Clocky: the Runaway Alarm Clock

We evaluated our company’s position in the industry, and found ourselves in an excellent starting position to further develop our products and match them to the industry’s needs. Our market share is adequate and we can advance further with our strategy improve and reposition our products in the coming years. We have underutilized capacity, which we intend to improve, while increasing automation to reduce costs. We have plans to improve our promotion to improve product awareness and with the appropriate product lines we will increase price to improve margins and better align our high-end product image. Our current financial position is optimistic, showing our leverage (Assets/Equity) at 2.0, when our goal is to maintain 1.5-2.0 overall. By utilizing the analysis tools we are learning what elements are driving demand, how to effectively tailor our products through R&D, how best to adjust our marketing and pricing, while lowering input costs, in order to improve margins and to ensure our stakeholders are all satisfied.

Once the Phases I&II are finished, raising the required capital for own manufacturing plant should not be a problem. For marketing and distribution Nucleon would do better to find a marketing partner. Licensing manufacturing and marketing rights at Phase III stage would also be an option, though only receiving 10% partner’s gross sales, so own in-house manufacturing would bring in more revenues as well as having more control over product quality.

The challenges faced by Nucleon, Inc. present more of an issue with how to take full advantage of an opportunity in front of them, rather than a problem that poses a threat to the company. As a company in its early stages, only putting out its first product, it is critical that it is done in a manner that allows the budding firm to grow. The main issue here is determining the most effective means by which they are to manufacture and market their first product, CRP-1. Doing so requires in-depth evaluation of three strategic options, all with their own benefits and potential risks. The problem statement, therefore, is as follows:

She needs to identify the behavioral segment of who she is targeting. She would be able to move in to a smaller group of consumers by using some psychographic testing in the market. This way she would be able to find out what the interests are in the group she is targeting as her consumer group. Is this group the young, up and coming baby boomers that need to know exact time throughout the day and night? Many people in this age of cell phones are using their cell phones for a way to know what time it is, she must try to target people who like the fashion of a watch and at the same time the concept of knowing what time it is by looking at their wrist, not at their cell phone. The demographics of her market would have to be high end, young professionals who appreciate good watches and clocks that are decorative and useful. Would her watches and clocks be able to also tell a person what time it is in another country? Many businesses are working globally and need to know what time it is in the consumer’s market during the work day.

Q 1) What is the current positioning strategy? Is it working? Why or why not?

1. Describe the main challenges faced by brand managers Marcilie Smith Boyle and Allison Warren. Of what relevant trends should they be aware?

What changes (if any) would you recommend Dr. Durand make in CompuCo's global NPD strategy and organizational capabilities to ensure that it can achieve its worldwide NPD objectives?

Also, Nucleon is mainly a R&D firm and lacks core competencies and capabilities to support large scale manufacturing. As discussed earlier, the changes in organization required to pursue large scale manufacturing for the first time with no significant skill sets, manufacturing know-how and experience can pose a very high risk and detrimental impact on Nucleon’s long term success. Licensing with a proven partner will be a low risk and safe strategy in short term.

Recommendation 3: Other than expanding internationally, Nucor should make joint ventures with suppliers to keep the cost down of the product. A lot of scrap that is used is imported so it would be a good idea for Nucor to utilize that to reduce costs of making their products.

Nucor must now consider the need to keep up with the changing dynamics of a globalized corporate world. Nucor already has a business model that proved to be successful in the American markets. Using the same business model, Nucor should now consider penetrating and exploiting other international markets that promise low costs of production and higher revenue generation such as India and China. This could be done by either setting up operations in those countries or getting into

Nucleon is a small biotechnology start-up with a very promising potential product (CRP-1), which is also the first product that Nucleon is planning to go into the clinic market. Nucleon has reached to human clinical trials phase with its product and it has no manufacturing facilities that satisfy the guidelines for these clinical trials and testing. Nucleon is on the verge of making a critical choice of manufacturing strategy, which will affect Nucleon’s survival in the intense competition in the long haul. Nucleon management is aware of the facts that they have a limited budget to start with, the financial environment in biotechnology is rapidly changing and establishing the safety and efficacy of products like CRP-1 is

1. Brand awareness – being a newcomer in the market will create difficulty in gaining acknowledgement; however, I feel we have a terrific product and a solid business model that will eventually speak for itself.

DANDOY should continue investments and implementation of new technology in operations of the company. The management’s commitment and understanding of technological potential and the benefits it brings along is of essence.

This integrated marketing communications plan aims to promote a new product line of Alpina Watch Company while uplifting the Alpina brand and differentiating it from its competitors. The said new product line is called Alpina Horological Smartwatch; a luxury timepiece that is able to connect to users’ smartphone and perform various applications (Alpina Horological Smartwatch, 2015). The focus will be on customers’ engagement and communicating the values of the product and brand.

For most people setting an alarm clock is crucial. Being able to stay up late and then be up on time is what saves many people from being fired from their jobs. However, many individuals are unaware of the health factors that are affiliated with the clock. Today’s society has developed a set of rules that neglect sleep. Peoplej believe that it is ok to wake up to alarms, and sleep less and do more work (Kalb). Yet, these individuals not only hurt their sleep but their overall well-beings. Even though it helps wake one up on time, the alarm clock can cause individuals to have health problems.