The Use of Geomarketing for the Location and Branch Network Planning on the Example Porsche. A Critical Examination of the Applicability of the Current State of Research

Bachelor Thesis , 2015 , 73 Pages , Grade: 2,0

Business economics - Business Management, Corporate Governance

This thesis with the topic is about Geomarketing theory and its approach in the automotive industry, more specifically surveyed on one explicit example of Porsche.

The automotive industry is experiencing a development from a sellers' market to a buyers' market, as evident in the marginal increase of registration figures in recent years and in the additional price pressure on the car market. Equivalently, the increasing degree of individualization in society and thus the differentiation of demand, is leading to a breakdown of markets into smaller market segments to which the car manufacturers have to deal with. This prevailing pressure also affects the management level and causes the need to make the right decisions and avoid failures.

Analogue to these developments two trends in marketing have gained significance in recent decades. On the one hand, the increasing data and information sets, which allow improved screening of the market, have gained importance. On the other hand, there is the technological development that enables assimilating large amounts of internal and external data on the basis of spatial structures. As a result of this development, the instrument Geomarketing has been established.

This thesis deals with the elaborate assessment of the application of Geomarketing within location as well as branch network planning and practice. More specifically, this thesis handles the approach of the car manufacturer Porsche AG. The overall aim of the paper is to explain the role of Geomarketing for strategic planning processes in an automotive company with special focus on location and branch network decisions. The aim also is to find out how far Geomarketing causes benefits.

Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)

• 1. Introduction
• 1.1. Problem description
• 1.2. Ambition and boundaries
• 1.3. Structure
• 2. Theoretical overview of Geomarketing
• 2.1. Alignment of Marketing and origin of Geomarketing
• 2.2. Geomarketing as a strategic instrument
• 2.2.1. Main principles and functions
• 2.2.2. 4-Pillar-Model
• 2.2.3. Micro-geographic data and market segmentation
• 2.3. Law situation in Germany
• 3. Utilization of Geomarketing - Location and Branch Network
• 3.1. Application of Geomarketing in companies
• 3.2. Geographic Information System (GIS)
• 3.3. Geomarketing industry
• 3.3.1. Introduction into Geomarketing business
• 3.3.2. Advantages and disadvantages
• 3.4. Location selection
• 3.4.1. Location and market analysis
• 3.4.2. Reasons for internationalization
• 3.5. Setting up a branch network
• 4. Applicability of Geomarketing on the example Porsche
• 4.1. General data and history
• 4.2. Porsche Characteristics
• 4.2.1. Internationalization of Porsche
• 4.2.2. Geographical structure of plants and store network
• 4.3. Geomarketing Implementation
• 4.4. SWOT of Porsche's Geomarketing approach
• 4.5. Comparison with benchmarks
• 4.6. Room for improvement

Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)

This work examines the applicability of geomarketing for location and branch network planning, using Porsche as a case study. The study critically analyzes the current state of research and explores how geomarketing can be used to optimize Porsche's geographical presence.

• The theoretical foundation and development of geomarketing
• The application of geomarketing in companies, including the use of GIS and market segmentation
• The specific challenges and opportunities of implementing geomarketing for Porsche
• A SWOT analysis of Porsche's geomarketing approach
• Recommendations for improving Porsche's geomarketing strategies

Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)

• Chapter 1: Introduction

This chapter introduces the research problem, outlines the scope and objectives of the study, and provides a brief overview of the structure.

• Chapter 2: Theoretical overview of Geomarketing

This chapter provides a theoretical overview of geomarketing, exploring its alignment with traditional marketing, its strategic role, key principles, and legal implications in Germany.

• Chapter 3: Utilization of Geomarketing - Location and Branch Network

This chapter examines how geomarketing is used in practice, including its application within companies, the role of GIS, the geomarketing industry landscape, and the process of location selection and branch network planning.

• Chapter 4: Applicability of Geomarketing on the example Porsche

This chapter analyzes the application of geomarketing at Porsche, considering the company's general data and history, its unique characteristics, the implementation of geomarketing strategies, and a SWOT analysis of its approach.

Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)

Geomarketing, location planning, branch network, Porsche, Geographic Information System (GIS), market segmentation, SWOT analysis, internationalization, strategic marketing, case study.

• College: University of Applied Sciences Essen
• Grade: 2,0
• Author: Lars Steilmann (Author)
• Publication Year: 2015
• Pages: 73
• Catalog Number: V378165
• ISBN (eBook): 9783668554214
• ISBN (Book): 9783668554221
• Language: English
• Tags: Geomarketing, Marketing, Porsche, network planning, Netzwerkplanung, Standortsuche