Final Draft--Updated
on 10/18/08
Note regarding this assignment: Because we have had to adjust the
schedule for the extended coverage of the breakeven material earlier in the
semester I am redistributing the points from the SG Industries case which you
will NOT hand in [but which we WILL cover] on October 23rd. Casual Comfort will
be worth 12.5% of your final grade; it was originally 10%.
The Casual Comfort case is about a pair of college students who have decided
to produce and sell a bean bag chair. The product and context should be familiar
enough to make the case both interesting and straightforward. You are to assume
the role of Lee Greenspoon and Michael Bellman, the protagonists in the Casual
Comfort case.
Your analysis of the case requires the following steps.
- Do a consumer analysis. Use BRIEF bullet points to identify each of the
following:
- Who your customer? [Hint: It is not a generic
"student."]
- What are this customer's objectives in buying your
beanbag chair?
- Where will you sell the chairs?
- When will you sell them?
- What will influence the consumer's decision to buy your chair rather
than someone else's?
- What other considerations are there [e.g., keep up with the folks
next door; students may be inexperienced at making consumption
decisions]?
- There are three potential distribution channels. What are the
implications associated with each of them? How do they affect your decisions
about strategy for distribution? Be specific. Use BRIEF bullet points.
- Assess the competition. BRIEF bullet points.
- What political, economic, social and technological factors are evident,
and how do these influence the choices you have to make? More BRIEF bullet
points.
- Having considered your analysis in parts I - IV, what are the
implications for the marketing mix? Be specific. Use BRIEF
bullet points. Do calculations in Excel, with your work carefully laid out
so that your work is easily understood. Copy the relevant worksheet sections
into Word to produce your final document.
- Having identified the elements of the marketing mix, what share of the
market do you have to capture in order to break even? Do calculations in
Excel, with your work carefully laid out so that your work is easily
understood. Copy the relevant worksheet sections into Word to produce your
final document.
Submission:
Group assignment [maximum of 3 per group; you need not necessarily
work with the same people you worked with on the St.Hikldegard's case]. Hard
copy only; due no later than the start of the 8 AM. section. We WILL discuss
the case in class. Each of you should have a copy of your case analysis AND the
case itself so that you can participate in our discussion.
