Perreault−McCarthy: Basic
Marketing: A
Global−Managerial
Approach, 14/e- Evaluating Opportunities
in the Changing Marketing
Environment
Text © The McGraw−Hill
Companies, 2002114 Chapter 4
there have been big changes in that stereotyped thinking. With better job oppor-
tunities, more women are delaying marriage, and once married they are likely to
stay in the workforce and have fewer children. For example, in 1950, only 24 per-
cent of wives worked outside the home. Now that figure is over 60 percent.
Among women in the 35–44 age group, the percentage is already over 70. Not
everything has changed, though. The median income for women lags and is only
73 percent of men’s.
Still, the flood of women into the job market boosted economic growth and
changed U.S. society in many other ways. Many in-home jobs that used to be done
primarily by women—ranging from family shopping to preparing meals to doing vol-
unteer work—still need to be done by someone. Husbands and children now do
some of these jobs, a situation that has changed the target market for many prod-
ucts. Or a working woman may face a crushing “poverty of time” and look for help
elsewhere, creating opportunities for producers of frozen meals, child care centers,
dry cleaners, financial services, and the like.
Although there is still a big wage gap between men and women, the income
working women generate gives them new independence and purchasing power. For
example, women now purchase about half of all cars. Not long ago, many car deal-
ers insulted a woman shopper by ignoring her or suggesting that she come back with
her husband. Now car companies have realized that women are important cus-
tomers. It’s interesting that Japanese car dealers, especially Mazda and Toyota, were
the first to really pay attention to women customers. In Japan, fewer women have
jobs or buy cars—the Japanese society is still very much male-oriented. Perhaps it
was the extreme contrast with Japanese society that prompted these firms to pay
more attention to women buyers in the United States.^26
Women’s changing role has created opportunities for marketing but also compli-
cations. A marketing mix targeted at women, for example, may require a real
balancing act. Advertising showing a woman at the office may attract some cus-
tomers but alienate housewives who feel that their job doesn’t command as much
status as it should. Conversely, an ad that shows a woman doing housework might
be criticized for encouraging stereotypes.Most changes in basic cultural values and social attitudes come slowly. An indi-
vidual firm can’t hope to encourage big changes in the short run. Instead, it should
identify current attitudes and work within these constraints—as it seeks new and
better opportunities.^27Kellogg realizes that more and
more consumers are feeling a
“poverty of time,” so it uses
humor to focus on the time-
saving benefits of its Nutri-Grain
bar as an on-the-go breakfast.
Changes come slowly
Using Screening Criteria to Narrow Down to Strategies
A progressive firm constantly looks for new opportunities. Once the opportunities
are identified, the firm must screen and evaluate them. Usually, a firm can’t pursue all
available opportunities, so it must try to match its opportunities to its resources and