The Marketing Function Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The Marketing Function - Essay Example Its marketing campaign and service excellence is acknowledged all over the world in the brand of "Singapore Girl". 2. (a) According to Philip Kotler (1980), "effective marketing is based on the right balance of marketing elements, and processes depending on the nature of the product, service or idea being marketed." (Cartwright, 2002) This marketing mix consists of the seven Ps. These are: product, price, promotion, place, people, process, and physical evidence. The marketing mix of SIA has been handled very well as we shall see now. 2. (b) The mission statement for SIA is " We are a global company dedicated to providing air transportation services of the highest quality and to earning good returns for shareholders." (Johnston and Wirtz, 2006) The core values of SIA are: Pursuit of Excellence, Safety, Customer first, Concern for staff, Integrity, Teamwork. The marketing department is responsible for providing the highest quality of service, and find ways to improve revenues of the company. 3. (a) The first step of marketing is to understand the external environment and relate it to the internal environment of the organisation. This involves identifying the core sector in which the organisation falls, e.g. in the case of SIA, it is the aviation sector, but it is involved in operations in other sectors as well such as tourism sector, and transport sector. 3(b) Marketing department next analyses the internal and external environment in which the organisation operates. There are three methods of analysis: BACK (Baggage, Aspirations, Culture, and Knowledge) analysis; PESTLE/SPECTACLES analysis; and SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) analysis. These analyses are unique to each organisation and an important part of the role that a marketing department plays in an organisation. 3(d) BACK analysis involves analysing the internal environment of the organisation. Analysis of external environment is constituted in SPECTACLES analysis. This acronym stands for Social, Political, Economic, Customers, Technological, Aesthetic, Cultural, Legal, Environmental and Sectoral factors. (Cartwright) 3(f) A SWOT analysis for the organisation brings into focus the Strengths, and Weaknesses of the organisation, and identifies the threats to the organisation and the opportunities open to it. An example of SWOT analysis for SIA is shown below. Strengths 1. Service Innovation 2. Uniform and Branding 3. KrisFlyer programme 4. Cabins 5. Destinations 6. Large fleet Weaknesses 1. High expectations from customers 2. Dealing with 40 governments Opportunities 1. Expansion into new markets 2. Opening of more economies 3. Increase in global tourism 4. Web availability 5. Corporate sales Threats 1. Other Airlines imitating services 2. Other Airlines alliances 3. Overcapacity in Asia Pacific market 4. Understanding the Market 4(a) The next step for the marketing department is to identify the markets it caters to. This involves market segmentation. "The more segments of a market an organisation can service, the less dependent it becomes on the success or