Case Study:

Imagine this scenario. After receiving my master's degree in marketing, I am hired by a major consumer goods company. Because I've done well in scool, I am confident that I have a lot of marketing knowledge and a lot to offer to the firm. I'm highly motivated and are looking forward to a successful career.

After just a few days of work I am called in for a conference with the vice president of marketing. The vice president welcomes me and tells me how glad the firm is that I have joined them. The vice president also says that, since recent training, he wants me work on a special project.

He tells me that the company has a new project, which is to be introduced in a few months. He also says, confidently, that recent new product introductions by the company haven't been too successful. Suggesting that the recent problems are probably because the company has not been doing a very good job of developing marketing plans, the vice president tells me not to look at the marketing plans for the company's other products.

My assignment, then, is to develop a marketing plan for the proposed product in the next six weeks. The vice president explains that a good job here will lead to rapid advancement in the company. I thank the vice president for the assignment and promise that I will do my best.

Question 1:

How would I feel when I returned to your desk? Surely, I'd be flattered that I had been given this oppotunity and be eager to do a good job. However, how confident am I that I could develop a quality marketing plan? Would I even know where to begin?

Question 2:

Using the skills necessary to develop a marketing plan in a useful framework.