Whirlpool Case Study

Whirlpool is the world’s largest producer and marketer of small and large home appliances such as mixers, food processors, washing machines, refrigerators, air conditioners, etc. Whirlpool also has a long standing relationship with Sears, which sells Whirlpool products under the brand name Kenmore. In addition to its North American presence (both manufacturing and sales), Whirlpool also has a strong presence in Mexico, and Europe. Being the largest producer in the world has helped Whirlpool to compete on lower costs through economies of scale and through its Global Procurement Organization (GPO). In addition, its large networks also help in

Lastly, another major contributor to American consumption is the ever-increasing demand to buy newer and faster technology, such as phones, computers, and television. Computers used to run slow and be relatively cheap. Nowadays, good computers or laptops can cost upwards of thousands of dollars. That kind of entitlement and belief that we deserve the best is what drives up the prices here in America. A prime example of things getting out of hand is the iPhone X. When the first iPhone was released in 2007, it was the start

“First, I would like to start off with a brief introduction of the company that you will be helping increase sales for during this promotional time. Whirlpool Corporation was founded in 1911 in St. Joseph, Michigan. So with over 100 years of experience Whirlpool is the world’s leading global manufacturer of home appliances. Focusing on consumer needs fuels our growth and keeps us relevant in homes around the world. We exist to create purposeful innovation that keeps homes running smoothly so personal and family lives can flourish.”

In The Great Gatsby, By F. Scott Fitzgerald, household appliances were presented in the book. Gatsby was throwing a party at his house. To prepare for the party, he orders five crates of oranges and lemon every Friday from a fruiterer in New York. He has a machine that could juice 200 oranges in thirty minutes (Fitzgerald 39). This machine that Gatsby used was called the Magic Maid Mixer with a juicer

Frederick Weyerhaeuser and 15 partners in January of 1900 started the company. They started by purchasing 900,000 acres of land from Northern Pacific Railway in Washington. At the time that was the largest private purchase of land in the United States. The 15 partners, against Frederick’s suggestion, named the company Weyerhaeuser in his honor. The headquarters was set up in Tacoma Washington.

Question 5: Assume you are a manufacturer of small kitchen electrics, like Hamilton Beach/Proctor Silex, and you want to determine if some innovative designs with unusual shapes and colors developed for European market could be successfully marketed in the U.S. Market. What qualitative research would you recommend, and why?

By the 1970s, owning a wide range of home appliances was deemed essential for daily living.

The Whirlpool Europe case provides an opportunity to look at different ways to evaluate a major IT investment the company is considering. To undertake this analysis we have to make a few assumptions because the case does not have all the details needed to estimate benefits and investment cost. However, if you were in a company faced with this situation, these numbers would be available.

Refrigerators, gas and electric ovens, microwaves, vacuums, dishwashers....the list goes on and on. All these things have made housework tremendously easier than it would have been about 100 years ago.

Explain at least three benefits of market research in product development for international and emerging markets

Moreover, the products were developed based on what the company believed the consumers wanted (O’Neill 2010). The group completely forgot one of the keys of success of every company, the customers and their needs.

Increasingly multi-national marketers are designing and selling global brands and need research to guide their decision making across an increasingly diverse and disparate world. Sound and timely marketing research becomes even more critical for firms as they compete in the 21st century

After sifting through the leads and finding the right ones to investigate management must formulate an international marketing plan. This further helps management in locating potential markets for their products. The first step is to use secondary research to find out what the sales potential is in a given market. Asking the questions of need, demand, and support gives one a starting point for research. If we were a company that sold pants we might want to ask the following questions. Is there a need for pants? Is it cold enough there to wear pants? Do people that demand the pants have money? These are the questions that one should ask of potential markets. Table 1-located at the end of the paper-shows the statistics that are needed for a general market picture. After gathering the information from the secondary research, the picture of a potential market becomes more evident. However, to make the picture clearer, one must conduct primary research. This research outlines the specifics of the potential market that directly pertain to the product. Robert Douglas' book, Penetrating the International Market, addresses the issue of locating potential markets in greater detail.2

These minor details are what set Electrolux apart from the competition. The company’s ability to function as a team allowed them to gain different perspectives and create in a shorter time period than the rest. The case study proves that when it comes to the consumers, they do not care about price as much as they do effectiveness. If the product gives the consumer exactly what they need and want, they are more than willing to pay the price. A company’s success depends solely on each department’s ability to function as one and without teamwork this task is impossible.

For international business strategy, Hill and Jones (2004) suggested that there is four basic components of strategy development need to be addressed by a firm in order to succeed in foreign markets. These components are: ¡¥distinctive competence¡¦, ¡¥scope of operations¡¦, ¡¥resource deployment¡¦, and ¡¥synergy¡¦. By applying the theory, it is revealed that Whirlpool¡¦s distinctive competence is its brand name ¡V Whirlpool, the world¡¦s largest white-goods manufacturer. For the scope of operations, Whirlpool is specialised in broad middle market niche of white-goods products. In terms of resource deployment, Whirlpool allocates the resources equally to its three product lines. As far as synergy concern, due to the poor business performance of Bauknecht and Ignis, Whirlpool is not benefited in whole.