Free Marketing Dissertations - Referent Power And Association With Prestige In Terms Of The Exchange Can Be
Referent power and association with prestige in terms of the exchange can be equally effective. (Johnson and Scholes, 2002 and Schmitter, and Streeck, 1991) It is therefore the understanding and choice of appropriate power application in a given environment that determines an effective strategy in entering the market.
The power structure of a target environment can be analysed by understanding of both the visible and invisible power actors. Power actors are agency or government and community stakeholders who have the capacity to take and effect decisions. The power actors may exercise power through pyramidal, factional, or coalitional structures. In a multilevel hierarchal or pyramidal structure, power is concentrated within a single, cohesive leadership group. In a factional structure, power is concentrated in two or more robust factions that are competing for power. In a coalitional structure, power is concentrated less strongly whereby actors and associations work together in fluid coalitions. An amorphous structure exists where power is diffuse, with little or no pattern of coalition building or centralised leadership. The inappropriate use of power or alignment with unsuitable power actors can damage the firm’s strategic outcome. (Keegan, 1999, Kotler, 1986 and Schmitter and Streeck, 1991) Understanding the power landscape in the context of the greater business and economic environment allows the marketer to plan a strategic intervention with the objective (for example) to gain power over producers and hence reduce competition.
Kotler (1986) suggests that three broad power strategies can be followed: neutralise opponents by offering to compensate them for any losses, organise allies into a close coalition and hence reducing opposing collective power or turn neutral groups unaffected by the firm’s strategy, into allies. Licensing, joint ventures, and joint ownership represent alternative expansion strategies that depend on how the firm configures its value chain. Tactical implementation plans may be linear or multilinear depending on market requirements. The decision around the mechanism of entry into a market is an imperative that can minimise the risks associated with that entry and influence strategic advantage. (Kotler, 1986 and Kotler, 2000)
Keegan (1999) argues that strategy is integrated action in pursuit of a competitive advantage. Understanding a firm’s unique value from a consumer perspective is the basis for ensuring that the competitive advantage is sustainable. The successful application of mega marketing principles to blocked markets to enable access will allow the firm to follow one of the two generic options developed by Porter that he identified as either leading in cost, or leading in differentiation.
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