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Develop a research objective for the business problem described in the extract.

Develop a research objective for the business problem described in the extract.

Principles Of Marketing
Principles Of Marketing
17th Edition
ISBN:9780134492513
Author:Kotler, Philip, Armstrong, Gary (gary M.)
Publisher:Kotler, Philip, Armstrong, Gary (gary M.)
Chapter1: Marketing: Creating Customer Value And Engagement
Section: Chapter Questions
Problem 1.1DQ
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Develop a research objective for the business problem described in the extract.
Preteen Market-The Right Place to be in for Cell Phone Providers? Do parents of preteens envision a need for equipping their children with cell phones? This seems to be the million-dollar question facing cell phone makers like Firefly who view the preteen market as offering more growth opportunities than the senior market. The preteen market is unique in that the ultimate customer, the child does not make the purchase decision. On one side of this indirect target market are parents with hectic or variable schedules and those who are more harried or worried about their children's safety. On the other side are parents who are sceptical about the misuse of cell phones by the kids themselves or others and those who consider a kid cell phone as an unnecessary investment especially considering the fact that kids are usually under some supervision or the other, not to mention their tendency to lose personal belongings. Cell phone makers are following the trend set by other industries such as food companies and retailers in targeting the preteen market. Firefly launched its phones in February 2005 priced at $199 offering 12 months or 1,200 minutes of phone service-whichever comes first. The Firefly phone has a number of safety features that make it simpler to use than a conventional phone but harder to abuse. It does not have a numerical keypad. Instead, parents can program up to 20 phone numbers into the device which cannot be changed without a password. Parents can also program the phone in such a way that it only accepts calls from certain numbers. Firefly is not the only wireless carrier targeting the preteen market. Some providers offer regular cell phones at a steep discount for family plans. Whereby, a preteen phone specialist, is offering a kid phone that comes with a global positioning system locator-so parents can better track their offspring. Mattel Inc. is launching a phone with a Barbie theme. While equipping 8 to 12 year olds with cell phones makes it easier for parents and children to get a hold of each other and coordinate activities, parents have other issues to grapple with. Many schools do not allow students to bring cell phones to classrooms. According to one University of Chicago child psychiatrist, most 8 to 12 year olds do not need a cell phone. So the challenge for Firefly and their competitors is "At what age do kids really need a phone?" and "Is the pre-teen market really worth going after?" Source: https://www.scribd.com/document/459512605/cases#
Transcribed Image Text:Preteen Market-The Right Place to be in for Cell Phone Providers? Do parents of preteens envision a need for equipping their children with cell phones? This seems to be the million-dollar question facing cell phone makers like Firefly who view the preteen market as offering more growth opportunities than the senior market. The preteen market is unique in that the ultimate customer, the child does not make the purchase decision. On one side of this indirect target market are parents with hectic or variable schedules and those who are more harried or worried about their children's safety. On the other side are parents who are sceptical about the misuse of cell phones by the kids themselves or others and those who consider a kid cell phone as an unnecessary investment especially considering the fact that kids are usually under some supervision or the other, not to mention their tendency to lose personal belongings. Cell phone makers are following the trend set by other industries such as food companies and retailers in targeting the preteen market. Firefly launched its phones in February 2005 priced at $199 offering 12 months or 1,200 minutes of phone service-whichever comes first. The Firefly phone has a number of safety features that make it simpler to use than a conventional phone but harder to abuse. It does not have a numerical keypad. Instead, parents can program up to 20 phone numbers into the device which cannot be changed without a password. Parents can also program the phone in such a way that it only accepts calls from certain numbers. Firefly is not the only wireless carrier targeting the preteen market. Some providers offer regular cell phones at a steep discount for family plans. Whereby, a preteen phone specialist, is offering a kid phone that comes with a global positioning system locator-so parents can better track their offspring. Mattel Inc. is launching a phone with a Barbie theme. While equipping 8 to 12 year olds with cell phones makes it easier for parents and children to get a hold of each other and coordinate activities, parents have other issues to grapple with. Many schools do not allow students to bring cell phones to classrooms. According to one University of Chicago child psychiatrist, most 8 to 12 year olds do not need a cell phone. So the challenge for Firefly and their competitors is "At what age do kids really need a phone?" and "Is the pre-teen market really worth going after?" Source: https://www.scribd.com/document/459512605/cases#
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