For this unit, review the “Marketing Excellence: Microsoft” case study on pp. 94–95 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.
Evaluate Microsoft’s product and marketing evolution over the years. What has the company done well, and where did it falter?
Evaluate Microsoft’s recent expansion into areas such as search engines and smartphones. Do you think these are good areas of growth for Microsoft? Why, or why not?
Review the potential ethical implications of Microsoft’s situation. How might they revise their strategies to align with good ethical practices?