Assignment:
Case studies are an important learning strategy in business classes as they provide an opportunity for you to critically analyze events that have taken place in real-life businesses. This develops your critical thinking and research skills as you research the competition and industry in which your business resides with an end goal of formulating a recommendation for the challenges faced by the company.
Use the case study listed below, which can be found in your textbook. Evaluate the case of your choice, and respond to each of the questions below using both theory and practical managerial thinking as well as supporting research.
Option: Microsoft
Q1. Evaluate Microsoft's product and marketing evolution over the years. What has the company done well, and where did it falter?
Q2. Through the application of a political, economic, social, and technological (PEST) analysis, what are the current MBA 5501, Advanced Marketing environmental factors impacting Microsoft?
Q3. Who are the top three competitors of Microsoft, and what are their advantages/disadvantages with respect to satisfying the value proposition of their customers?
Q4. Evaluate Microsoft's recent expansions into areas such as search engines and smartphones. Do you think these are good areas of growth for Microsoft with a focus on customer value, satisfaction, and loyalty?