Paul & Elisabeth Merage Foundation | Andre & Katherine Merage Foundation

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Imran Currim, Ph.D.

Imran Currim, Ph.D.

Chancellor’s Professor / Associate Dean, Marketing & Student Relations for Executive MBA Programs

The Paul Merage School of Business / University of California, Irvine

Class Overview

This module will help Israeli business people understand and develop alternative marketing strategies for U.S. markets. We will focus on organic growth, when companies grow through existing or new products or services in existing or new markets. Discussions will cover securing new markets through expanding geographically and targeting new segments (or customers).  Learning is facilitated through a combination of readings, case discussions, and an assignment. 

Monday, April 4

8.00 – 12.00 Introduction, Alternative Growth Strategies, Honda Motor Car Company 12.00 – 1.00 Lunch

1.00 – 2.30  Biopure

  1. How do you assess Biopure’s potential in the human market? The animal market?
  1. What are the biggest obstacles to Biopure’s success in the human market? The animal market?
  1. How might Oxyglobin be a threat to Hemopure? How might it be an asset to Hemopure?
  1. What should Biopure do regarding the commercial release of Oxyglobin? If they release, what price should they set? How should it be distributed?

 2.45-5.00 MedNet.com Confronts “Click-Through” Competition

  1.   1.What does an advertiser want? Sales, leads, brand awareness? What are the best metrics for measuring these?
  1. What specific consumer behaviors determine whether or not a business model produces the results an advertiser wants?
  1. What is the best argument Heather Yates can make to justify charging Windham Pharmaceuticals for impressions instead of click-throughs? Does she have acceptable alternatives?
  1. What value to the consumer does a general interest site contribute that a niche site can’t? Which is the more defensible business model?
  1. What steps can MedNet take to address emerging competitive threats?

Pre-Readings

Text, Articles, and Cases

1. An Export Marketing Plan for Small Companies, International Trade FORUM, 2, 1995.

2. Strategic Marketing Management, 6th Edition, 2001, John Wiley and Sons, New York.

3. “What High Tech Managers Need to Know About Brands,” Harvard Business Review, July August 1999.

*4. Biopure, Harvard Business School Case 9-598-150.

*5. Invisalign, Kellogg Business School Northwestern University Case KEL032-PDF-ENG

*I hope you can read items 4 and 5 before my session and briefly write your thoughts on each of the questions on the cases (see below). This is important for the group discussion. Items 3, 4, and 5 can be ordered from www.hbsp.com (Harvard Business School Publishing).

While it is preferable that other items are read before the two-day session, it is not necessary. However I recommend these items (particularly item 2) be read after you return to Israel. You may be able to find Item 2 (a paperback) in Israel at a lower price. Alternatively it can be ordered from www.amazon.com although they may take some time to ship your order. If some of item 2 can be read before my two-day session I recommend you read Chapters 11, 12, 9, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 (ordered from most important to important), or any subset of these chapters. Our discussion will focus on how the concepts in these chapters are being used, have been used, and can be used in specific company settings.