Case studies are an important 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 with an end goal of formulating a recommendation for the challenges faced by the company.

Select one of the three case studies listed below, which can be found in your textbook. Evaluate the case of your choice, and respond to each of the questions below using both theory and practical managerial thinking as well as supporting research.

Option 1: Procter & Gamble (pp. 332–333)

1. Using segmentation strategies, what are the target market(s) for P&G? How does this relate to the company’s brand management strategies?
2. Who are the top three competitors of P&G, and what are their advantages/disadvantages with respect to their competitive product/service strategies?
3. P&G’s impressive portfolio includes some of the strongest brand names in the world. What are some of the challenges associated with being the market leader in so many different categories?
4. With social media becoming increasingly important and with fewer people watching traditional commercials on television, what does P&G need to do to maintain its strong brand images?
5. What risks will P&G face in the future?

Option 2: Caterpillar (pp. 394–395)

1. Using segmentation strategies, what are the target market(s) for Caterpillar? How does this relate to their brand management strategies?
2. Who are the top three competitors of Caterpillar, and what are their advantages/disadvantages with respect to their competitive product/service strategies?
3. What were some of the key steps that made Caterpillar the industry leader in earth-moving machinery? Explain how Caterpillar’s products differ from competitors.
4. Discuss Caterpillar’s future. What should it do next with its product line? Where is the future growth for this company?

Option 3: The Ritz-Carlton (pp. 424–425)

1. Using segmentation strategies, what are the target market(s) for The Ritz-Carlton? How does this relate to their brand management strategies?
2. Who are the top three competitors of The Ritz-Carlton, and what are their advantages/disadvantages with respect to their competitive product/service strategies.
3. How does The Ritz-Carlton match up to competing hotels? What are its key differences?
4. Discuss the importance of the “wow stories” in maintaining top quality customer service for a luxury hotel like The Ritz-Carlton.

In formatting your case analysis, do not use the question-and-answer format; instead, use an essay format with subheadings. Your APA-formatted case study should be a minimum of 500 words in length (not counting the title and reference pages). You are required to use a minimum of three peer-reviewed, academic sources that are no more than 5 years old (one may be your textbook). All sources used, including the textbook, must be referenced; paraphrased material must have accompanying in-text citations.