Sony corporation-research report Essay Example

Analysis of Market Strategies at Sony Corporation

Yusuf Utku Doganay

201502234

Ian Mcarthur

April 2017

Abstract

The purpose this paper was to conduct an analysis of the marketing strategies used by Sony Corporation. The method of study included a survey of the secondary data published by other researchers on the performance of Sony Corporation. From the data collected, three marketing strategies were identified which included the Generic strategy (Porters’ Model), the One Sony Strategy, and the marketing mix of Sony. The company uses these strategies to increase its sales revenue and enhance its market penetration. The recommendation given compels Sony to be fast in absorbing the new technology and incorporating it in its products.

Table of Contents

Sony Corporation

Background

Sony Corporation is a Japanese company dealing with electronics based in Tokyo. The company’s main work involves designing, manufacturing and sales of the electronic accessories. The company began its operations in 1946 with an aim of designing innovative products destined to change the lives of people. Most Sony products are audio and video gadgets. The company works with a diverse product mx targeting different segments of the market (Dogruer 2000). The products range from, TVs, computers, DVD players, stereo systems, game systems, digital cameras and lithium based batteries.

This paper will address the marketing strategies adopted by Sony Corporation. It will also seek to determine the techniques that Sony Corporation uses to increase its customer base. The paper will also offer recommendations on the main areas that the company can improve on in its marketing strategies

Method

This report uses secondary data from other published studies to analyze the performance of Sony Corporation. The acquisition of secondary data will be cheap and quick to obtain to enable completion of this project. Gathering of secondary data is an efficient method as it saves time and helps improve the understanding of the topic at hand. The study will follow a qualitative descriptive study.

Marketing strategy 1: Generic Strategy (Porter’s Model)

Sony Corporation set its objective which aimed to increase its markets share in the Global consumer electronic industry from 15% to 25%. In so doing the company aim to attain the leading status in the distribution of consumer electronics and the technology market in the emerging market (Meyer 2017). Sony Corporation applies differentiation as its generic strategy to gain competitive advantage. The process of differentiation entails having products that are unique and outstanding when compared to other products in the market. This is achieved by ensuring the inclusion of features on the products that sets it as attractive and profitable. This is the concept that led to the success of PlayStation by adding up features focusing on novelty and uniqueness. Differentiation generic competitive strategy concentrates on the importance of product uniqueness to ensure that the company progresses on a profitable trend. By adopting this strategy, the objective of the company shifts to ensuring that it maintains the rate of innovation which acts as a boost to the competitive advantage (Chatterji 2012). Following this strategy, the financial face aims to reduce the production costs across the segments of the business. Utilizing this strategy, helps Sony Corporation increase its business efficiency and corresponding profitability.

Marketing Strategy 2: “One Sony”

This was strategy was initiated after the challenges experienced in the market as well as the operating losses that the company reported. The operating environment in the electronics market was harsh with a lot of prices wars. This necessitated the need to the company to restructure and get ready to face the market. The One Sony’ strategy was meant to bring together operations and create a focus on the core capabilities that the company. This meant expanding in the electronics market and venturing into the new markets. To achieve this strategy the objectives that Sony set included; strengthening the main business units, revolutionizing the television business, venturing into new markets, coming up with new businesses to fasten the pace of innovation, realigning the business portfolio in a means to ensure resources. Under this strategy, the company will be put under a new management structure that will match the required role to fit the new strategic objectives. The new structure will be meant to ensure rapid and optimization of the decision making process. This will reinforce and increase the pace for Sony’s overall business management. To increase its revenue and market reach, Sony ventured into the new markets with an aim of attaining an increase in sales by 30% (Chatterji, Schildwachter, & Harrison, 2012).

Marketing Strategy 3: Sony Marketing Mix

The product component of the marketing mix at Sony is known for its superior quality and service. The company deals with a widerange of products such as audio systems, television, video, PlayStation, semiconductors, computers, and mobile forms. The products have unique features such as personalized PlayStation cards that reward credit cards (Bhasin, 2016). The pricing component of the marketing mix sees the company maintain a three-tiered pricing strategy that is appealing to the buyers in different economic classes which includes the economy clients, middle-class and the high end. The company is also known to use price skimming strategy for launching new products with some unique features. The place component of the marketing mix requires the company develop effective distribution channels. In this connection, Sony adopts a selective distribution chain where they distribute the products through selective dealers. Sony recognizes the need to carrying out promotion endeavors. This is crucial for the successful launching of a product and making the target customer recognize the usefulness of the product. Sony Corporation utilizes this strategy in an attempt to increase its profit margin, provide knowledge on the product as well as increase awareness amongst the consumers. Sony uses celebrity endorsements to promote their products as these individuals are influential over their supporters (Bhasin, 2016).

Conclusion

This paper has analyzed the marketing strategies that Sony Corporation uses in the market. Sony Corporation is located in Tokyo and has been in operation since 1946. The company mainly deals with designing, producing, and selling electronic accessories. The products produced by the company include; TVs, computers, DVD players, stereo systems and digital system. It has been identified that three major marketing strategies that has been adopted by Sony include: the Generic Strategy, One Sony Strategy and the Sony Marketing mix. The generic strategy was found to include brand differentiation as a means of acquiring competitive advantage through delivering unique and outstanding product.

Recommendations

Sony should put up strategies to assure efficiency and maintenance of high quality in the manufacturing process. This will ensure that the company delivers high quality products that meet the needs of the consumers and moving along the progress in technology. The company can integrate the total quality control (TQC) that would ensure adoption of a process oriented way of doing thing.

To deal with the emerging markets, Sony Corporation should put emphasis on the diversified, customized local content. The emerging market customers have unique needs. Sony corporation needs to indulge in research on the market and therefore align its products in a manner that fulfills these needs.

Sony needs to be more prompt and efficient in adjusting to the changes in the market demand. This should also apply responding to the loss of its competitive advantages. The market conditions are moving up with a fast speed and the customers always demanding a higher version of their current product. In this relation, Sony Corporation needs to maintain a research and development team tasked with creative innovative products to satisfy the customers growing needs and changing preferences.

References

Bhasin, H. (2016). Marketing Mix of Sony. Marketing 91.

Chatterji, D., Schildwachter, H., & Harrison, J. (2012). Sony Corporation: Reinventing Itself to Rediscover the Technological Edge. Richmond Education Centers.

Chatterji, D, Schildwacheter, H & Harrison, J 2012, Sony Corporation: Reinventing Itself to Rediscover the Technological Edge,University of Richmond,viewed 17 April 2017,
http://scholarship.richmond.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1009&context=robins-case-network

Dogruer, B, Ferzly, M, Nguyen, H, Roach, D, & Rafik, W 2000, Report in Sony Corporation, viewed 12 April 2017, https://stuff.mit.edu/afs/athena/course/15/15.249c/Sony.pdf

Meyer, P 2017, Sony’s Generic Strategy & Intensive Growth Strategies, Panmore Institute ,viewed 12 April 2017, http://panmore.com/sony-generic-strategy-intensive-growth-strategies