Portfolio 2: Lesson 4 Assignments
Deliverables: 1. In 2008 Walmart began focusing on green marketing and sustainability as a core marketing strategy in addition to being a low cost leader. In what ways do you believe sustainability is the right move for Walmart?
2. Go to a Walmart store close to you and identify two green products you could use on a weekly or monthly basis.
3. What are the price and performance of these two products relative to the products you currently use?
4. Do you believe focusing on sustainability will be a competitive advantage for Walmart?
5. Research Tesla Motors, Inc., its products, and the background of its CEO, Elon Musk.
a. What do you think of the company?
b. Electricity for electric vehicles still has to be generated, often in coal-fired power plants, and then distributed to users. Why do so many people, politicians, and companies think electric vehicles are a better idea than gasoline-fueled vehicles? What do you think? Agree or disagree and explain why.
c. Explain why you believe Tesla will or will not survive and become a profitable company.
Lesson 5 Assignments
Introduction to Study: For this assignment, you will act as a researcher in the bystander role taking notes as an outsider. Spend 30 minutes in a grocery store observing aisles frequented by parents and children (for example, cereal, ice cream, or lunch snack aisles). You may have to do this on a weekend when parents are more likely to be shopping with their children. Observe and describe the role of parents and children in selecting and purchasing products.
Deliverables: Take "field notes" and make sure you capture the following:
1. What role does the parent have in deciding which products to purchase?
2. What role does the child have in deciding which products to purchase?
3. What is the level of agreement between the parent and child in purchasing a given product?
4. Who is the major decision-maker?
5. How did each participant influence each other?
6. What would you do if you were a marketing this product?
Lesson 6 Assignments
Introduction to Project: To understand consumer motivation, we are going to replicate one of the most cited consumer research studies in consumer behavior research, Mason Haire's shopping list study. In this exercise you will conduct a personal interview with preferably 8 - 10 adult women. Give the following verbal instructions to each respondent:
1. Read the shopping lists below. Try to project yourself into the situation as far as possible until you can characterize the woman who created this shopping list.
2. Write a brief description of her personality and character. (What is she like?) Wherever possible, indicate what factors influenced your judgment. (Why would someone describe her the way you did?)
Shopping List 1
• 1 lb. chicken breast
• loaf of bread
• bag of carrots
• four cans of Rockstar energy drink
• two cans of peaches
• bag of rice
Shopping List 2
• 1 lb. chicken breast
• loaf of bread
• bag of carrots
• half gallon organic, freshly squeezed orange juice
• two cans of peaches
• bag of rice
Deliverables
1. Create a three-column chart like the example given in the slides (the Mason Haire .PDF file included in this lesson) to compile the responses you received from the women who participated in your study. Note: If a respondent described the shopper as "careful and thrifty," this response should be recorded as "careful" and "thrifty," not as budget conscious.
2. In your chart, quantify the frequency of descriptive words used by participants rating women for each shopping list.
3. In your own words, summarize how your participants describe the women who purchased shopping list 1.
4. In your own words, summarize how your participants describe the women who purchased shopping list 2.
5. Explain any patterns you found in how your respondents perceive the motives of shoppers who bought orange juice versus Rockstar energy drink.
6. What do you think your respondents are describing? Is it their perception of the individuals who purchase the product, or is it their image of what the product represents? Explain.