International Marketing - Baby Care: Difference between revisions

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== Learning Outcomes ==
Students should gain familiarity with the following elements of business information literacy and specific information resources.
'''Information Literacy:'''
* The relative advantages between purchased information sources and those freely available on the Internet.
* The ethical use of licensed content.
* The effect of a nation's size and political economy on the quantity and quality of information available for a market.
* Availability, currency, coverage, and cost of pre-packaged market research reports.
* How to apply indirectly relevant reports.
'''Resources:'''
* A source for international market data and analysis.
== Premise ==
== Premise ==


Brand extension can be a great way to leverage the power of an existing brand when entering a new product category. Kimberly-Clark has expanded their HUGGIES&#174 Little Swimmers swim-diapers brand to the baby sun care category.  
Through brand extension a company can leverage the power of an existing brand when entering a new product category. Kimberly-Clark has expanded their HUGGIES'''®''' Little Swimmers'''®''' swim-diapers brand to the baby sun care category, marketing a variety of sun screens for babies. They want to extend this success to other baby care products (hair care, skin care, sun care, etc.) and they want to do it globally. They figure they may as well start at the top of the alphabet, so they've hired you to help them decide what the prospects are for the baby care markets in Argentina compared to Azerbaijan.
 
Note: This case uses Euromonitor's Global Market Information Database as the primary information source. Alternatives from the Economist Intelligence Unit, Marketline, Global Insight, and others may serve just as well. Or a piecemeal substitution could be used, with sources like the UNdata website for demographics (http://data.un.org/), and The U.S. Commercial Service Market Research Library for market research reports (http://www.buyusainfo.net/adsearch.cfm?search_type=int&loadnav=no).
 
 
== Preliminary Discussion ==


The arbitrary selection of two nations allows for more efficient exploration of international market research resources by narrowing the scenario's focus. The comparison also makes the problem more concrete and can be more plausibly addressed during a limited instruction session.


Large corporations and universities can afford premium sources of market research. But after graduation, if you go into business for yourself or work for a smaller company, what are your options? Herb Azaria wants to open a comic book store. He has some inventory in cardboard boxes in his garage, but he’ll need to convince some investors or a bank to fund his dream. And he’ll have to decide whether to open his store in Miami or to move back into his mother’s basement in Boston and open his store there.
A preliminary discussion of the types of information students believe would be helpful in resolving this scenario will likely revolve around demographics, consumer behavior, market data, and competitive intelligence. At this point the librarian can clarify the areas that will be addressed during the case (the first three) and those that will not (competitive intelligence).


After obtaining a clearer picture of our information needs, I like to ask the students where they go when they need information. Common responses include the Internet, Google, or Wikipedia. This opens the door for a brief demonstration or discussion of the strengths and limitations of using the free Web for market research, in contrast to purchased or licensed resources. There is a wide variety of both free and paid resources relevant to this case, and the librarian cannot possibly cover them all. Instead, I prefer to focus in-depth on one, Euromonitor's Global Market Information Database (GMID) and provide a handout detailing others.


== Preliminary Discussion ==


This case provides an opportunity to educate students about the cost of secondary market research. A Google search for market research on any given topic typically reveals a number of market research reports available for purchase at prices as high as several thousand dollars. However, there is a large amount of information freely available on the Internet through government agencies and other sources. Students can brainstorm the types of data that would help Herb write a convincing business plan and decide where to locate his store. The librarian can point out which of those data are available from free sources.
== Demographics ==


An obvious question when deciding whether to market baby care products in Argentina or Azerbaijan is which nation has more babies? After introducing students to the GMID interface, possibly preceded by a discussion of licensing restrictions and appropriate and ethical use of GMID content, the librarian can demonstrate the Future Demographics reports. The librarian can then ask the group whether Argentina or Azerbaijan exhibits more promising demographic trends. Students should have little difficulty in identifying Argentina as having a higher projected birth rate.


== First Resource ==


Students will likely identify demographics as one factor in the decision about where Herb should locate his store. The librarian can demonstrate American Factfinder on the U.S. Census Bureau’s website (http://factfinder.census.gov/) as a source for demographic data. Students may have identified young people as the target demographic, and they can now spend several minutes using American Factfinder to determine which city—Boston or Miami—has a higher population of young people and to identify possible reasons for this trend. The exercise may surprise some students: in 2006 37% of Boston’s population was 15 to 34 years old, compared to 26% of Miami’s, which is likely related to the fact that 13% of Boston’s population are college or graduate students, compared to 5% of Miami’s population. Unexpected discoveries like this reward students’ efforts and engage their interest.
== Consumer Behavior ==


The librarian can now demonstrate the Consumer Lifestyle reports and allow the students time to explore these extensive reports for insights into consumer behavior that may be relevant to the case. Volunteers can report their discoveries and how they think that information is relevant to the case.


== Second Resource ==


Knowing how much money people spend on comic books would help Herb build a business plan to impress potential investors or lenders. A good source for consumer spending data is the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Consumer Expenditure Survey (http://www.bls.gov/cex/). Unfortunately, the data is insufficiently granular to address a niche category like comic books. This provides an opportunity for the librarian to discuss strategies for coping with such obstacles when conducting research. Students can then spend time exploring the Consumer Expenditure Survey or the American Time Use Survey (http://www.bls.gov/tus/) for information that, while not specific to comic books, might nevertheless prove useful. One or two students can present what they find and explain its relevance.
== Market Research ==
[[www.lib.byu.edu/business]]


== Third Resource (Optional) ==
The librarian should now demonstrate how to search for statistics and reports about the baby care market in these nations. This may trigger a discussion of the language differences students might encounter when conducting international research. For instance, Euromonitor is a British company that uses the term "nappies" where Americans would use "diapers."


"Herb also wonders whether creating a website for his store is worth the expense."
This search can also lead to a discussion about the differences in the amount of content that is available for larger nations like Argentina than there is for smaller nations like Azerbaijan. For a more valid or effective comparison it may be desirable to switch from Azerbaijan to a larger nation from the same region, such as the Ukraine.


Free sources of relevant information might include E-commerce statistics from the Census Bureau’s E-Stats site (http://www.census.gov/eos/www/ebusiness614.htm) or data and reports from the Pew Internet and American Life Project (http://www.pewinternet.org/). After selecting and demonstrating a resource, students should be allowed time to explore it for relevant information, followed by one or two students presenting their opinions.
In GMID the librarian can demonstrate how to manipulate the statistical displays, how to export data, and how to navigate reports. Students should then be given several minutes to explore GMID seeking information that will help them in deciding between the countries and identifying which segment of the baby care market (hair, skin, or sun care) holds most promise. Two or three students can share what they discover, which might include data like market sizes or it might include analysis, such as the opinion of Euromonitor's researchers that a low birth rate may not necessarily indicate low market potential in baby care since parents are more likely to lavish their resources on an only child.




== Wrap Up ==
== Wrap Up ==


While the challenges presented by this case cannot be resolved in an hour-long session, it is important to remember that the purpose of using case studies in library instruction is not to discover a correct answer for the case but to discover principles of information literacy and learn research strategies. A review of the resources covered and the types of information they offer provides an opportunity to underscore these learning outcomes.
The librarian should also note the company reports and the comments on current trends available in GMID, or point students toward other resources for international company reports or market news. While the case can only be addressed at the most superficial level during a library instruction session, students should understand that the purpose of the case was not to teach them how to conduct an analysis, but how to conduct the research that would provide them with the information they would need in order to perform a proper analysis. To this end, it is beneficial to review the principles of information literacy that have been introduced, both those specific to the context of this case or GMID, and those with broader implications.




== Submitted By ==
== Submitted By ==


Andy Spackman, MBA, MLS<br>
Andy Spackman<br>
Business and Economics Librarian
Business and Economics Librarian<br>
 
1522 Harold B. Lee Library<br>
Brigham Young University<br>
Brigham Young University<br>
Provo, UT 84602
(801) 422-3924<br>
[mailto:andy_spackman@byu.edu andy_spackman@byu.edu]<br>
[mailto:andy_spackman@byu.edu andy_spackman@byu.edu]<br>
http://www.lib.byu.edu/business/
http://www.lib.byu.edu/business/
Line 49: Line 64:
Originally Submitted: March 6, 2009
Originally Submitted: March 6, 2009


*A copy of the handout created to accompany this case as conducted at Brigham Young University in February 2009 can be downloaded [http://www.lib.byu.edu/business/wp-content/megiuploads//brc-international-marketing-feb09.pdf here].
*A copy of the handout created to accompany this case as conducted at Brigham Young University in February 2009 can be downloaded [http://lib.byu.edu/sites/business/files/2009/02/brc-international-marketing-feb09.pdf here].

Latest revision as of 09:27, 1 November 2010

Learning Outcomes

Students should gain familiarity with the following elements of business information literacy and specific information resources.

Information Literacy:

  • The relative advantages between purchased information sources and those freely available on the Internet.
  • The ethical use of licensed content.
  • The effect of a nation's size and political economy on the quantity and quality of information available for a market.
  • Availability, currency, coverage, and cost of pre-packaged market research reports.
  • How to apply indirectly relevant reports.

Resources:

  • A source for international market data and analysis.


Premise

Through brand extension a company can leverage the power of an existing brand when entering a new product category. Kimberly-Clark has expanded their HUGGIES® Little Swimmers® swim-diapers brand to the baby sun care category, marketing a variety of sun screens for babies. They want to extend this success to other baby care products (hair care, skin care, sun care, etc.) and they want to do it globally. They figure they may as well start at the top of the alphabet, so they've hired you to help them decide what the prospects are for the baby care markets in Argentina compared to Azerbaijan.

Note: This case uses Euromonitor's Global Market Information Database as the primary information source. Alternatives from the Economist Intelligence Unit, Marketline, Global Insight, and others may serve just as well. Or a piecemeal substitution could be used, with sources like the UNdata website for demographics (http://data.un.org/), and The U.S. Commercial Service Market Research Library for market research reports (http://www.buyusainfo.net/adsearch.cfm?search_type=int&loadnav=no).


Preliminary Discussion

The arbitrary selection of two nations allows for more efficient exploration of international market research resources by narrowing the scenario's focus. The comparison also makes the problem more concrete and can be more plausibly addressed during a limited instruction session.

A preliminary discussion of the types of information students believe would be helpful in resolving this scenario will likely revolve around demographics, consumer behavior, market data, and competitive intelligence. At this point the librarian can clarify the areas that will be addressed during the case (the first three) and those that will not (competitive intelligence).

After obtaining a clearer picture of our information needs, I like to ask the students where they go when they need information. Common responses include the Internet, Google, or Wikipedia. This opens the door for a brief demonstration or discussion of the strengths and limitations of using the free Web for market research, in contrast to purchased or licensed resources. There is a wide variety of both free and paid resources relevant to this case, and the librarian cannot possibly cover them all. Instead, I prefer to focus in-depth on one, Euromonitor's Global Market Information Database (GMID) and provide a handout detailing others.


Demographics

An obvious question when deciding whether to market baby care products in Argentina or Azerbaijan is which nation has more babies? After introducing students to the GMID interface, possibly preceded by a discussion of licensing restrictions and appropriate and ethical use of GMID content, the librarian can demonstrate the Future Demographics reports. The librarian can then ask the group whether Argentina or Azerbaijan exhibits more promising demographic trends. Students should have little difficulty in identifying Argentina as having a higher projected birth rate.


Consumer Behavior

The librarian can now demonstrate the Consumer Lifestyle reports and allow the students time to explore these extensive reports for insights into consumer behavior that may be relevant to the case. Volunteers can report their discoveries and how they think that information is relevant to the case.


Market Research

The librarian should now demonstrate how to search for statistics and reports about the baby care market in these nations. This may trigger a discussion of the language differences students might encounter when conducting international research. For instance, Euromonitor is a British company that uses the term "nappies" where Americans would use "diapers."

This search can also lead to a discussion about the differences in the amount of content that is available for larger nations like Argentina than there is for smaller nations like Azerbaijan. For a more valid or effective comparison it may be desirable to switch from Azerbaijan to a larger nation from the same region, such as the Ukraine.

In GMID the librarian can demonstrate how to manipulate the statistical displays, how to export data, and how to navigate reports. Students should then be given several minutes to explore GMID seeking information that will help them in deciding between the countries and identifying which segment of the baby care market (hair, skin, or sun care) holds most promise. Two or three students can share what they discover, which might include data like market sizes or it might include analysis, such as the opinion of Euromonitor's researchers that a low birth rate may not necessarily indicate low market potential in baby care since parents are more likely to lavish their resources on an only child.


Wrap Up

The librarian should also note the company reports and the comments on current trends available in GMID, or point students toward other resources for international company reports or market news. While the case can only be addressed at the most superficial level during a library instruction session, students should understand that the purpose of the case was not to teach them how to conduct an analysis, but how to conduct the research that would provide them with the information they would need in order to perform a proper analysis. To this end, it is beneficial to review the principles of information literacy that have been introduced, both those specific to the context of this case or GMID, and those with broader implications.


Submitted By

Andy Spackman
Business and Economics Librarian
Brigham Young University
andy_spackman@byu.edu
http://www.lib.byu.edu/business/

Originally Submitted: March 6, 2009

  • A copy of the handout created to accompany this case as conducted at Brigham Young University in February 2009 can be downloaded here.