Deck 3: Positioning Services in Competitive Markets

Question 1

Market analysis addresses all of the following factors EXCEPT ____________.

A) overall level of demand
B) trend of demand
C) government regulations
D) geographic location of demand
E) market analysis addresses all of the above factors

Answer 1

C

Question 2

One of the reasons why firms with a narrow product line elect to serve multiple segments is to create a portfolio of customers that hedge against low demand risks.

Answer 2

True

Question 3

Positioning plays a pivotal role in marketing strategy, because it links market analysis and competitive analysis to environmental analysis.

Answer 3

False

Question 4

An) ____________ is one that a firm has selected from among those in the broader market and may be defined on the basis of several variables.

A) general segment
B) segmentation field
C) target segment
D) holistic segment
E) mass customization

Question 5

Which of the following is the best example of a determinant characteristic for airline travel?

A) Oxygen masks
B) Plane size
C) Quality of food and drinks
D) Having cocktail service
E) Floatation devices

Question 6

A service-focused firm offers a narrow range of services to a fairly broad market.

Question 7

A ____________ is composed of a group of buyers who share common characteristics, needs, purchasing behavior, or consumption patterns.

A) target class
B) class
C) focal segment
D) market segment
E) target segment

Question 8

The same individuals may set different priorities for attributes according to all EXCEPT which of the following?

A) The purpose of using the service.
B) Who makes the decision.
C) The timing of use.
D) Whether the individual is using the service alone or with a group.
E) The cost of the service.

Question 9

It is usually a good idea for firms to try to appeal to all potential buyers in a market, because customer variety leads to full capacity.

Question 10

Market niches that seem too narrow to offer sufficient sales in one country are indicative of globally narrow market niches.

Question 11

No service attribute can be easily quantified because of the intangibility of services.

Question 12

A target segment should only be selected on the basis of their sales and profit potential.

Question 13

Competitive analysis addresses all of the following factors EXCEPT ____________.

A) examines competitors' strengths
B) identifies competitors' future positioning
C) examines competitors' current positioning
D) examines competitors' weaknesses
E) suggests opportunities for differentiation

Question 14

Which of the following is NOT one of the four principles of positioning according to Jack Trout?

A) A company must maintain a strong labor base.
B) A company must establish a position in the minds of its targeted customers.
C) The position should be singular, providing one simple and consistent message.
D) The position must set a company apart from its competitors.
E) A company cannot be all things to all people-it must focus its efforts.

Question 15

A fully-focused organization concentrates on a narrow market segment, but has a wide range of services.

Question 16

The objective of internal corporate analysis is to identify the organization's resources, any limitations or constraints, its goals, and how it values shape the way it does business.

Question 17

The best way to anticipate possible competitive responses is to identify all current or potential competitors and to put oneself in their own management's shoes by conducting an internal corporate analysis for each of these competitors.

Question 18

Which of the following is NOT one of the four basic focus strategies?

A) Service focused
B) Unfocused
C) Fully focused
D) Refocused
E) Market focused

Question 19

Brand positioning can do all of the following except ____________.

A) generate interest in a service
B) create awareness for a service
C) meet customers' needs for a service
D) differentiate a service
E) increase adoption of a service

Question 20

____________, refers to an explicit form of positioning strategy that is based upon offering several price-based classes of service concept, each based on packaging a distinct level of service performance across many attributes.

A) Service tiering
B) Service conscription
C) Broad-basing
D) Price-setting
E) Matching

Question 21

United Church Homes & Services offers housing to retirees. This is an example of a market focused strategy.

Question 22

What are the two dimensions along which a company's focus can be described?

Question 23

Yotel and Qbic are capsule hotel chains.

Question 24

Rentokil started off as a firm that manufactured rat poison and a pesticide for killing leeches.

Question 25

Segmentation variables at Contiki Holidays include all of the following EXCEPT ____________.

A) geographic
B) income
C) lifestyle
D) household size
E) age

Question 26

Why is it possible to segment customers according to price levels?

Question 27

Give an example of a key service attribute used in transportation services.

Question 28

Google has expanded its offerings to include Google Earth and You Tube in order increase sales and attract new customers.

Question 29

Which of the following is most likely the determinant attribute for customers of CEVA Logistics, who have global operations?

A) number of trucks
B) reach
C) delivery times
D) mode of delivery
E) online booking of services

Question 30

What are the advantages of positioning charts?

Question 31

Distinguish between important and determinant attributes

Question 32

Give an example of an industry that utilizes service tiering.

Question 33

What were the main benefits of capsule hotels when they first started up?

Question 34

Capsule hotels originated from _____________.

A) New York
B) London
C) Japan
D) India
E) Malaysia

Question 35

Bright Horizons used low-cost strategies to achieve their competitive advantage.

Question 36

What are the characteristics of an unfocused service category?

Question 37

What are the three types of analysis to consider when developing a market positioning strategy?

Question 38

Give an example of service tiering in the airline industry.

Question 39

Explain what a fully-focused and a market-focused strategy are and discuss the opportunities and risks inherent in selecting each strategy.

Question 40

Bright Horizons strategy included which of the following?

A) Marketing services to employers instead of parents.
B) Hiring inexpensive labor.
C) Commoditized service offerings.
D) Heavy regulatory oversight.
E) All of the above are strategies employed by BH.

Question 41

Discuss the analysis that took place to develop Bright Horizons and the ways in which they overcame unappealing industry characteristics.

Question 42

Discuss who Smart Communication Ltd's customers are and some of the unique ways Smart Communication Ltd goes about servicing them.

Question 43

How did Rentokil Initial grow from a manufacturer of rat poison, to the world's large business support services company?

Question 44

Give an example of a service firm that used the blue ocean strategy to make competition irrelevant.