Situation analysis for SONY link buds (800 words)

Step 1: Identify and briefly describe the focus of the analysis (industry, category, brands or product segments).

Step 2: Undertake the analysis by interrogating the numbers. Using the data statistics function in Passport, identify the value (retail sales) and volume (if available) for the past five years and the next five years. Using Microsoft excel, analyse the data to identify shifts in performance and trends.

Step 3: Consolidate and prepare your data. Place your excel tables in the Appendix. Style the data in tables, and generate graphs from the data.

Step 4: Seek out evidence to support the shifts in performance. Look for evidence that supports the trends in the data.

2.1. Industry and Category The industry and category section gives a quick snapshot of the industry and the various categories that make up the industry. Industry Typical questions you seek to address when undertaking an industry analysis are: Is the industry performance this year compared with last year - growth, decline or stagnating, and why? What is the industry's performance trend over the past five years, how is this different to recent performance, and why? How does the industry situation compare with adjacent or similarly related industries? Which category represents the largest share of the industry, and how is this trending? What is the industry's projected growth over the next five years, and what is likely to be driving the trend?

Category For category, follow the same steps as you have for Industry - this time, focus on the categories that form the industry. As per Industry, put the tables in the Appendix and the graphs in the report. The questions you seek to address in this section will include:

What is the share (%) of the industry for each category, how has this been trending, and why? Which category has shifted most significantly (growth and decline) in the last year in absolute terms (value or volume), and why? Which categories have been experiencing shifts in performance (growth or decline) over the past five years, and what is the cause of the shift? What is the projected growth over the next five years for each category, and what is expected to be driving the trend?

2.2. Brands Similar to industry and category, this section analyses the brands that make up the industry. Follow the same steps as you have for Industry and category - this time, focus on the brands that form the industry. As per Industry, put the tables in the Appendix and the graphs in the report. The questions you seek to address in this section will include: Which brands across the industry are growing most significantly in market share and absolute terms, and why? Evaluate your competitors: - What are the brand share shifts of your closest three competitors in the product category? - What products do the three closest competitors offer to the consumers? (Show your competitors' products visually and discuss this area). What is the trend for your brand, along with each competitor's brand look at the past five years? Discuss what drove the trend. What is each competitor brand's projected growth over the next five years? What is likely to be driving the trend in the future?

2.3. Product Segments Follow the same steps as you have for Industry, category and brands - this time, focus on the product segments that form the industry. As per Industry, put the tables in the Appendix and the graphs in the report. The questions you seek to address in this section will include: What are the product segment shares of the category? Which product segments are growing most significantly in market share and in absolute terms, and why? What is the trend over the past five years for each product segment, and what drove the trend? What is the projected growth for each product segment over the next five years? What is likely to be driving the trend?