I. Introduction
Nowadays, businesses tend to encounter a trading environment no less than being considered cutthroat. Companies vie for competitive advantage. Organisations compete for a much wider market share. Both such instances are a given reality in the commercial world. It is thus unsurprising for companies to use certain methods to acquire such sought after end results. One tried and tested way of accomplishing this is by using marketing techniques. The following discussions will argue about the case of New Zealand Heritage Park (NZHP). This is a newly opened theme park that has its owner, Terry Becket, on his toes as the market development of the place changes. The discussions will cover the target markets, visitor attendance, promotion, and pricing methods used in NZHP. From these observations, the researcher will provide a conclusion at the end of the paper. Moreover, the observations and arguments regarding the specific elements of the park are going to be based on academic and scholarly articles related to marketing and business administration.
II. Target Markets
Based on the case study, the target markets were divided into two categories, New Zealanders and Overseas Tourists. The issue on this matter is that the former is considered by the company as a minor market segment. It focused more of its attention to overseas tourists as the main market of the park. In looking at the case, the choice of two target markets tends to complicate the marketing strategy of the company. (2003) This may be problematic for NZHP given that they are a mere budding organisation. The choice of two target markets tends to manifest a blurry vision for the company. For one, their may have difficulty in establishing their core customers, specifically those who will actually keep their organisation running. It would have been simpler for the NZPH to have chosen one target market and segment it afterwards in order to see what improvements it would need in its operations. (2000)
III. Visitor Attendance
The main issue regarding the context of the lower visitor attendance on the part of their major market segment would be the access of these overseas tourists. (2000) Along with that, the park is a new entrant in the “theme park” market. It would be rather difficult for it to tap a greater market share immediately with the presence of other famous theme parks in the region. That issue will be augmented with the opening of a new Disney theme park in Hong Kong.
IV. Promotion
The promotion strategy of NZPH has been considerably effective since it had acquired a considerable number of tourist visitors in its first month. However, they have limited their campaign to those who are likely to have first hand encounters with certain travel agents, tour operators, tourist offices, certain airlines and cruise ships bound to New Zealand. The promotion was limited to those who are already bound to New Zealand.
It had failed to fully employ mass media’s clout to sway the thought of society. (2004) If the company would have raised awareness to other countries using mass media, then a much range would have been acquired in terms of market share.
This may have also contributed to the greater local visitors as compared to the tourists. They have raised awareness of the park locally which contributed to a positive response from the local market. In the same way, they have marketed the park as an entertainment facility which is largely appealing to children. Studies indicate that kids turned out to be among the main indicators on consumer behavior in the United States. (2006) This may have been ascribed towards the feelings of children on advertisements that seize their interest. ( 1999)
V. Pricing
Since the company have expected overseas tourists to be their major market segment, the initial high price have been rather steep for the locals. The price cuts were rather beneficial for maintaining the market of the park. Given that they are a new brand in the market, a relatively low price range would have been their competitive advantage from the other theme park players. (2000)
VI. Conclusion
The company should realise that a shift on the major market segment is in order. The focus of their marketing should be the local market and make international tourists secondary. The loopholes and apparent mistakes of the company seemed to have spawned from the lack of appropriate strategic planning on the part of NZPH. Nevertheless, the case study has also presented that the company have indeed taken several missteps in their quest for development. Again, leaders have to be constantly vigilant such that these errors could be mended before major implications have infected the entire operations of the company. The planning process is basically a means to enable the implementation of the strategy as unencumbered as possible for the organization. Indeed, strategic planning recognizes the possible changes that may occur even before it takes place. This lessens the risk of huge loss and considerable drawbacks in the acquisition of the company goal. Strategy and strategic planning complement each other. This means that both will work effectively when they are used collectively. By doing so, the company’s pursuit of its individual goals is carried out in an unfailing and calculated manner.
(2005) “The Engagement of Employees in the Strategy Process and Firm Performance: The Role of Strategic Goals and Environment.” Journal of Business Strategies. 22(2), 75.
The authors are all on an associate professor level from different colleges and universities on Colorado, Virginia, and Los Angeles. The study covers the implications of employee involvement in the strategic process in the organisation. Specifically, the discussions cover the relationship between the performance of the organisation and the strategy processes held by the company. The study encapsulated a complete package of literature use and statistical analysis. Though there are certain insinuations and reference to other works, these are mainly for review purposes and not the actual basis of the findings of the study. Moreover, the use of statistical data implies that the main audience of this paper would be academicians and other scholars of organisational studies. In any case, the findings tend to be a result of a methodical analysis of primary and secondary data. Those who are studying strategic planning processes will find this piece informative and useful in terms of research purposes.
(2005) “Evaluating Internal Operations and Supply Chain Performance Using EVA and ABC.” SAM Advanced Management Journal. 70(2), 45.
has been involved with logistics in the US Air Force for two decades while Dr. Coleman have been using mathematical modelling to analyse managerial decisions with over thirty academic articles in his belt. The study centres on the decision making held by companies through the use of economic value added analysis (EVA) and activity-based costing (ABC). The analysis relied heavily on past and existing literature which may have considerably been inconsistent with the presence of Dr. Coleman as one of the researcher. The use of a qualitative means of analysing the issue has been rather unlike him. However, the extensive use of logistics and supply chain literature has been rather informative on its development and use in organisations. This paper may well be directed to learners of logistics and management students considering the rather extensive use of MBA jargons and tables in the study.
(2005) “Current Operational Practices of U.S. Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises in Europe.” Journal of Small Business Management. 43(2), 155.
Both authors are professors of operations management specializing on supply chains of companies. The focus of this study reflects that supply chain structure of small and medium enterprises in the United States. Specifically, the study covered US-owned SMEs that have facilities that operate in Europe. Discussions on international trade tend to become highly referenced in this paper. Moreover the discussions tend to be rather qualitative in nature making the study rely in empirical data as opposed to analysing its own. In any case, the study is a great addition to studies to both international operations of multinational corporations and the supply chain structure of SMEs. Moreover, the inclusion of analysis of SMEs in Europe tends to become a welcome addition to a rather scant resource on the issue. Once again, the use of qualitative data tends to highlight the limits on the study able to generalise on the subject matter.
(2006) “Proactive Reification: Shifting Market Structure and Enrepreneurship.” SAM Advanced Management Journal. 71(2), 29.
is a scholar of change and its effect on the individual, organisation and the market. On the other hand, Dr. Black tends to focus his expertise on complex or ambiguous environments through the use of modern IT technology. The study focuses on market structure and entrepreneurship. The discussions quickly fell on the use of empirical data and qualitative analysis of the market factors and its implications to both the entrepreneur and the existing market structure. To an extent, the paper appears to be more of an advocacy of a new perspective in market studies with focus on what the authors called market-based view and proactive reification. In the course of the study, they have used Porter’s Five Force Model to establish a “taxonomy of market factors” that would help them in their analysis. The article appears more interested in becoming accepted in the academic arena as opposed to being actually educational for actual entrepreneurs. The rather persuasive tone of the discussions has prompted this assumption.
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