Writing Assignment 2 (30 points)

MKTG 601

Module 2 Learning Objective:	identify key elements of marketing strategy and planning.
Materials to read prior to completing assignment	The Hard Truth About Business Model Innovation The CEO of Levi Strauss on Leading an Iconic Brand Back to Growth Chapter 3 in the textbook.

Purpose of the assignment:

Improve your ability to apply key elements of marketing strategy to explain an organization's business model and strategic decisions.

Assignment Due Date: Monday, Feb. 13, 11:59 PM Central Time.

What to do:

Introduction to the assignment: Use information in the assigned article, "The CEO of Levi Strauss on Leading and Iconic Brand Back to Growth" to evaluate Levi Strauss's organizational strategy and business model. Please do not evaluate information about Levi that is not presented in the article. To evaluate its strategy and business model, please answer these prompts/questions.

1. Based on information in the assigned article, define 2 of Levi's target markets.

Guidance: The article does not specifically use the term "target market", but it does specify several different descriptions of customer groups to which they try to sell. In this answer, specify 2 such customer groups. For full credit, specify at least 2 characteristics of each target market. For example, you use one demographic characteristic (gender, age, etc.) and one geographic characteristic (country, region, etc.). Alternatively, you may use a type of benefit sought (athletic clothing, casual clothing) and a demographic characteristic (gender, age, etc.).

1. Describe Levi's value proposition

Guidance: This is not explicit in the article (and the tagline, "Live in Levi's" is not a value proposition). Please state a plausible value proposition and give evidence from the article to support your answer. Need help? Page 55 in Chapter 3 of the class textbook provides help defining a value proposition. For full credit, the value proposition should include a bundle of at least 3 benefits.

1. Answer these questions about Levi's 4-part Strategy on page 38 of the article:
   1. Which cell of the Boston Consulting Group Growth-Share Matrix is the correct cell to classify Levi's "profitable core" (see p. 61-62 of textbook for help), and what information from the article supports your answer?
   2. Based on information provided about the 4-part strategy, what generic business strategy (i.e., growth, stability, or retrenchment, see p. 64 in text) is Levi pursuing, and what information from the article supports your answer?

1. Is Levi's business model best described as a "Creation Business Model", a "Sustaining Innovation Business Model", or an "Efficiency Business Model"? For full credit, your answer must include (a) a description of the business model phase you identify (using the "The Hard Truth About Business Model Innovation" article) and (b) provide at least 2 details from the Levi Strauss article that supports you labelling Levi's business model as reflecting this phase.