MICROSOFT OFFICE: LIFE OF A COLLEGE STUDENTGROUP 7, SEC B

COLLEGE STUDENT’S CHARACTERISTICS

Try competitive applications Digitally involved generation Tech-Savvy generation High penetration level of internet and cell

phone usage

MICROSOFT

Well known as A reputable Must know brand Aging Less reliable Unable to reinvent (poor innovation) Less adaptive to the needs of tech-savvy

undergraduates

MANAGEMENT PROBLEM

How could Louie overcome negative perceptions of Microsoft and make it an attractive and compelling package?

How could she enable it to go toe-to-toe with its younger and savvier competitors and effectively meet the needs of the college students?

RESEARCH PROBLEM

Understand the mindset of a typical college undergrad

The ways students interact with technology products

The factors that ultimately contribute to the adoption decision

How the value propositions of Microsoft and the other technology products were perceived by the target audience?

RESEARCH SUBJECT SELECTION

Offered financial incentives Contacted many undergrad institutions 57 students showed interested to participate Collected brief personal information for

selection Current Twitter users & who own a smart

phone for Diary Study Tech savvy students for Tech Diary Study Two focus groups – one underclassmen and

one upperclassmen In-depth Interviews conducted on

heterogeneous group

DAY DIARIES

Subjects logged in their activities every 30 min on Twitter for a 24 hr period

View the main themes of students’ lives (Personal/Social, Work & Class/Homework)

The diary form was deliberately open-ended Insights into students’ use of technology and

their manners of interaction with outside world

TECHNOLOGY DIARIES

Subjects recorded any use of the Internet or phones over a 24 hour period

The phone time was sub divided into “Text”, “Call” and “other”

Online time was sub divided into “For school”, “Facebook”, “Google” & “other”

Less open-ended tool

FOCUS GROUP DISCUSSIONS

To validate the research revealed by the online diaries

To cover any angles and insights not revealed by the diaries

To collect information on the marketing tactics different companies deployed in campuses

Help reveal the students’ perception of Microsoft value proposition compared to its competitors

IN-DEPTH INTERVIEWS

To validate the research revealed by the online diaries and the focus group

To cover any angles and insights not revealed by the diaries

HOW RESEARCH HELPED !!

Real time responses/data Reveal common patterns easily Coding of patterns Generate hypothesis based on the

patterns/themes Capture the perception of students of

Microsoft and other brands

THANK YOU !!