Strategic Marketing Challenge

Topic – Branding has always intrigued me and I guess I wanted to analyse brand value, changing brands and the effect it has on the organisation

Analyzing the issues - I conducted an analysis on a ‘top 10’ banking brand that could be leaving the African continent, its impact on brand conscious customers and employees,  the  challenge of re-branding the company and ensuring it can support the company’s strategy. An analysis was conducted on internal and external factors, followed by identifying strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. This led to defining a new marketing proposition aimed at improving the brand’s positive equity.

Implementing the strategy – This required a detail look at costs and risks, however, with careful management, the benefits of increased brand awareness and loyalty, new competitive advantage, higher revenues and expansion opportunities can be achieved, allowing the group to meet its strategic objectives.

My reflections: 

I could not believe how complex and interesting marketing could be. It was one of the only subjects to date that could bring together all the other modules into one coherent assignment

Planning and marketing strategy are so important to organisations

 Will this strategy be executed? The company is already in this movie and even though everything is quite confidential, I think it will be a positive outcome for the company.  

Tough assignment but well worth the effort ... 

2 more to go for 2016 … :)

…ME 

International Business Challenge

Topic - Working for a large multinational corporation, with astronomical internal shared services costs, I decided to base my topic on the challenge of outsourcing this capability.

Analyzing the issues - I conducted an analysis on potential locations, where my company could engage in Offshoring of Technology Shared Services for software development, testing and system maintenance and support, to ensure the company reduces costs, supports the strategy, and accesses the required skills.

Summarizing the analysis & option selected – The analysis and evaluation concluded that India and Mauritius were suitable offshore destinations. An in depth analysis of entry modes, showed that captive offshoring was not suitable, due to substantial capital investment and management administration required. This ruled out Mauritius. A strategic partnership option did not score well against the offshore outsourcing option especially considering the potential cultural distance and liability of foreignness disadvantages. Based on this, the preferred option selected was offshore outsourcing contracts with outsourcing companies in India.

Critical reflection of selected option - With this option, the company could keep the shared services environment stable, close the skills gaps, and allow its profit centres to focus on the business strategy.

My reflections

• I really found this assignment challenge interesting and motivating. I loved learning about the various outsourcing and offshoring concepts.
• Gaining insights into the various countries proved very valuable as I could relate this back into the organisation.
• Once again, I made contact with an offshoring expert (within the company) and once again I was not given any assistance
• Will this strategy be executed? I really see this assignment as the one that my company can implement due to the massive changes happening in the organisation at present, and cost cutting being a crucial driver for success.

Overall, this was a fantastic assignment and one that I am deeply proud of 

...Me