Using the 10 Performance Improvement Standards to Guide Strategy Development and Implementation: A Marketing Performance Improvement Case
Frank Q. Fu, Hong Yi, Yuan Zheng, Lidan Li, Xiangjiang Wang, Xiumei Zhang
Copyright: © 2020
|Pages: 19
DOI: 10.4018/978-1-7998-3673-5.ch004
Abstract
This case demonstrates an award-winning performance improvement project conducted by a large state-owned enterprise in China that satisfies the 10 standards of performance improvement and adds value to the organization. Multiple tools developed by performance improvement professionals in China are used to develop and implement marketing strategies and achieve market share improvement goals. These tools are based on the performance improvement literature, specifically designed for and empirically tested in the Chinese market. The case also shows benefits and challenges associated with integrating performance improvement and marketing management.
TopSetting The Stage
Performance improvement is a systematic approach used by professionals and consultants to improve individual, departmental and organizational performance in various industries (Gilbert, 1978; Rummler, & Brache, 1995; Van Tiem, Moseley, & Dessinger, 2012). This definition reflects both the process and outcome of making performance better. The performance improvement approach involves using methods, tools and techniques developed by scholars and professionals from different disciplines to accomplish this goal. The field of Performance Improvement emerged from the fields of educational technology and instructional technology somewhere between the 1920s and 1930s. Over the decades, this approach has been applied in a variety of fields including human resource development, training and learning, organizational development, manufacturing, research and development, as well as quality management. In recent years, performance improvement has been increasingly gaining popularity in China, as many Chinese firms and multinational corporations operating in China use this approach to improve business performance. Interestingly, many performance improvement practitioners in China who have worked on successful projects are in the area of marketing.
Key Terms in this Chapter
Marketing Strategy: Marketing strategy is an organization’s long-term course of action designed to accomplish its mission and achieve its performance goals. Implementation is the process of converting a strategy into proper actions and achieving the expected outcomes. Both the processes of strategy development and strategy implementation are critical for the success of marketing programs.
Key Value Chain Analysis: The Key Value Chain Analysis is a tool created by the Sinotrac Consulting Company in China specifically for analyzing performance gaps, in order to better explore causes and solutions. Instead of looking at the organization as a whole, the method focuses on the discrete activities the organization conducts and identifies weaknesses, which can be discrepancies or ignored opportunities.
10 Performance Improvement Standards: The International Society for Performance Improvement (ISPI) suggests that competent practitioners should follow the 10 standards in their practice of human performance technology. The first four standards are also called principles, because they are fundamental to every standard. Standards 5 through 10 describe the systematic processes competent performance improvement practitioners should follow.
Marketing Mix Elements: The marketing mix elements, also known as the 4Ps, are the decisions marketers have to make in order to achieve organizational goals and marketing objectives. They typically refer to the product, price, promotion and place (distribution) strategies of the marketing program.
Channel Partners: The channel partners refer to individuals and businesses working with a company to distribute its products and services, typically including distributors, retailers and agents, to the company’s customers.