Introduction
The development of new products and services are critical to the sustainable growth of businesses and this aspect creates new marketing opportunities for the company. Additionally, we would also discuss four (4) key factors that operations managers have to be aware of to be able to anticipate changes in products or services. The four key factors of operational analysis and effectiveness can be enumerated as product planning and creation, market analysis and competition potential, production details, and marketing strategies. However, according to Heizer, it is a certainty that on a global scale it is acceptable for companies to outsource keeping in view the advantages of low production or overhead costs with more scope of flexibility with a lower amount of risk. (Heizer, 2004) This is a reality in today’s organizational activities but at the same time, each and any operating organization must indeed follow the principles set forward by operational analysis to succeed in the long run.
Main body
At present Kimberly Clark Corporation deals in products of personal care such as feminine pads, incontinence products, and diapers it would be favorable for them to include panty liners for white discharge in this list of products specifically when the base material of the panty liner for white discharge is aligned with the base material of the other mentioned and related product which is non-woven fabrics. In the context of non-woven fabrics, it would be interesting to mention that Kimberly Clark Corporation themselves is responsible for manufacturing non-woven fabrics in a huge number of grades that are numbered around hundreds. As these grades of non-woven fabrics are already operational for various purposes like spill control, car covers, industrial fabrics, home furnishings and flexible packaging making room for an additional product like fragranced panty liner for white discharge would not include any further fixed or capital cost to the company. As for the market segment part the new product, i.e. fragranced panty liner for white discharge would become a market leader worldwide when a support system of a company like the Kimberly Clark Corporation is applicable.
The potential, if the assumable market of this fragranced panty liner for white discharge is taken into consideration, could be substantially huge. It has been estimated that without the use of a normal panty liner for white discharge various symptoms may arise like discomfort, itching, or even pain due to the formation of fungal infection due to the amount of white discharge. Therefore, panty liners are essential and as it is a consumer durable in nature, therefore there is no chance of the market being exhausted. Moreover, better campaigning with the focal point mentioning the betterment and advantages of a fragranced panty liner for white discharge would certainly help the company to occupy the existing market of panty liners by a huge margin. The number of customers for this fragranced panty liner for white discharge would be by no means negligible. It has been estimated that about 9 million women visit the gynecological department or the general practitioners each year. This is just the estimation of the United States alone. It would be quite interesting to find out the actual number of potential customers for this new fragranced panty liner for white discharge worldwide. That would mean a titanic amount of potential customers waiting for the fragranced panty liner for white discharge if marketing and campaigns are well executed by the Kimberly Clark Corporation. (Kar, 2006)
At present, the market segment of the world of panty liners is segregated among numerous companies of which a bulk of the companies represents China. These Chinese companies would be the prime target once Kimberly Clark Corporation takes over the manufacture of this new fragranced panty liner for white discharge and makes the product operational. The major reason for targeting China as the premium competitor would be the reason that these companies are marginally equipped to compete in the international market. Therefore they should be the primary concern as being the softest targets of all. Secondly, the advantage of the Chinese companies to be able to penetrate the low market segment could well be nullified with the campaigns concerning health issues. Once this has been done a bulk of the customers would be diverted towards the Kimberly Clark Corporation’s product of fragranced panty liner for white discharge as there are hardly any individuals who would compromise in terms of health issues. This would have an additional advantage for the company. Once penetration is possible within the market occupied by the Chinese companies, it would also be possible to inflate the market with other products of the Corporation. This would be a double advantage and a scope of further optimization of revenue. Thirdly, the other plus point enjoyed by the Chinese companies is the ability to penetrate the markets of different nations all at the same time.
Here the main advantage of the Kimberly Clark Corporation would be the application of the fragranced panty liner which would drive away other potential competitors from the market and by the time any other company can formulate something new like the fragranced panty liner for white discharge the battle for supremacy over the market would belong won by the Kimberly Clark Corporation. Therefore it is obvious that a brand new product by the Kimberly Clark Corporation would be resulting in a clear winner not only at the local or national level but it is a cut made up for the international level and thus should be treated as a cut above the rest. (Kar, 2006)
References
Heizer, J. & Render, B., (2004), Operations management, 7th and, Pearson Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, New Jersey.
Kar, P; (2006); Handbook of Management and Marketing with Related Application of Sales; Dasgupta & Chatterjee.