Assignment 3:

Term ProjectSWOT Analysis and Preliminary Marketing

Plan
Date Due: After Lesson 14, and after receiving feedback on Assignment 2
Weighting: 40 percent of final grade
Length: 20 double-spaced pages maximum
Be sure to read the Assignment Details page in the Evaluation block (on the
course home page) before beginning this assignment.
Assignment 3 is based on the first two assignments but assumes a
management focus. It involves three tasks:
1. The first task is to translate Assignments 1 and 2 into a situation appraisal
by identifying strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threatsin other
words, by performing a SWOT analysis.
Strengths and weaknesses are internal to the company and the brand under
consideration. They are foreseeable and controllable. You are not expected
to perform internal analysis that is additional to the analysis you provided in
Assignment 2 (where you compared your product to that of your
competition).
Opportunities and threats analysis concerns general information about the
nature of the industry, competition, consumers, and cultural and other
environmental factors. They are external, uncontrollable, and may or may
not be foreseeable.
2. The second task is to use your SWOT analysis to determine whether
introduction of your product (brand) in the country under consideration is
viable. Are there sufficient strengths and opportunities to overcome the
weaknesses and threats?
3. The third task depends on the decision made in Task 2. If you choose not
to introduce the product, prepare a detailed report on why it is not a viable
option at this point. Is there anything the company can do to work on
controllable and foreseeable factors or to minimize the impacts of
uncontrollable and unforeseeable factors to improve viability for future
consideration?
If you recommend introduction of the product (or brand) into the new
market, your next step is to propose a preliminary marketing plan that
MKTG414v8 Assignment 3

September 25/2013

defines marketing objectives

identifies the target market

includes a marketing program that effectively responds to consumers'

needs and provides competitive advantages

You can refer to the section entitled "Reaching the Customer: Developing
Your Export Marketing Strategy" in the Foreign Affairs and International
Trade Canada document, Step-by-Step Guide to Exporting (available in the
DRR). Although this framework covers a range of importation and
international logistics issues, focus on cases in which a product is already
available inside a host country. You may also wish to consult Chapter 7
Appendix: Sources of Secondary Data on the textbook companion website
(Online Learning Center).
If you have any questions, contact the Student Support Centre.

MKTG414v8 Assignment 3

September 25/2013