Wait a second!
More handpicked essays just for you.
More handpicked essays just for you.
Don’t take our word for it - see why 10 million students trust us with their essay needs.
Recommended: Motivation theory
My employer, an electrical fixtures supply company, has decided to purchase company cars for all of the sales staff. I have been asked to select the line of automobiles that should be purchased. I have decided that on grounds of economy and longevity that it is in the company's best interest to purchase Volvo's. As a prudent and sensible buyer, I have done research on the web and have discovered that experts agree the Volvo is the most mechanically superior and safe automobile for my companies needs.
Prior to the meeting with the Volvo sales people I talked the decision over with my boss who reacts with disbelief and alarm. He states that "A Volvo! You've got to be kidding. My brother-in-law had a Volvo and the first thing that had to be replaced was the fancy fuel injection computer thing that went out on him. Then the transmission and clutch went out and had to be replaced. He had to finally sale it for junk with in three years." I will explain two parts to you. The first part will be the identification and explanation of heuristics in the reaction of my boss that resulted in his biased reaction. The second part I will tell you about how I intend to influence him of the merits of purchasing a Volvo. Following that I will conclude with my own thoughts and views.
The Heuristics
The reaction of my boss is a prime example of the availability heuristic. He only had facts from one Volvo owner. He never said anything about knowing anyone else that had owned one before. The facts about this one Volvo were very negative which creates a negative bias towards all Volvo's. What has happened is that he has been swayed by information that is vivid and has created a bias decision by that information that he can easily recall (Plous, 1993). My boss's reaction is also an example of the representative heuristic as well. As stated before he has
only known of one bad experience of owning a Volvo and he is categorizing all Volvos as bad vehicles due to the one bad one. He was only presented with negative information and made a decision based on that never considering any research. This created a situation to where he made a quick judgment by representation (Plous, 1993).
The simple car that was easy to fix with some simple tools have now become as complex as a supercomputer on wheels. Most people today have decided that automobiles of today are too complicated and just send their cars to a professional for repairs. As of January 2013, the average age of a vehicle operating on the roads today is 11.4 years old. (Associated Press, 2013). People are holding on to their cars a lot longer than in the past. Although, some claim that it is because today’s cars last longer. There is no doubt that today’s economy is also playing a part in the public’s reluctance to part with their older vehicles. However, cars will always need repairs.
In this situation the buyer doesn’t really have interest in the vehicles that the seller has showed them. The seller could now appeal to the unconscious needs of the buyer. Like previously stated, the carpool with the boss would be where I would focus. I would try to appeal to the buyer by explaining the benefits of the vehicles. Maybe in this situation the buyer isn’t interested in an economical car, but would rather be seen in a sedan, especially with the boss. Then after use a Trial Close to see how the customer
Ask any ten enthusiasts what two cars epitomize the concept of an automotive rivalry and at least nine of them will instantly conclude the Chevrolet or Chevy Camaro and the Ford Mustang, two cars that make up part of a small automotive segment known as Pony Cars. These fire-breathing leviathans of the street snarl with guttural reverberations boastfully announcing their presence with the mere turn of key. For nearly five decades, these mechanical beasts have captured the imagination of the American driver and ignited the most contentious debate in automotive history: Which car reigns supreme? Muscle car buffs waste no time quoting sales figures, vehicle performance, track times, or even mundane statistics like vehicle dimensions or available colors to simply justify their support for one model over the other. As this debate rages on, the makers of these brutes fan the flames through targeted marketing strategies, consumer promotions, pricing strategies, and creative advertising all in effort to win an automotive war the likes of which have never been seen or fought before (Davenport, 2013).
The automobile industry is one that has constant vicissitudes. Burns Auto Corporation is not exempt from these unexpected changes or shifts in that industry. Many factors drive the automobile market fuel prices, the economy, and family sizes are just a few. This paper will take an in depth look at the current situation at Burns Auto; including the situation, problem definition, end state goals.
...ferent jobs and different options like horsepower and inside. If you're a retailer and you are taking you buyers to look at a house you want a nice car to take them in. Not a van or a truck. If you're a construction worker you want a truck that works as hard as you do and not a van or a small truck.
I can recall when my older sister in the 70’s had purchased a shiny new Ford Pinto and pulled it into the driveway. She used at that time what she thought was her best judgment along with an economical price but only to be succumbed by our Dad when he realized what she purchased. Ford Motor Company in the late 60’s were being overtaken by other countries car manufactures in the subcompact market. The Volkswagen Beetle was still formidable, and the VW Rabbit was on the drawing board. Datsun and Toyota were readying new models. Honda was preparing to change the nature of the competition with its Civic. (Lee Iacocca 's Pinto: A Fiery Failure) It would be 10 years later that Henry Ford II, Ford Motor Co. Chairman would fire the person who ultimately
The decision to purchase a car is the second largest financial choice a person can make. There are a few options for vehicle financing. Since the majority of people aren’t paying cash outright for their vehicle, figuring out whether to purchase or lease the car can be overwhelming, intimidating and or confusing. Different elements come in to play when deciding whether or not leasing is right for your financial situation and lifestyle. Because the average consumer isn’t educated about the benefits of leasing a vehicle, leases are sometimes not even considered an option. I hope to highlight how there is value in leasing a vehicle, and more drawbacks when it comes to purchasing outright.
When General Motors manufactured the first electric car known as the EV1 they did not fully have in mind it’s affect on the buyers. Although there were consumers who were concerned at the time with bettering the environment around them, majority of them were not. The idea of an electric car seemed barbaric and without the buyers, the seller begins to fail. A consumer by the name of Charles Murray (2007), and author of the article I Killed the Electric Car talks about his guiltiness as a consum...
Compared to others in its class, the Ford Pinto was an average performing vehicle; there was nothing astonishing about the car, good or bad. Ford’s actions regarding the Pinto’s development and release were not unique. From an engineering standpoint, Ford fulfilled the car’s purpose; a fuel efficient, subcompact vehicle which the public could afford. The media frenzy which followed the Pinto was an exploitation of the separation between public opinion and the hidden standards and processes behind design liability. It’s difficult to imagine any company being able to convince the public that the math makes sense; Ford had the deck stacked against them from the beginning.
...rther then the end of 2010, the introduction of the electric car is not far to come. With proper government regulations and consumer knowledge, adoptability of the electric car is possible. However, one can drastically differ in opinion as to why the required elements to support such a vehicle were not readily planned to facilitate such a change. The inadequacies draw wavering concerns for both consumers and business looking for the return of value and profit. The larger picture needs to be remembered in which oil is not a renewable resource and results in pollution and environmental hazard. Consumers and business must work together to overcome the roadblocks down the road and support each other in the introduction of and future of the electric car. Adjustments will have to be made on both sides to ensure success and minimize the society and economy disruptions.
There are several great traits about Tesla vehicles. The model S, which is Tesla’s first sedan, is Consumer Report’s “top pick” in the survey. Not only were they top pick in the sedan class vehicles, but they were also the overall top pick among consumers. This means that in a survey it ranked higher than GM, Ford, Toyota, Honda, and many others. (LeBeau, Phillip) This is quite the accomplishment. One of the reasons for its highest picks is the car high safety ratings. The NHTSA or National Highway Traffic Safety Administration awarded the Tesla Model S a five star safety rating in every category and subcategory. They would’ve rated it even higher if they could; sadly, the NHTSA’s scoring system only goes up to five. There is another chance for the Model S to score higher. The VSS or the Vehicle Safety Score, which is the safety score given back to the manufactures gave the Model S a 5.4. This score is higher than any class of vehicle on the road ways to date and has the lowest risk of any injury front, side, rear, and rollover included. (LeBeau) This car is so incredibly safe that there are reports of the test equipment breaking before the car itself does. Tesla also has a quite controversial method for selling ...
There are many different automobile companies providing buyers with many styles of cars, trucks, SUVs, and motorcycles. Toronto Star January 14, 2005 present ways to approach the automotive buying process. There are many different surveys, crash reports, and rating systems comparing different companies and their vehicles. Things you should look for when reading these published articles are who conducted the study? Who paid for it? Who gains from it? Who loses? These are all things to keep eye on as some automotive companies will run their own surveys making their products seem overpowering against the competition. Some prove their products are safer then the competition where the competition has been proven time and time again to make that survey seem inaccurate.
SUV’s have become the center of a large controversy in the last couple of years. Many studies have been conducted on the relation to the economy and the popularity of the SUV. The sport utility vehicle not only affects the economy with its gas-guzzling capabilities during a time of war, but with the safety questions that have continued to arise.
BMW- differentiation strategy, high price, breadth of product line is moderate, known for their cars being in the shop constantly and high maintenance bills.
The Ford Motor Company has been in business since the nineteenth century, and it has enjoyed a rather successful run as one of the top automobile-making industries in the United States. Ford Motor Company is a prosperous business because of strategic planning and changes that it was willing to take a risk on developing and implementing. Successful corporations have to adapt to the constantly changing environment or the company will be doomed to failure. In other words, customer shopping habits change as new products are introduced to the market or when other factors beyond Ford Motor Company’s control affect which vehicles are sold. For example, there is an increased demand for fuel efficient cars when the average price per gallon