Question 1

Long-term profitability will not be affected if the brand managers offer an excess of coupons or cents-off packages to customers.

Accepted Answer

Offering excessive coupons or cents-off packages can lead to customers becoming accustomed to discounted prices and only purchasing products when they are on sale. This can result in lower profit margins for the company in the long term. Additionally, it may attract price-sensitive customers who are not loyal to the brand and are unlikely to continue purchasing products at full price once the promotional period ends.

Question 2

A venture team is typically composed of a brand manager, product category manager, and market manager.

Accepted Answer

A venture team can have various roles depending on the company and project. While a brand manager, product category manager, and market manager may be part of a venture team in some cases, it is not a universal composition.

Question 3

Depending upon the organization, product management may include brand managers, product category managers, and market managers.

Accepted Answer

Product management can include various roles and titles depending upon the organization, and brand managers, product category managers, and market managers are some examples of those roles.

Question 4

The effectiveness of product strategies depends on the managers who carry them out.

Accepted Answer

The effectiveness of product strategies is directly influenced by the competence and expertise of the managers responsible for implementing them. The success or failure of a product strategy depends on how well the managers can analyze the market, identify customer needs, and develop products that meet those needs. Effective communication, coordination, decision-making, and resource allocation are also critical factors that determine the success of product strategies. Therefore, the role of managers is pivotal in the effectiveness of product strategies.

Question 5

Colgate-Palmolive replaced its brand management structure with a product category management structure. A manager who had once managed Colgate toothpaste now manages all of the company's dental products. Under Colgate's new system, a product category manager would have ________.
A) profit and loss responsibility for all dental products
B) completely different duties than the brand manager had
C) less direct authority to achieve goals
D) no authority over functions, other than marketing, that affect dental products
E) no authority over international dental product sales

Accepted Answer

Under Colgate's new product category management structure, the product category manager would have profit and loss responsibility for all dental products. This means that the manager would be responsible for the financial performance of all dental products, not just one specific brand, as would have been the case under the old brand management structure.

Question 6

Kodak markets cameras, film, X-ray film and equipment, printers, printer accessories, motion picture film, and touch screen sensors. Kodak is likely to have ________ who coordinate the mix of the product lines.
A) brand managers
B) product category managers
C) venture teams
D) communication teams
E) market managers

Accepted Answer

Product category managers are responsible for coordinating the mix of product lines within a company. Given Kodak's diverse product offerings, it is likely that they have product category managers in place to manage each product line. Brand managers typically focus on a single brand or product, while venture teams and communication teams are not directly responsible for product mix. Market managers may play a role in product mix, but their primary focus is on understanding and serving customer needs.

Question 7

A manufacturer of acrylic, latex, and nitrile gloves sells to medical laboratories, factories where employees handle chemicals, companies that manufacture micro-tech equipment, and cleaning services. The company is organized to better satisfy the specific needs of each of its four target markets, so it uses a ________ structure.
A) product category
B) market manager
C) brand manager
D) venture team
E) family brand

Accepted Answer

The company is organized around the specific needs of its different target markets, indicating a market manager structure, where managers are responsible for serving the needs of specific customer groups.

Question 8

How does a product category manager differ from a market manager?

Accepted Answer

The answer of How does a product category manager differ...

Question 9

Brand managers may push too hard with coupons or other price incentives to the point that customers will refuse to buy the product without these promotions.

Accepted Answer

Customers can become overly reliant on coupons or price incentives, and may refuse to buy the product at its regular price, causing brand managers to push for even more discounts to compete. This can create a problematic cycle and erode the product's perceived value.

Question 10

Explain the potential problems associated with the brand management system.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Explain the potential problems associated with the...

Question 11

A brand manager serves essentially the same function as a product category manager.

Accepted Answer

While there may be some overlap in responsibilities between brand managers and product category managers, they are not identical roles. Brand managers focus on building and promoting a specific brand, while product category managers oversee a group of related products within a company's portfolio.

Question 12

A firm's skunk works department would most likely be located ________.
A) in a central part of the firm's main office building
B) in the most productive section of the company
C) away from the firm's traditional offices
D) at the headquarters of the firm's largest customer
E) as close as possible to the firm's communication specialists

Accepted Answer

Skunk works departments are usually set up away from a company's traditional offices in order to foster an atmosphere of creativity and innovation. They are often located in separate buildings or even in remote locations.

Question 13

The market manager structure would probably not be useful when firms offer a variety of products that serve the needs of a wide range of customers.

Accepted Answer

The market manager structure could be useful for firms with a wide range of products and customers as it allows for specialized managers to focus on specific markets or products.

Question 14

General Foods produces many different brands of coffee, including Brim, Maxim, Maxwell House, International Coffees, Sanka, and Yuban. Each brand is likely to have its own ________.
A) venture team
B) market manager
C) product category manager
D) communication manager
E) brand manager

Accepted Answer

Each brand is likely to have its own brand manager who is responsible for overseeing the brand's marketing, advertising, and overall strategy. A market manager or product category manager may oversee multiple brands within a certain category, but a brand manager would be more focused on a specific brand.

Question 15

What are some of the potential responsibilities of brand managers employed at P&G?

Accepted Answer

The answer of What are some of the potential responsibilities...

Quiz 9: Product Ii: Product Strategy, Branding, and Product Management