Case Study of Dell: Simple but Effective Marketing Strategy

In 1984, with only $1,000 in startup capital, Michael Dell established Dell as the first company in its industry to sell custom-built computers directly to end users, bypassing the dominant system of using resellers to sell mass produced computers.  Since a young age Michael Dell has been intrigued and fascinated in the idea of eliminating unnecessary steps. So it was not surprising when he established a company where there marketing strategy was based on eliminating the middleman. “We sell computers directly to our consumers, deals directly with our suppliers, and communicate directly with our people, all without the unnecessary and inefficient presence of intermediaries. We call this “the direct model,” and it has taken us, to use a common phrase at Dell Computer Corporation, “direct to the top””. The direct business model eliminates retailers that add unnecessary time and cost, that could diminish Dell’s understanding of customer expectations. The direct Continue reading

Relationship Between Marketing Research and Marketing Strategy

If the company has obtained an adequate understanding of the customer base and its own competitive position in the industry, marketing managers are able to make their own key strategic decisions and develop a  marketing strategy  designed to maximize the  revenues  and  profits  of the firm. The selected strategy may aim for any of a variety of specific objectives, including optimizing short-term unit margins, revenue growth,  market share, long-term profitability, or other goals. To achieve the desired objectives, marketers typically identify one or more target customer segments which they intend to pursue. Customer segments are often selected as targets because they score highly on two dimensions: The segment is attractive to serve because it is large, growing, makes frequent purchases, is not price sensitive (i.e. is willing to pay high prices), or other factors The company has the resources and capabilities to compete for the segment’s business, can meet their Continue reading

Develop a Successful Industrial Promotion Program

Today’s economic conditions call for careful consideration of the  elements that are essential in developing an effective communication  program – whether it is industrial or consumer oriented. Promotional variables  must be artfully integrated if communication objectives are to be achieved most  effectively. Many of the principles that are followed in developing consumer  advertising programs are not only applicable but are necessary in developing an  effective industrial promotional program. The objective of industrial  advertising, for instance, is to communicate something about the company and its products. It should be designed, then, to enable the company and its sales people to become favorably known to current and potential customers, to convey specific and technical information regarding the characteristics of a particular product(s), to help sales people in their selling effort, to motivate distributors of industrial goods, and to reach those who either directly or indirectly influence the buying of industrial goods. An Continue reading

External Commercial Borrowing (ECB)

External Commercial borrowing (ECB) refers to commercial loans availed by companies from non-resident lenders in the form of bank loans, buyers credit, suppliers credit, securitized instruments (e.g. floating rate notes and fixed rate bonds). A company is allowed   to raise ECB from internationally recognized source such as banks, export credit agencies, suppliers of equipment, foreign collaborators, foreign equity-holders, international capital markets etc. However, offers from unrecognized sources are not entertained. External Commercial Borrowings (ECBs) include bank loans, suppliers and buyers credits, fixed and floating rate bonds (without convertibility) and borrowings from private sector windows of multilateral Financial Institutions such as International Finance Corporation. In India, External Commercial Borrowings are being permitted by the Government for providing an additional source of funds to Indian corporate and PSUs for financing expansion of existing capacity and as well as for fresh investment, to augment the resources available domestically. ECBs can be used Continue reading

Settlement of Transactions in Foreign Exchange Markets

Foreign exchange markets make extensive use of the latest developments in telecommunications for transmitting as well settling foreign exchange transaction, Banks use the exclusive network SWIFT to communicate messages and settle the transactions at electronic clearing houses such as CHIPS at New York. SWIFT SWIFT is a acronym for Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunications, a co operative society owned by about 250 banks in Europe and North America and registered as a co operative society in Brussels, Belgium. It is a communications network for international financial market transactions linking effectively more than 25,000 financial institutions throughout the world who have been allotted bank identified codes. The messages are transmitted from country to country via central interconnected operating centers located in Brussels, Amsterdam and Culpeper, Virginia. The member countries are connected to the centre through regional processors in each country. The local banks in each country reach the regional processors Continue reading

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI): Objectives and Functions

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is the apex financial institution of the country’s financial system entrusted with the task of control, supervision, promotion, development and planning. RBI is the queen bee of the Indian financial system which influences the commercial banks’ management in more than one way. The RBI influences the management of commercial banks through its various policies, directions and regulations. Its role in bank management is quite unique. In fact, the RBI performs the four basic functions of management, viz., planning, organizing, directing and controlling in laying a strong foundation for the functioning of commercial banks. History  of Reserve Bank of India (RBI) In 1921, the Imperial Bank of India was established to perform as central bank of India by the British Government. But unfortunately Imperial Bank failed to show its performance up to the mark and didn’t achieve any success as the Central Bank. Then the Continue reading