Question 1

When customers fall into different user groups with distinct buying preferences and practices, a ________ is desirable.

Accepted Answer

A market-management organization would be most suitable in this scenario, as it focuses on understanding and catering to different markets and customer segments with varying preferences and behaviors. This type of organization is designed to identify and respond to market trends, develop targeted marketing strategies, and adjust product offerings to meet the diverse needs of different customer groups. Other options such as a product-management organization or brand-management organization may be suitable in different contexts, but in this case, a market-focused approach is the most appropriate.

Question 2

Modern marketing departments may be organized in a number of different, sometimes, overlapping ways by

Accepted Answer

Modern marketing departments are often structured functionally, geographically, by product or brand, by market, or in a matrix. Functional organization groups employees by the functions they perform, such as advertising, branding, or market research. Geographical organization groups employees by the regions or territories they serve. Product or brand organization groups employees by the specific product or brand they work on. Market organization groups employees by the types of customers or markets they serve. Matrix organization combines two or more of these structures to create a hybrid organization that is more flexible and responsive to changing business needs. Therefore, option D is the most comprehensive and accurate answer.

Question 3

A national sales manager supervises four regional sales managers, who each supervise six zone managers, who in turn supervise eight district sales manager, who each supervise ten salespeople. This is an example of which type of marketing department organization?

Accepted Answer

This is an example of a geographic organization, where the organization is divided by regions or territories.

Question 4

________ is when the marketing activity is organized to meet the needs of distinct customer groups rather than being focused on marketing functions, regions, or products.

Accepted Answer

A market-centred organization is focused on meeting the needs of distinct customer groups, rather than being organized around marketing functions, regions, or products. This approach enables companies to tailor their marketing efforts to specific customer segments, which can lead to more effective marketing and higher customer satisfaction.

Question 5

Companies that produce many products flowing into many markets may adopt a ________ marketing organization.

Accepted Answer

A matrix organization is often used by companies that have many products and markets because it allows for cross-functional teams to be created and work on specific projects. This approach provides more flexibility and better coordination among different departments, which can be crucial for success in complex and dynamic environments.

Question 6

You are the brand/product manager for a line of cake mixes. One of your tasks is to prepare a long-range strategy for the product. Other tasks assigned to you would include

Accepted Answer

As a brand/product manager, you would typically work with an advertising agency to develop an advertising campaign for your product line.

Question 7

Product and brand management is sometimes characterized as a ________ system.

Accepted Answer

Product and brand management is often characterized as a hub-and-spoke system, where the product or brand is at the center (the hub) and various departments or functions (such as marketing, sales, product development, and customer service) are the spokes connecting to the hub. This model emphasizes the central role of the product or brand in coordinating the activities of different parts of the organization.

Question 8

A fourth alternative available to a company that uses a product-management organization is to introduce ________ in which a company focuses on product ________ to manage its brands.

Accepted Answer

Category management focuses on product categories as the primary unit of analysis for managing and merchandising products, rather than focusing solely on individual brands or products. This approach allows companies to optimize their product assortments, pricing, promotions, and shelf placement by looking at the performance of entire categories.

Question 9

In a ________, companies can organize themselves to understand and deal with individual customers rather than with the mass market or even market segments.

Accepted Answer

A customer-management organization emphasizes the importance of building relationships with individual customers and tailoring marketing efforts to meet their specific needs and preferences. This approach contrasts with a market-centred organization, which focuses on broader market segments, or a product-centred organization, which prioritizes the development and sale of specific products or services. A brand-asset organization and brand-centred organization both center on building and managing the brand as a primary organizational objective, rather than focusing on individual customers.

Question 10

There are three types of potential product-team structures. These are

Accepted Answer

The answer of There are three types of potential product-team...

Question 11

Canon sells its fax machines to consumers, business, and government markets. As a result it finds that a ________ is desirable because the market manager supervises several market-development managers and market specialists.

Accepted Answer

A market-management organization is a structure that has a market manager who supervises market-development managers and market specialists. This type of organization is best suited for a company like Canon that has multiple markets with varying needs, such as consumers, businesses, and governments. This structure allows for better coordination and communication across markets, ensuring that each market is receiving the appropriate resources and attention.

Question 12

A second alternative available to firms with a product-management organization is to switch from product managers to

Accepted Answer

Switching from product managers to product teams allows for a more collaborative approach, where a team is responsible for the product rather than a single manager, potentially improving decision-making and innovation.

Question 13

Another rationale for category management is the increasing power of the

Accepted Answer

The answer of Another rationale for category management is the...

Question 14

Assume that your company's products deal with individual customers rather than with mass market or even market segments. Which marketing organization would best serve your firm?

Accepted Answer

A customer-management organization would best serve a company whose products deal with individual customers. This type of organization is focused on building and maintaining relationships with customers by providing personalized service and support. It allows for better understanding of individual customer needs and preferences, which can lead to increased customer satisfaction and loyalty.

Question 15

Colgate has moved from managing Colgate toothpaste to managing the toothpaste category to managing mouth care. In other words, Colgate has moved from brand management to ________ to "customer-need management".

Accepted Answer

The question states that Colgate has moved from managing its own brand (Colgate toothpaste) to managing the entire toothpaste category. This implies a shift to category management, where the focus is on managing a group of related products rather than just one brand. The question also mentions that Colgate has moved towards "customer-need management," which further supports the idea of category management as it involves understanding and meeting the needs of customers within a specific product category. Therefore, option B (category management) is the best choice.

Question 16

P&G cites a number of advantages to a category-management structure. They foster internal competition among brand managers for example. This new scheme is designed to

Accepted Answer

The category-management structure is designed to ensure that each product category receives adequate resources, not just the largest categories. The structure also fosters internal competition among brand managers to ensure that all categories are receiving the attention and resources needed to succeed.

Question 17

GE, IBM, and ATCO are three companies that follow this step to creating a market- and customer-focused company.

Accepted Answer

The answer of GE, IBM, and ATCO are three companies...

Question 18

Unilever has several leading brands in varying categories. It believes that each major brand should be run by a ________ consisting of key representatives from the major functions affecting the brand's performance.

Accepted Answer

Unilever's approach suggests that they have a brand-centric approach to managing their business, and hence would use a brand-asset management team to achieve their objectives. This team would be responsible for aligning the various functions, such as marketing, product development, customer management, etc., with the brand's strategic goals, and manage the brand as an asset to create long-term value.

Question 19

The product-management organization has several advantages. Which of the following is a disadvantage of the product-management system?

Accepted Answer

The disadvantage of the product-management system is that the product manager is an expert in his/her category only, which may lead to a lack of cross-functional knowledge and understanding of the company's overall strategy.

Question 20

A Brand-asset management team (BAMT)

Accepted Answer

The BAMT consists of key representatives from major functions affecting the brand's performance. This may include representatives from marketing, finance, operations, and other relevant departments. The team works together to manage and strengthen the brand's assets.

Quiz 22: Managing a Holistic Marketing Organization