ASSIGNMENT Product Development and Operations
— Category Manager Analysis 1 DUE DATE Week 3 Note: While representative of
possible situations faced by Alikay Naturals, all scenarios in this assignment
are fictional. Real Business Let’s roll up our sleeves and use what we’ve
learned this week in a real-life business situation. Each week, you’ll
encounter a scenario where you will assume the role of a business person who
works with or at a national discount retail store, like a Walmart or Target.
These companies provide important, everyday staples for millions of people
across the country and have become very successful businesses in the process.
Discount retail stores have locations in communities across the country. They
often have strong and recognizable brands that are household names. We will
explore how business works throughout this course by taking on a few of the
many different roles at successful companies like these. Your Role This week,
you’ll assume the role of a Category Manager for the Beauty Products category
at a national discount retail store. STRAYER UNIVERSITY | COPYRIGHT © 2016. ALL
RIGHTS RESERVED. What is a Category Manager? Category Managers are responsible
for related groups of products (for example, baseball equipment or laundry
detergents) for a retail business. They use research, information and insights
about the category to change shopper behavior and increase sales of the
products in the category. They also work with the suppliers of the products in
their category to ensure that good products and services are available to
customers. As a Category Manager, part of your role is to analyze data and
information about how well a product is selling to help the maker of that
product improve the product or consider introducing new products. Rochelle and
her team at Alikay Naturals have Business is WEEK 1 WHAT IS BUSINESS? Business
is money WEEK 4 & 5 FINANCE & ACCOUNTING WEEK 6 & 7 MARKETING &
SALES selling Business is products WEEKS 2 & 3 PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT &
OPERATIONS STRAYER UNIVERSITY | COPYRIGHT © 2016. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 2
Introduction Growth Maturity Decline asked you, the Beauty Products Category
Manager, to review one of their products and determine where it lies in the
product life cycle. Additionally, they have asked you to recommend ways to
improve the product in order to increase sales. Instructions STEP 1: PRODUCT
LIFE CYCLE Read the Product Report for Alikay Naturals Moisturizing Black Soap
Shampoo. The Product Report contains important information that will help you
to identify where the product stands in the Product Life Cycle and give you
clues about what changes customers might like to see. Respond to Rochelle and
her team at Alikay Naturals based on the information in the Product Report. •
Identify where Moisturizing Black Soap Shampoo is currently positioned in the
product life cycle and describe the rationale for your position. STRAYER
UNIVERSITY | COPYRIGHT © 2016. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 3 • Compose 3 questions
that Rochelle should pose to her team to better understand the product’s
positioning and potential at this particular stage in its life cycle. (E.g., if
you have determined the product is in the Introduction Phase, you might suggest
the question: How have competitors priced similar products?) STEP 2: PRODUCT
CHANGES Based on what you’ve learned: • What recommendation(s) do you have for
Alikay Naturals to improve or replace Moisturizing Black Soap Shampoo? STRAYER
UNIVERSITY | COPYRIGHT © 2016. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 4 Organic Bloom Shampoo
Moisturizing Black Soap Shampoo with Dandruff Control Coconut Protein Shampoo
and Conditioner STEP 3: NEW PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT Read the New Product Proposal,
which contains three examples of possible products that could be developed to
replace Moisturizing Black Soap Shampoo. Based on the information in this
proposal and the customer feedback in the Product Report: • If you had to
recommend one product, which product would you recommend they create? Explain
your decision. • Determine which type of innovation this represents from among
the four main types discussed this week. Sustainable (eco-friendly) Frugal
Sustaining Disruptive STRAYER UNIVERSITY | COPYRIGHT © 2016. ALL RIGHTS
RESERVED. 5 STEP 4: PRODUCTION METHODS Based on your understanding of Alikay’s
position in the product life cycle and expected sales volume: • Which
production method do you think Alikay is using for the Black Soap Shampoo?
Explain your rationale. NOTE: You should complete Steps 4 & 5 after reading
the material in Week 3. Briefly explain why you chose that type of innovation.
• If Alikay chose to keep the Moisturizing Black Soap Shampoo and launch your
recommended product as a limited time only trial, what production method should
Alikay use for the test market product? Why? STRAYER UNIVERSITY | COPYRIGHT ©
2016. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 6 STEP 5: REAL-WORLD APPLICATION Choose a product at
your company or one that you are familiar with that is in the mature stage of
the product life cycle. Briefly describe the product, why you believe it is in
this phase, and what improvements could be made to change its current path.
