Research Topics: Case Study Marketing

Crack Jones Watson Mitchell Volker Case Study

CraikJones WATSON  MITCHELL VOLKER DIM Competition brief Young Person’s Railcar 1.0 Introduction This case study has been written by Young Person’s Railcar (ATOM) and Crack Jones Watson Mitchell Volker with the help of The Institute of Direct Marketing. Information about Crack Jones and Young Person’s Railcar has been provided solely for education purposes and should not, under any circumstances, be used for any other purposes. Permission must be gained from the DIM and its partners prior to the use of these materials outside the context of the DIM Student Direct Marketing Competition. All queries regarding the case study must be made in the first instance to the Dim’s Graduate Services Department on 020 8614 0272 or qraduateservices(5)theidm.com. Crack Jones or Young Person’s Railcar MUST NOT be approached without first contacting the DIM. 2.0  Young Persons Railcar product information 2.1       Background ATOM – The Association of Train Operating Companies – is responsible for the sales and marketing of three discount Railcars on behalf of the Train Operating Companies (Tics). Atom’s marketing budget is provided by the Tics – train operating companies like Virgin, Midland mainline etc. 2.2      Product The Young Persons Railcar (YORK) is a rail travel discount card available to anybody between the ages of 16 and 25, and full-time mature students. The Railcar costs £20 per year, and gives a discount of a third on most train fares (some First Class, and heavily discounted Standard Class, tickets are excluded). A minimum fare applies to peak time journeys made before 10am Monday to Friday. Even a moderate number of journeys allows Railcar holders to save money. For example, three journeys normally costing £30 would result in a saving of £30, or £10 more than the cost of the card. Crack Jones Watson Mitchell Volker Ltd   120 Regent Street London W1B 5RY T: 020 7734 1650  F: 020 7734 1649  W: www.craikjones.co.uk     2.3      Purchasing Most Ypres (97%) are purchased from station ticket offices. Others are purchased over the phone from Train Operating Companies (Tics), or from travel agents. At present it is not possible to purchase a YORK online. Purchasers require: •         A passport-sized photograph •         Proof of age (birth certificate, passport, driving license or ISIS card) .     £20 Application forms are available from stations, or downloadable from the website. 3.0 Marketing objectives 3.1 Primary objective To increase the penetration of YORK among 16-25 year-olds and mature students from 25% to 28%. This represents a direct revenue increase of £1.92 million (12%). 3.2 Secondary objectives To increase the average number of journeys made by YORK holders 4.0 Marketing budget 4.1  Total marketing budget £1.5 million for financial year 2006-7. (Please see 4.2 and 4.3 for mandatory budget split.) 4.2  Core marketing budget YORK has a core budget of £170,000. This budget covers: •     Station literature £170,000. Station literature consists of: leaflets (including application form) available from station leaflet dispensers (£140,000); Al station posters (£30,000 print and production. Media space in stations is provided free under Tics’ contracts). Core marketing spend as laid out in this section is a requirement of this brief. 4.3 Discretionary marketing budget Tics are obligated by law to offer fare discounts to young people and students. They are not obligated to support the YORK with marketing budgets. Nevertheless, the Tics have historically provided ATOM with a marketing budget of c. £500,000 per annum. (Please note that this figure includes the £170,000 used for station literature.) The other money not accounted for by station literature has in the past been used to produce and run half page/full page press executions. Sample titles include: FEM.; Nuts; Heat; Loaded, etc. However, in the wake of research indicating that YORK ownership promotes incremental train travel, the Tics have increased the total budget voted to ATOM from £500,000 (2005-6) to £1,500,000 (2006-7). After core activity has been taken from this budget, £1,150,000 remains for discretionary marketing activity. 5.0  Campaign requirement 5.1  Overall requirement An integrated marketing campaign primarily to increase penetration of YORK, and secondarily to increase rail usage among card holders. Proposals should include: •         Communications strategy •         Creative work •         Media plan •         Testing and measurement proposals 5.2 Mandatory’s Apart from the requirement to support YORK in-station (see 4.2 above), there are no media or creative mandatory’s for this campaign. You should feel free to consider the use of all traditional or non-traditional media channels (including digital and PR). For the record, ‘integrated’ does not mean ‘matching luggage’. We do not require that one creative idea be force-fitted into different media. We do require that all communications should promote a consistent overall message. 6.0 Target audience 6.1   Customer segmentation The customer base is segmented as follows: •         ‘Sixth Formers’ – all aged 16-18: 17%. •         Students at home aged 19-21: 14%. •         Independent students aged 19-21: 31%. •         Students at home aged 22-25: 5%. •         Independent students aged 22-25: 16%. •         Workers at home aged 19-21: 5%. •         Independent workers aged 19-21: 5%. •         Workers at home aged 22-25: 4%. •         Independent workers aged 22-25: 3%. It will be seen at once that students and pupils account for more than 80% of all Ypres, and independent students alone for almost half. 6.2  Train usage •         73% of 16-25s use the train at least once a year. •         24% use the train at least once a year for work/school/college. •         69% use the train at least once a year for leisure journeys. •         Among independent students and independent workers train usage has remained static 2002-2004. •         Among students at home (aged both 19-21 and 22-25) train usage rose 2002-2004. 6.3  Train rejection Reasons given for rejecting train travel (base: all 16-25s): •         Car more convenient 20% (down from 26% in 2002). •         Train too expensive 15%. •         Times/routes not convenient 14%. •         Bus/coach more convenient 12%. •         No station nearby 21%. 6.4 Competitive mode usage Competitive transport mode usage (long journeys; all 16-25s): •         Train most often 32% •         Train at all 59% •         Car most often 48% •         Car at all 67% •         Coach most often 17% •         Coach at all 42% Competitive transport mode usage (long journeys; YORK holders): •         Train most often 71% •         Train at all 89% (it makes you wonder about the other 11%, though) •         Car most often 28% •         Car at all 56% •         Coach most often 7% •         Coach at all 34% Leisure journey types (all 16-25s who make leisure trips): •         Trips with friends most often 40% •         Trips with friends at all 64% •         Visiting friends most often 19% •         Visiting friends at all 41% •         Visiting family most often 18% •         Visiting family at all 34% •         Trips with family most often 7% •         Trips with family at all 31% Why take the train if you have a car (all 16-25s)? •         Train is less stressful 32% •         Train is faster 25% •         Train is more comfortable 11% •         Train is cheaper 10% 6.5 Awareness of YORK •     Prompted awareness of YORK 60% (all 16-25s). o    ‘Sixth Formers’ – all aged 16-18: 52%. o    Students at home aged 19-21: 67%. o    Independent students aged 19-21: 77%. o    Students at home aged 22-25: 66%. o    Independent students aged 22-25: 59%. •     Prompted advertising awareness 28% (all 16-25s). o    Awareness of eligibility 54% (all 16-25s) o    Awareness of savings 53% (all 16-25s) 6.6  Reasons for not purchasing YORK •         Travel too infrequently 66% (all 16-25s) •         Haven’t got round to it 14% (all 16-25s) 6.7  Target audience: who are we talking to? All 16-25 year olds, but primarily: •         Pupils attending school, probably doing ‘A’ Levels. Horizons are just beginning to open up, what with having a bit more money, being more-or-less legally able to drink, legally able to have sex and so on. However, psychologically they’re still based very much at their parents’ house. They’re attending school (many will still have to wear school uniform, and at the best of times schools are rather rigid and timetabled), and have been doing so since they were four. Apart from weekend/evening jobs they’re financially dependent on mum and dad. The chances are they still need to ring home if they’re going to get back much after midnight. It’s not that they enjoy this state of affairs, but at the moment they have little choice in the matter. •         Students, both those living at home with their parents, and those who attend university in another town. Life has finally arrived: the workload is relatively light; responsibilities are few and far between; beer is cheap. Financially they are relatively independent, and much better off than they were when they attended school. Many have moved to a completely different part of the country, far away from Authority. Even those who live at home are now ‘adults’. All have substantially more control over their own life. •         Workers. Job, status and total independence (apart from having to turn up to work at nine o’clock every morning). They’re unlikely to be well-off, but are more likely to own a car and might well see train travel as a retrograde step. Encompasses a wide variety of lifestyles from people who still live at home, to poverty-stricken graduates hunting for their first flat, to 25-year-olds holding dinner parties and going on short breaks at the weekend. Credit:ivythesis.typepad.com

Crack Jones Watson Mitchell Volker Case Study

CraikJones WATSON MITCHELL VOLKER DIM Competition brief Young Person’s Railcar 1.0 Introduction This case ...

The Royal Automobile Association (RAA) Case Study Analysis Sample

Case 1: The Call Center of “The Royal Automobile Association (RAA)”   Businesses are developing and creating several measures to maintain their competitiveness with lower costs.  In the case of the call center of The Royal Automobile Association (RAA), they were continuously evolving through the help of their staff.  Even though the company offers high involvement working practices among their staff, they still consider the needs and other motivators for their staff. Basically, quality of work was highly considered in the company thus they imposed close monitoring of work done by their staff. However, despite of these practices, the company still gives bonuses and other rewards to those who performed outstanding. In the call center of The Royal Automobile Association (RAA), it is important to generate and maintain an effective reward system that would cater to the needs of their staff. The reward system to be offered by the company should come in various and concrete forms. According to Caruth and Handlogten, (2001, p. 1), these may either be monetary or non-monetary, tangible or intangible, and physical or psychological, and these are offered to the employees as compensation for the productive work they execute.             Furthermore, a formalized corporate reward system in the call center of The Royal Automobile Association (RAA) is necessary because it would appeal to capable and skilled people to fill the available positions in a specific organization. Additionally, such method would promote acceptable levels of turnovers because the present human resources would be encouraged to stay in the organization. Lastly, an efficient reward system would also motivate the workers to perform their responsibilities to the fullest degree of their personal capacities (Caruth and Handlogten, 2001, p. 1). Actually, Champion-Hughes (2001) highlighted the importance of high involvement working practices through good supervision, working conditions, pay and benefits as well as challenging and rewarding jobs. She said that these conditions will provide opportunities for employees to contribute in the overall effectiveness of the organization as they become more motivated and productive members of the company’s work force with positive self-esteem and improved morale. In the case of the call center of The Royal Automobile Association (RAA), the importance and demand for workplace learning through good supervision though is clearly evident. Today, workplace learning is changed into a productive business venture. In addition, believing that the most important asset of a business is the people in order to achieve sustained business success is really vital to the development and progress of The Royal Automobile Association (RAA). Realizing this leads to a strategic management of people within the organization. Its philosophy is based on the simple belief that staff are the most important asset in achieving and sustaining business success. Developing skills of persuasiveness and sensitiveness do not have the specific aim of giving people harder work, but rather provide the opportunity to provide meaningful relationship with people as well retaining those who are skilled and worthy of the company’s appraisal. Actually, the company created a good balance between their priorities.  One is by enhancing the competitiveness of their staff by continues monitoring of their work and giving rewards for excellent performance. And the second is through consideration of the complaints of their customers by giving a refund. References: Caruth, D., & Handlogten, G. (2001) Managing Compensation (And Understanding It Too): A Handbook for the Perplexed. Westport: Quorum.   Champion-Hughes, R. (2001) “Totally Integrated Employee Benefits”, Public Personnel Management, vol. 30, 3, p. 287     Credit:ivythesis.typepad.com

The Royal Automobile Association (RAA) Case Study Analysis Sample

Case 1: The Call Center of “The Royal Automobile Association (RAA)” Businesses are developing and creating several measures to maintain ...

Sample Essay Paper on Dove and How Loyalty to it was Developed

Dove is one company that continuously undergoes various organizational changes. It tries to discover new things that can make their products better and more appealing to clients. Dove is known internationally because of its distinct characteristics and popular brand name. When soap is mentioned one thing that comes into the minds of people is Dove. In terms of product preference people choose Dove as their soap. They are loyal to the product because they have proven its worth. Dove is the only soap most mothers prefer to use for herself and her children.  If one has sensitive skin Dove is known as the only soap that never leaves its user’s body discolored and it never creates a situation wherein the skin is dry.  Dove is constantly reaching out to newer markets.  Dove offers variety of products not only for the skin but for the hair.  Besides being the best in skin care Dove reaches out to the community, one of Dove strategies is the Real Beauty Campaign.  This allows young girls from the ages of 8 to 12 choose one who will act as their mentor and together they can lead a Dove Real Beauty Workshop for girls.  The said program is designed to help young girls discover beauty and the different things related to it. Together they will inform other girls about what to do for them to be considered beautiful inside and out. The said workshop will have fun, educational and interactive sessions on beauty, self image and self-esteem.  It will serve as an instrument for social awareness and it will create a better relationship between company and the different clients. This kind of program makes a client loyal to the company. Strategies The company uses different strategies so that its can maintain its appeal to the consumer. One strategy is the use of a website that attracts the clients. The website of the company is well made and creates attraction so that clients will be enticed to visit it. It provides different information about the company and its product. This will help the clients understand more the benefits they will acquire if they use the product. It will also provide answers to the different questions they have about the company and its products. Another strategy used by the company is having products that have competitive prices when compared to major competitors. This strategy of the company makes them have a better relationship to clients that go for affordable but durable products. Most clients would prefer products that have the best quality but are competitively priced that products that cost more because of their brand name. Clients want products that will have the same value as their money. They are wary of the products that will just waste their finances. A strategy used by the company is creating products that come in travel packs that are easy to carry. This makes the product valuable to more kinds of people. This kind of products provides an opportunity for people who travel a lot to still make use of Dove’s products. Lastly a strategy used by the company to promote loyalty is to engage in various programs such as Dove Real Beauty Workshop. The company makes use of various programs so that they can have a better relationship with the environment and their clients. In having a better relationship with clients, it makes sure that clients will be more loyal to the company and their products.  Conclusion Research about the company helped in understanding about Dove, its services, its products and what makes it one of the most well known soap related company in the world. When soap is mentioned one thing that comes into the minds of people is Dove. In terms of product preference people choose Dove as their soap. They are loyal to the product because they have proven its worth and they believe that such product is the best for them. Research about the company helped in understanding the different strategies used by the company to acquire loyalty. One strategy by the company is the use of a website that attracts the clients.  Another strategy used by the company is having products that have competitive prices when compared to major competitors. A strategy used by the company is creating products that come in travel packs that are easy to carry. Lastly a strategy used by the company to promote loyalty is to engage in various programs such as Dove Real Beauty Workshop. The different strategies used by the company make them provide better service to clients and it gives them competitive advantage. These things improve the image of a company and when its image is good the clients are more enticed to avail of their products and services. Research about the company Dove helped in providing a better understanding of how loyalty is developed.  It provided insights on the factors that help loyalty to be developed.  Dove made use of appropriate strategies that created a culture of loyalty to the consumers.  The different strategies provided a better relationship for the company and its client and it makes the clients loyal to the company. Credit:ivythesis.typepad.com

Sample Essay Paper on Dove and How Loyalty to it was Developed

Dove is one company that continuously undergoes various organizational changes. It tries to discover new things that can make their products...

Intense competition in international business,pressures firms to utilize product quality to create value for consumers in a cost-effective manner and or distinguish the company from it’s competitors

Application of Quality Function Deployment (QFD) at                                                                                           Table of Contents                                                                                           Introduction   Intense competition in international business, pressures firms to utilise product quality to create value for consumers in a cost-effective manner and/or distinguish the company from its competitors. Quality is an important source of competitive advantage. However, quality should also match the needs and expectations of consumers to support effective value creation. This requires a competitive strategy that strongly links product quality with customer requirements since the ability to match customer needs is key to competitiveness.   A tool that enables business firms to link quality with customer requirements is the Quality Function Deployment (QFD) model. This model first emerged in 1978 as the process of translating customer requirements into product design and engineering specifications. This model creates a relationship among various parties—consumers, design engineers, competition, production team. As such, applying QFD captures the entire process of conceptualising, designing and manufacturing of a product. Having these stages ensures the efficient achievement of quality because issues during the different stages emerge for immediate resolution. By integrating customer requirements in these stages, the final product is likely of a quality satisfactory to consumers.   Many well-known business firms have applied the QFD model to establish the link between customer requirements with product design and production processes. Daimler Chrysler, Ford and General Motors are firms within the automobile industry that applied QFD. IBM and Boeing are other firms that also utilised QFD to achieve the quality expectations of its customers. Utilising QFD contributed a number of benefits including cost efficiency, product quality improvement, and customer satisfaction.    The paper has two parts. The first part applies QFD in the development of perfume able to represent the company name as its brand name while reflecting the requirements of its target customers from a perfume. The second part discusses the problem in the implementation of the QFD model.   Part A: Application of the QFD Model   The application of the QFD model employs four stages including ‘House of Quality’, ‘Parts Deployment’, ‘Process Planning’, and ‘Production Design’. House of Quality constitutes the initial stage. This identifies the different critical technical areas requiring change. By doing so, issues could emerge for the first time for consideration in the next stage. Parts Deployment involves the conceptualisation of the product design that best suits the values identified in the previous stage. Process Planning involves the conversion or transference of details of the product design into parameters, methods and processes. Production Planning involves the identification of specific instructions for production including particular descriptions of the part for measurement. This results to a prototype and a final product for launch.     Forming QFD Team   The determination of customer requirements as basis for design characteristics requires a cross-functional team with members coming from the different departments particularly the marketing department, customer service department, product development department, and manufacturing department. The marketing and customer service departments provide first hand information on the characteristics, components or design that the company’s customers would require from a perfume. The product development department provides technical expertise on the components to use in the perfume itself and the perfume bottle. The manufacturing department provides insight into the viability of actualising the design into a product for consumption with consideration of resource availability and utilisation. The members of the team represent different perspectives on the design and processes together with issues that requires consideration to ensure the effective achievement of intended outcomes.   Four Steps of QFD Process   Applying the QFD model has four stages, which are:   Ø      Stage 1 House of Quality (Product Planning)       During this stage, the cross-functional team determines analyses and prioritises customer requirements in order to derive product characteristics that would satisfy customers. This stage also involves benchmarking or consideration of product characteristics of existing competitors. This confirms customer requirements as well as identifies the value created by the new product. Ø      Stage 2 Parts Deployment (Product Design)      In the second stage, the team converts customer requirements into detailed product design including the components used and packaging. Ø      Stage 3 Process Planning (Process Design)      In the third stage, the team focuses on the development or identification of the methods and processes that fit the product design.   Ø      Stage 4 Production Planning (Production Design)      In the fourth and last stage, the team further develops the methods and processes by specifying details of procedures and control processes at the manufacturing levels to translate the product design and production methods into a tangible product, which reflects customer requirements.   Application to a New Perfume Product   The new product for Brooks Brothers is a perfume reflecting the brand equity of the company. The perfume should be something that represents class and elegance in terms of fragrance, ingredients, colour, texture, container, and other components of packaging. The company’s primary business is men’s formal, casual apparel, shoes, belts, brief cases, and accessories. It has also ventured into women’s clothing but only to a limited extent. The company wants to expand its product line to create a full line of products for men to increase value for its consumers and to make the store experience rewarding and longer increasing the chances of increased sales.     Forming a Cross-functional QFD Team   The members of the cross-functional team involve an eight-man team, two from the four departments, which are sales departments, customer service department, R&D department, and manufacturing department. The team provides different information as well as perspectives on the different aspects of the product design and production processes. The R&D department provides unique ideas for the product design, the sales and customer service departments provide insight into the ideas matching customer requirements, and the manufacturing department provides insight to the ways of efficiently manufacturing the product. Having two-members from each department ensures confirmation of the perspectives of the departments.   Stage 1 House of Quality   The initial step in the first stage is the identification of the characteristics that customers want from the new perfume product of the company. The derivation of information from customers is through store surveys, customer feedback through customer service, online market surveys, and product trends from its competitors.   Customer feedback from customer service and product trends provide information on what customers are looking for in an apparel store and brand as well as extent of potential uptake for the new product.   Surveys involved the posting of different questions encompassing the characteristics or product experience they expect from a new men’s perfume. This means determining those that customers prefer and detest. The respondents had room to provide feedback on any or all perfume characteristics from the fragrance, colour, ingredients and texture, to the container’s shape and application options, to the packaging including the brand print and box. Feedback reflected different levels of needs, which are: 1) basic needs; 2) performance needs; and 3) excitement needs. Basic needs refer to expectations of the basic product features and function of a perfume, which is to constitute part of men’s daily hygiene especially if they work in the corporate world. Performance needs are expectations of the functions of the new perfume including the expression of mood and personality through fragrance. Excitement needs comprise functions that would enchant and surprise customers if incorporated into the perfume.   Information drawn from consumers point to the following customer preferences for a new perfume, which are: v     Unique fragrance v     Class or elegant fragrance v     Long lasting fragrance v     Natural components or earth friendly ingredients v     Hypoallergenic v     Elegant container and box v     Clear texture v     Pleasing colour v     Fits different occasions v     Blends well with sweat   The team considered, analysed and prioritised all the requirements taken from the different sources to resolve trade-off issues especially in quality, cost and time factors. This resulted to the identification of unique and elegant fragrance as the top priority given 9 as weight, followed by long-lasting fragrance, hypoallergenic character, and blends well with sweat with a weight of 8. The rest of the customer requirements are shown in the House of Quality graph in the separate excel file.   Stage 2 Parts Deployment Stage 3 Process Planning Stage 4 Production Planning House of Quality Chart Benefits from Applying QFD Part B             Advantages of QFD Model             Problems of Applications             Difficulty in Determining Customer Needs             Organizational Problems                         Corporate Culture                         Organizational Structure                         Management Commitment and Resources Allocation             Hindering Innovation             Methodological Problems Conclusion           Credit:ivythesis.typepad.com

Intense competition in international business,pressures firms to utilize product quality to create value for consumers in a cost-effective manner and or distinguish the company from it’s competitors

Application of Quality Function Deployment (QFD) at ...

Critical Success Factors of Beauty Industry in Hong Kong: The case of Modern Salon Holdings Ltd.

Critical Success Factors of Beauty Industry in Hong Kong: the case of Modern Beauty Salon Holdings Ltd.     Chapter I Introduction   Today’s definition of beauty is relative. Beauty in its traditional notion refers to the attribute of being physically attractive. However, this does not seem to be enough as it seems to be an essential yet insufficient condition.  and (1994) wrote that substantial indication has been collected, apart from cultural changes in its meaning; beauty is an effective trading commodity. Beauty has been an active part of consumer lifestyle. Lifestyle is the outward expression of a consumer’s needs, desires and values, reflected through patterns of demographics, purchasing behaviors, activities, interests and opinions ( 1996). Consumer lifestyle can be practically referred to as the manner on how people live, how they spend their economic resources, and how they allocate their time. On this case, beauty products and services are purchased for personal consumption and the relative importance of social factors is reflected to consumer approval or final decision. Consumer lifestyle can change dynamically under social environmental influences and are also derived from the individual’s personal value system and personality ( 2003). This fact is among the reasons why beauty industry continuously innovate products and services that cater to the changing needs of the beauty and lifestyle conscious consumers. Background of the Study Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) is known to be one of the most exceptional and vibrant tourist destinations in the world because of its aura of magnificence, efficiency, and state-of-the-art competence (2002). Hong Kong, as it is popularly referred by most visitors, is also recognised for maintaining its continuing competitive advantage especially in Asia’s hotel and restaurant into the bargain of the entire tourism and hospitality industries (2006; 2001). With a booming tourism and hospitality industry, Hong Kong’s beauty industry can be presumed as similarly booming due mainly to the fact that some beauty related businesses are covered by said industry. Beauty salons, spas, and other establishments are linked with modern hotels and beauty products and services are included in their accommodation packages.             Beauty industry undeniably shares a significant portion in Hong Kong’s economic growth. As tourists flock their ways to the city, there is a high probability of using at least one or more beauty products and services that are offered in various leading beauty related establishments like salons and spas. For example, Modern Beauty, according to its corporate domain, is a leading beauty salon group in Hong Kong that offers a comprehensive range of beauty and wellness services to mid- and high-income customer groups who pursue quality living. It offers eight (8) services that are categorized into the following main lines: Beauty and Facial Services, Spa and Massage Services, Deluxe Spa and Massage Services, Slimming Services, Fitness Services, Men Salon Services, Men’s Products, Healthcare Centre, Beauty Expert International College, and Distribution of Beauty Products and Equipment. These beauty products and services are offered to all lifestyle consumers, both local and foreign in nature. It has been identified that Modern Beauty has grown over the years of its operations using its multi-brand strategy to capture diverse market segments. It expanded its 18 large-scale service centres that feature state-of-the-art equipment with modern and luxurious flair design that aim to leave an aura of relaxation and comfortable ambience for all its customers. For this year, Modern Beauty recorded HK$ 227 million and 28% growth in its annual profit. Using the net profit margin, the Group is remains stable. The Group has competitors in spas products and services such as Elle Spa Repulse Bay, The Firm, Indulgence, Landmark Mandarin Oriental Spa, Plateau Spa, The Spa at the Four Seasons, and other salons and spas operating within its specific locations. Other competitors are first-class hotels that offer same beauty products and services that the Group is offering. With the clear success that Modern Beauty is showing, it is apt to identify its critical success factors that reflect the condition of the overall beauty industry in the city. This study is conducted to explore the beauty industry of Hong Kong and point out its current trends and developments using Modern Beauty as case example. Also, because of the growing importance of beauty in lifestyle of modern consumers, it is very important to know the trends and development in the beauty industry that, in one way or the other, can affect marketing and management practices of people working in this industry.   Objectives of the Study             This study generally provides a background of the beauty industry in Hong Kong. It primarily focuses on the identification of the critical success factors of the industry using the case of Modern Beauty Salon Holdings Ltd as example. It also elaborates on the role of beauty industry, including salons, spas, and other lifestyle and beauty related businesses, in enhancing the economic condition and the marketing strength of Hong Kong as among the world’s top tourist destination.   Statement of the Problem             The following problems are answered in this study: <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 200%"> What are the critical success factors of the beauty industry of Hong Kong as shown on the case of Modern Beauty Salon Holdings Ltd?</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 200%"> What are the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of the beauty industry?</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 200%"> What is the role of beauty industry in enhancing the economic condition and the marketing strength of Hong Kong as among the world’s top tourist destination?</li>   Significance of the Study             A case study is an extensive evaluation or examination of a single instance of a phenomenon of interest. Given this fact, this case study has many functions in which it will primarily serve. This study was conducted with the intention to provide information and details to the critical success factors of the beauty industry of Hong Kong using the case of Modern Beauty Salon Holdings Ltd as example. Generally, this research case study is for knowledge acquisition and awareness. The importance of this study lies to the eventual presentation of data that seek to answer the question on the critical success factors of the beauty industry in the city. Theoretically, this study is intended for marketing management practitioners, academicians, and business or managerial personnel and students in providing body of knowledge that they may use in the performance of their own individual duties. It is also an attempt to contribute on the literature focusing on the said subject. Moreover, this study seeks to give information on issues ranging from the critical success factors of the beauty industry and its role in enhancing the economic condition and the marketing strength of Hong Kong as among the world’s top tourist destination. Empirically, this study is intended as a theoretical basis that can be used in problem-solving and decision making and taking situations in the academic setting. By being aware of these factors that affect the success (or failure) of the beauty industry in Hong Kong, the readers of this research will be able to validate their existing preconceptions by linking such with the results and findings of the study. Also, this study would benefit future researchers in the field of marketing and management in general. Finally, to the researcher, this study will increase the knowledge that is innate to herself. The interests that she posses in relation to marketing, management, and its applications will flourish as she continue to explore the adventurous and challenging world of marketing and management. From this research study, the researcher will be able to contribute to the existing body of knowledge within the limits of her academic environment through the study’s results and findings. Additionally, the development in her personality in relation to professionalism and work ethics will also be cultivated throughout the duration of the research. All in all, this endeavor will make the researcher a better person and an able professional in her chosen profession in the future.         Current Beauty Industry Situation in Hong Kong: the case of Modern Beauty Salon Holdings Ltd   In a recent online newspaper article published in The  and written by  (2008), the trend in beauty industry today is medical beauty. It is a term that was coined to characterize any beauty services that are rendered using specialized medical principles. This includes cosmetic surgery and other treatments that use lasers, light-based technologies, radio frequency devices, Botox, placenta injections as well as non invasive treatments. , Chairman of the Federation of Beauty Industry, Hong Kong, and editor-in-chief of , a beauty magazine in Hong Kong sees a growing market in this area, as there are more and more people looking for a quick fix. Medical beauty offers solutions much faster than traditional beauty treatments. He added that the service will attract a niche group of clientele, especially those willing to pay a premium for instant results. However, the challenge of this promising field of medical beauty industry lies on the proposition of legal policies and regulations that will serve as general guide for all practitioners and related individuals. Credit:ivythesis.typepad.com

Critical Success Factors of Beauty Industry in Hong Kong: The case of Modern Salon Holdings Ltd.

Critical Success Factors of Beauty Industry in Hong Kong: the case of Modern Beauty Salon Holdings Ltd. Chapter I Introduction ...