5.4 Activity 8
Activity 8
The M & S case study illustrates the importance of managing relationships. Having read it, try to answer the following questions.
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On which value discipline has the company chosen to focus?
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How did you identify this?
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Are the following key relationships mentioned? Where a particular relationship is mentioned, identify the partner(s).
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Customers
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Co-workers
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Collaborators
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Competitors
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Can you identify the following markets? Where you can, describe the markets. Customer markets
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Internal markets
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Recruitment markets
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Supplier markets
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Influence markets
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Referral markets
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One key relationship is not discussed in the case study – which one?
Answer
A sample answer is given below.
The chosen value discipline of the company is product excellence.
The company has a mission to be at the leading edge of the market and of technological developments.
Three key relationships are mentioned. These are described in the following table.
| Customers | Creative publishers; supplying retailers; a wide range of communications-related sectors and large retailers |
| Co-workers | Technical Director; Managing Director; Customer Services and Pre-press department |
| Collaborators | Retailers; designers; printers |
All the six markets model markets can be identified and are described in the next table.
| Customer markets | Creative publishers; supplying retailers; a wide range of communications-related sectors and large retailers |
| Internal markets | Vicky is responsible for obtaining orders for the whole company, so all the various departments are her customers – they all depend on her for work |
| Recruitment markets | Colleges and universities |
| Supplier markets | Paper suppliers; ink and machinery suppliers |
| Influence markets | Word of mouth; trade journalists; satisfied customers (All these influence the reputation of the organisation) |
| Referral markets | Freelance designers; publishers |
There is no mention of competitors in the case study. We get the impression that Wace Burgess is aware of competitor pressures – if it doesn't get the M&S order, someone else will!