Marketing Plan Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Marketing Plan - Coursework Example The country is however besieged by rising unemployment. UK witnessed five days of social unrest and riots in August of 2011which resulted in loss of reputation and goodwill for the country (Internet Business News 2011). The rate of change of technology impacts the UK automobile sector considerably. All players in the industry have to keep abreast of the latest technologies and incorporate them in the subsequent models of automobiles. The growth of internet has provided the automobile industry a new sales and communication channel. At the same time, it has provided the consumer an extremely powerful tool to compare and contrast not only the prices of automobiles, but also their specifications and features. The UK government initiated a ‘scrappage incentive scheme’, wherein a car buyer was given  £1,000 trade-in incentive for replacing a 10 year old vehicle with a new, more efficient car. This scheme helped boost sales, but of smaller vehicles and not the likes of BMW (Reed 2009). The government is also giving incentives to buyers to opt for alternative-fuel vehicles (AFVs). Under enormous pressure to go ‘green’, the automobile manufacturers have not only rolled out AFVs but have also invested heavily in enhancing productivity through modular design, flexible manufacturing technology and highly skilled shop floor workforces. The UK automobile industry is extremely competitive with automobile manufacturers from Europe, Japan, China, India and the United States operating in the country. Being a mature market, the rate of growth of UK automobile sector is very low. All major automobile brands are available in the UK market. The car industry thrives on brand loyalty which is to the advantage of existing players. Other potential entry barriers include high investments and long gestation period. The automobile industry requires raw materials and parts of varied kinds. Over the last few years, the