Case Study Assignment

Austin Levesque

April 10, 2022

Valencia College

Introduction to Business

Case Study #1: Management Case Study

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Case Study #1: Management Case Study

Executive Summary

De acuerdo con Ulwick (2021 )”What companies need—now, more than ever—is to invest in

new products and services that address the customer’s evolving needs”. En este sentido, es

necesario el diseño de una correcta estrategia de marketing que cubra las expectativas y objetivos

planteados por la empresa. La inovación en cuanto a los productos ofrecidos asi como

aventurarse en nuevos mercados es una tactica comun, no obstante contempla sus riesgo, en

efecto, Ulwick (2021) señala que “With innovation success rates typically below 20%,

executives recognize that it’s also a top priority to take the guesswork out of innovation” El

presente studio de casos trata sobre Marissa Mayer, quien elaboró una estrategia de crecimiento

para Yahoo la cual pese a presenter indicadores favorable no cumplio con las expectativas de

crecimiento fijadas por la empresa. La raiz del problema puede identificarse como una estrategia

de marketing mal diseñada que trajo como consecuencias problemas estructurales en la empresa.

Al finalizar se presentara una estretagia alternativa basada en como deberia ser una correcta

estrategia de marketing.

Statement of Immediate Problem(s)

Root Cause of Problem

El problema en el caso planteado se origina en una deficiente estrategia de marketing.

Mayer diseño un plan para el crecimiento empresarial pero no llevo a cabo de forma adecuada el

proceso de marketing.Las adquisiciones realizadas, no cumplieron las expectativas de los

clientes y representaron poca o ninguna ganancia, tales como Livetext o Tumblr. En

consecuencia, para compensar las perdidas y recuperar la confianza debió realizar maniobras
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internas, que fueron desde ventajas corporativas para mantener la fuga de personal capacitado

hasta despidos silenciosos, maniobras que solo desestabilizaron más la situación.

Company’s Situational Analysis (SWOT)

Strengths – La principal fortaleza la representa la solidez de la empresa, Yahoo pese a el

estancamiento se mantiene como una de las principales empresas en su ramo. Es una marca

reconocida que mantiene un numero solido de usuarios en todo el mundo. La reestructuración

representa el cambio necesario para lanzar a Yahoo nuevamente como una de las empresas más

competitivas del Mercado.

Weaknesses – La adquisicion de productos en function de la reestructuracion donde no se

evidencia una investigación de profundidad sobre los productos adquiridos asi como de las

demandas de los clientes, puede ser la causa de una serie de malas decisions que redunden a

mediano y largo plazo en perdidas para la empresa. Como señala Ulwick (2021) “With a deep

and accurate understanding of the opportunities, companies will hit the right targets with the

right solutions”. Especialmente en el ramo del desarrollo de tecnologias e internet donde la

innovación es la norma para la supervivencia en ese Mercado.

Opportunities – Como se trata de un proceso de reestructuracion a gran escala, es la

oportunidad para incursionar en nuevos mercados y tras una correcta investigación de las

demandas del clientes plantearse el desarrollo propio de nuevos productos en campos donde la

empresa ha quedado en desventaja o tiene muy poca participación, como la telefonia movil.

Threats – La principal amenaza esta representado en que la participacion de Yahoo!la empresa

en compañias externa supera ampliamente la capitalización bursátil de Yahoo!, este valor

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negativo puede derivar en la necesidad de la venta de gran parte de los activos o de incluso toda

la empresa. Otra amenaza importante es la desconfianza entre los directivos y los empleados

surgida del plan de reestructuración.

Estrategia De Marketing

Segun Nickels, McHugh, & McHugh (2005) Una estrategia de marketing bien diseñada consta

de los siguientes pasos:

1. Defining the question (the problem or opportunity) and determining the present situation.

2. Collecting research data.

3. Analyzing the research data.

4. Choosing the best solution and implementing it. (P 335)

Adicionalmente Morgan, Whitler Feng, et al.(2019) explican los aspectos donde se involucran

las estretegias del marketing: que implican la creacion de estructuras organizativas par ale

desarrollo de estretegias, la eleccion del conjunto de estrategias considerando las prioridades y

las partes interesadas tanto internas como externas y finalmente y orientar a la directive hacia la

aplicacion de dichas estrategias que generan mayor compromiso con los clientes.

Action Plan

El plan consistiria en complementar la adquisicion de los nuevos productos con un

desarrollo de sus funciones adaptado a las nuevas demandas del publico habitual, asi como una

campaña de marketing para captar nuevos usuarios.. Esto implicaria en primer lugar una

investigación en profundidad sobre las nuevas tendencias y expectativas de los usuarios, y una

inversion considerable en el area de desarrollo. Si bien las adquisiciones constituyen una ventaja,
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es necesario su desarrollo posterior para evitar nuevamente el estancamiento y garantizar su

rentabilidad a largo plazo.

La idea central del plan estaria centrado no en el crecimiento inmediato sino en identificar cuales

son las demandas actuales de los usuarios de internet, y las desventajas de la empresa frente a sus

principales rivales. La estrategia de marketing estaria enfocada en el relanzamiento de los

productos conocidos adaptados a esas necesidades (telefonos moviles por ejemplo) asi como la

incorporación de los nuevos desarrollos.

Executive Summary

According to Ulwick (2021) "What companies need-now, more than ever-is to invest in new

products and services that address the customer's evolving needs". In this sense, it is necessary to

design a correct marketing strategy that meets the expectations and objectives set by the

company. Innovation in terms of the products offered as well as venturing into new markets is a

common tactic, however it contemplates its risks, in fact, Ulwick (2021) points out that "With

innovation success rates typically below 20%, executives recognize that it's also a top priority to

take the guesswork out of innovation" The present case study deals with Marissa Mayer, who

developed a growth strategy for Yahoo which despite presenting favorable indicators did not

meet the growth expectations set by the company. The root of the problem can be identified as a

poorly designed marketing strategy that resulted in structural problems in the company. At the

end, an alternative strategy based on what a correct marketing strategy should look like will be

presented.

Statement of Immediate Problem(s)

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Case Study #1: Management Case Study

Root Cause of Problem

The problem in this case originates from a deficient marketing strategy. Mayer designed a plan

for business growth but did not adequately carry out the marketing process. Acquisitions, such as

Livetext or Tumblr, did not meet customer expectations and represented little or no profit.

Consequently, to compensate for the losses and regain confidence, the company had to make

internal maneuvers, which ranged from corporate perks to maintain the drain of skilled personnel

to silent layoffs, maneuvers that only further destabilized the situation.

Company's Situational Analysis (SWOT)

Strengths - The main strength is the solidity of the company, Yahoo, despite the stagnation,

remains one of the main companies in its field. It is a recognized brand that maintains a solid

number of users worldwide. The restructuring represents the necessary change to launch Yahoo

back as one of the most competitive companies in the market.

Weaknesses - The acquisition of products in the function of restructuring where there is no

evidence of in-depth research on the acquired products as well as customer demands, can be the

cause of a series of bad decisions that result in medium and long term losses for the company. As

Ulwick (2021) points out, "With a deep and accurate understanding of the opportunities,

companies will hit the right targets with the right solutions". Especially in the field of technology

and internet development where innovation is the norm for survival in this market.

Opportunities - As this is a large-scale restructuring process, it is the opportunity to enter new

markets and after a proper investigation of customer demands, to consider the development of
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Case Study #1: Management Case Study

new products in fields where the company has been at a disadvantage or has very little

participation, such as mobile telephony.

Threats - The main threat is represented by the fact that Yahoo's participation in external

companies exceeds Yahoo's market capitalization, this negative value may result in the need to

sell a large part of the assets or even the entire company. Another major threat is the distrust

between management and employees arising from the restructuring plan.

The central idea of the plan would be focused not on immediate growth but on identifying the

current demands of Internet users, and the company's disadvantages vis-à-vis its main rivals. The

marketing strategy would be focused on the relaunch of known products adapted to those needs

(mobile phones for example) as well as the incorporation of new developments.

Marketing Strategy

According to Nickels, McHugh, & McHugh (2005) A well-designed marketing strategy consists

of the following steps:

1. Defining the question (the problem or opportunity) and determining the present situation.

2. Collecting research data.

3. Analyzing the research data.

4. Choosing the best solution and implementing it. (P 335)

Additionally Morgan, Whitler Feng, et al.(2019) explain the aspects where marketing strategies

are involved: they involve the creation of organizational structures for strategy development, the

choice of the set of strategies considering the priorities and the internal and external stakeholders
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and finally and guiding the directive towards the implementation of such strategies that generate

greater engagement with customers.

Action Plan

The plan would consist of complementing the acquisition of the new products with a

development of their functions adapted to the new demands of the regular public, as well as a

marketing campaign to attract new users. This would first involve in-depth research into new

trends and user expectations, and considerable investment in the development area. While

acquisitions are an advantage, further development is necessary to avoid stagnation again and to

ensure long-term profitability.

References

Morgan, NA, Whitler, KA, Feng, H et al. (1 more author) (2019) Research in marketing strategy.
Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 47 (1). pp. 4-29. ISSN 0092-0703
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11747-018-0598-1

Nickels, W. G., McHugh, J. M., & McHugh, S. M. (2005). Understanding business. Boston:
McGraw-Hill/Irwin.

Ulwick Anthony (2021) How to Find Growth Opportunities in Times of Crisis The Marketing
Journal tomado de https://www.marketingjournal.org/how-to-find-growth-opportunities-in-
times-of-crisis-anthony-ulwick/
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