mr.bevan
  • Home
  • IB Economics
    • 01 Microeconomics >
      • 1. The Foundations of Economics
      • 1.1 Demand and Supply
      • 1.2 Elasticities
      • 1.3 Government Intervention
      • 1.4 Market Failure
    • 02 Macroeconomics >
      • 01 Level of Economic Activity
      • 2.2 Aggregate Demand
      • 2.3 Aggregate Supply
      • 2.4 Macroeconomic Equlibruim
      • 2.5 Unemployment
      • 2.6 Inflation
      • 2.7 Economic Growth
      • 2.8 Equity in the distribution of income
    • 03 The Global Economy >
      • 3.1 Free Trade
      • 3.2 Protectionism
      • 3.3 Exchange Rates
      • 3.4 Balance of Payments
      • 3.5 Economic Integration
      • 3.6 Economic Development
      • 3.7 Measuring Development
      • 3.8 Barriers to economic growth and/or development
    • 04 Exam Preparation
  • Individuals & Societies 7
    • 01 Economic Growth and Development
    • 02 Where are all the people?
    • 03 Why do empires fall?
    • 04 How has globalization shaped the world?
  • Individuals & Societies 8
    • 01 Belief systems and their influence on culture
    • 02 How are societies governed?
    • 03 Japan 1603 - 1945: Isolation and then expansion
    • 04 What are natural hazards and how do societies respond to them? Case Study: Japan
  • Individuals & Societies 10
    • 01 Does industrialization improve well-being?
    • 02 The Psychology of Motivation
  • IB Business Management
    • 01 Business Organization and the Environment >
      • 1.1 Introduction to Business Management
      • 1.2 Types of business organizations
      • 1.3 Organizational objectives
      • 1.4 Stakeholders
      • 1.5 External Environment
      • 1.6 Growth and Evolution
      • 1.7 Organizational planning tools
    • 02 Human Resources >
      • 2.1 Human Resource Planning
      • 2.2 Organizational Structure
      • 2.3 Leadership and Management
      • 2.4 Motivation
      • 2.5 Organizational and corporate cultures
      • 2.6 Employer and employee relations
    • 03 Finance and Accounting >
      • 3.1 Sources of finance
      • 3.2 Costs and revenues
      • 3.3 Break-even analysis
      • 3.4 Financial Accounts
      • 3.5 & 3.6 Ratio Analysis
      • 3.7 Cash flow
      • 3.8 Investment appraisal
      • 3.9 Budgets
    • 04 Marketing >
      • 4.1 The Role Marketing
      • 4.2 Marketing Planning
      • 4.3 Sales Forcasting
      • 4.4 Market Research
      • 4.5 Product >
        • 4.5 Price
        • 4.5 Promotion
        • 4.5 Place
      • 4.7 International Marketing and Globalization
    • The Exam
  • AP World History
    • Free Response Questions
    • 10,000 BCE - 600CE
    • 600 - 1450
    • 1450 - 1750
  • AP Human Geo
    • 01 Geography its nature and perspectives
    • 02 Population and Migration
    • 03 Cultural Geography
    • 04 Political Geography
    • 05 Urban Geography
    • 06 Economic Geography
    • 07 Agricultural Geography
    • Exam Review
  • Previously Taught Courses
    • G12 Economics >
      • Basic Economic Ideas
      • Producing and Consuming
      • Financial Capability
      • Managing the Economy
    • G10 World History >
      • 01 Exploration, Scientific Revolution and the Enlightenment
      • 02 The American Revolution
      • 03 France: Absolute Monarchy & Revolution
      • 04 The Industrial Revolution
      • 05 Imperialism and Nationalism
      • 06 WW1
      • 07 Inter-War Period
      • 08 WW2
    • G9 World History >
      • 01 Human beginnings and early civilizations >
        • 03 What can we learn from Classical Civilizations (Greece) >
          • 03 What can we learn from Classical Civilizations?
      • 03 Classical China
      • 04 The Muslim World
      • 05 Interregional Networks and Contacts 500 - 1450
      • 01 The Individuals and Societies Toolbox
      • 06 The Renaissance and Reformation >
        • Oral Presentations
    • G9 Social Studies >
      • History >
        • Analyzing Sources
      • Geography
    • G7 Social Studies >
      • Introduction to Empowerment
      • Economic Empowerment
      • Political Empowerment
      • Cultural Empowerment
      • National Empowerment
      • 04 Resources and the environment
      • Finance and Accounting >
        • 3.1 Sources of finance
        • 3.2 Investment appraisal
        • 3.3 Working capital
        • 3.4 Budgeting
        • 3.5 Financial Accounts
        • 3.6 Ratio Analysis
    • Writing Skills
    • Critical Reading
  • Extended Essay
    • 01 Getting Started
    • 02 Structuring the EE

4.3 Product

What we will study?

Picture
By the end of this unit you should be able to:
  • Classify products by line, range and mix
  • Describe the importance of new product design and development
  • Analyse the stages of a typical product life cycle
  • Analyse the relationship between the product life cycle and the marketing mix, profitand cash flow
  • Understand product portfolio analysis and the application of the Boston Consulting Group Matrix
  • Discuss the importance and role of branding
  • Use the Boston matrix to develop future strategic direction
  • Distinguish between different types of branding

"It is not the employer who pays wages. He only handles the money. It is the product that pays the wages and it is the management that arranges the production so that the product may pay the wages."
                                                                                                                                                        - Henry Ford

Classification of products

Picture
Product line
​

A product line refers to a variety of the same product that a business produces for customers of a particular market. They usually differ in size, colour, price or quality so that there is a greater chance that it meets the needs of different customers.



Picture
Product mix
A product mix, also known as the product assortment, refers to the variety of the different product lines that business produces. By having a wide product mix, sometimes referred to as the product portfolio, business should be able to increase overall sales as a variety of products are sold to a larger customer base

Product life cycle

The "Product Life Cycle" shows the different stages that a product is likely to go through from its initial design and launch to its eventual decline and withdrawal from the market. 

There are generally six stages in a product's life cycle:
  1. Research & development (R&D)
  2. Launch (introduction of the product)
  3. Growth
  4. Maturity
  5. Saturation
  6. Decline
Each stage of a Product's Life Cycle is likely to have a different marketing mix.
Picture

Read this......

Product life cycle management
File Size: 108 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

Madonna and the product life cycle
File Size: 197 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

How can a business extend the life cycle of a product?

  • Price Reduction
  • Redesigning 
  • Repackaging
  • New Markets
  • Promotion 

Take a look at how the product life cycle of Lucozade has evolved. When I grew up watching John Barnes (when football was good) Lucozade, as it is today was a sports drink. Like Gatorade, but better.  The marketing department at Lucozade have done an excellent job in reinventing the product over the years. 
Analyse the relationship between the product life cycle and the marketing mix, and determine appropriate extension strategies.

Product portfolio analysis - The Boston Matrix

This is an analysis of elements of a company's product mix to determine the optimum allocation of its resources. The two most common measures used in a portfolio analysis are market growth rate and relative market share.
Your browser does not support viewing this document. Click here to download the document.
Picture
Stars - Stars are high growth businesses or products competing in markets where they are relatively strong compared with the competition. Often they need heavy investment to sustain their growth. Eventually their growth will slow and, assuming they maintain their relative market share, will become cash cows.
Cash Cows - Cash cows are low-growth businesses or products with a relatively high market share. These are mature, successful businesses with relatively little need for investment. They need to be managed for continued profit - so that they continue to generate the strong cash flows that the company needs for its Stars.
Question marks - Question marks are businesses or products with low market share but which operate in higher growth markets. This suggests that they have potential, but may require substantial investment in order to grow market share at the expense of more powerful competitors. Management have to think hard about "question marks" - which ones should they invest in? Which ones should they allow to fail or shrink?
Dogs - Unsurprisingly, the term "dogs" refers to businesses or products that have low relative share in unattractive, low-growth markets. Dogs may generate enough cash to break-even, but they are rarely, if ever, worth investing in.

Textbook review

Picture
1. In an extended response identify the 6 major steps in the development process for a product.   Clearly explain the meaning of each step.    (p199-200)                                         
(15 marks)

2. Draw a diagram for the product life cycle.   Clearly label all parts of the diagram.                   
Also show on the diagram the implementation of an extension strategy. (p201-202)
(5 marks)

3. Draw the BCG Matrix clearly labelling all features on the diagram?   (p204-205)                                   
(5 marks)



Key terms

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
  • Home
  • IB Economics
    • 01 Microeconomics >
      • 1. The Foundations of Economics
      • 1.1 Demand and Supply
      • 1.2 Elasticities
      • 1.3 Government Intervention
      • 1.4 Market Failure
    • 02 Macroeconomics >
      • 01 Level of Economic Activity
      • 2.2 Aggregate Demand
      • 2.3 Aggregate Supply
      • 2.4 Macroeconomic Equlibruim
      • 2.5 Unemployment
      • 2.6 Inflation
      • 2.7 Economic Growth
      • 2.8 Equity in the distribution of income
    • 03 The Global Economy >
      • 3.1 Free Trade
      • 3.2 Protectionism
      • 3.3 Exchange Rates
      • 3.4 Balance of Payments
      • 3.5 Economic Integration
      • 3.6 Economic Development
      • 3.7 Measuring Development
      • 3.8 Barriers to economic growth and/or development
    • 04 Exam Preparation
  • Individuals & Societies 7
    • 01 Economic Growth and Development
    • 02 Where are all the people?
    • 03 Why do empires fall?
    • 04 How has globalization shaped the world?
  • Individuals & Societies 8
    • 01 Belief systems and their influence on culture
    • 02 How are societies governed?
    • 03 Japan 1603 - 1945: Isolation and then expansion
    • 04 What are natural hazards and how do societies respond to them? Case Study: Japan
  • Individuals & Societies 10
    • 01 Does industrialization improve well-being?
    • 02 The Psychology of Motivation
  • IB Business Management
    • 01 Business Organization and the Environment >
      • 1.1 Introduction to Business Management
      • 1.2 Types of business organizations
      • 1.3 Organizational objectives
      • 1.4 Stakeholders
      • 1.5 External Environment
      • 1.6 Growth and Evolution
      • 1.7 Organizational planning tools
    • 02 Human Resources >
      • 2.1 Human Resource Planning
      • 2.2 Organizational Structure
      • 2.3 Leadership and Management
      • 2.4 Motivation
      • 2.5 Organizational and corporate cultures
      • 2.6 Employer and employee relations
    • 03 Finance and Accounting >
      • 3.1 Sources of finance
      • 3.2 Costs and revenues
      • 3.3 Break-even analysis
      • 3.4 Financial Accounts
      • 3.5 & 3.6 Ratio Analysis
      • 3.7 Cash flow
      • 3.8 Investment appraisal
      • 3.9 Budgets
    • 04 Marketing >
      • 4.1 The Role Marketing
      • 4.2 Marketing Planning
      • 4.3 Sales Forcasting
      • 4.4 Market Research
      • 4.5 Product >
        • 4.5 Price
        • 4.5 Promotion
        • 4.5 Place
      • 4.7 International Marketing and Globalization
    • The Exam
  • AP World History
    • Free Response Questions
    • 10,000 BCE - 600CE
    • 600 - 1450
    • 1450 - 1750
  • AP Human Geo
    • 01 Geography its nature and perspectives
    • 02 Population and Migration
    • 03 Cultural Geography
    • 04 Political Geography
    • 05 Urban Geography
    • 06 Economic Geography
    • 07 Agricultural Geography
    • Exam Review
  • Previously Taught Courses
    • G12 Economics >
      • Basic Economic Ideas
      • Producing and Consuming
      • Financial Capability
      • Managing the Economy
    • G10 World History >
      • 01 Exploration, Scientific Revolution and the Enlightenment
      • 02 The American Revolution
      • 03 France: Absolute Monarchy & Revolution
      • 04 The Industrial Revolution
      • 05 Imperialism and Nationalism
      • 06 WW1
      • 07 Inter-War Period
      • 08 WW2
    • G9 World History >
      • 01 Human beginnings and early civilizations >
        • 03 What can we learn from Classical Civilizations (Greece) >
          • 03 What can we learn from Classical Civilizations?
      • 03 Classical China
      • 04 The Muslim World
      • 05 Interregional Networks and Contacts 500 - 1450
      • 01 The Individuals and Societies Toolbox
      • 06 The Renaissance and Reformation >
        • Oral Presentations
    • G9 Social Studies >
      • History >
        • Analyzing Sources
      • Geography
    • G7 Social Studies >
      • Introduction to Empowerment
      • Economic Empowerment
      • Political Empowerment
      • Cultural Empowerment
      • National Empowerment
      • 04 Resources and the environment
      • Finance and Accounting >
        • 3.1 Sources of finance
        • 3.2 Investment appraisal
        • 3.3 Working capital
        • 3.4 Budgeting
        • 3.5 Financial Accounts
        • 3.6 Ratio Analysis
    • Writing Skills
    • Critical Reading
  • Extended Essay
    • 01 Getting Started
    • 02 Structuring the EE