Marketing Orientation: A Case Study of Puma

This article discusses the concept of marketing orientation and its application in the case of Puma, a German multinational corporation. It explores the elements of customer orientation, competitor orientation, inter-functional coordination, and long-term creation of shareholder value. The article also highlights Puma's strategies and initiatives in these areas.

Marketing
Management

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................3
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................8
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................9

INTRODUCTION
Marketing orientation is a philosophy of business that is focussing on identification of
requirement and needs of customers so that it can be meet in the most effective manner. This
strategy is focussing on selling of goods & services so that customers benefits can be maximized.
It is a concept that is based on five elements that includes customer orientation and
understanding customers to create a superior value, competitor orientation to analyse the short
and long term competitors capabilities (Bhattarai, Kwongand Tasavori 2019). Puma is a German
multinational corporation that is dealing in activity of manufacturing and designing of casual
footwear, accessories, apparels that is having its headquarters in Germany. Further there is
another element that is inter-functional coordination of using resources in such a manner that
there can be higher value for target customer. Culture of organisation has to be in a way that
satisfaction of customer is achieved as ultimate objectives and last element is long term creation
of value for shareholders that is overriding of business objectives.
(Source: PUMA, 2020)

MAIN BODY
According to views of Johnny Magwood, 2020 many practitioner have agreed that market
orientation is a essence of modern marketing management & strategy. Market orientation is
focused on linking of marketing Management with measurement of impact on business profits
and overall performance. Many studies have shown that aligning of the culture of a corporation
with a specified orientation of marker is used for generation of exceptional value for their
customers. Culturally aligned and market oriented approach is used for formation of a sales force
for creation of high value for customer benefits and organisation. A culturally aligned workforce
and market oriented approach is used for creation of high value and benefits for customers
(Elements of Market-Orientation, 2020).
Customer orientation
Customer orientation is a marketing variable where a seller is willing to understand the buyers
value chain for maximisation of their present and future needs. Corporations have to strategical

position themselves for generation of high value to customers in two fundamental areas that is
increasing of benefits according to customer costs and decreasing of customer cost according to
the benefits that are being realised by final customers.
According to asgreen, 2015, Puma is a multinational brand and half of the online
customers are their multichannel shoppers who are using both offline and online stores of
purchasing products. This brand has effectively utilised several social media platforms such as
Facebook, YouTube, twitter Tumblr, Instagram and foursquare. They are using a two end
strategy that is building of the brand that is describing the platform as modest and performance
driven that is leading to enhancing of awareness around their campaign launches and big
product.
In 2010 PUMA took action to be more socially active by engaging with their customers by use of
a creative approach. They are focussing on a customised application of platform where
customers are engaged to design their own shoes and then further share such designs socially.
This platform is called as lief score board that is their digital Strategy that is keeping high score
in comparison to their competitors.
Competitor orientation
According to Neil Bendle, 2014 Competitor orientation is a basic concept that so related to
making constant assessment of strength and weakness of relative competitors of a business. It is
according to performance evaluation of the strength and weakness of a organisation according to
present competitors of market (Kasim and et.al 2018). Performance evaluation includes pricing,
production efficiency, customer satisfaction, employee retention, market share and innovation.
There is focus on beating of competition rather than maximisation of profits so that there can be
thrive in business stations (Markets, 2020).
According to views of Hitesh Bhasin, 2018, PUMA many niot be at same level with their
competitors like Nike and Adidas but they are still heading in right direction. When there was
separation of two German brother Ridi and Adi that was involved in breaking feud there were
predictions that already established organisation will fail. PUMA is will known for their
development, shoe design and sales in their apparel section. They are controlling motor sports,
and sports footwear but are sometimes facing stiff competition in some quarters. Some of top

competitors of PUMA include Nike, adidas, Reebok, Fila, Asics corporation, , Brook sports, new
balance, converse, Under Armor and Li Ning. Puma has to focus on understand the strategies
adopted by such major competitors so that there can be identification of the major strategies so
that there can be effective strategies to deal with situations of high competition (Top 10 Puma
Competitors – Puma competitor analysis, 2018).
Inter functional co-ordination:
According to views of Guptasona, 2016 Puma is among the leading sports brand and they are
offering high class products in sports. They are coming their internal strength and weakness to
maximize the value for their customers. Their internal strength includes experience in research
and development, international strategy and management with adequate barbding features. Puma
is repositioning the brand by focussing on largest brand campaign 2014 where there was
demonstration of Puma in sports. In year 2015 PUMA improved their product engine that lead to
enhancement of sales. Their tag lines such as “The fure is female” has provide them assistance in
creation of high value in society (PUMA’s STRATEGIC MOVES TO BE ‘FOREVER FASTER’
IN THE MARKET, 2016 ).

Organisational culture:
Corporate culture is reflecting the overall organisational value that is focusing on critical
behaviours. When culture of a organisation is aligned with its goals and mission then it results in
defining of the culture according to way members are perceiving it.
According to views of Miranda sherman, 2019 organisation culture of Puma is based on
their efforts to achieve a leadership position in the sporting industry. The corporate culture is
laying influence on development of their human resources that consist of factors such as core
values, philosophy, motivation & other related traditions. The organisational structure and
internal environment of Puma is supporting them in achievement of higher competitive
advantage for the purpose of human resource development (Lichtenthaler, 2016). The
organisational structure of puma is integral part of their strategic management and strategic
planning. There are certain important element of organisation culture at PUMA that are
converting of tactics into their strategies and proper actions. It includes learning & growth that is
prioritized the workers ability to focus towards growth. Generic strategy of PUMA is to achieve
a higher competitive advantage and intensive strategy of growth. The sporting brand has a
leadership development, lifelong learning and coaching programs. The organisational structure
of PUMA is supporting their corporate culture. Another element is is diversity and inclusion that
is maintaining diversity in the culture of organisation.
The cultural trait is used for optimization of morale of employees according to inclusion
principles and enhancing of competitive advantage by matching of the customer diversity.
Another crucial element is well being of customers that is integrated in the corporate culture of
PUMA. Where the organisation has certain formal & informal policies & programs to address
the multiple facets of the lives of workers that consist of social and financial needs. They are also
working towards corporate social responsibility strategies for supporting their stakeholder
Management efforts. So it can be summarized that there are four basic Elements of puma
organisation culture:
Flex: Flexible working options for creation of high work life balance
social: Where employees at puma are focussing on community engagement programs and
supporting environmental protection, wellness and health.

Finance: The is development of competitive compensation packages and different financial
benefits.
Athlete: that is facilitation of programs, equipment for employees sports activities and physical
development.
Long-term creation of shareholder value: as the overriding business objective
According to Charles smith, 2018 maximisation of shareholder value is related to
enhancement of long term wealth for owners of companies. Real shareholder value is part of
maximisation and creation of long term value. In instance with PUMA the efforts and time
invested in maximization of shareholder value is providing rewards in the process of capital
raising and exit planning phases of process of mergers and acquisitions (Boukis, Gounaris and
Lings, 2017). There is constant ways of improving re engineering process in organisations by
reviewing its supply chain and market segments.
PUMA has welcomed a proposal of majority shareholders distributing part of their PUMA
shares to their holdings and reducing stake in sports company. It would crate a greater free float
in PUMA stocks as investors can enhance their business Strategy to continue with their present
business strategies,. This strategy has lead to PUMA being more attractive to its strategies so that
there can be trading in large volumes (Sampaio, Hernández-Mogollón and Rodrigues, , 2019).

CONCLUSION
It is concluded from the above made discussions that there are several concepts of
Marketing orientation that consist of various elements that are used for shaping the future
strategies of organisations. There has to be focus on identification of customer requirements so
that there can be meeting up of customer expectations. These approaches are used for dictating of
all the priorities that are existing in organisation to lay emphasis on its core offering and the way
it is empowering different marketing teams of the organisation.

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Bhattarai, C.R., Kwong, C.C. and Tasavori, M., 2019. Market orientation, market disruptiveness
capability and social enterprise performance: An empirical study from the United
Kingdom. Journal of Business Research, 96, pp.47-60.
Kasim and et.al 2018. Impact of market orientation, organizational learning and market
conditions on small and medium-size hospitality enterprises. Journal of Hospitality
Marketing & Management, 27(7), pp.855-875.
Lichtenthaler, U., 2016. Determinants of absorptive capacity: The value of technology and
market orientation for external knowledge acquisition. Journal of Business & Industrial
Marketing.
Boukis, A., Gounaris, S. and Lings, I., 2017. Internal market orientation determinants of
employee brand enactment. Journal of Services Marketing.
Sampaio, C.A., Hernández-Mogollón, J.M. and Rodrigues, R.G., 2019. Assessing the
relationship between market orientation and business performance in the hotel industry–the
mediating role of service quality. Journal of Knowledge Management.
Online
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