Marketing and Management Strategies at Sony Corporation - Report

This report provides an in-depth analysis of Sony Corporation's marketing and management strategies, emphasizing their role in organizational development. It explores the company's background, highlighting its diversified business profile and target audience. The study examines the significance of marketing in enhancing customer relationships, shaping organizational image, and driving profitability. It delves into Sony's marketing mix, including product, price, place, and promotion strategies, and discusses the interrelation between marketing and other functional units such as production, finance, and human resources. The report concludes that effective marketing strategies have been crucial in increasing Sony's market share and brand popularity, supported by both direct and indirect marketing approaches. The analysis also reveals the collaborative roles of human resources and finance departments in enhancing marketing processes, ultimately contributing to Sony's business success.

Running head: MARKETING AND MANAGEMENT
MARKETING AND MANAGEMENT
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Table of contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................3
Background of the company............................................................................................................3
Role of marketing in organizational development...........................................................................3
Marketing mix of Sony................................................................................................................4
Interrelation between marketing and other functional units............................................................6
Conclusion.......................................................................................................................................7
Reference list...................................................................................................................................9

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Introduction
Marketing has become one of the major key elements, which helps to drive the business
performance. It is being considered as the process that acts to promote, research and sell the
products to the selected target audience. In the words of Hakansson (2015), analyzing the current
business environment, it has been identified that marketing has become an important tool for
sustaining in the market. The purpose of this study is to highlight the significant responsibilities
of marketing function in order to drive the business performance of Sony. In this study,
marketing function of Sony has been critically discussed by highlighting the interrelation
between marketing and others organizational units.
Background of the company
In the year 1946, Sony Corporation was founded by Masaru Ibuka and Akio Morita in
Tokyo (Sony.com 2018). The company has introduced diversified business profile in the global
market with gaming, financial service, entertainment and electronics. With its strong brand
image, the company has become the largest entertainment chain in the global market. Analyzing
the business revenue in the market, it has been identified that in the year 2017, it was ¥ 6.593
trillion (Sony.com 2018). Target audience of the company is upper class and upper middle class
people. Due to this reason, Sony always maintains its premium price strategy for maintaining its
exclusive image of customers’ mind.
Role of marketing in organizational development
In the words of Hakansson (2015), in the current competitive business environment,
marketing is an essential functioning tool for every organization to sustain in the market. In order
to establish strong relationship between customer and employers, marketing plays an effective

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role. According to Lee, Kozlenkova and Palmatier (2015), it cannot be denied that the trend of
competition has been escalated after introduction of technology in the marketing practices. In the
organizational perspective, it can be said that the role of marketing function is to increase
confidence to try new product in the marketing helps to shape the organizational image
depending on which people associate with the organizational products and services. Therefore, it
can be said that marketing can help to influence the branding process, which is needed for
identifying the needs of the customers. Through marketing function, large organizations like
Sony gets chance to deal with the emerging competitive market (Thusyanthy and Tharanikaran
2015). It cannot be denied that marketing is very important for establishing strong brand image
of customers mind. With different marketing initiatives it become easier for the developing
strong relationship with the stakeholders. By continuing this Thusyanthy and Tharanikaran
(2015) stated that in case of profit led organizations, marketing strategies are responsible for
driving the rate of profitability in an organization. By developing strong customers’ relationship,
marketing function helps to increase the sales revenue, which indirectly impacts on the financial
status of the company.
It cannot be denied that marketing plays an influential role to maintain market share of
every organization. Analyzing the importance of marketing function, it can be said that various
elements of marketing play influential role in the organizational development. Among all the
marketing elements, marketing mix is being used by the organizations.
Marketing mix of Sony
Product
According to Lee, Kozlenkova and Palmatier (2015), product is an essential element in
the marketing function. In order to define the brand in an appropriate manner Sony has

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introduced premium quality of products in premium ranges. With its diversified products, Sony
has grabbed the leading position in the entertainment industry. Sony has introduced portable
gadgets with personalized navigation system for home and car use. LED and CRT based TV as
well as various play stations have been introduced by Sony, which has increased its popularity in
the market (Sony.com 2018).
Price
Examining the marketing strategy of Sony, it has been identified that the company
follows the skimming price strategy for it premium quality of products. By including the unique
features, the product of Sony are being launched in the market. In order to maximize the rate of
profitability the company highs its product price (Sony.com 2018). In time of launching new
product, it decreases the price so that sales volume can be boosted. In order to survive in the
competitive market, Sony follows the differentiation strategy.
Place
Depending on the distribution channel of the company the marketing plan is being
developed. In order to make the products available to the customers, Sony has introduced strong
distribution channel in the market. In the distribution channel of the company, retailers,
customers and manufacturers are involved. Distribution process of Sony being practices through
selective dealers such as Sony world. Analyzing the target audience of Sony, it has been
identified that company mainly focus on premium customers, hence, it always try to maintain
high product price for maintaining its brand value. The company has kept its footprint in all over
the globe. Near about 7000 distribution partners of Sony help to serve the world (Sony.com
2018).

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Promotion
Both direct a d indirect marketing strategies are being followed by Sony. Social media
has played an influential role in terms of increasing its popularity in the market. Depending on
the target market of the company, the tagline called ‘Make. Believe’ has been introduced by
Sony (Sony.com 2018). The company has symbolized itself as innovation and creativity.
Newspapers, billboards, magazines and televisions are being used by Sony for promoting its
products in the market. On the celebrity endorsement is another promotional strategy by the
company, which has helped to achieve strong position in the market.
Interrelation between marketing and other functional units
In order to introduce an effective marketing strategy, the involvement of others business
units are equally important. It cannot be denied that the entire business operational units are
interrelated with each other. In case of encompassing thee entire business marketing is needed.
Marketing can be considered as business philosophy, by following which the organization can
introduce its beliefs and values to thee target audience. Marketing is the way that helps to
examine the needs of the customers. In that case communication can be considered as an
important component of marketing.
Like between marketing and operation department
It is true that marketing is a specialized department in an organization that influence the
business thinking process for achieving the organizational goals. In order to satisfy thee current
and future demands of thee customers, production and other operational units are linked with
marketing (Hassenzahl 2018).
Like between marketing and finance department

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The manufacturing department produces the innovative design for bringing the creativity
in the market, which is being introduced in the market through marketing. The deadline is being
set by the marketing department so that the capability of manufacturing department can be
strengthen up. The operations of marketing department are being done after the budget
allocation from finance department. Promotion and distribution process of marketing get
influenced by the finance department. By ensuring thee business opportunities and business
capabilities the budget is being allocated by finance department (Oladepo and Abimbola 2015).
Therefore, if the marketing strategy of an organization become successful, it can emerge thee
financial opportunities for the company. As marketing helps to increase the sales revenue of the
company, therefore, by building strong market share, marketing helps to maintain the cash flow
in finance department.
Like between marketing and Human resource department
As stated by Baker (2016), in order to assure the appropriate skill of the employees,
marketing department works closely with the human resource department. Introducing ideas for
new products in the market, involvement of both the departments are required. On the other
hand, meeting target of production as well as sales, the involvement of Human resource
department is needed. It cannot be denied that the human resource department helps to create the
competent and ambitious team for sales. In order to maintain the balance of marketing
obligations. HRM department of Sony introduces training and recruitment process, so that it
become easier for the company to achieve its business goals.

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Conclusion
Marketing plays an effective role to introduce economic opportunities for the
organization. Analyzing the role of marketing in organizational development by highlighting
Sony, it has been identified that it has played an effective role to increase market share of Sony.
Both direct and indirect marketing strategies are being followed by Sony, which has helped the
company to increase its popularity in the market. By developing strong customer relationship,
marketing initiatives of Sony has helped to increase its brand popularity in the market. The study
has also helped to develop interrelation between marketing and production, finance and human
resource department. In the discussion, it has been identified that in case of building string
market share as well as improving the skill of the employees, human resource and finance
department have higher level of contribution, which indirectly influence the marketing process.

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Reference list
Baker, M.J., 2016. What is marketing?. In The Marketing Book(pp. 25-42). Routledge.
Hakansson, H., 2015. Industrial Technological Development (Routledge Revivals): A Network
Approach. Routledge.
Hassenzahl, M., 2018. The thing and I: understanding the relationship between user and product.
In Funology 2 (pp. 301-313). Springer, Cham.
Lee, J.Y., Kozlenkova, I.V. and Palmatier, R.W., 2015. Structural marketing: Using
organizational structure to achieve marketing objectives. Journal of the Academy of Marketing
Science, 43(1), pp.73-99.
Nimtrakoon, S., 2015. The relationship between intellectual capital, firms’ market value and
financial performance: Empirical evidence from the ASEAN. Journal of Intellectual
Capital, 16(3), pp.587-618.
Oladepo, O.I. and Abimbola, O.S., 2015. The influence of brand image and promotional mix on
consumer buying decision-a study of beverage consumers in Lagos State, Nigeria. British
journal of marketing studies, 3(4), pp.97-109.
Sony.com 2018. Retrieved from: https://www.sony.com/en-om [Accessed on 21st Nov, 2018]
Thusyanthy, V. and Tharanikaran, V., 2015. The relationship variables to celebrity endorsement
and brand equity: A comprehensive review.