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Ms-63 question Bank

Ms-63 question Bank (6)

Ms-63 question Bank

December, 2009

Ms-63 : Product Management

 

SECTION – A

1. Distinguish between the following giving suitable examples :

(a) Shopping and Speciality goods

(b) Product Line and Product Mix

(c) Product Positioning and Product Differentiation.

(d) Market Potential and Market demand.

2. (a) Comment upon the significance of branding for consumer products in today's competitive marketing environment.

(b) How would your approach to packaging be different while marketing industrial goods as compared to consumer goods ? Explain giving examples.

3. (a) Taking the example of a toothpaste, explain how you can generate new product ideas using Attribute Analysis.

(b) Explain the various interpretations of the term 'new product' giving suitable examples.

4. Write short notes on any three of the following :

(a) Bases for Product Line Extension

(b) Product Portfolio concept and its  importance for marketers.

(c) Organising for new product development at the corporate level.

(d) Industrial designing

(e) Break-even analysis

SECTION – B

5. (a) You have been asked to manage the test marketing effort of a company, introducing its new product, a herbal cold cream, in the market. Explain how you would select the test market, decide upon the test market duration and collect data from the test markets.

(b) Briefly explain the concept of Product Life Cycle. What in your view is the stage in which touch screen mobile phones are in the Indian market ? Based on your answer suggest appropriate promotion strategies.

June, 2010

Ms-63 : Product Management

SECTION – A

1. (a) Explain the terms 'convenience products' and 'speciality products' giving suitable examples. Briefly compare a producer's marketing - mix for a convenience product with those for a speciality product.

(b) Explain the BCG Matrix and discuss its strategic implications.

2. (a) Briefly explain the product Life Cycle Concept. How might a company's advertising and sales promotion strategies differ, depending on whether its brand of a

product is in the introductory stage or in the maturity stage of its life cycle ?

(b) Discuss the functions performed by branding for the consumers. What brand name would you suggest for a range of high ibre, low sugar biscuits targetted at diabetics as well as calorie conscious consumers ? Justify your choice.

3(a) What are the objectives of test marketing ? Do you think test marketing has any disadvantages ? Discuss giving suitable examples.

(b) Explain the various interpretations of the term new product' giving some examples in each category.

4. Write short notes on any three of the following :

(a) Bases for product - line extension

(b) Brand equity measurements

(c) Functions of packaging

(d) Product prototyping

(e) Pricing the new product

SECTION – B

5. Study the case given below and answer the questions given at the end :

Launching a new toothpaste XYZ Ltd. is one of the successful manufacturers of packaging materials for both industrial and consumer products. The company has shown substantial growth over the years. Much of the company's growth is attributed to the high quality of its products. Keeping in view the growing market for consumer goods, the top management of the company decided to diversity into new consumer product areas. In the first instance, the company is thinking of entering into the toothpaste market. The company conducted an extensive  survey for deciding appropriate marketing and positioning strategy for the company's new brand of toothpaste. The survey revealed the following :

  • Toothpaste is a highly competitive market and is dominated by MNCs.
  • 85 to 90% of Indians are prone to dental diseases.
  • Over 60% of consumers surveyed were willing to try out a new brand of toothpaste if it offers added value.
  • The number of people who brushed their teeth at night was below 10%.
  •  The buying decision about various brands was very much influenced by the women in the households.
  • An average of 200 gms is consumed in a mouth in a household.
  • The market for toothpastes is growing at the rate of 15 - 20% per year.

Questions :

(a) Suggest some ways to the company for generating new product ideas for entering

the toothpaste market.

(b) Suggest alternative positioning bases which the company can use.

(c) Design an appropriate marketing strategy for launching the new product.

June, 2011

Ms- 63 : Product Management

SECTION – A

1.  (a)   Briefly explain the concept of Product. Life Cycle (PLC). Do all products go through the classical belt shaped PLC ? Discuss giving suitable examples.

(b) What, in your view, is the PLC stage in respect of the following products in Indian market ? Based on your answer, suggest appropriate promotion and distribution strategies for them:

(i)  LCD Televisions

(ii)  Broadband services of Internet service provides.

2 (a)  What is a product ? faking the example of a consumer durable- of your choice, explain the anatomy of the product i.e. the core benefits, tangible specifications and augmented features.

(b)  Explain the various interpretations of the term 'new product'. Discuss the different pricing strategies available to a product manager for a new product.

3.  (a) Taking the example of a packaged fruit juice, explain the alternative bases available to the marketers for its positioning.

(b) Briefly explain the functions performed by packaging, Taking a FMCG (like biscuits, breakfast cereals, tomato sauce) of your choice, discuss what changes would you recommend and why in the packaging and labelling of the chosen product.

4.  Write short notes on any three of the following

(a)  Sources of new product ideas

(b)  Sales forecasting methods

(c)  Organising for new product development

(d)  Concurrent engineering

(e)  BCG Matrix

SECTION – B

Read the case given below and answer the questions given at the end of the case

HEARTS ON FIRE : BRANDING OF DIAMONDS

I1ow can a gem company convince customers that its diamonds are a cut above the rest ? Increasingly the answer is branding. People are often very particular about the brands of shampoo or soap they buy but when they shop for a diamond, they probably don't have a specific brand in mind. Although an individual may have done some homework regarding the " Four Cs" of diamond value (Carat weight, colour, clarity and cut), she is unlikely to walk into a jewelry store and ask for a diamond by name - unless she wants a Hearts on Fire. Surat - based diamonds wholesaler Hearts on Fire, has put major marketing power behind its Hearts on Fire brand name diamond. Complete with a logo and marketing plan, The Hearts on Fire diamond is cut and designed to give the extra sparkle that inspired the brand's slogan : "The difference is perfection. It's a difference you can see." The owner of Hearts on Fire, went into the diamond wholesaling business in 1980 but it wasn't until 20 years later that he decided to boost his profit margin by creating a branded diamond backed by a full - fledged marketing campaign.

Questions :

(a)  Why would a customer have an interest in a branded diamond ?

(b)  Evaluate the phrase " Hearts on Fire " as a brand name.

(c)  Suggest a marketing programme to build brand equity for Hearts on Fire diamonds. 

December, 2011

Ms-63  :  Product Management

SECTION  -  A

1.  (a)  Explain the term 'product line', giving suitable examples. Discuss the factors that make companies pursue product line extensions.

(b)  Taking a fast moving consumer good of your choice, discuss the distribution and promotion strategies that you would suggest for the different stages of its product life cycle.

2(a)  Describe the various functions performed by packaging in marketing of consumer goods, giving suitable examples.

(b)  How would you use the technique of Benefit-Structure Analysis to generate new product ideas ? Explain taking the example of a household cleansing agent.

3. (a)  Taking the example of a washing powder or a toilet soap explain how perceptual mapping can be used for product positioning ?

(b) Briefly explain any two types of display matrices used for product portfolio analysis.

Discuss the utility of display matrices for a product manager.

4. Write short notes on  any three  of the following :

(a) Product Management Decisions

(b) Product Prototypes

(c) New product development at corporate level

(d) Penetration and Skimming pricing strategies

(e) Types of new products

SECTION – B

5.   Read the case given below and answer the questions given at the end of the case.

Homemade Icecream Ltd Homemade Icecream Ltd, manufacturer of ice-cream and frozen yoghurt was founded in 1995. It soon became popular with its innovative flavours, made from fresh milk and cream. The company currently distributes ice-cream, frozen yoghurt and novelty products nationwide, in super-markets, grocery stores, franchised Homemade scoop shops, restaurants and other venues. Homemade's product strategy is to

differentiate its super premium brand from other ice-cream brands. The brand image reflects high quality, uniqueness, and a bit of amusement. For example, ' Chubby Hubby ' has Chunks of chocolate-covered peanut-butter-filled crisp biscuits in a rich Vanilla malt ice-cream. Other names in the company's line of ice-cream include Totally Nuts, Chunky Monkey, Super Fudge Chunk. The new product development and flavour naming process are a top priority at Homemade.

Questions  :

(a) Does Homemade use an individual or a family branding strategy ? What are the relative advantages and disadvantages of the two strategies ?

(b) What are the characteristics of a good brand name ? How do you rate Homemade flavour names based on these criteria ?

(c) Homemade plans to introduce a sugar free, low fat ice-cream targetted at calorie-conscious customers. How should it go about test marketing the same ? Suggest a suitable brand name for the new product. 

December 2012

Ms-63 : Product Management

SECTION-A

1.  (a)  Discuss the various pricing methods available to marketers to price the products giving suitable examples.

(b)  What Pricing strategy would you recommend to introduce a range of fruit juices in the market for a firm having twin objectives of creating mass awareness and sales ? Discuss.

2.  (a)  What are the dimensions of Brand Image ? What are the inputs, outcome and Assessment Criterion of Brand Building exercise ? Explain.

(b)  What are the various tools available for positioning decision-making ? Taking the example of any  FMCG  product of your choice, explain how perceptual map can be used for positioning the product.

3.  (a)  As a part of Economic Analysis of New Product ideas/concept what methods are used to forecast sales. Discuss.

(b)  What is the purpose of doing Break-even Analysis in economic analysis and how it is

calculated ? Discuss in brief.

4.  Write short notes on any three of the following :

(a)  Various Product Management Decisions.

(b)  Marketing implications and strategies of PLC stages.

(c)  I mportance of Packaging in Marketing.

(d)  Organisation structures suggested for New Product Development

(e)  Industrial  Designing in Product Development.

SECTION-B

5. Read the case study and answer the questions given at the end of the case.

Position Application A new product development team at Colgate-Palmolive is developing a new fairness cream for men. The team conducted the market research and found that Indian prefer flavoured cream with a lighter menthol in it to give a soothing effect. The Colgate-Palmolive team, as a result, began developing a product for this niche.

The new product has to compete with the established players in the market. As a positioning manager responsible for the success of this product, decide upon the positioning strategies and answer the following questions :

(a)  Suggest an appropriate positioning strategy for the fairness cream to be introduced.

(b)  What appropriate Brand Name would you suggest and why ?

(c)  How do you feel that the three concepts of: Positioning, product differentiation and

Market Segmentation have to be related to each other ? Explain. 

June, 2013

Ms-63 : Product Management

SECTION-A

1. Distinguish between the following giving suitable examples :

(a) Convenience and shopping products

(b) Product Line and Product Mix

(c) Tangible specifications and Augmented features of a product

(d) Skimming Pricing and Penetration Pricing

2. (a) How would marketing strategies vary across different stages of Product Life Cycle ?

Explain giving suitable examples.

(b) "Though so many managers have been swept into product-line extension mania, many of them are also discovering that the problems and risks associated with extension proliferation are formidable". Discuss the statement.

3. (a) What is the rationale for test marketing ? Discuss the situations where you think test marketing is not desirable.

(b) Discuss the relative advantages and disadvantages of setting responsibility of developing new products at the corporate level.

4. Write short notes on any three of the following :

(a) BCG Matrix

(b) Concurrent Engineering

(c) Concept Testing

(d) Brand Equity Measurements

(e) Market Potential and Market Demand

SECTION-B

5. A company manufacturing biscuits now plans to launch a new range of biscuits targetted at health and calorie conscious customers as well as diabetics. The company intends to produce these biscuits with multigrains and lower sugar as well as calorie content. It is planned to offer the biscuits in different flavours like apple, orange, vanila etc. to cater to the different tastes of the customers. The company now has to decide upon the different aspects of the new launch like the ingredients, flavours, branding, packaging and labelling of the product.

Questions :

(a) Suggest some methods for generating ideas regarding the product attributes of the proposed range of biscuits.

(b) Identify the characteristics of a good brand name and suggest a suitable brand name for the new offerings.

(c) Suggest an appropriate positioning strategy.

(d) Discuss the significance of packaging and labelling decisions in the marketing of these new products.

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