Marketing research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Marketing - Research Paper Example Today, over half of the 500,000 cars that are sold by Hyundai in USA each year are manufactured within the country itself. The company employs over 20,000 US citizens directly and generates indirect jobs for 6,000 more through its vendors. The company has a marked presence in the states of Alabama, Michigan and California, which house our manufacturing facility, engineering facility, proving grounds and design and research center respectively (Hyundai Motors, 2011). Hyundai’s association with USA goes deeper than just selling cars in the country. Since 1998, Hyundai Motor America, along with Hyundai dealers has been striving to help find a cure to childhood cancer by funding the CureSearch National Childhood Cancer Foundation. The company has hitherto raised $13 million for the cause. Marketing Brief Market Hyundai Motor America, being an automobile manufacturer, is obviously engaged in the automobile manufacturing market in USA. The company manufactures vehicles across variou s categories including, but not limited to compacts, family sedans, crossovers as well as premium vehicles. It also positions its products in various segments based on price starting from prices as low as $9,985 and going as high as $58,000. Main Competitors The competitive landscape of Hyundai Motor America comprises five main competitors viz. Ford Motor, General Motors, Honda, Nissan and Toyota. Hyundai Motors currently holds a 5.3% market share in the US market, but is seen to be steadily catching up to its competitors, recording its three best monthly sales volumes in the country after August 2010 as well as its best ever worldwide sales figure in the same year (PR Newswire). It is currently among the top four foreign car manufacturers in the country. However, the company is also threatened by the rapid progress of global rival Suzuki Motors as well as upcoming names such as Tata Motors and Fiat who are looking to gain a strong foothold in the US market after faring well in the Asian and European markets in identical vehicle segments. The Hyundai premium segment model ‘Genesis’ has also been touted as a competitor to luxury cars like the BMW and the Lexus. Main Customers The main customers of Hyundai Motor America comprise the end user of the automobiles manufactured by them. Like any other automobile manufacturer, Hyundai has an established distribution chain in the country to sell its products directly to the buyer. In other words, it is primarily a B2C company and focuses its marketing on the end consumer. All intermediaries in the sale of Hyundai products are either affiliated with or subsidiaries of the company. Core Competencies Hyundai Motor America, as well as its global contemporaries have a competitive advantage over their opponents through their constant innovations in new technology available at affordable costs to their customers. Features synonymous with any Hyundai car include power, handling, safety, comfort, stability, good cu stomer service and economy in their cars. Every car rolled out by Hyundai motors in the US is expected to have adequate powers, safety measures, simple and responsive controls, comfortable interiors and provide good mileage for that segment. These features are the main reason that Hyundai’