LEGO Case Study
Case studies are an essential learning strategy in business classes as they provide an opportunity for you to critically analyze events that have taken place in real-life businesses. This develops your critical thinking and research skills as you research the competition and industry in which your business resides in order to formulate a recommendation for the challenges faced by the company.
For this unit, review the Marketing Spotlight: LEGO case study in Chapter 5 of your textbook. This assignment will be comprised of two parts; one part will ask you to respond to questions, and the other will require you to complete a case analysis.
Part 1
Evaluate this case and respond to each of the following questions using both theory and practical managerial thinking.
How does LEGO manage to constantly reinvent its business?
What role did marketing research play in LEGO’s market success?
What differentiates LEGO from its competitors? Is LEGO’s competitive advantage sustainable?
Review any potential ethical implications with LEGO. How are they aligning with good ethical practices?
Your Part 1 response must be at least two pages in length. Follow APA Style when creating citations and references for this assignment. Note that you will submit Part 1 and Part 2 in one document.
Part 2
Complete a case analysis of LEGO. This requires that you conduct research on LEGO beyond the case study material in the textbook. In the case analysis, you will look at the situational analysis, problem, and alternatives, and you will provide a recommendation. Refer to the instructions below as you construct your analysis.
Situational Analysis
Discuss the external environment through the compilation of a PEST (political, economic, sociocultural, and technology) analysis.
Discuss the internal and external environment through the compilation of a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) analysis.
Problem
Identify at least one organizational problem that LEGO is currently having or one that you project it will have in the future. Base this on your research and critical thinking.
Alternatives
Compile three or four potential marketing-related solutions to the problem above. Remember that these are potential alternatives; you will not select all of the alternatives to solve the problem.
Recommendation (Marketing Strategy)
Select one or two of the alternatives above to solve the problem that you identified in this case analysis.
Discuss your rationale for choosing these and not the others. Include supporting research that will increase the depth of your analysis.
Sample Solution
LEGO has a long history of innovation, dating back to its founding in 1932. The company has always been willing to experiment with new products and ideas, and to adapt to the changing needs of its customers.
One of the ways that LEGO reinvents its business is by constantly developing new products. The company releases new sets every year, and often collaborates with other companies to create licensed sets based on popular movies, TV shows, and video games. LEGO also has a number of popular product lines, such as LEGO City, LEGO Friends, and LEGO Ninjago, which are updated on a regular basis.
Full Answer Section
Another way that LEGO reinvents its business is by finding new ways to engage with its customers. The company has a strong online presence, with a popular website and social media channels. LEGO also has a number of physical stores, where customers can try out new products and participate in activities. Finally, LEGO reinvents its business by listening to its customers. The company conducts regular market research to understand the needs and wants of its target audience. LEGO also has a number of programs in place to collect feedback from customers, such as its LEGO Ideas platform. What role did marketing research play in LEGO’s market success? Marketing research has played a key role in LEGO’s market success. The company has a dedicated marketing research team that conducts regular research to understand the needs and wants of its target audience. LEGO also uses market research to track trends in the toy industry and to identify new opportunities for growth. For example, in the early 2000s, LEGO was facing a number of challenges. The company was losing market share to competitors, and its sales were declining. LEGO conducted a comprehensive market research study to identify the reasons for these challenges. The study found that LEGO’s products were no longer appealing to its target audience, and that the company needed to do a better job of marketing its products. Based on the findings of the market research study, LEGO made a number of changes to its business. The company developed new products that were more appealing to its target audience, and it also launched a new marketing campaign. The results were impressive. LEGO’s sales began to increase, and the company regained its market share. What differentiates LEGO from its competitors? Is LEGO’s competitive advantage sustainable? There are a number of factors that differentiate LEGO from its competitors. First, LEGO has a strong brand reputation. The LEGO brand is known for its quality products, its creativity, and its educational value. Second, LEGO has a wide range of products. The company offers products for children of all ages, and for a variety of interests. This allows LEGO to appeal to a broad range of customers. Third, LEGO has a strong focus on innovation. The company is constantly developing new products and finding new ways to engage with its customers. This helps LEGO to stay ahead of its competitors. Finally, LEGO has a strong community of fans. The LEGO community is made up of people of all ages who love to build with LEGO bricks. The community is very active online and in person, and it helps to promote the LEGO brand. LEGO’s competitive advantage is sustainable because the company is constantly innovating and finding new ways to engage with its customers. LEGO also has a strong brand reputation and a loyal fan base. How can LEGO maintain its competitive advantage in the future? In order to maintain its competitive advantage in the future, LEGO needs to continue to innovate and find new ways to engage with its customers. The company also needs to focus on protecting its brand reputation. Here are some specific recommendations:- Continue to develop new products that are appealing to children of all ages and interests.
- Explore new ways to engage with customers, both online and in person.
- Protect the LEGO brand reputation by ensuring that all LEGO products are high quality and meet the expectations of customers.
- Invest in research and development to stay ahead of the competition and to develop new products and technologies.
- Build strong relationships with key stakeholders, such as retailers and suppliers.