Essay on Harley Case Study

Question #2 In America and Japan, Harley has shifted the positioning of its products away from simple motorcycles and more toward being status symbols of a particular way of life. Can this positioning succeed in Asia, Africa, and South America? Why or why not?

Harley-Davidson, Inc. (NYSE:HOG) was founded in 1903. The home base was originally founded in and even today remains in Milwaukee Wisconsin. Harley-Davidson’s popularity grew significantly during World War I, when the U.S. infantry used 20,000 of the company’s motorcycles in its war effort (Taylor, 2010). Best recognized for its manufacturing of heavyweight motorcycles, Harley-Davidson has captured half the U.S. market and a third of the global market (Wikinvest, 2010). Harley-Davidson motorcycles are noted for their classic lines, custom paint jobs, dependability, fine craftsmanship and the Harley-Davidson signature choppy sounding engine. Most importantly, it has been

Harley-Davidson Inc. operates in two business segments: Motorcycles and Related Products and Financial Services. These two segments offer different products and services, and they are managed separately. However, the financial service works as a complementary for the Motor Company.

Harley Davidson been in business for over a hundred years. The company operates in several related markets. They sell motorcycles, motorcycle parts and operate a financial component. Additionally the company operates in Europe, North Africa, the Middle East and Asia. All Harley-Davidson business segments operate internationally.

Harley-Davidson is well known for its unique motorcycles. Its subsidiary, Harley-Davidson Motor Company (HDMC), manufactures five families of motorcycles, namely, Touring, Dyna, Softail, Sportster and V-Rod. These models are distinguished by their frame, engine, suspension, and other characteristics. The company shipped 233,117 motorcycles in the fiscal year ended December 2011, comprising 39.5% Touring motorcycle units, 39.2% Custom motorcycle units, and 21.3% Sportster motorcycle units.

Harley-Davidson treats the dealers not only as partners, but also as customers. Harley has developed a very effective marketing strategy, but it is the responsibility of manufacturing to produce high quality and reliable motorcycles.

While cultivating sales in Asia, Harley-Davidson says for now it doesn't plan to manufacture bikes there. They cater their bikes as a luxury to high income communities. In Africa they hold group rides like the one happening in August 2013 held by “Harley Safari” http://www.hogafrica.com/content/harley-safari%C2%AE-august-2013.

Harley-Davidson's mission statement is to "fulfill dreams through the experience of motorcycling, by providing to motorcyclists and to the general public an expanding line of motorcycles and branded products and services in selected market segments." (Harley Davidson, 1999). The company's main objective for the entire organization s is to have happy and satisfied stakeholder; this includes their customers, employees, suppliers, investors, and the entire society in general. Harley-Davidson makes the customer's experience with their products the core of their business and every effort is made to make this experience as enjoyable as possible. It is this strategy that has helped Harley Davidson meet its current level of success.

Good relationships, continuous improvement, employee and management involvement, team building or employee training and empowerment are not just words out of a management book for Harley-Davidson. Only by adopting those management techniques and building a solid base between the management and the Unions/employees made it possible for Harley-Davidson to improve its management processes. While management 's responsibility is to build

Then in return, these stakeholders will continue purchasing their products throughout their life time due to their unforgettable experience they have doing business with Harley-Davidson. Harley-Davidson believes the backbone in their business is their strong brand name and their loyalty with customers.

Celebrating their 100th anniversary next year, Harley-Davidson is a true American success story. From their modest beginnings in Milwaukee, Wisconsin to one of the most recognized company names worldwide, they have been passionate about motorcycles. Harley offers an experience like none other with the one of a kind look, feel, and sound only available on a Harley. Besides their main business of building and selling motorcycles, they have began to offer financing and insurance through Harley-Davidson Financial Services, and they also offer a full line of accessories and apparel to make the Harley experience complete.

Historically Harley-Davidson to be a Niche Marketer, which is they had focused in on one particular aspect of the market. Kotler and Keller identified the following characteristics of niche marketing; customers have a distinct set of needs, they are willing to pay more to the firm that best suits their needs, it is not likely to attract competitors, gains economies through specialized products and it has a size, profit and to grow. Almost all of these hold true for the “heavyweight” segment of motor cycles that Harley-Davidson produced.

Harley-Davidson 's promotion is designed to move customers from ignorance to awareness. Harley-Davidson 's advertisements contain very little if any persuasive material on specific models or comparisons between other brands. Instead, they simply show the product in use in a typical setting. Because Harley-Davidson has built such a strong reputation over the years, much of their promotion occurs through word of mouth. At this stage in the company 's long history their main promotional goal is simply to inform customers that the company still exists.

Harley-Davidson has managed to dominate the U.S. market by investing in research and development, experimenting with its designs and

The website of Harley Davidson gave us a new concept of Motorcycles! The extension of this website is exceptional. The virtual Customer Service in this website is notorious and extremely helpful. From other motorcycles websites this is one of the most professionals ones where the customer can get a flavor of the company from products up to their businesses profits and others...Harley Davidson publishes material related to all aspects of their motorcycles and provides to their own and the general public good information, expanding their products and other services with local information for countries around the world. Their information and technology, including digital libraries, metadata, authorization and