After class participation stories.....

Might as well write this down before I forget etc.

So after lec 2 today, had a few interesting after class encounters.

One question I got was this: "xyz detergent says it works best with abc washing machine. Is that not a solution? What if consumers perceive it to be one? Who decides what is a solution or not?"

My response is that there are these distinctive characteristics of what a solution constitutes and its a straightfwd test to apply and see. If the characteristics are met, then it is a solution, else not. Somehow, I don't get the feeling the said gent was convinced.

Another rather interesting question I got was: "We're launching a medical device and need to collect data but its a competitive mkt and approaching doctors for a survey will surely tip-off competition. Can we go with a focus group or something like that done in a more controlled environment and use the results for a descriptive extrapolation onto the gen population?"

My response is yes. Often times, circumstances may rule out an MKTR tool that is otherwise appropriate for a given situation. What to do then? Its a call decision makers have to take. Conducting a "descriptive focus group", so to say, might just be better off than doing nothing at all and going to market on a wing and a prayer. If the focus group has specialists like doctors on it, then its more like an expert opinion survey than a regular rocus group, really.

Sudhir