Sofie Micklisch

Strategy discussion

Florida SouthWestern State College

            Some companies that make products can choose between several different options when selling their products to consumers. Two of these choices can be to either have the product handmade or machine made. The strategy that the small company uses in the video is to make their cricket balls by hand (Sportsballshop, 2010). Doing this takes years of practice and training, but it gives consumers something that has pristine quality over the cheap cricket balls (Sportsballshop, 2010). The balls themselves are even dipped into high quality inks, sown by hand, labeled with a golden label, and polished before completion (Sportsballshop, 2010). Consumers who buy this product will know that they are getting something unique that no one else has.

            This company seems to have been successful doing things they way they do for over 100 years because they have hand tailored their products to the customers needs. Michael Porter’s three generic strategies are cost leadership, differentiation, and focus (Oxford, 2015). Cost leadership plays a role in the making of the cricket balls in that they might be selling the balls at a more affordable price (Oxford, 2015). Their product has differentiation because each ball is handmade and different from the generic cricket balls on the market (Oxford, 2015). Since the balls are handmade the company can only make a certain number of them. This allows the company to focus on a certain set of people who may be interested in buying the product (Oxford, 2015). The product has a certain differentiation to it, making it something that can promote a higher quality and a higher price (Wright, Nazemzadeh, Parnell, & Lado, 1991). The video never mentions how expensive the cricket balls are, but judging by the time it takes to make them they must not be cheap.

References

Sportsballshop. (2010). How cricket balls are made. Retrieved from https://youtu.be/YMFHrOKCtA0

Oxford. (2015). Porter’s generic strategies. Oxford Learning Lab. Retrieved from http://www.oxlearn.com/arg_Marketing-Resources-Porter's-Generic-Strategies_11_33

Wright, P., Nazemzadeh, A., Parnell, J., Lado, A. (1991). Comparing three different theories of competitive strategies. Industrial Management, 33(6). Retrieved from http://db07.linccweb.org/login?url=http://search.proquest.com.db07.linccweb.org/docview/211623381?accountid=10674

          Steven, in order to make a high quality cricket ball or anything that is high quality price should not be something that is cheap. When products are handmade many times the labor of hand making the product has to be taken into consideration. The company taking their products to a worldwide perspective is a good strategy move in that it will help ensure the survival of the company in the future. Worldwide businesses will often offer the same products that they are currently making or completely different products all together (Lascu, 1994). The company taking a grip on hockey and manufacturing hockey balls is a good movie because it is not extremely different from their cricket balls. They can still utilize some of the same materials.

References

Lascu, D. (1994). Total global strategy: Managing for worldwide competitive advantage. Journal of Marketing, 58(3). Retrieved from http://db07.linccweb.org/login?url=http://search.proquest.com.db07.linccweb.org/docview/227810693?accountid=10674

          Laura, manufacturing one product and making it a great product can sometimes be a better business strategy then manufacturing all sorts of products. When businesses manufacture tons of products for tons of different types of needs they can sometimes lose quality. By differentiating themselves and only focusing on one type of product this company can assure their customers that they will give out the best quality cricket balls. Quality can bring about a strategic advantage when it comes to products (Dunk, 2002). A company that manufactures a goof quality product can outperform its competition and gain a bond with their consumers (Dunk, 2002). Consumers who buy the brand once will likely buy it again because of the quality.

References

Dunk, A. (2002). Product quality, environmental accounting and quality performance. Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal, 15(5). Retrieved from http://db07.linccweb.org/login?url=http://search.proquest.com.db07.linccweb.org/docview/211243763?accountid=10674