Category: Marketing

by Melissa Brenes-Bastos, mbrenes@vt.edu

Demers (2009) defined Geographic Information Systems (GIS) as “a system designed to input, store, edit, retrieved, analyze, and output geographic data and information”. As all systems GIS is composed of integrated parts that allow it to perform correctly, these parts include: (1) computer hardware and software, (2) space and organization, (3) personnel and (4) data and information. (Demers, 2009)

Over 25 hundred years of geographic research and investigation, result on geographic information systems evolution, the first stages of GIS were focusing on exploration unknown lands, their inhabitants and phenomena’s, in other words the primary focus was discovering. (Demers, 2009) It was explain by Demers (2009) that the need of explain phenomena’s lead researcher to create an outcome of pattern explanations for different distributions, in the early 1960’s the Department of Forestry and Rural Development of Canada pursue a project to manage the territory of Canada, this was the first big scale project. With this project the first operational system ever built was created – Canada Geographic Information Systems-, this creation lead to more research and exploring which conduce to the actual GIS, as we know now a days. (Demers, 2009)

Continue reading “RESEARCH BRIEF: Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in Wood Products Industry”

by Edgar Arias, earias@vt.edu

International marketing encompasses the disciplines focused on the trade of goods and services across global boundaries (CharlesDoyle, 2011).  Studying the determinants of exports performance has been one of the major priorities in the field since the 1970s.  However, despite of the tremendous attention devoted by researchers, a comprehensive theory that explains export performance is yet to be developed.  Some consider that knowledge on this field is fragmented, diverse and sometimes even inconsistent, which makes export performance one of the most contentious fields in international marketing (Katsikeas, Leonidou, & Morgan, 2000).  The globalization of businesses, and the importance of exports for industries such as the Hardwood Industry, justify and incentive additional research in pursue of a better understanding of the factors that determine the success of export ventures (Parhizkar, Miller, & Smith, 2010).

Continue reading “RESEARCH BRIEF: Determinants of Exports Performance”

by Melissa Brenes-Bastos, mbrenes@vt.edu

Since 1960s, there had been a lot of terms to describe Strategic Planning, such as, comprehensive corporate planning, comprehensive managerial planning, comprehensive integrated planning, corporate planning, formal strategic planning and other combinations.  According to Steiner (1997) formal strategic planning has to be defined from four points of view:

• Futurity of current decisions:  it means to look at cause and effect consequences of an actual or future decision that the manager is going to make, in other words if the manager do not like the consequences ahead the decision those can se change.  (Steiner, 1997)

• Process: Steiner 1997, mentions that it begins with setting organizations aims, define strategies, policies to accomplish them and detail plans to implement the strategy correctly, in more cases the plans are set for a certain amount of time, not to change every day, but it has to be appropriate for unexpected changes and actions.
• Philosophy: this point refers to an attitude, a life stile, it refers that the organization have to believes in the strategic plan, the manager and coworkers need to believe that is worth doing and must want to do the strategic planning in the company. (Steiner, 1997)
• Structure: the last but not least point Steiner 1997 mention is referring to integrate strategic plans, medium-rage programs and short-rage budgets and operating plans, it is focus in the linkages of those plans into a management strategies that will translate to current decisions.

Pophal 2009 describe a step by step approach to developing a strategic marketing plan which will include terms such as: (1) Situation analysis ‘compound with Industry analysis, Market analysis and Competitive analysis’, (2) SWOT analysis, (3) Quantifiable objectives/goals, (4) Strategies and tactics to meet objectives/goals, (5) Responsibility/ accountability, (6) Develop a budget and (7) Ongoing monitoring and adjustment.

Continue reading “RESEARCH BRIEF: Strategic Marketing Planning in Wood Products Industry”

by Melissa Brenes-Bastos, mbrenes@vt.edu

There are many different consumers in the world, each one have their own needs, behaviors and preferences. Kotler (2012) defines segmentation as grouping of costumers by related needs and behaviors inside a market.  The main focus behind marketing segmentation is to allow business to invest and focus on real consumers behavior and patterns. (Gillian, 2011)

Although there are different cultures and populations around the world, some people need and aspire for similar things even thought they belong to different countries. (Russell, 2011). The principal objective of segmentation is to complement consumers with products that satisfy their individual set of needs and behavior patterns even if they do (http://www.12manage.com/description_market_segmentation.html) not belong to the same geographic location. (Gillian, 2011).

Today with the fast growing of consumer diversity is more important to business to differentiate their products or services from their competition. Gillian (2001) and Wood & Ehrlich (1991) agree in four different types of consumers market segmentation:

• Geographical:  a market divided by location such as region, state, country, etc.
• Demographical: a market divided by demographic factors, such as age, nationality, occupation, etc.
• Behavior: a market divided by the end use of their products or services.
• Psychographic or understand risk: a market divided by correlate personality with brands.

Marketing segmentation does not have a formula that you can apply, because every business has different consumers that have special needs. But Wood & Ehrlich (1991) briefly describes 5 steps to segmenting a business-to-business or industrial market:

1. Eliminate any segments you don’t want or need.
2. Break the remaining market into smaller groups, using factors like geographic, demographic, personality and behavior as guidelines.
3. Consider the risk and rule out segments that seem to be too risky to tackle- at least for now.
4. Carefully evaluate the opportunities the remaining segments overall.
5. Prioritize to find the most attractive market segment overall.

Ones you know and target your segment, you’re ready to set a marketing and sale strategy for each segment that you decide to fit in.

There is a lot of work that combines marketing segmentation and industry in general, but when search about wood industry and marketing segmentation there’s few information about it. That gap need to be fill by researching in marketing segmentation technics with sustainable biomaterial industries such as wood.

References

• Martin, G. (2011) The Importance of Marketing Segmentation. American Journal of Business Education. The Clute Institute. Vol. 4, No. 6, 2011.
• Russell, A. (2011) Fragmentation and Segmentation: Marketing Global Benefits. International Business & Economics Research Journal. The Clute Institute. Vol. 10, No. 9, 2011.
• Wood, M. & Ehrlich, E. (1991) Segmentation: Five steps to more effective business-to-business marketing. Sales & Marketing Management. Proquest. [Online]
• Moriarty, M. & Venkatesan, M. (1978) Concept evaluation & market segmentation. Journal of Marketing. Proquest. [Online]
• Kotler, K. (2001). A framework of marketing management. Prentice Hall.