Relying on Consumer Behavior Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Relying on Consumer Behavior - Essay Example Penny and Kahle (1996) points out that consumers, when interviewed, would state what they think they want but would behave in a different manner in 'real life'. This is especially true with the application of 'operant conditioning'. The term 'operant conditioning' as applied in marketing refers to the methods used by marketers to influence consumers to purchase or consume a product and make it look rewarding to the consumer. Coupons, repeated advertisements, free samples and other promotional gimmicks can and do influence consumer preference. Marketers can also employ different kind of appeals to endeavor a product to a consumer. Appeals include fear appeals, comparative appeals, emotional appeals, value expressive and utilitarian appeals all of which perform to make the customer want the product or service offered. The point is that there are many factors which can change what the consumer would want. Another risk in relying on what the consumers say they want is that it can change over time and the time span can be radical or sporadic. For example, Greenwald (2003) conducted a study on the behavioral shift of UK consumers belonging to the 16-24 age bracket and found that some preference or attitudes change as fast as 3 days or as long as 5 years. Relying on what c

Written report on Macdonalds Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Written report on Macdonalds - Essay Example From a strategic perspective, McDonald’s is currently perusing an aggressive sales based strategy in new and emergent markets such as China, India, Russia and parts of South America. While McDonald’s traditional markets such as the UK and US may be seen as saturated, the company has still managed to increase sales through organic growth with sales in 2010 increasing by 3.9% in the US and 4.4% in Europe compared to 6% figure seen in new and emergent markets for the company (McDonald’s, 2010). In generating continued growth over the past eight years, the annual report (McDonald’s, 2010) highlights the fact that a clear strategy has been set in the adaptation of a globalised marketing mix template to meet the needs of localised customer groups (Brassington and Pettit, 2006, Kottler et al, 2009). As such, for McDonald’s this results in a business model with limited complexity and the associated costs of complexity, yet the ability to benefit from a localised marketing strategy. In addition the business has in recent years developed a clear model of communication in which three key stakeholders are included so as to ensure success of the businesses strategy at the aggregate level. Here the annual report (McDonald’s, 2010) highlights franchisees, suppliers and employees as the key stakeholders of the business in carrying out the overall strategy of the business. A standard tool for analysing the key factors within the general level or macro environment is to use a PESTLE analysis (Jones and George, 2010, Johnson et al, 2008). The PESTLE analysis considers six key factors within the external macro level environment which may have an impact upon how a business later seeks to create a competitive advantage. Political factors in recent decades may be seen as aiding the McDonald’s business model for large international expansion. Key political reforms