Strategic Marketing Case 1, Caterpillar
1. Why was Caterpillar able to meet Japanese competition and succeed while other major U.S. manufacturers failed? For example, what did Caterpillar do that the big three automakers have not done?

2. Evaluate Caterpillar’s marketing and management strengths and weaknesses.

3. In the U.S. Caterpillar is competing in a mature industry. That means that for Caterpillar to increase its U.S. share, it must take sales away from competitors, rather than increase the size of the market. 

a. Are there other major growth opportunities in the domestic market which have not been 

identified by Caterpillar?

b. If the U.S. market is close to saturation, should Caterpillar maintain the majority of its manufacturing operations in the U.S.?

4. Identify the major strengths and weaknesses of Komatsu and Caterpillar’s other major competitors.

5. What are the major growth opportunities for Caterpillar in the international market? Identify the risks of pursuing these growth opportunities.

6. Look at the equipment that Caterpillar manufactures (Appendix B). Are there new equipment opportunities that the company has ignored?