Unit 2 Marketing Essentials Assignment – Primark

Unit 2 Marketing Essentials Assignment – Primark

Introduction

The Marketing essentials assignment would entail a thorough discussion on the topic of marketing planning approach undertaken by the business organisations to create an understanding about the aspects of organisational audit, market entry strategies, barriers faced and the ways to overcome them, drafting of marketing essentials, consideration of the ethical issues, the consumer ethics and analysis of the style of product development in the retail sector keeping in context the retail chain of Primark, UK as the case study organisation.

Task 1 Report of Marketing Audits

Changing perspectives in marketing planning of Primark

It is crucial for transformations to take place in the area of marketing planning so that the current condition of a business can be improved by its utilisation. With the introduction of change in the process of marketing planning, the input decreases with a simultaneous increase in the inputs. At the retail outlet of Primark, the changes in the process of marketing planning was aimed at the accumulation of knowledge on evolving customer preferences so that the enterprise can successfully gratify the  respective demands of their customers ( Chan et al, 2011). In the context of transformations in the marketing planning of Primark, the development of the concept of production was taken into consideration as it would help in focusing on the products that is known for their quality. In such circumstances, the area that attracts the vision of the managers would be product expansion but at a low cost. Secondly Primark would be concerned about the innovative technology utilisation to bring about transformations in the existing and the old products. The enterprise till date had been focusing on products that were of higher value, but the transformation in the marketing planning helped in the shift of their vision towards the production of low priced products thereby catering to the demands of middle segment buyers in the competition ( Chaffey et al., 2012).

Primark’s planning capability for future marketing activity

The organisational capabilities refer to certain processes that if followed by Primark would assist in surmounting the weaknesses so that various activities related to marketing can be done for the expansion of the platform of sales. Primark is an Irish retail enterprise with many stores spread strategically in the region of UK. This happens to be the retail destination for people who are conscious of the trends of fashion as well as the ones that seek value from their purchases. In the context of the organisational capability it can be said that the enterprises diligently follows a marketing concept that is strong in nature so that the elements of a simplistic design and use of quality fabric in sizes that are easily acceptable having a reasonable price tag can be supplied for reaping success in the competition ( Das and Chowdhury, 2012). The target sector of the retail brand comprises of people who are conscious of the trends of fashion and they seek value for their money from the products of the brand. Primark therefore is determined to increase their capabilities through the process of customer’s need gratification and also increase the number of its outlets, which eventually would help the brand in determining the process of marketing planning in the near future. The retail brand has perceived the customers, both the genders in the teen and middle age category, as its target sector, so that the product can be positioned as a reasonably priced fashion brand in the minds of the consumers thereby enabling the enterprise in the determination of the future course of marketing planning (Fahy et al., 2012).           

Techniques for analysing external factors and organisational auditing

The conduct of an effective process of marketing planning as well as the promotion of the understanding about the customer’s preferences is done most suitably by the process of organisational auditing. It also helps in the determination of the external and the internal environment of the enterprise. The process of organisational audit can help in assessing the relationship between the workforce and the owners of the retail brand. Primark must impose restrictions on its aspect of cash flow thereby reducing the useless utilisation of the financial resources and causing detriment in the quality of the products (Hollensen., 2015). An appropriate evaluation of the external environment of the retail enterprise which could likely affect the marketing planning process can be conducted by the tool of PESTLE analysis. The process of organisational audit can be conducted in the most appropriate manner by undertaking market research involving systematic accumulation and analysis of the data available from the research process. The process of branding that involves diverse product offerings to the target sector consumers can also be considered as a suitable process conducting the organisational audit of the enterprise.

Organisational audit and analysis of external factors of Primark

The conduct of the analysis of the external organisational factors and the organisational audit can be undertaken in a simplified manner. The process of organisational audit can be facilitated by following a specified concept of marketing as well as by the analysis of the consumer buying behaviour. The brand of Primark is well known for delivering well cut fashionable fabrics with tasteful designs with an affordable price tag to the middle and the low income segment of the economy without any pompous investments in advertisements (Finney., 2011). As Primark follows the fashion trends and the evolving fashion preferences of its customers, it focuses on market expansions in uncharted territories and in new regions which makes the conduct of the PESTLE analysis quite significant to have knowledge about the external business environment in which the enterprise plans to set up its operations.

PESTLE Analysis

Political – This aspect is concerned primarily with the political climate in which the business organisation would have to conduct its operations and therefore the analysis highlights the kind of effect that the initiatives of the local government in power would have on the performances of the retail brand. Primark must take care to make its activities compliant to the various kinds of governmental regulations such as the sex discrimination act, data protection act and health and safety act that is in practice in the region of its operation ( Hutt et al., 2012)..

Economic – Through this analysis the retail brand can assess the risk factors that could be confronted or avoided by the enterprise during its operation such as the changing rates of interest, recession, price trends etc, thereby helping in development of a premeditated decision to deal with the future contingencies and uncertainties that could be faced by the enterprise.

Social – The aspect of demographic factors gets highlighted by the analysis of the social elements which leaves a deep impact on the performance of the business organisation in the region of its operation. The perception of the customers of the new region gets highlighted and also the factors of income, choices, spending power and the changes in preferences of the target segment can be analysed which would be highly beneficial for retail brands like that of Primark to place its products accordingly in the market and gain early recognition ( Lorange., 2013).

Technological – This analysis helps in the assessment of the ability of the enterprise in utilising the changing or available technology in the process of manufacturing products. This aspect is responsible for determining the improvement in the product quality and transformation in the product features of the retail brand as well as helps in minimising the uncertainties that Primark would have to confront due to the changes in economic and social environment (Mariadoss et al., 2011).

Legal – The analysis of the legal aspect would help Primark to conduct its business activities within the precincts of various kinds of trade and taxation policies as well as the tariff law that is in vogue. Primark had been following strict adherence to the governmental regulations and legislations in its business activities over the years. The analysis helps in the understanding of the issues related to the laws of labour and therefore helps in its early resolution so that the enterprise can function legally in its designated sector (McDonald., 2013).

Environmental – The analysis of the environmental factor brings to light the contributions of the enterprise towards the environment that it operates in and as such the factors of corporate social responsibility of Primark would be highlighted in the process. The retail brand has been utilising recycled and bio degradable products in packaging and the industrial wastage is recycled at periodic intervals thereby reducing the health hazards and environmental pollution to the immediate vicinity and the community that the company serves through its operational activities.

Barriers of marketing planning in Primark

The barriers that are faced by Primark in the process of marketing planning are given under the following heads:

Objective / Strategy Confusion – The planning of the business strategy was difficult since the factors of economic environment, services and products and customers had to be taken into consideration and the objective of establishing new store within the radius of 2km from the existing location would expose the brand to the strong competition of Marks and Spencer retail chain. Hence confusion gets created in the development of the process of marketing planning for Primark.

Isolation of marketing function – The location of the Primark store and the distance of the centres of distribution and appropriate channel makes it quite difficult to strengthen the marketing function and so does the distinctiveness of the social outlook across various regions which creates issues that does not support the marketing function (Lorange., 2013). Technology advancement although remains helpful but not without being developed in a perfect manner.

Organisational barriers – The activity and the strategy of the competitors like that of Marks and Spencer serves as the main barrier since it enjoys the power of bargaining in the market that is existent. Apart from the bigger chains it is also obvious that the presence of other smaller retail chains has eaten up a considerable amount of the loyal base of customers.

Expectations of the customers – One of the important aspects that remains a barrier is the knowhow of the customer’s requirements because the specifications tend to vary with individual customers and appropriate understanding can be gained when the product has been served in the region specified having a specific environment and culture (Jain and Haley., 2009).

Overcoming of barriers to marketing planning in Primark and Marks and Spencer

The methods by which the barriers that are faced in the marketing planning of Primark and that of Marks and Spencer can be overcome have been listed below:

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Task 2

Marketing Plan for a specified product of Primark

Primark has a wide recognition as a retail clothing brand supplying fashionable clothesline for all the age categories of both genders at the most affordable price to the higher as well as the middle income segment of the society. T\he marketing planning is aimed at the launch of a women’s apparel line especially targeted at the teenagers   involving the steps given below:

Development of a goal – As the brand is devoted in producing the fashion apparels for different categories of customers, therefore more focus would have to be given on the new product line targeted at the teenage population. The product would be required to reflect the newest fashion trends and the company must set a goal to attract the most number of customers in the target segment in the least possible time, thereby augmenting the volume of sales of the company (Ullman., 2015).

Marketing audit – The weaknesses in the plan of marketing can be identified by the conduct of the marketing audit so that those areas could be converted to strength and the threats appearing in the course of the business activities could be overcome along with an eye on the various kinds of business opportunities that could be explored for gains.

Development of Strategies – The process of strategy development could come in handy for Primark during the period when there is a lack of resources as that would not only help in continuing with the production of the fashionable clothing lines but would also help the company in learning the different processes of retention of the same (Umeda et al., 2012).

Review of the process of manufacturing – A continuous process of monitoring the production line of the women’s apparels would assist in the determination of the modifications and alterations that could be necessary and need to be taken into consideration in the product manufacturing process or whether there is any scope for incorporating any new resources in the process.

Importance of marketing planning in the strategic planning process

In the conduct of the process of strategic planning it is imperative that an estimation of the process of marketing planning is taken into consideration. It is after all through the process of marketing planning that the stakeholders of Primark would be able to conduct a comparative analysis of the organisational progress in relation to the similar organisations operative in the sector. When the marketing planning has been designed effectively by Primark to enable the strategic planning process for the new apparel line for teenage women, an enhanced level of production and sale of the same would guarantee a considerable amount of expansion for the enterprise ( Wells et al., 2011). The marketing planning is advantageous in keeping the focus of the enterprise on the target market. The workforce pays more attention to the customer needs and after a thorough evaluation of the same they can focus on its subsequent fulfilment by the supply of products designed for that purpose. An appropriately designed marketing planning helps Primark recognise the new customers as well as the new competitors that they are required to confront in the competition. The strategic analysis through the development of a marketing planning in Primark the rate of cash flow required by the organisation to capture business opportunities can be determined to a great extent.

Identification of techniques of new product development

It is important to note that success by the business enterprise cannot be gained depending on the production and introduction of a new product line, rather development of the new product would necessitate development of ideas that could be of use in the manufacturing of the products. Primark must take into consideration the feedback of its valued customers and give it due importance since it would help in the production of the goods in alignment with the specification and demands of the customers of the brand ( Brooksbank., 2013). Performance monitoring of the enterprise must be conducted on a regular basis so that the development of the new products can be done in accordance by the enterprise. It is also crucial that the raw resources that are put into the process of manufacturing must be recognised qualitatively to understand its utilisation in the process of incorporating a new outlook in the existing product base so that the same could be sold to the customers as a modified and new product. ‘

The enterprise must take into consideration that the rights of the customers in receiving the best quality products from the brand gets satisfied in the best possible manner. The extent of sale of a product helps in the determination of price and also the extent of the development of the new products. Primark’s determination to develop a new product must be followed by development of activities of promotion to attract the attention of the customers as much as possible and also for spreading information about its launch which must be appropriately supported by an efficient level of customer satisfaction through delivery of quality so that the number of repeat customers increase with time (Chan et al., 2011).            

Recommendations for communication mix, product distribution and policies of pricing

The list of recommendations suggested to Primark on the context of policies of pricing, communication and distribution mix has been given below:

• Primark must take recourse to affordable or reasonable price policy so that the product can cater equally to the richer segment and the middle segment of the target market helping in enhancing the sales and customer base of the enterprise ( Fahy and Jobber., 2012).
• Primark must ensure that the supply chain of the enterprise is managed efficiently and the products reach the customer’s hands when it is demanded without much delay.
• The brand must focus on increasing the availability of transportation so that the stocks of products gets replenished before time and the customers never leave the store empty handed as it would result in losing customers.
• A constant channel of communication must be in place between the employees of Primark and the customers so that the changes in their fashion preferences helps the company in remaining updated about the current trends and accordingly design the products to cater to their tastes (Das & Chowdhury, 2012).
• The channels for promotion of sales must get determined beforehand to minimise the barriers faced in the course of product exports for meeting urgent demands.

Account of factors affecting marketing plan implementation

The implementation of the marketing plan designed by Primark could get influenced by the following factors:

Paucity of financial resources – The manufacturing process of the enterprise would have to bear the brunt of lack of financial resources and such a crisis would lead to hindrances in the production of the goods that are in demand and on failing to meet the market demand the brand could confront a considerable amount of loss in the competition ( Perreault., 2010).

Unethical behaviour – The inappropriate behavioural display by the staff of the retail brand in handling the consumers could create an aversion towards the brand in the minds of the customer and they could settle for the rival brands having better quality of customer service in the market competition.

Decreasing skills in product development – The retention of the market share by the retail brand could become difficult on the face of stiff competition prevailing in the retail sector of UK in case the workforce is found to be lacking in the required skill set or expertise that is needed to meet the demand of the target sector.

Influence of ethical issues on marketing planning

In the process of marketing planning the issue of ethical practices holds an important place for Primark retail chain in the region of UK. The ethical issues that concerns the business organisation are racial discrimination, gender discrimination, discrimination on the basis of sex and colour, rights of equality at the workplace etc. Non-compliance with these issues by Primark could lead to hindrances in the planning and implementation of the appropriate marketing approaches by the enterprise. Certain regulatory health and safety related standards must be adhered by Primark within the workplace of the retail chain. The issues related to the ethical practices crops up in the process of marketing planning because of various kinds of disagreements and conflicts within the workplace. The ethical issues in the marketing planning although not dependant on the services and products that are being offered by the retail chain, it however leaves an indirect or direct impact on the image of the brand as well as its point of sale ( Perreault., 2009).

The ethical issues could act as parameters for guiding the employees of Primark to practice approaches related to an efficient marketing planning strategy. Unresolved ethical issues bring down the efficiency of the enterprise and disable the workforce to conduct appropriate marketing planning within the enterprise of Primark. An ethical marketing approach by the organisation would necessitate the fulfilment of the needs of the various stakeholders such as the suppliers, business partners, employees and customers through the process of effective decision making and efficient endeavours by the workforce of the enterprise in the course of the marketing planning for the enterprise ( Chaffey et al., 2012). Primark must also express their care and concern towards the immediate environment and community they work in as a part of their responsibility towards the society. The rules, regulations, legislations and the laws of the organisation must be adhered to avoid the confrontation related to the issues of ethical practices at the workplace and upheld the performance of Primark in the competition.

Primark must monitor the organisational practices to identify any issues of ethical practices so that it can be eradicated in the initial stages of its formation by the method of proper planning. The channels of communication between the staffs and the management must remain clutter free so that the requirements, wants and needs of the employees reaches the ears of the management and actions are taken to sort out the differences so that the performance level of the workforce is not adversely affected. A proper balance must be maintained between the disclosure of the data and information and keeping confidentiality with the employees within the enterprise. To promote an ethical atmosphere at the workplace the employees must be subjected to rewards and recognitions, incentives, medical and retirement benefits, training and development and an equal treatment within the retail chain of Primark ( Hutt and Speh, 2012). The role of the corporate leader also is quite significant in the management of ethical work culture and adherence to work place values within the retail organisation of Primark. The presence of closed circuit cameras within the workplace helps in tracking down the member engaged in some kind of unethical practices such as sharing and mal utilising of the secured information and data. It is crucial for the managers to find out whether the peer pressure to cope and match with the economic emergence has been responsible for the committance of unethical practices at the workplace.

Analysis of the effects of consumer ethics on marketing planning

Primark must give due importance to the evaluation of the customer ethics in the process of marketing planningsince if the supplies made by the brand are in compliance to the rights of the consumers enabling them in making appropriate product choices it is quite natural that these customers would never turn their back on the brand ( Hollensen, 2015). The process of communication with the employees that is in practice within the organisation must adhere to specified set of rules enabling them to share their requirements so that the intention of the workforce to cater to the market demands never dwindles and the level of sales gets enhanced. The employees must be trained effectively to avoid situations of misdemeanour towards the customers thereby leading to the loss of valuable customer base of the enterprise. Primark must not at any point of time engage in the malpractice of producing illegal goods as such ventures not only degrades the brand image but also exposes the enterprise to penal action. Hence consideration of the consumer ethics would help Primark in expanding across geographies and spreading the winning formula of fashion in the retail sector.

Conclusion

The study on the several aspects of marketing planning has shed light on the significance of the product development techniques, strategic process of planning, issues of ethical practices, consumer ethics as well as the barriers that are confronted and the ways of resolving such issues in the process of implementation of the approach of an effective marketing planning strategy. The context of Primark has helped in the development of awareness about the industrial perspective of the approach of marketing planning process.

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