Developing an Initial Strategy

After playing the practice round you need to think about your initial strategy. Answer the below questions. Your objective is to start thinking strategically and demonstrate that you understand how you might compete in the simulation. The applied business degree that you are obtaining suggests that you can apply the knowledge learned in the program to businesses. Your decisions in this simulation should demonstrate your abilities.

To complete this you will need to view your company$$s Key Reports and read the Player$$s Manual.

Keep in mind that new decision areas will become available to you as the simulation progresses $($see the Decision Schedule in the Player$$s Manual for more information$).$ You should answer the following:

Briefly describe the Road, Mountain and Kids market segments including:

How sensitive each segment is to Price, Awareness, Distribution, Quality, Product Specs, and CSR$.$

Forecast Market Size $($units$).$

Price Range.

Which Media Channels are most important for each Market Segment?

$2.$ Your overall Strategy $($for example do you intend to be a high volume $/$ low cost manufacturer, or a lower volume $/$ higher margin manufacturer? How do you plan to achieve this?$)$

$3.$ Which Market Segments you intend to enter and when? $($Product Development and New Product launches are available from Year $4$ onward$)$

$4.$ How you intend to manage your Retail Margins to encourage Distributors to stock your Products $($Distribution Strategy $$ from Year $2$ onward$)?$

$5.$ What emphasis do you intend to place on Brand Promotion $($from Year $2$ onward$)$ and Sustainable Manufacturing $($from Year $3$ onward$).$ Why?

$6.$ What is your Positioning and Differential Advantage? How do you intend to achieve this?