Marketing Simulation: Managing Segments and Customers

Das  Narayandas

Simulation | 2010

Marketing Simulation: Managing Segments and Customers

Abstract

In this single-player simulation, students assume the position of CEO of a medical motor manufacturer and are tasked with executing a successful business-to-business marketing strategy over a period of twelve fiscal quarters. Students determine all aspects of the company's go-to-market approach (including sales-force deployment and distribution channel strategy) and associated elements of product policy, including pricing and market positioning of the company's product line to both small and large volume customers. Students also prioritize the manufacturer's efforts in acquiring and retaining customers in order to achieve a combination of sustainable revenues and profits and maximize cumulative profits at the end of the simulation. The simulation also illustrates the benefits of investment in market research. Ideal for core marketing 101 courses (as a Capstone session) or in the introductory module of an advanced marketing strategy course. This simulation can be used in advanced undergraduate, MBA, and executive education programs.

Keywords: Marketing Strategy; Salesforce Management; Distribution Channels; Price; Product Positioning; Customer Relationship Management; Profit; Revenue; Cost vs Benefits; Policy; Manufacturing Industry;

Language: English

Format: Electronic

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Citation:

Narayandas, Das. "Marketing Simulation: Managing Segments and Customers." Simulation and Teaching Note. Harvard Business Publishing, 2010. Electronic.

We examine the future of executive education on a technological and cultural landscape that is imminent but different to the one we are accustomed to. We show how the contextualization, socialization and personalization of learning—avowed but distal goals of current executive education programs—are made real by the integration of a suite of currently available technologies and ways of using them that bring learners together in dense and intimate learning networks (socialization), powered by semantic and social search technologies that adapt content to individual learners’ styles and preferences (personalization) and can be deployed in the setting of the learners’ own organizations (contextualization)—all of which serve to optimize the learning production function for both skill acquisition and skill transfer—the two charges that the new skills economy has laid out for any educational enterprise.

Executive education worldwide has entered a period of disruption catalyzed by the digitalization of content, connectivity, and communication—while the demand for managerial skills is growing. The forces of disintermediation, disaggregation, and decoupling are creating an unprecedented increase in the nature and number of education options available to companies seeking to increase their skill and capability base. Based on an extensive survey of the industry informed partly by a large set of in-depth interviews with chief talent and learning officers, participants, and providers, we introduce a compass that will help CEO’s and CLOs navigate the emerging landscape of executive education and a parallel compass for designer of executive programs faced with a new industry dynamic and technology curves that open up numerous design and re-design options.

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Marketing Simulation: Managing Segments and Customers

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