History of Basketball - 2447 Words

One of the greatest sports in the world is goes by the name of basketball. This great game was invented by James Naismith December of 1891. James Naismith was a physician from Canada and attended McGill’s University in Montreal, Canada. After working as McGill’s Athletic director he went to Springfield, Massachusetts. He introduced the game when he was an instructor at the Young Men Christian Association Training School in Springfield. He created the game because he needed to think of something the kids would be able to play during those cold winters, in a small area. He wanted to come up with something where you wouldn’t have to be the strongest but have to have to be skilled. The game involved elements of football, soccer, and hockey†¦show more content†¦As for professional basketball leagues in 1937 Goodyear, Firestone, and General Electric started up the National Basketball League. This league was formed by industrial teams sponsored by companies and even independent teams. Mostly all these teams were based in the Midwest. Now after World War II ended there was a move to establish a true nationwide league. This lead to the Basketball Association of America being born. Now in 1949 this year was the end of the National Basketball League and its remaining teams joined the Basketball Association of America. With all the teams combined the National Basketball Association was formed. For colleges Ivy League schools such as Yale, Harvard, Cornell, and Princeton formed some of the earliest college leagues. A group of basketball writers in 1937 from New York decided to have a basketball tournament. This is how they would name the college national basketball team. This tournament would the 1 invitation tournament and was held at New York’s Madison Square Garden. This event took place in 1938 and the tournament winner with Temple becoming the first national champion team. A group of coaches felt that this tournament should be more centralized so they started their own tournament. It was the year of 1939 when they did so only a year after the original tournament. The tournament that these coaches started up was then taking over by the NCAA. It eventually grew into what we call today March Madness. Now withShow MoreRelatedHistory of Basketball848 Words   |  4 PagesHistory of Basketball Basketball has been around for over 100 years, and from the very beginning to now, the sport has come a long way. Basketball is extremely popular around the world, it is a court game played by two teams of five players each. The object is to put a ball through a hoop, or basket, and thus score more points than the opposing team (Naismith). Today there is the NBA as the professional league and colleges all across America has picked up the game of basketball also. TodayRead MoreThe History of Basketball577 Words   |  2 PagesBasketball is a sport that was created for a gym class and evolved into a worldwide sensation . Basketball was created in 1891 by a man named James Naismith. He originally created the game for his gym class because, it was unbearable outside for any other sports , and the game originally was nonphysical and only had 13 rules. When basketball was first created , there were unlimited players allowed on the court and present day there are only five players per team allowed on the court. Also,Read MoreEssay on History of Basketball671 Words   |  3 PagesHistory of Basketball â€Å"According anywhere from Australia to the United States and everywhere in between the game of basketball is played.† (Faurschou, â€Å"History of basketball†). The game is played anywhere where you can get a ball and something to throw the ball through. â€Å"G.L Pierce patented basketball on June 25, 1929.† (Bellis, â€Å"Basketball-James Naismith†). Basketball became an official Olympic sport in the 1936 game. â€Å"Both the Aztecs and the Mayans had a version of the game of basketballRead More History Of Basketball Essay737 Words   |  3 Pages History of Basketball nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Who is known world-wide as the inventor of basketball? His name is Dr. James Naismith, he was born in 1861 in Almonte, Ontario. Most people wonder were a young man would think of a game like basketball. The concept of basketball was born from his school days in the area where he played a simple childs game known as duck-on-a-rock outside his one-room schoolhouse. The game involved attempting to knock a quot;duckquot; off the top of a largeRead MoreHistory of Basketball Essay1302 Words   |  6 Pages The game of basketball is recognizable high school or the NBA. The sport is very popular and is played worldwide. Everyone may also know the sport from some names of basketball stars. Maybe the names Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Dr. J, Lebron James, Kobe Bryant, or Carmelo Anthony ring a bell. They are all outstanding players of the game and have a significant understanding of how the game is played. Basketball has changed alot overtime and has become one of Americas most played sports. ItRead MoreThe History and Development of Basketball Essay1047 Words   |  5 Pages Have you ever speculated who created basketball? Maybe even if different cultures played it and how they did? What the original rules were? How it has been altered since it was first invented? All of these answers can be found in this paper. Did you know that our ancestors played a game sort of like basketball before it was even invented? Centuries ago in Mexico, people played games where they used a ball and hoop. They would take turns trying to toss the ball into the basket and keep trackRead MoreA Brief History of Basketball438 Words   |  2 Pages Basketball is a sport played by many individuals throughout the world. The sport was created in December of 1891 by Dr. James Naismith, and has slowly evolved ever since. Originally, the sport was played with a soccer ball and peach baskets, and was of a much slower pace compared to the basketball games of today. By 1906, the peach baskets were replaced with metal hoops and backboards. By the early 19th century, many colleges had adopted basketball as one of their sport. Soon after, high schoolsRead MoreEssay about Evolution and History of Basketball1756 Words   |  8 PagesEvolution and History of Basketball There is no such sport more convenient or accessible than basketball. It is fun, practical, and affordable. Its also a common and healthy alternative to electronic entertainment. However, such a great sport could not come about by itself. There was an idea behind it. And behind that idea was a man, Dr. James Naismith. James Naismith was born near Almonte, Ontario on November 6, 1861. He was the eldest son of Scottish immigrants John and MargaretRead MoreJames Naismith And The Creation Of Basketball1093 Words   |  5 PagesBusiness English 9 October 2017 James Naismith and the Creation of Basketball In 1891, Dr. James Naismith was teaching at a local YMCA when he came up with a game that could be played inside during the Winter (Laughead). The game that Naismith created would later be known worldwide as â€Å"basketball.† This game has greatly influenced the sports industry with fans, players, and professional teams all over the world. Basketball took a long time to develop into what it is today, but it is nowRead MoreBasketball s Influence On Basketball1506 Words   |  7 PagesThe history behind basketball may appeal boring to some, but it is astounding as it is for the exhilaration of watching a professional player score a game-winning three-pointer or a half-court shot. The first official game of basketball occurred on January 20, 1892 in Springfield, Massachusetts (Faurschou). From what is now a popular sport worldwide started off with an interesting history, but the roots of basketball was full of individual challenges, each making the sport difficul t to retain a public

Essay about The Matrix - 1338 Words

lt;a href=quot;http://www.geocities.com/vaksam/quot;gt;Sam Vaknins Psychology, Philosophy, Economics and Foreign Affairs Web Sites It is easy to confuse the concepts of quot;virtual realityquot; and a quot;computerized model of reality (simulation)quot;. The former is a self-contained Universe, replete with its quot;laws of physicsquot; and quot;logicquot;. It can bear resemblance to the real world or not. It can be consistent or not. It can interact with the real world or not. In short, it is an arbitrary environment. In contrast, a model of reality must have a direct and strong relationship to the world. It must obey the rules of physics and of logic. The absence of such a relationship renders it meaningless. A flight†¦show more content†¦A group of human miscreants succeeds to learn the secret of the Matrix. They form an underground and live aboard a ship, loosely communicating with a halcyon city called quot;Zionquot;, the last bastion of resistance. In one of the scenes, Cypher, one of the rebels defects. Over a glass of (illusory) rubicund wine and (spectral) juicy steak, he poses the main dilemma of the movie. Is it better to live happily in a perfectly detailed delusion - or to survive unhappily but free of its hold? The Matrix controls the minds of all the humans in the world. It is a bridge between them, they inter-connected through it. It makes them share the same sights, smells and textures. They remember. They compete. They make decisions. The Matrix is sufficiently complex to allow for this apparent lack of determinism and ubiquity of free will. The root question is: is there any difference between making decisions and feeling certain of making them (not having made them)? If one is unaware of the existence of the Matrix, the answer is no. From the inside, as a part of the Matrix, making decisions and appearing to be making them are identical states. Only an outside observer - one who in possession of full information regarding both the Matrix and the humans - can tell the difference. Moreover, if the Matrix were a computer program of infinite complexity, no observer (finite or infinite) would have been able to say with any certainty whoseShow MoreRelatedEssay on The Matrix1072 Words   |  5 PagesThe Matrix The Matrix is a science fiction movie about artificial intelligence computers replacing mankind. I believe that this movie is a common type of display from the media is common paranoia so that they can get a reaction from people and sell their story. In the case of The Matrix, the movie dazzles people with awesome special effects using modern computer technology, which I find ironic. I find it self-conflicting and hypocritical for the media to use modern computer technology for theirRead MoreEssay on The Matrix2824 Words   |  12 Pages The Matrix Interweaves much symbolism, mythology, philosophy, and psychology. On the surface, the movie challenges the dominance of technology in our culture and predicts an apocalyptic result from the use of artificial intelligence. Yet, behind the human struggle for survival is a mythical backdrop upon which are backlit some of C.G. Jungs basic ideas regarding the human psyche. These Jungian ideas include the ego-Self relationship and how it rela tes to the persona, the shadow, individuation,Read MoreThe Matrix Essay899 Words   |  4 PagesCompare and Contrast The Matrix with the readings from Plato and Descartes. What are some similarities and differences? An Essay Submitted to Jason Elvis BY Williestine Harriel Liberty University online September 24, 2012 Compare and Contrast The Matrix with the readings from Plato and Descartes. What are some similarities and differences? After reading The Matrix, and reading from Plato and Descartes, I find that there are some similarities and differencesRead MoreEssay about The Matrix1131 Words   |  5 PagesThe Matrix Written and directed by the Wachowski brothers, ‘The Matrix’ is a science fiction film, which was released in the year 1999. It was the first film to use the now famous camera technique of ‘bullet time’ and also introduced wirework martial arts into conventional cinemas. Its vision of the future is similar to other science fiction films such as ‘Men In Black’ with the agents always wearing sunglasses and the idea of man vs. machine\evil. In the openingRead More The Matrix Essay1310 Words   |  6 Pages The Matrix In 1999 directors/writers Larry and Andy Wachowski (Bound) made a dark and often disturbing Science Fiction film, The Matrix. With the production expertise of Joel Silver (Commando, Predator, Lethal Weapon series, and Die Hard series), Andrew Mason (The Crow, Dark City) and Barrie M. Osborne (Face/Off, The Fan, Childs Play), The Matrix is sure to be a favorite among Science Fiction movie fans for years to come. The Matrix won the Oscar award in all four categories it was nominatedRead MoreEssay on The Matrix577 Words   |  3 PagesThe Matrix The Matrix has been doing remarkably well in sales since its release in the cinema last summer and its recent video releases. This is largely due to stylish advertising techniques and word of mouth. The Matrix has been approved by critics who enjoy the film and also the ones who dislike the theme. Among young viewers, it has already achieved great status. So what else is the film about? Firstly the film copies the theme from many popular films that came before it, and involves intelligentRead MoreEssay on There is No Escaping the Matrix1916 Words   |  8 PagesThere is No Escaping the Matrix In the video game world anything is possible, and if your player dies you can always play again. The videogame industry is exploding in the market place; its far from childs play and far from the days of pong. In the most recent issue of Entertainment Weekly (December 6, 2002) there is an article, Video Game Nation, discussing a new video game experience being touted as the wave of the future, The Real World meets The Matrix. In this virtual world called TheRead MoreThe Matrix And The Allegory Of The Cave1513 Words   |  7 PagesThe Matrix and the Allegory of the Cave focus on one central idea: What is real?. They engage the audience in a fictional world where people live in false realities without knowing it. They make us question our own knowledge. Their storylines connect in that the protagonist discovers that everything he knows is a big lie and now he must discover the truth. The protagonist is thrown all of the sudden into the real world and then, he continues to seek the ab solute truth. Neo and the prisoner inquireRead MorePlato, Descartes, and the Matrix603 Words   |  3 Pagesthis information as reality. The movie The Matrix is based on the Brain in the Vat. The Matrix, Rene Descartes, Meditation I Of The Things Of Which We May Doubt and Plato’s, â€Å"The Allegory of the Cave,† all hold similarities to the Brain in the Vat; therefore they hold similarities to each other. Although they hold similarities to each other there are also some differences between these three reasons. The similarities between the movie The Matrix, Plato’s cave analogy and Descartes’ MeditationRead MoreThe Matrix And Charlie Angels1614 Words   |  7 Pagesfilm. Movie genre is the term used to differentiate between various number of films. There are around five fundamental groups that are big and prevalent i.e. Action, Horror, Comedy, Science fiction. In this essay ,I will be comparing two films, The Matrix and Charlie Angels. I will discuss the use of cinematography, the genres of the films, and how effective they are. I will also look at the characters, action, plot ,sound and atmosphere created, and how these are aimed at each film s target audience

What Is a Good Ruler in Confuciuss View free essay sample

What makes a good ruler, in Confucius’s view? A good minister? In Confuciuss view,the most important characteristic a ruler should have is virtue, to be more specific, humanity and unselfish love for his people, and should always use ritual to make his virtue a paragon and make his people follow his virtue. In analects 2:3, he said lead them by political manoeuvre, restrain them with punishment, the people will become cunning and shameless. He is against using strong law or harsh political manoeuvre to control peoples behavior, instead, a good ruler , in his word lead them by virtue, restrain them with ritual: they will develop a sense of shame and a sense of participation. Though virtue is a general idea and is hard to measure, Confucius still believe that for a ruler, virtue is required. In 6:30, Confucius believe the ancient ruler of China, Shun and Yu, are the paragon of rulers in terms of virtue,and he mentions these two emperor in analects several time to show his respe ct for their decency. We will write a custom essay sample on What Is a Good Ruler in Confuciuss View? or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Shun and yu is famous for giving power to other people who is capable of ruling their community, not to their son or relatives. Their unselfish act and the love for their people make them the ideal emperor in Confucius’s standard. In analects 2;1, he compares ruler with virtue with the polestar which always remains constant and compares his people to others star revolves around it. It also shows Confucius’s idea that normal people must respect their king and follow his moral conduct. If the king behaves improperly or lose his virtue, his people will have no sense of good or evil, and the society will descend to chaos. Confucius also believe that a good minister must remain loyal to his king and should always follow the ritual, which is mostly done by following kings order . In 3:19, his student asks him how should a minister serve his ruler? , his answer is simple and concise,a minister should treat his lord with loyalty In 12:7, he says that a minister must obey kings order as long as it is not to the point of murdering father or lord, and must resign when conflict arises between minister and ruler. Since Confucius believe a true king posses almost all the virtue of human beings and is set to be the moral paragon of his people, a minister must obey a kings order considering that a minister should be inferior in terms of virtue as compared to a king. He wants a minister to follow the ritual of the court, which is like the filial piety , son must obey his father and minister must obey his ruler, only by this will keep the society in order and harmony.. In 12:11, he says lord is lord, subject is subject, which means a minister only have to do a ministers job and should never supercede to do king’s job. This is one of the reasons why lots of ancient chinese kings adopt Confucius’s philosophy because it keeps his regime from being overturned by his ministers or people. So in confuciuss view, a good king must have virtue and must be the moral paragon of his people ; a good minister must always know his position, respect and follow kings order.

Suzuki Case Study free essay sample

This analysis provides the background, SWOT analysis and different marketing alternatives such as positioning the vehicle as a car, compact truck or sports utility vehicle. Later the recommendation is made on which marketing strategies are suitable for the success of the Suzuki Samurai in US market. The analysis has also highlighted in detail the pros and cons of the â€Å"unpositioning† that we propose versus three options of positioning that were considered earlier. We have also evaluated the strength of the marketing research done by Pearlstein in terms of ensuring market of success in US market. In this analysis, there is also the recommendation on how the $2. 5 Million six-month adverting budget should be spent in accordance to the positioning strategy chosen. 2. 0 Situation Analysis 2. 1 The company 2. 1. 1 Company Background Starting business in 1909 as Suzuki Loom Works, the firm was incorporated in 1920 and was to produce textile looms that would surpass the innovation and quality of other competitors. We will write a custom essay sample on Suzuki Case Study or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Since foundation Hamamatsu, Japan, SUZUKI has steadily grown and expanded. In 1952, Suzuki created a new type of motor vehicle, a motorized bicycle call the â€Å"Power Free†. This motorized bicycle featured a 36cc two-stroke engine with a double sprocket gear system that enabled the rider to pedal with the engine assisting, pedal without the engine assisting. Suzuki’s first mass produced car in 1955, the Suzulight, was a technical marvel. It included radical innovations for the time such as front-wheel drive, four-wheel suspension, and rack-and-pinion steering. In 1963, Suzuki brings its innovation motorcycle line-up to the U. S. A fast growing line enables them quickly to become a major player in the motorcycle market. Suzuki takes the lead in the all-terrain vehicle market in 1983 by introducing the first four-wheeled ATV. In 1985, Suzuki introduces its automotive line to the U. S, with the arrival of the Samurai. SJ 413 as an upgraded model of SJ410 and designed especially for US market. Today, constantly going forward to meet changing lifestyles, the SUZUKI name is seen on a full range of motorcycles, automobiles, outboard motors and related products such as generators and motorized wheelchairs. The mark trademark is recognized by people throughout the world as a brand of quality products that offer both reliability and originality. More than 45,000 Suzuki people worldwide now create and distribute their work in over 120 countries. Worldwide Suzuki Automotive sales now reach over 2 million each year, surpassing the sales of many other renowned companies such as BMW, Mercedes and Saab. Additionally more than 2. 5 million motorcycles and ATVs are sold each year. Sales of the Suzukis outboard motors also continue to grow. SUZUKI stands behind this global symbol with a sure determination to maintain this confidence in the future as well, never stopping in creating quality products. 2. 2 Product of Suzuki Samurai The Suzuki Samurai was introduced to the U. S. market in November 1985. It appealed to younger consumers with its inexpensive and fun-oriented positioning. This marketing strategy was successful, since over 160,000 Samurais were sold in just three years. The Suzuki Samurai was introduced as an inexpensive multi-purpose sport/utility vehicle. These vehicles were light pickup trucks with back seats, an extended roof, and part-time four-wheel drive intended for use on snow, ice, mud, or off-road driving. Sport/utility vehicles do not have to conform to the same safety regulations that apply to passenger cars. 2. 3 Positioning According to Douglas Mazza, he wanted a fresh approach for his company’s new products, he assigned advertising task to an agency which had no experience in developing campaign for automobiles. The advertising agency found out that the industry practice was to position vehicles according their physical characteristics. They also found out that most advertising was feature/benefit or price oriented. Based on its physical characteristics, the major three positioning for Samurai SJ413 were position as a compact sport utility vehicle, as a compact pickup truck and as a subcompact car, so it should be advertised as a â€Å"tough ittle cheap jeep†. Moreover, the samurai’s size and price distinguished it from all other sport utility vehicles sold in the U. S in 1985. The Samurai was smaller and lighter than the other vehicles, and its $5995 suggested retail price was well below the other vehicles’ $10,000 to $13,000 price range. 2. 4 SWOT Summary 2. 4. 1 Strengths : Suzuki Company followed selective distribution strategy, which allowed the company to achieve higher profitability, dealer loyalty, greater sales support and also higher degree of control over the retail market. Also, their pricing strategy was to sell high volume with low profit margin, which helped company to gain market response for its high quality with low price advantage. Suzuki Samurai has been positioned as a compact sport utility vehicle, a compact pickup truck and a subcompact car. This positioning would be good to place their brand in the particular part of the market where it would receive reception compared to competing products. It also well explained Samurai’s physical characteristics. 2. 4. 2 Weaknesses: Suzuki Samurai set their very low price, which meant it will came up with very low profit margin. The planned dealer invoice rice was $5095, only 7. 5%higher than ASMC’s own landed cost for the vehicle. And they planned to limit the number of samurai dealers, so each dealer might be stressed on as they needed to sell approximately 30 Samurai per month to cover its costs. Samurai was positioned as a sport utility vehicle; however, the market for sport utility vehicle was relatively small. In 1984, it was les than 3% in the U. S market. And it was positioned as a subcompact car, then it might not meet the expectations of the consumers because the Samurai was built on a truck platform, its ride was stiffer and less comfortable than the least-expensive subcompact cars. On the other side, if other consumers start to use it as subcompact car or pick up truck, it will lose its brand image. Thus it might lose potential market, bring trouble for the sales people and increase market confusion among customers. 2. 4. 3 Opportunities: Suzuki Samurai should be unpositioned in the market to get the opportunity to target the entire potential consumers segment. The unpositioned Suzuki Samurai will appeal the users of sports utility vehicles, pick up truck and subcompact cars. That ensures higher consumer acceptance and consumer satisfaction by offering a car for various needs. It would also increase sales and thus add large profit to the company’s income statement by targeting a large customer segments. The unpositioning strategy is better combined with company’s goal that is to establish ASMC as a major car company in the U. S market. The low price of the Samurai can be used as a strategy to impress consumers and to capture great share of the market. And this low price and also encouraged dealership investment in which expanded and increased sales. There will be a good opportunity for Samurai if can build a strong brand image among the potential customers such as some TV advertisement or promotion, in which creating and increasing buyer awareness of the car influencing buyer attitude toward the Suzuki Samurai. 2. 4. 4 Treats: Suzuki Samurai will bring some treats to its competitors if offering a car with different purpose. The broader appeal of the car can reduce sales of its competitors’ who are in the same industry. In addition, it will quite risky for Samurai’s sales if Suzuki overdefine the vehicle, because a product should broad enough to attract a wide range of consumers and meet consumers with different needs. 2. 5 Historical Results According to Appendix 6. 1, in 1984, there were approximately 25100 Japanese vehicles sole among the total of 424810 sport utility cars in U. S market, which was only 5. 9% of the market share. And Suzuki Samurai only had 8. 4% to the Japanese imported cars in the U. S market. In another words, Samurai did not have much market share compared with other Japanese competitors in the U. S automobile industry. In 1985, Samurai has decreased to 4. 6% market share among the Japanese car industry, and only 0. 46% market share of the whole compact sport utility vehicle in the U. S market. However, as compact pickup trucks and subcompact cars, it did not shown any Samurai products in which meant the sales could be very low and unsuccessful during the year of 1984 and 1985. 3. 0 The Market 3. 1 Background Since the introduction of its first production car, the â€Å"Suzulight†, in 1961, Suzuki had sold cars and trucks only in Japan until 1979. It took Suzuki only 5 years to export and distribute its automobiles into more than 100 countries including Hawaii (US). As a global firm, Suzuki captured and maintained its production and R D momentum to succeed in international marketing. Aiming at opening the continental US Market, Suzuki Samurai, designed with the US market specifically in mind, was introduced in 1985 in order to establish Suzuki’s brand presence in the United States. 3. 2 Market Entry 3. 2. 1 Exporting Before projecting the Samurai, Suzuki had cooperated with General Motors on a model named under GM as Chevrolet Sprint. Exporting Japanese cars to the US was subject to voluntary restraint agreement (VRA). In 1984, Suzuki’s total VRA quota of 17,000 cars went to GM as Sprints and Sprint’s distribution was limited to its West Coast dealers. GM’s success with Sprint showed Suzuki that a market existed for its cars in the continental United States. 3. 2. 2 Joint Venture – Suzuki + GM (Production in Canada) Japan’s VRA quotas made it impossible for Suzuki to export any cars other than the Sprint to the United States in the foreseeable future. In 1985, Suzuki and GM began negotiations with the Canadian government to build a plant in Ontario producing approximately 200,000 subcompact cars per year. This initiative could help launching more Suzuki automobiles into the US market under its own name by early 1989. 3. 3 Direct Investment – ASMC Market share of Japanese imports in the U. S. automobile market and the overall automobile industry in the US surged during 1984 – 1985. Facing the upcoming entries of other overseas brands, Suzuki was unwilling to wait until 1989 to introduce the Suzuki name into the continental United States. With SJ413 (Samurai), Suzuki had the right product for the market whereas the continental United States was a piece of new land – a dealer network needed to be established, since there was no guarantee that GM would market any Suzuki vehicles other than the Sprint in the US market. Customs clearance issue was solved by exporting SJ413 without a back seat, under which circumstance the vehicle was classified as a truck by the US government. Trucks were not subject to Japanese VRA quotas; instead, they were subject to a 25% tariff, much higher than that on cars (2. 5%). Suzuki management was convinced that the time was right to enter the continental US market and believed the high tariff was worth paying. American Suzuki Motor Corporation (ASMC) was established for the development of a Suzuki dealer network in the United States. 4. 0 Marketing Strategy Analysis 4. 1Entry Strategy The market strategy used by Suzuki varies in accordance to the nature of the Market. This can be evidenced by looking at the strategy used in entering Canadian Market and the entry strategies used in the US market which in some way varied in different times. In Canada the entry strategy was a joint venture which also involved opening the manufacturing company in Canada. In US, the first strategy was to export the Suzuki Samurai manufactured in Japan to the US market meanwhile the later strategy was to export Suzuki Samurai from Canada under its own name, American Suzuki motor Corporation (ASMC) which would keep them competitive in the automotive industry. 4. 2 Distribution Strategy The ASMC under Mazza formulated a strategy to ensure the company achieves its goal of being a major car company in the US. The strategy was: †¢To build exclusive sales facilities for the Samurai which would include showroom, sales office, customer waiting and accessories display area. †¢A minimum of two service stalls dedicated to Suzuki and operated by Suzuki trained mechanics for service and parts. †¢A minimum of three sales people, two service technicians, one general manager and one general office clerk dedicated to the Suzuki dealership. †¢In the long run, with the growth of the product line dealer requirements would expand to include a full, exclusive facility complete with attached parts and services. Limit the number of Samurai dealer network to 47 so that ASMC could guarantee the minimum supply of 37 units per month to enable the dealer to breakeven and earn some profit. Assumption: Dealer has to sell 30 cars per month to breakeven. -If the dealer sells all allocated 37 cars in a month he will be expected to earn a monthly profit of $6300 (See Appendix 1) 4. 3 Pricing Strate gy ASMC’s pricing policy was to sell the basic Samurai at a retail price of $5995 and a dealer price of $5095 which was only 7. 5% higher than ASMC landed cost. The contribution expected by ASMC from each unit sold was $382 (See Appendix 6. ). The ASMC pricing strategy was to sell its high quality product at a competitive price of $5995 which was far below competitors’ price ranging from $10,000 to $13,000. This strategy would enable the company to sell higher volume at considerably low margin. 4. 4 Promotion and Advertising Strategy 4. 4. 1 Product and Positioning Strategy Samurai was planned to be poisoned in the market in three different categories based on its physical characteristics. It could be either, a compact sport utility vehicle (SUV), a compact pickup truck or a subcompact car. See the figure below: Table 4. 4. 1: Market Share 19841985 Ratio of Suzuki to Total Japanese cars import in US8. 5%4. 6% Ratio of Suzuki to Compact Sport Utility Vehicles0. 5%0. 5% Note: The Suzuki sales were only for Hawaii excluding the grey market in Florida and other markets in Puerto Rico, Guam, the US Virginia Islands and Panama. Douglas Mazza wanted a fresh approach for his companys new product so he gave the responsibility to keye/ donna/ pearlstein advertising agency, which had no experience in developing campaign for automobiles. After accepting he offer, Pearlstein and his associates scanned the industry practice for automobile advertising. They found out that the industry practice was to position vehicles according their physical characteristics. They also found out that best advertising strategy was to base on either its feature, benefit or price. It was from physical characteristics that they positioned Suzuki Samurai as a compact sport utility vehicle (SUV), a compact pickup truck or a subcompact car. Suzuki Case Study free essay sample This analysis provides the background, SWOT analysis and different marketing alternatives such as positioning the vehicle as a car, compact truck or sports utility vehicle. Later the recommendation is made on which marketing strategies are suitable for the success of the Suzuki Samurai in US market. The analysis has also highlighted in detail the pros and cons of the â€Å"unpositioning† that we propose versus three options of positioning that were considered earlier. We have also evaluated the strength of the marketing research done by Pearlstein in terms of ensuring market of success in US market. In this analysis, there is also the recommendation on how the $2. 5 Million six-month adverting budget should be spent in accordance to the positioning strategy chosen. 2. 0 Situation Analysis 2. 1 The company 2. 1. 1 Company Background Starting business in 1909 as Suzuki Loom Works, the firm was incorporated in 1920 and was to produce textile looms that would surpass the innovation and quality of other competitors. We will write a custom essay sample on Suzuki Case Study or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Since foundation Hamamatsu, Japan, SUZUKI has steadily grown and expanded. In 1952, Suzuki created a new type of motor vehicle, a motorized bicycle call the â€Å"Power Free†. This motorized bicycle featured a 36cc two-stroke engine with a double sprocket gear system that enabled the rider to pedal with the engine assisting, pedal without the engine assisting. Suzuki’s first mass produced car in 1955, the Suzulight, was a technical marvel. It included radical innovations for the time such as front-wheel drive, four-wheel suspension, and rack-and-pinion steering. In 1963, Suzuki brings its innovation motorcycle line-up to the U. S. A fast growing line enables them quickly to become a major player in the motorcycle market. Suzuki takes the lead in the all-terrain vehicle market in 1983 by introducing the first four-wheeled ATV. In 1985, Suzuki introduces its automotive line to the U. S, with the arrival of the Samurai. SJ 413 as an upgraded model of SJ410 and designed especially for US market. Today, constantly going forward to meet changing lifestyles, the SUZUKI name is seen on a full range of motorcycles, automobiles, outboard motors and related products such as generators and motorized wheelchairs. The mark trademark is recognized by people throughout the world as a brand of quality products that offer both reliability and originality. More than 45,000 Suzuki people worldwide now create and distribute their work in over 120 countries. Worldwide Suzuki Automotive sales now reach over 2 million each year, surpassing the sales of many other renowned companies such as BMW, Mercedes and Saab. Additionally more than 2. 5 million motorcycles and ATVs are sold each year. Sales of the Suzukis outboard motors also continue to grow. SUZUKI stands behind this global symbol with a sure determination to maintain this confidence in the future as well, never stopping in creating quality products. 2. 2 Product of Suzuki Samurai The Suzuki Samurai was introduced to the U. S. market in November 1985. It appealed to younger consumers with its inexpensive and fun-oriented positioning. This marketing strategy was successful, since over 160,000 Samurais were sold in just three years. The Suzuki Samurai was introduced as an inexpensive multi-purpose sport/utility vehicle. These vehicles were light pickup trucks with back seats, an extended roof, and part-time four-wheel drive intended for use on snow, ice, mud, or off-road driving. Sport/utility vehicles do not have to conform to the same safety regulations that apply to passenger cars. 2. 3 Positioning According to Douglas Mazza, he wanted a fresh approach for his company’s new products, he assigned advertising task to an agency which had no experience in developing campaign for automobiles. The advertising agency found out that the industry practice was to position vehicles according their physical characteristics. They also found out that most advertising was feature/benefit or price oriented. Based on its physical characteristics, the major three positioning for Samurai SJ413 were position as a compact sport utility vehicle, as a compact pickup truck and as a subcompact car, so it should be advertised as a â€Å"tough ittle cheap jeep†. Moreover, the samurai’s size and price distinguished it from all other sport utility vehicles sold in the U. S in 1985. The Samurai was smaller and lighter than the other vehicles, and its $5995 suggested retail price was well below the other vehicles’ $10,000 to $13,000 price range. 2. 4 SWOT Summary 2. 4. 1 Strengths : Suzuki Company followed selective distribution strategy, which allowed the company to achieve higher profitability, dealer loyalty, greater sales support and also higher degree of control over the retail market. Also, their pricing strategy was to sell high volume with low profit margin, which helped company to gain market response for its high quality with low price advantage. Suzuki Samurai has been positioned as a compact sport utility vehicle, a compact pickup truck and a subcompact car. This positioning would be good to place their brand in the particular part of the market where it would receive reception compared to competing products. It also well explained Samurai’s physical characteristics. 2. 4. 2 Weaknesses: Suzuki Samurai set their very low price, which meant it will came up with very low profit margin. The planned dealer invoice rice was $5095, only 7. 5%higher than ASMC’s own landed cost for the vehicle. And they planned to limit the number of samurai dealers, so each dealer might be stressed on as they needed to sell approximately 30 Samurai per month to cover its costs. Samurai was positioned as a sport utility vehicle; however, the market for sport utility vehicle was relatively small. In 1984, it was les than 3% in the U. S market. And it was positioned as a subcompact car, then it might not meet the expectations of the consumers because the Samurai was built on a truck platform, its ride was stiffer and less comfortable than the least-expensive subcompact cars. On the other side, if other consumers start to use it as subcompact car or pick up truck, it will lose its brand image. Thus it might lose potential market, bring trouble for the sales people and increase market confusion among customers. 2. 4. 3 Opportunities: Suzuki Samurai should be unpositioned in the market to get the opportunity to target the entire potential consumers segment. The unpositioned Suzuki Samurai will appeal the users of sports utility vehicles, pick up truck and subcompact cars. That ensures higher consumer acceptance and consumer satisfaction by offering a car for various needs. It would also increase sales and thus add large profit to the company’s income statement by targeting a large customer segments. The unpositioning strategy is better combined with company’s goal that is to establish ASMC as a major car company in the U. S market. The low price of the Samurai can be used as a strategy to impress consumers and to capture great share of the market. And this low price and also encouraged dealership investment in which expanded and increased sales. There will be a good opportunity for Samurai if can build a strong brand image among the potential customers such as some TV advertisement or promotion, in which creating and increasing buyer awareness of the car influencing buyer attitude toward the Suzuki Samurai. 2. 4. 4 Treats: Suzuki Samurai will bring some treats to its competitors if offering a car with different purpose. The broader appeal of the car can reduce sales of its competitors’ who are in the same industry. In addition, it will quite risky for Samurai’s sales if Suzuki overdefine the vehicle, because a product should broad enough to attract a wide range of consumers and meet consumers with different needs. 2. 5 Historical Results According to Appendix 6. 1, in 1984, there were approximately 25100 Japanese vehicles sole among the total of 424810 sport utility cars in U. S market, which was only 5. 9% of the market share. And Suzuki Samurai only had 8. 4% to the Japanese imported cars in the U. S market. In another words, Samurai did not have much market share compared with other Japanese competitors in the U. S automobile industry. In 1985, Samurai has decreased to 4. 6% market share among the Japanese car industry, and only 0. 46% market share of the whole compact sport utility vehicle in the U. S market. However, as compact pickup trucks and subcompact cars, it did not shown any Samurai products in which meant the sales could be very low and unsuccessful during the year of 1984 and 1985. 3. 0 The Market 3. 1 Background Since the introduction of its first production car, the â€Å"Suzulight†, in 1961, Suzuki had sold cars and trucks only in Japan until 1979. It took Suzuki only 5 years to export and distribute its automobiles into more than 100 countries including Hawaii (US). As a global firm, Suzuki captured and maintained its production and R D momentum to succeed in international marketing. Aiming at opening the continental US Market, Suzuki Samurai, designed with the US market specifically in mind, was introduced in 1985 in order to establish Suzuki’s brand presence in the United States. 3. 2 Market Entry 3. 2. 1 Exporting Before projecting the Samurai, Suzuki had cooperated with General Motors on a model named under GM as Chevrolet Sprint. Exporting Japanese cars to the US was subject to voluntary restraint agreement (VRA). In 1984, Suzuki’s total VRA quota of 17,000 cars went to GM as Sprints and Sprint’s distribution was limited to its West Coast dealers. GM’s success with Sprint showed Suzuki that a market existed for its cars in the continental United States. 3. 2. 2 Joint Venture – Suzuki + GM (Production in Canada) Japan’s VRA quotas made it impossible for Suzuki to export any cars other than the Sprint to the United States in the foreseeable future. In 1985, Suzuki and GM began negotiations with the Canadian government to build a plant in Ontario producing approximately 200,000 subcompact cars per year. This initiative could help launching more Suzuki automobiles into the US market under its own name by early 1989. 3. 3 Direct Investment – ASMC Market share of Japanese imports in the U. S. automobile market and the overall automobile industry in the US surged during 1984 – 1985. Facing the upcoming entries of other overseas brands, Suzuki was unwilling to wait until 1989 to introduce the Suzuki name into the continental United States. With SJ413 (Samurai), Suzuki had the right product for the market whereas the continental United States was a piece of new land – a dealer network needed to be established, since there was no guarantee that GM would market any Suzuki vehicles other than the Sprint in the US market. Customs clearance issue was solved by exporting SJ413 without a back seat, under which circumstance the vehicle was classified as a truck by the US government. Trucks were not subject to Japanese VRA quotas; instead, they were subject to a 25% tariff, much higher than that on cars (2. 5%). Suzuki management was convinced that the time was right to enter the continental US market and believed the high tariff was worth paying. American Suzuki Motor Corporation (ASMC) was established for the development of a Suzuki dealer network in the United States. 4. 0 Marketing Strategy Analysis 4. 1Entry Strategy The market strategy used by Suzuki varies in accordance to the nature of the Market. This can be evidenced by looking at the strategy used in entering Canadian Market and the entry strategies used in the US market which in some way varied in different times. In Canada the entry strategy was a joint venture which also involved opening the manufacturing company in Canada. In US, the first strategy was to export the Suzuki Samurai manufactured in Japan to the US market meanwhile the later strategy was to export Suzuki Samurai from Canada under its own name, American Suzuki motor Corporation (ASMC) which would keep them competitive in the automotive industry. 4. 2 Distribution Strategy The ASMC under Mazza formulated a strategy to ensure the company achieves its goal of being a major car company in the US. The strategy was: †¢To build exclusive sales facilities for the Samurai which would include showroom, sales office, customer waiting and accessories display area. †¢A minimum of two service stalls dedicated to Suzuki and operated by Suzuki trained mechanics for service and parts. †¢A minimum of three sales people, two service technicians, one general manager and one general office clerk dedicated to the Suzuki dealership. †¢In the long run, with the growth of the product line dealer requirements would expand to include a full, exclusive facility complete with attached parts and services. Limit the number of Samurai dealer network to 47 so that ASMC could guarantee the minimum supply of 37 units per month to enable the dealer to breakeven and earn some profit. Assumption: Dealer has to sell 30 cars per month to breakeven. -If the dealer sells all allocated 37 cars in a month he will be expected to earn a monthly profit of $6300 (See Appendix 1) 4. 3 Pricing Strate gy ASMC’s pricing policy was to sell the basic Samurai at a retail price of $5995 and a dealer price of $5095 which was only 7. 5% higher than ASMC landed cost. The contribution expected by ASMC from each unit sold was $382 (See Appendix 6. ). The ASMC pricing strategy was to sell its high quality product at a competitive price of $5995 which was far below competitors’ price ranging from $10,000 to $13,000. This strategy would enable the company to sell higher volume at considerably low margin. 4. 4 Promotion and Advertising Strategy 4. 4. 1 Product and Positioning Strategy Samurai was planned to be poisoned in the market in three different categories based on its physical characteristics. It could be either, a compact sport utility vehicle (SUV), a compact pickup truck or a subcompact car. See the figure below: Table 4. 4. 1: Market Share 19841985 Ratio of Suzuki to Total Japanese cars import in US8. 5%4. 6% Ratio of Suzuki to Compact Sport Utility Vehicles0. 5%0. 5% Note: The Suzuki sales were only for Hawaii excluding the grey market in Florida and other markets in Puerto Rico, Guam, the US Virginia Islands and Panama. Douglas Mazza wanted a fresh approach for his companys new product so he gave the responsibility to keye/ donna/ pearlstein advertising agency, which had no experience in developing campaign for automobiles. After accepting he offer, Pearlstein and his associates scanned the industry practice for automobile advertising. They found out that the industry practice was to position vehicles according their physical characteristics. They also found out that best advertising strategy was to base on either its feature, benefit or price. It was from physical characteristics that they positioned Suzuki Samurai as a compact sport utility vehicle (SUV), a compact pickup truck or a subcompact car. The pros and cons of positioning the samurai in each of these segments individually are given below.