Marketing 301 Assignment: Business Buying, Expansion, Outsourcing

This report addresses key concepts in marketing, starting with an analysis of the roles within a business buying center, identifying influencers, buyers, users, gatekeepers, and deciders, and applying these roles to a medium-sized appliance company. The report then presents a PEST analysis for Burger King's potential expansion into India, considering political-legal, economic, social-cultural, and technological factors. Finally, the report explores the advantages and disadvantages of business outsourcing, offering insights into how companies can effectively manage outsourcing practices to optimize outcomes and mitigate risks. The report draws on academic sources to support its arguments and recommendations, providing a comprehensive overview of the marketing topics covered.

Running head: MARKETING 301
MARKETING 301
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Author Note

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Q1. Describe the different roles in a business buying centre. Then identify each member
of the buying group in a medium-sized company that purchases components and
assembles small household appliances.
The global business market can be segmented by customer type, demographic,
purchasing situation and end-use application. The various roles in a business buying centre
are influencers, buyers, users, gatekeepers and deciders. Influencers are these people who try
to affect or influence the outcome decision with their different opinion. Buyers are those
people who are responsible for the contract done between the two parties. Users are the
people who suggest to purchase a particular product or service. Gatekeepers are those who
control or command the information flow between the parties. Deciders are the persons who
possess the authority of making the final decisions regarding the product or service (Johnson,
Leenders & McCue, 2017).
In a medium-sized company, the influencers are the technical employees who decide
about the requirements of the components to be assembled to manufacture various small
household appliances. Buyers are the employees from the purchase department. Users are the
employees from manufacturing team who assemble those small household appliances from
the purchased components. Gatekeepers are the managers of various departments involved in
the overall process of the organization, which also includes the technical team. Deciders are
the higher authority of the organization who makes the final decision on the purchase of the
raw materials.
Q2. Imagine that you are a marketer for one of the following companies: Amazon.com,
Apple, Starbucks, Burger King, or a nationally recognized company of your choice.
Decide whether your company will expand internationally into Mexico, India, or China.
Write a brief report outlining and describing the issues your company must consider

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regarding each of the following environmental areas: economic, social-cultural,
technological, and political-legal.
Burger King, the global chain of hamburger fast food restaurants from America, has
decided to expand their market in the region of India, due to the population of the place. They
have targeted the major cities like Kolkata, Bengaluru, Mumbai, Chennai, Pune, Hyderabad,
New Delhi and Amritsar, and will expand into more places according to the acceptance of
their product and services by the people of those places. A PEST analysis is required for the
organization to analyse the market of these places (Harrington, Ottenbacher & Fauser, 2017).
Political-Legal – The stability of the government of India will play a major role in
opening of the business operations of Burger King. The governmental support in the context
of globalization and e-commerce, which will help to engage more people with the
organization. The import-export regulation also need to be followed by them, along with
maintaining the laws related with protection of the environment where they are going to start
their business.
Economic – The economic stability will also play a vital role for opening and running
the business. They have to follow the international trade agreements. The high economic
growth will provide an opportunity to expand the market of Burger King.
Social-Cultural – The diversity among the food habits of the people need to be
identified and followed by Burger King. The health consciousness among the people have to
be keep in mind while preparing the food menu of the organization. The support for animal
rights also need to be followed by the organization.
Technological – The higher availability of automation technologies will help to
expand the market of burger King in India. The increased number of tech-savvy people will
also possess an opportunity in the e-commerce section of the business operations. Low

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activities in research and development in the quick service restaurant industry will also help
the global giant to start and expand their market share in the region of India (Bogueva &
Phau, 2016).
Q3. What are several pluses for businesses that use outsourcing techniques? What are
several minuses? What can companies do to make the best of these widespread
practices?
Advantages of business outsourcing are:
 Helps in to focus on the core operations of the business by outsourcing non-core
activities
 Outsourcing helps to save the operational cost of the organization
 Helps to increase the overall efficiency level and productivity of the organization
 Provide a streamlined cash flow
 Provides flexibility in manpower management and staffing
 Develop new competencies and skills-set, which can be used as a competitive
advantage (Somjai, 2017)
Disadvantages of business outsourcing are:
 Risk of losing sensitive data and confidentiality
 Losing the control over management on business functions
 Issue with quality due to inexperienced outsourcing (Somjai, 2017)
The companies need to outsource the work which is exactly needed and have to keep full
control over the data used by the outsourcing companies, and also have to keep track on the
overall management functions that is outsourced, so that it will safeguard the interests of all
the parties involved in the process of outsourcing (Dolgui & Proth, 2013).

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References
Bogueva, D., & Phau, I. (2016). Meat myths and marketing. In Impact of meat consumption
on health and environmental sustainability (pp. 264-276). IGI Global.
Dolgui, A., & Proth, J. M. (2013). Outsourcing: definitions and analysis. International
Journal of Production Research, 51(23-24), 6769-6777.
Harrington, R. J., Ottenbacher, M. C., & Fauser, S. (2017). QSR brand value: Marketing mix
dimensions among McDonald’s, KFC, Burger King, Subway and
Starbucks. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, 29(1),
551-570.
Johnson, P. F., Leenders, M. R., & McCue, C. (2017). A comparison of purchasing’s
organizational roles and responsibilities in the public and private sector. Journal of
Public Procurement, 3(1), 57-74.
Somjai, S. (2017). Advantages and disadvantages of outsourcing. Graduate School, Suan
Sunandha Rajabhat University. Bangkok, Thailand. Business and Management
Review, 9(1).