the only true source of a sustainable competitive advantage.
E.
innovation is pointless because competitors will develop copycat offerings.
26.
“Effective marketing doesn’t just happen.” It is:
A.
promoted through STP analysis.
B.
possible only for seasoned marketing executives to achieve.
C.
planned.
D.
introduced through control phase SBUs.
E.
the result of competitor’s failures.
27.
Carla has been directed by her regional marketing manager to cut prices on seasonal items, submit an ad in the local paper, and tell distributors to reduce deliveries for the next month. Which step of the strategic marketing planning process is Carla engaged in?
A.
evaluate performance
B.
define the business mission.
C.
situation analysis
D.
implement marketing mix and resources.
E.
identifying and evaluating opportunities.
28.
When conducting a SWOT analysis, in what phase of the strategic marketing process is an organization presently engaged?
A.
planning
B.
implementation
C.
control
D.
segmentation
E.
metrics
29.
The automobile manufacturing industry closely watches annual consumer satisfaction surveys. For years, Japanese car companies consistently had the highest levels of customer satisfaction, creating a ______ for these companies.
A.
strategic marketing plan
B.
clear mission statement
C.
cost advantage
D.
sustainable competitive advantage
E.
diversification strategy
30.
Which of the following is LEAST likely to provide a sustainable competitive advantage?
A.
Lowering prices.
B.
Having a well-known brand name.
C.
Achieving high levels of customer satisfaction.
D.
Using patented technology.
E.
Creating an efficient supply chain.
31.
Even when large discount retailers enter a market, a few small, local retailers survive and prosper. These small retailers have probably developed a(n) ________ that allows them to survive.
A.
advertising campaign
B.
plan to evaluate results
C.
sustainable competitive advantage
D.
set of performance metrics
E.
SWOT analysis
32.
As part of her company’s SWOT analysis, Valerie is assessing the company’s internal environment, including:
A.
strengths.
B.
opportunities.
C.
strengths and weaknesses.
D.
threats.
E.
opportunities and threats.
33.
Samantha is charged with assessing her company’s external environment as part of a SWOT analysis. Samantha will study her company’s:
A.
strengths.
B.
opportunities.
C.
strengths and weaknesses.
D.
weaknesses.
E.
opportunities and threats.
34.
Manufacturers who use just-in-time manufacturing systems coordinate closely with suppliers in order to ensure that materials and supplies arrive just before they are needed in the manufacturing process. While just-in-time systems can offer major advantages in terms of inventory costs, they must be carefully managed. If a firm found that its just-in-time system was badly managed, leading to frequent manufacturing delays due to missing parts, this would represent a __________ in a SWOT analysis.
A.
weakness
B.
opportunity
C.
threat
D.
strength
E.
business mission
35.
For U.S. businesses with strong export capabilities, expansion of U.S. trade agreements with other countries creates:
A.
weaknesses.
B.
opportunities.
C.
strengths.
D.
threats.
E.
strategic plans.
36.
In 2006, Ford Motor Company announced it would severely cut back automobile production. For parts companies supplying Ford Motor, this represented a(n):
A.
weakness.
B.
opportunity.
C.
strength.
D.
threat.
E.
strategic plan.
37.
Lionel is asked to conduct an STP analysis for his firm. The first step he should perform in this analysis is to:
A.
develop a business mission statement.
B.
choose the best target markets.
C.
reposition existing segments.
D.
divide the marketplace into subgroups.
E.
conduct a SWOT analysis.
38.
Recently, Walmart announced it would begin selling organic food products. In doing so, Walmart is probably trying to:
A.
gain government subsidies.
B.
attract a different market segment.
C.
reduce its costs.
D.
save the environment.
E.
offset cost-based pricing pressure.
39.
For years, when considering new products, marketers at Celestial Seasonings asked themselves, “What would Stacy think?” Stacy was a fictional character representing 25-50 year old, educated, upper-income women who rarely watched television but did a lot of reading. “Stacy” represented Celestial’s primary:
A.
demographic segment.
B.
positioning.
C.
SBU.
D.
target market segment.
E.
sustainable competitive advantage.
40.
Many of today’s college graduates will make their livings providing goods and services to “baby boomers,” the large group of Americans born in the period after World War II. Baby boomers are a _________________ market segment.
A.
psychological
B.
behavioral
C.
social
D.
product-based
E.
demographic