Marketing Management Assignment

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 Marketing Management Assignment Final
Report

TABLE OF CONTENTS
TABLE OF CONTENTS I

LIST OF TABLES II

LIST OF FIGURES II

EXECUTIVE SUMMERY III

QUESTION 1: 1

1.0 MARKETING AUDIT 2

1.1 INTERNAL ANALYSIS 2
1.1.1 THE MARKETING MIX 5
1.2 EXTERNAL ANALYSIS 6
1.2.1 INDUSTRY TRENDS 8
1.2.2 MARKET TRENDS AND MARKET PROFILES 8
1.2.3 KEY SUCCESS FACTORS 9
1.2.4 ANALYSIS OF COMPETITORS 9
1.2.5 ANALYSIS OF SUPPLIERS 9
1.2.6 ANALYSIS USING PORTERS FIVE FORCES. 9

QUESTION 2: 1

2.0 ASSUMPTION SETTING 10

2.1 OPERATIONAL LEVEL MARKETING PRIORITIES 10
2.1.1 SALES 10
2.1.2 MARKET SHARE 10
2.1.3 MIND SHARE 10
2.1.4 PROFIT CONTRIBUTION 10
2.2 STRATEGIC LEVEL MARKETING INITIATIVES 10
2.2.1 MARKET PENETRATION 10
2.2.2 MARKET DEVELOPMENT 10
2.2.3 PRODUCT DEVELOPEMT 10
2.2.4 DIVERSIFICATION 10

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 Marketing Management Assignment Final
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QUESTION 3: 10

3.1 MARKETING OBJECTIVES FOR SALES VOLUME 33

3.2 MARKETING OBJECTIVES FOR SALES VALUE 33
3.3 MARKETING OBJECTIVES FOR PROFIT CONTRIBUTION 34

QUESTION 4: 10

4.1 MAHAWELI CANNERIES 3 YEAR STRATEGY 39

QUESTION 5: 10

QUESTION 6: 10

CHAPTER 13: REFFERENCES AND BIBLIOGRAPHY 10

CHAPTER 14: APPENDIX 10

APPENDIX A- GANTT CHART 126

LIST OF TABLES
TABLE 1 INTERNAL ANALYSIS USING THE 8O’S 5
TABLE 2 PESTLE ANALYSIS 8
TABLE 3 FIVEFORCE ANALYSIS 10
TABLE 4 PROFIT CONTRIBUTION FOR 2014 10
TABLE 5 OBJECTIVES FOR SALES VOLUME 33
TABLE 6 OBJECTIVES FOR SALES VALUE 33
TABLE 7 SELLING PRICE FOR THE 3 YEARS 34
TABLE 8 OBJECTIVES FOR PROFIT CONTRIBUTION 34
TABLE 9 DEHYDRATED FRUITS 39
TABLE 10 DEHYDRATED VEGETABLES 40

LIST OF FIGURES
FIGURE 1 MAHAWELI CANNERIES ORGANIZATION STRUCTURE....................................................................................2

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EXECUTIVE SUMMERY

Mahaweli Canneries was established in 1979 as a cottage scale industry. Initially as a

manufacturer of Jams, Jelly, Cordials, Fruits in Syrup and Cake ingredients which were sold
locally. Later in 1990 the company ventured in to dehydrated vegetables. At present Mahaweli
Canneries is one of the major organizations in the dehydrating vegetables. The company which
started with a single employee has now developed into 25 permanent employees and having out
grower programs with cultivators from selected regions of Sri Lanka, further more Mahaweli
Canneries have also developed its vehicle fleet to accommodate raw material transport and to
transport processed vegetables to the buying organizations. The company is in the growth stage.

This report aims to provide Mahaweli Canneries with a comprehensive business proposal to
venture into the dehydrated fruits as a snack the business proposal projects for the next 3 years,
with the focus on the profitability, products and performance. The report identifies the internal
competencies and the external opportunities and how the internal competencies can be used to
obtain market leadership and enter into the dried fruits market. Further more there is a time plan
given which discusses each key step that needs to be taken in-order to achieve the benefits.

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 QUESTION 1:
A critical assessment of the current internal organizational environment and the external market
environment which have a direct impact upon the performance of the marketing function.
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1.0 MARKETING AUDIT

1.1 INTERNAL ANALYSIS

The internal analysis will enable to identify the Strengths and the Weaknesses using the SWOT
analysis in order to identify the internal Strengths and Weakness the author aims to use the 8 O’s
model.

Each of the O’s will be critically assessed and a weight will be given as strength or a weakness in
the scale of 0 to +10 and the results will be analyzed to bring out the critical areas that need to be
addressed.

Weight
given on
Criteria Description
importance
S W
Organization +8
Structure,
Staffing,
Proprieter
Performance and
Core
Head of Business
Competencies of
Development and
the marketing Procurement
function

Production
Finance Manager
Manager
Figure 1 Mahaweli Canneries Organization Structure

The Proprietor over looks into all the areas of production and
finance, the marketing and procurement functions are handled
separately by the division head.
There are at present 25 permanent factory workers and
additional staff is recruited on temporary basis when there are

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excessive orders that need to be fulfilled. The proprietor
handles this function.
Performance is calculated for the production capacity and the
order schedule, however performance is only calculated in the
production and not in the other functions.
Core Competencies - Mahaweli Canneries has a trained
workforce where the average experience of the permanent
worker is 10 years. The unique selling point of Mahaweli
Canneries is that the company has been in operation from
1979 and has developed since and still strives for research and
development.
Objectives by The target market of Mahaweli Canneries is the Multi national +5
Market Segment
food processing companies such as Nestlé Lanka PLC and
and the current
achievement Unilever Sri Lanka at present Mahaweli Canneries has
achieved in securing its main buyer Nestlé Lanka.

Albeit there are high value sales from Nestlé supplying to a

single entity will be a risk for the business and attention
should be put in to mitigate this risk.
Ordering of The head of business development handles the marketing +1
Priorities within
function. Priorities are ordered in an annual planning meeting
the Management
of the Marketing with the Proprietor, Finance Manager and the Product
Function
Manager. However this is only an internal meeting focus
should be made on the changing requirements of the market
and the challenges of the competitors.
The marketing function should be proactive to identify
industry wants and needs and address with efficiency.

Operational Operational processes are constantly corrected and monitored +5

Processes, in order to make it efficient and effective. Production concepts
Resourcing, such as lean manufacturing are used.

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Marketing and Resourcing strategy entails that the right raw material is
Control for procured at the right price and it is processed to the right
marketing standards and sold at the right price. [ CITATION Mic11 \l
operations 1033 ]. The productivity of an employee is monitored and the
supplier service levels are also maintained for a sustainable
supplier relationship and quality assurance.
Marketing is done through Business to Business.
The production and the resourcing information are
communicated however the marketing information should
also be included in the loop.
Organization for The need for a proper marketing strategy is eminent. As the +8
Marketing industry is becoming competitive and supplying to a single
Planning, entity is a risk.
Marketing
Strategy
Implementation
and Marketing
Orientation
Operations cross- Since the hierarchy is non existent there is clear ease of +5
functionally handling cross-functional operations. However from an
within the organizational point of view cross-functional information
business sharing is critical. Thus the organization mainly focuses on
cross-functional information sharing rather than the cross-
functional team.
[ CITATION Pro \l 1033 ], [ CITATION Vir12 \l 1033 ]
Overall Overall revenue has seen an increase year on year of 300% +5
Profitability, from 2012 to 2013 however there has been a slight setback in
Budgeting for the forecast in 2014 the profitability is determined by the
Policies and price of the raw materials and the agricultural crop depends on
Systems the weather patterns. However it is expected that the profit
after tax for the year 2013/2014 will be SLR 10,000,000.
Budgeting policies should improve to accommodate changes

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in the weather patterns, which will result in increased raw
material prices. Budgets made would change with the
changing raw material price where the fluctuation would vary
from 50% to 100% within 2 months. Therefore to
accommodate the change there is a rolling forecast and key
performance indicators which the Proprietor and the head of
business development maintains. [ CITATION WIL03 \l
1033 ]
Organization of Market tracking systems are used to identify the market +6
Market Tracking requirements and produce accordingly. However there has
Systems been a lag in the market tracking and now the head of
business development oversees to it. However there should be
a proper system in place.
Table 1 Internal Analysis using the 8O’s

1.1.1 The Marketing Mix

The marketing mix for a manufacturing company is defined as the 4P’s Mahaweli Canneries will
be analyzed according to the 4P’s
Product
There are two main production lines they are the Dehydrated Product line and the Sugar based
product line.
Dehydrated Product Line
- Dehydrated Fruits
- Dehydrated Vegetables

Sugar Based Product Line

- Jams
- Cordials
- Fruits in Syrup
- Cake Ingredients

Price
The main revenue generator is the dehydrated product line. The pricing strategy is cost plus.

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Place
The main factory is located in Kandy that is in the Central Province of Sri Lanka and in the
industrial area.
Promotion
Promotions are done through Business to Business initiatives however the promotions are not
made with regard to price change but promotions are done in the form of new product
development and research and development.

1.2 EXTERNAL ANALYSIS

In doing the external analysis the PESTEL analysis is conducted to identify the impacts of the
environment.

Criteria Opportunity Threat Weight given on

importance and
impact
Political Country has been Opportunity - +3
having a stable
government. Since
there is a weak and
staggered opposition it
is identified that the
political aspect will be
stable, concerning
factor is that there will
be an election in the
year 2014 and there can
be complications
resulting with the
election.
Economical The economy is in a Opportunity - +5
development track and
people are buying more
processed food.
[ CITATION Cen \l

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Sociological People are now Opportunity - +5

confortable in
purchasing processed
food and are leading
busy life styles there by
reducing the time spent
in preparing food.
Technological Technology keeps Threat - +5
changing and
keeping abreast
with technology
requires capital.
Furthermore
technological
advances help new
entrants to enter in
to the industry
easy.
Environmental The changes in the Threat - +6
environment
directly affect the
operations of
Mahaweli
Canneries. The
drought or
excessive rain will
change the
operating costs and
will be the major
price determinant.
Further more raw

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material
contamination
occurs which
results heavily on
the production.
Legal There are taxes posed Opportunity - +4
on imports of processed
fruits and vegetables to
help the local business
communities.
[ CITATION Cen \l
1033 ]
Table 2 PESTLE Analysis

1.2.1 Industry Trends

Industry trends are key factors that will affect the sustainability of the organization. The food
industry is a dynamic industry where the requirements of the consumers change seasonally.

The present industry trends are health foods sector where the crop is cultivated organically and
an organic certificate is given, processed for strict standards and packed using the latest packing
technology for longer shelf span.

Mahaweli Canneries should be abreast with these industry trends to gain competitive advantage
and to stay in competition.

1.2.2 Market Trends and Market Profiles

The present market trends are the small packs, which can be consumed on the go. The Sri
Lankan economy is changing rapidly and there are distinct segments occurring the high spending
elite and the value for money seeking middle class. (information collected by the central bank
annual report [ CITATION Cen \l 1033 ] )

Mahaweli Canneries should have products to cater to the markets and have a strong strategy on
how to face these conditions.

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1.2.3 Key Success Factors
Any industry to be successful there should be the synergy of all components, the procurement,
the stores, the sales and marketing and the finance together with the human resource. Aligning
each function to act independently whilst being coupled is the task of the management.

Further more responsive, proactive and standardized organizations strive over other
organizations.

Key Success Factors – Aligned internal structure, Responsive, Proactive and Standardized.

1.2.4 Analysis of Competitors

The profitability of the food industry attracts many companies that are looking to diversify, Sri
Lanka being an agricultural country the potential is there for the cultivators to use strategies of
forward integration in venture into food processing.

The Main competitors are as follows.

V&J Industries

CIC Agribusiness

Bio Foods

Other Small-scale fruits and vegetable dehydrating organizations.

1.2.5 Analysis of Suppliers

The suppliers are selected after field visits and they are evaluated according to a supplier
performance level. Any discrepancy is communicated to the supplier.

1.2.6 Analysis using Porters Five Forces.

Criteria Opportunity Threat Weight given on importance
and impact
Supplier Bargaining Supplier Service Opportunity - +5
Power Levels and
competitive

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tendering process
to supply raw
material helps to
maintain good
suppliers and
good rates.
Buyer Bargaining One key buyer Threat - +5
Power has more
bargaining
power
Threat of new entrant New entrants Threat - +5
can come to the
market without
much barriers
Threat of substitute Substitutes can Threat - +5
be found.
Competitive Rivalry High Threat - +5
Competitive
Rivalry
Table 3 Fiveforce Analysis

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 QUESTION 2:
The emergent operational level marketing priorities which must now be addressed within the next one
year period together with strategic level marketing initiatives to be scheduled over the next 3 years
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2.0 ASSUMPTION SETTING

2.1 OPERATIONAL LEVEL MARKETING PRIORITIES

Operational Level marketing priorities are addressed in 4 areas as follows;
SALES
MARKET SHARE
MIND SHARE
PROFIT CONTRIBUTION
2.1.1 SALES
To have more cooperate buyers for the dehydrated fruits and vegetables sector.
2.1.2 MARKET SHARE
Obtain 70% of the Market share at present Mahaweli Canneries has 50% of the market share.
2.1.3 MIND SHARE
Although Mahaweli Canneries is not supplying to the retail market and the mind share is not
relevant but it would give a competitive advantage if the Mahaweli Canneries ventures to the
retail market. And become a top of the mind recall brand for dried fruits and vegetables.
2.1.4 PROFIT CONTRIBUTION
The profit contribution of the products for the year 2014 is as follows.
Product Profit Profit Contribution
Dehydrated Fruits 1,000,000 8%
Dehydrated Vegetables 10,000,000 77%
Sugar Based Products 2,000,000 15%
Table 4 Profit Contribution for 2014

The target is to increase the profit margin by 25% in all products.

2.2 STRATEGIC LEVEL MARKETING INITIATIVES
Overall as a company Mahaweli Canneries are adopting will be to increase the ‘Core Business’
and expand other products and markets. In expanding and developing the Strategic Level
marketing initiatives the following 4 themes used;

MARKET PENETRATION PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT

MARKET DEVELOPMENT DIVERSIFICATION
Each theme is analyzed for the year 2014 as follows.

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2.2.1 MARKET PENETRATION
The market penetration strategy is applied to the dehydrated fruits and vegetables segment. The
market penetration is required as the products are now stable and standardized and regular
quality checks prove that the products are of high quality. Products will be marketed actively and
more corporates will be approached to purchase from Mahaweli Canneries.

2.2.2 MARKET DEVELOPMENT

The need for dried spices exists in the local market. However all the spices are sun dried and the
oven dried spices market should be developed. It is identified that the market development
strategy used in developing the oven dried spices market. Which is also a new product for
Mahaweli Canneries.

Further more Mahaweli Canneries aims to have an online store to sell to the international market.
It is required to use market development strategies to develop this initiative.

2.2.3 PRODUCT DEVELOPEMT

The niche products of organic Jams, and Pure fruit Cordials exists and the products should be
developed. Product development strategy should be applied in this context, it is aimed to launch
a product during the festive period and market research should be done prior to identify the
marketing mix.

2.2.4 DIVERSIFICATION
The herbal teas and the herbal powders market in an attractive market to diversify for Mahaweli
Canneries. Most of the orders are international and the teas and herbal powder is a new product
for Mahaweli Canneries.
 QUESTION 3:

Marketing Performance targets for each of the next 3 years for sales volume, sales value and
organizational profit contribution.
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3.0 MARKETING OBJECTIVES

3.1 MARKETING OBJECTIVES FOR SALES VOLUME

Sales volume is a critical element of a manufacturing organisation. To increase sales volume
Mahaweli Canneries aims to invest in technology to improve production. As its an capital
expenditure the expense is calculated in the organisational cash flow. The marketing values will
be considered.
Criteria Sales Volume
Present (2014) 2015 2016 2017
Dehydrated 1,000 Kg 2,000Kg 2,500Kg 3,000Kg
Fruits
Dehydrated 20,000Kg 25,000Kg 28,000Kg 30,000Kg
Vegetables
Sugar Based 5,000Kg 6,000Kg 7,000Kg 8,000Kg
Products
Table 5 Objectives for Sales Volume

3.2 MARKETING OBJECTIVES FOR SALES VALUE

Along with the sales volume it is critical to identify the sales value. As there is no other area of
income the sales values are the revenue generators for Mahaweli Canneries.
Criteria Sales Value
Present (2014) 2015 2016 2017
Dehydrated 2,000,000 4,100,000 5,150,000 6,300,000
Fruits
Dehydrated 25,000,000 31,250,000 35,280,000 38,100,000
Vegetables
Sugar Based 5,000,000 6,000,000 7,000,000 8,000,000
Products
Table 6 Objectives for Sales Value

The pricing strategy is cost plus pricing, there by the profit is added to the cost of production.

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 Criteria Selling price
Present (2014) 2015 2016 2017
Dehydrated 2,000 2,050 2,060 2,100
Fruits
Dehydrated 1,250 1,250 1,260 1,270
Vegetables
Sugar Based 1,000 1,000 1,000 1,000
Products
Table 7 Selling Price for the 3 years

3.3 MARKETING OBJECTIVES FOR PROFIT CONTRIBUTION

Criteria Profit Contribution
Present (2014) 2015 2016 2017
Dehydrated 1,000,000 2,050,000 2,575,000 3,150,000
Fruits
Dehydrated 10,000,000 12,500,000 14,280,000 15,600,000
Vegetables
Sugar Based 2,000,000 2,400,000 2,800,000 3,200,000
Products
Table 8 Objectives for profit contribution
 QUESTION 4:
Using the ANSOFF Matrix as a framework, show how your marketing performance targets will be
achieved through these broadly based, risk assessed, marketing strategies for the next 3 years.
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4.0 MARKETING STRATEGIES

4.1 MAHAWELI CANNERIES 3 YEAR STRATEGY

In order to accomplish the marketing performance target there should be a solid marketing
strategy. This task is performed using the Ansoff Matrix. The ansoff matrix will be used for the
3years 2015 – 2017 the strategy used for 2014 will be used as the future strategy will be built
upon it. In analysing for the ease of presentation the author will take each product line and will
use the different strategies along with the time scales and profit objectives.
Criteria Dehydrated Fruits
Present (2014) 2015 2016 2017
Sales Volume 1,000 Kg 2,000Kg 2,500Kg 3,000Kg
Sales Value 2,000,000 4,100,000 5,150,000 6,300,000
Selling Price 2,000 2,050 2,060 2,100
Profit 1,000,000 2,050,000 2,575,000 3,150,000
Contribution
Table 9 Dehydrated Fruits

Dehydrated fruits are one of the export products of Mahaweli Canneries (MC). At present
Mahaweli Canneries is an indirect exporter. To capitalize on the opportunity MC will have to use
the Market Development Strategy as its an existing product in a new market which MC dose not
operate in. the steady increase in the sales volume is that there is tendency for people to use
dehydrated fruits as snacks to replace sugar based biscuits. Further more by dehydrating and
packing using the latest technology the shelf time of the product is also extended.

The sales value uses the penetrative pricing strategy where by the introductory price per Kg is
SLR 2,000 (USD 20) and the pack size would be 100g. shipping charges will be considered and
storing packing. MC will maintain the penetrative pricing for the 3years.

The first year will see an online portal and partnerships with Amazon for international sales. The
main target market will be the UK and EU as the product at present is sent to the same countries
under a different brand name.

The main risk in this strategy is that there is little margin for financial error. Since there are less
margins any miscalculations in the production, transport or sales will be critical for the business.

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 Criteria Dehydrated Vegetables
Present (2014) 2015 2016 2017
Sales Volume 20,000Kg 25,000Kg 28,000Kg 30,000Kg
Sales Value 25,000,000 31,250,000 35,280,000 38,100,000
Selling Price 1,250 1,250 1,260 1,270
Profit 10,000,000 12,500,000 14,280,000 15,600,000
Contribution
Table 10 Dehydrated Vegetables

Dehydrated vegetables are the ‘Core Business’ of Mahaweli Canneries (MC). The main strategy
adopted would be the market penetration. Where the company aims to be the market leader in the
dried vegetables category. In order to produce 20,000Kg of dried vegetables it is needed to
procure and process 400,000Kg of vegetable. The entire need of the market is estimated to be
30,000 KG of dried vegetables. However MC is running at capacity at present and technological
investment are required to increase the production capacity.

The pricing strategy is the Penetrative pricing and in certain instances competitive pricing
requires that the company provide as the lowest price provide. As there is a price war amongst
the competitors there is no flexibility to increase the price and increase profits. However steps
should be taken to cut down costs and increase the profits.

The main risks of the strategy is that if the market requirements change and there is a different
product that is required because MC bases 80% of its revenue on Dehydrated Vegetables the loss
would impact the business severely.
 Criteria Sugar Based Products
Present (2014) 2015 2016 2017
Sales Volume 5,000Kg 6,000Kg 7,000Kg 8,000Kg
Sales Value 5,000,000 6,000,000 7,000,000 8,000,000
Selling Price 1,000 1,000 1,000 1,000
Profit 2,000,000 2,400,000 2,800,000 3,200,000
Contribution

The sugar based products are the new products in the existing market and the strategy of Product
development should be used in this regard. The sugar based products are the Jams, Cordials and
Cake ingredients. The first year will see the product launched. The target market is the middle
income families who have children. The Jams will be in small packs that can be packed for the
lunch. The other main product in this range is the pumpkin preserve which is used as fruit for
fruit ice cream. The constant increase of the sales volume is reflected on the increase in demand
as the countries economy grows.

However the sales price remains constant because the target market is the middle income
families and the value proposition is that the product is given at the same price and a strong bond
is expected to be created as the price dose not fluctuate. Although the selling price remains the
same sugar based products are the second highest profit contributor.

The risks in the proposition is that the market might reject a low price and standard price with the
notion that the quality is not up to standard. MC would have to be branded as a company which
produces to a high quality.
 QUESTION 5:

Outline marketing mix action plans to deliver Ansoff based strategies over the next 3 years.
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5.0 MARKETING MIX ACTION PLAN

The Marketing mix compromises of the 7 P’s they are;

- Product - People
- Price - Process
- Place - Physical Evidence
- Promotion
It is important to identify how each element of the marketing mix is affected by the strategies
proposed.
To analyze the impact the product and the strategy proposed will be tabled. And the impact of the
marketing mix discussed.
Product Strategy Proposed
Dehydrated Fruits Market Development

- Product
The product portfolio of dehydrated fruits are as follows;
- Dehydrated Mango - Dehydrated Pineapple
- Dehydrated Papaya
As the products are exported superior quality packing should be used. And the product should be
of high quality. The product is in the growth stages of the product life cycle, as the product is
already exported indirectly under a different agreement with a third party.
- Price
The price decisions of the product is penetrative pricing as it's a new market and when entering
into a new market it is important to have competitive pricing.
- Place
The main markets are the United Kingdom and the countries of the European Union. Further
more the first step would be the setting up an online store on Amazon.
- Promotion
Promotional activities for the initial launch are planed online. They include discounts, buy one
get one offers and purchase one product and get a sample of another product offers.
- People

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The workers of Mahaweli Canneries are trained over 10 years. Further training will be provided
on good manufacturing practices and as the target market is export, export quality must be
maintained.
- Process
At present there are no systems in place however it is crucial that the processes are in place when
a new product is launched.
- Physical Evidence
The main factory is located in the central province in Kandy.

Product Strategy Proposed

Dehydrated Vegetables Market Penetration

- Product
The product portfolio of dehydrated vegetables are as follows;
- Dehydrated Carrots - Dehydrated Curry Leaves
The products are the core business of MC. The products are in the maturity stage of the life cycle
and steps/ decisions should be taken if the product is extended or diversified. As with products
that are in the cash cow stage where the investments have been made earlier and the product
brings in the earnings.

Product Strategy Proposed

Sugar Based Products Product Development

- Product
The product portfolio of sugar based products are as follows;
- Jams - Cake Ingredients
- Cordials
The products are in the initial stage of the life cycle and they need investing, however the market
is growing thereby the investment would be beneficial for the company on the long term. Since
there is sugar involved high care should be given to the packing and packing technology
investments are deemed worthy.
 QUESTION 6:

The cross-functional dependencies which are critical for achieving the stated performance targets for
sales and profit contribution.
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6.0 CROSS-FUNCTIONAL DEPENDENCIES

Cross-functional dependencies are important for any organization. However if an organization is

to strive the cross-functional dependencies will be highly coupled whilst being able to act
independently.

1. Production needs to know what to produce in what quantity

The production unit needs to be informed of the production schedule, which is directly linked
with the sales and marketing order schedule. Therefore this cross-functional dependency should
work seamless for the successful production of the required items at the required quantity and
price. To have seamless integration the organization should allow for direct communication with
the two departments and communication should be documented, as it is easy to communicate to
the production teams.

2. The procurement needs to be aware of what raw materials that needed to be procured and at
what rate and quality.

The integration with the purchasing and the production function is key for a just in time
production. The organization has a policy to have less buffer stocks and this can be only
achieved with having good communication between the procurement and the production and the
sales function, furthermore once procured the payments need to be made by the finance function
and there should be clear written documents on the goods received and the amount that needs to
be paid for the goods.

3. The sales should be aware of the stocks at hand

The sales function should be informed of the stocks at hand as the dynamic nature of business
would require for an urgent requirement. And the sales function should be able to respond to the
opportunities that are present.

4. The finance should be informed when the sales are taken place and when the payment is
received.

The nature of business-to-business transactions requires a credit period to be given. In order to

keep track of the sales and the payments received the finance function should be made aware of
the number of sales items that took place and the days of the payment due.

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To make the cross-functional dependencies seamless MC needs to have an IT system that will
link each function and that would enable each function to act efficiently and effectively.

The use of a CRM will enable the company to further serve the key customers better.

The marketing function needs to be incorporated to the other functions as it is then that proper
goods to market in less time concept is applied.
CHAPTER 13: REFFERENCES AND
BIBLIOGRAPHY
 Marketing Management Assignment Final
Report

1 Armstrong, M. (2011). Armstrong's Handbook of Strategic Human Resource Management, 5th

Edition. Kogan Page.

2 BRUNS, W. J. (2003, August 11). Harvard Business School Working Knowledge. Retrieved December
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© M.R.A Peiris
CHAPTER 14: APPENDIX
 Marketing Management Assignment Final
Report
APPENDIX A- Gantt Chart

ID Task Task Name Duration Start Nov 24, '13Finish Dec 1, '13 Dec 8, '13
Mode F S S M T W T F S S M T W
1 MarketingManagement 30 days Sun 12/1/13 Thu 1/9/14
Assignmnet

2 PerformInitial Planning5 days Sun 12/1/13 Thu 12/5/13

3 Select Template for the 1 day Fri 12/6/13 Fri 12/6/13

report
4 Question 1 3 days Fri 12/6/13 Wed 12/11/13
5 SWOT Analysis 0 days 12/6
6 PESTEL Analysis 0 days 12/6
7 Michael Porters 5 0 days 12/6
Forces
8 Question 2 4 days Fri 12/6/13 Wed 12/11/13
9 Strategic Level 0 days 12/6
Marketing Initiatives

10 Operational Level 0 days 12/6

Marketing Initiatives

11 Question 3 3 days Thu 12/12/13Mon 12/16/13

12 Setting Marketing 0 days 12/12
Performance Targets
13 Criteria to set 0 days 12/12
marketing targets

Task Inactive Summary External Tasks

Split Manual Task External Milestone

Milestone Duration-only Deadline

Project: Marketing Managemen
Summary Manual Summary Rollup Progress
Date: Thu 1/9/14
Project Summary Manual Summary Manual Progress

Inactive Task Start-only

Inactive Milestone Finish-only

Page 1

© M.R.A Peiris