Thursday 17 September 2009

1. link to the article

http://www.businessweek.com/globalbiz/blog/eyeonasia/archives/2009/09/_walkman_vs_ipo.html

Posted by: Kenji Hall on September 16

2. Includes a short summary of the article

This article is about Sony is trying to compete with Apple in their Walkman line. For the past few years, iPod has earned a huge profit for Apple, and now Sony added two new models to lure consumers away from Apple's iPod and other portable media players. Unlike previous Sony Walkman, these two models are very user friendly. For example, it can pull songs or video stored on a PlayStation 3 gaming console, grab videos from Blu-ray DVD recorder or save files from any portable DVD player. The company is targeting the karaoke-crazed Japanese teens and it is only be sold in Japan for now.

3. Identifies the topic(s) from our syllabus that the article covers

4.1 The Role of Marketing, 4.2 Marketing Planning, 4.3 Product, 4.4 Pricing, 4.5 Promotion, 4.5 Pace

4. Applies one business tool/theory/technique to the organization.

4.1 The Role of Marketing

Sony used to be a Product Orientation company (focus on selling products that they make, rather than making prodcuts that they can sell). However, because of the competition between Apple and Sony, they have combined Market Orientation (focus on aking products that they can sell, rather than selling products they can make) and Product Orientation together to fulfill what customers want and need.
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4 comments:

  1. calvintsui18 September 2009 at 20:32

    This comment has been removed by the author.

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  2. johnnystealth21 September 2009 at 20:40

    Hey Colin

    It's interesting that Walkman is changing their business strategy. First I agree to Calvin that the summary is pretty short. I think you can include more details like numerical figures so that we can see the effects on Sony after the business action.

    I think Sony has really made a great improvement on their new Walkman model. One of the biggest improvement is that users can download songs through PS3 system (instead of PC/macbooks only). Users for sure will enjoy the convenience that the new model bring. However, on the other hand, Sony have to work a little bit more on the copyright issues (on songs and movies). Since the Walkman can pull songs out from any PS3 systems, the users can listen to songs without purchasing the right. This will cause negative on the music and movie industry around the globe.

    Thx

    Stealth/Johnny

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  3. Unknown29 September 2009 at 03:04

    Colin:)

    I think your article is quite interesting. I am actually quite interested in the fact that Sony is trying out new strategies to increase its sales and to compete with Apple's products.

    I am an Apple fan. I really admire how Apple's strategy of keeping everything neat. Apple products are neat on the outside and inside the product. I think this is really convincing for a product to be neat on the inside and inside.

    Colin, when you relate to the applications, perhaps you can relate to 4.3 Product. This is because Sony is really trying out on a new type of product with new functions that makes it unique and different from Apple. For instance, the function of having lyrics when you're listening to the song.

    Overall, this choice of article is pretty interesting and can really relate to us since most of us in the school use ipods.

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  4. Jo Lai29 September 2009 at 06:04

    Hey Collin! This is yet another article that interests me both academically and personally, as I own products from both Apple and Sony. I have both an iPod and a PSP.

    First of all, I would like say that the application of a business theory part was a little bit short. Sorry for saying this, but you could of added on to the fact that Sony has changed from a Product Orientation company to a hybrid Market/Product Orientation company by giving out examples of products that, for a lack of a better word, ‘failed’. For example, in the business textbook, Sony launched a luxury line of gadgets under the brand name of Qualia in 2003, even though their customers didn’t want such pricey electronics. So this would be an example of Sony being Product Orientated. And I also agree on the point of piracy and that Johnny has brought up. Like he said, it would be a problem for the music and movie industries in the future, as people will find a way to abuse or exploit this new function of pulling songs from any PS3 system.

    All in all, I really enjoyed reading your article. I could related to it as a business student and as a teenager. Thanks for posting it up!

    - Jo

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