Question

How to construct a stakeholder analysis table (for Section I):

List your decision options across the top, the stakeholders along the side, and in the table indicate with plusses and minuses (i.e., + & -) the effect of each decision on each stakeholder. If a decision has a strong effect on a particular stakeholder, you can indicate this with more than one + or -.

For example, a generic stakeholder analysis table might look like:

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                                                            Decision

                                                Decision A      Decision B      [note: for your paper don’t say Decision A;                                                                                                   use a descriptive label for the decision.]

Stakeholders

            Stockholders                    +                      -                 

Employees                        --                      +                 [note – these stakeholders are just

            Customers                        +                      -                  examples; your stakeholders will

            Community                      -                       +++            probably be different]

            .

            .

            .

            (etc.)

To conduct your utilitarian analysis, count-up the plusses and minuses, and pick the decision where the plusses most outweigh the minuses. In the above table, Decision A has 2 plusses and 3 minuses, for a net of minus 1. Decision B has 4 plusses and 2 minuses, with a net of plus 2. So, from a utilitarian perspective, Decision B is more ethical.

Incredible Shrinking Potato Chip Package
Topic: Cost vs. price vs. value issues
Characters: Jen, Brand Manager for potato chips at a regional salty snacks manufacturer
Derek, Marketing Director for the regional salty snacks manufacturer
Jen has been concerned about the profitability of the various items in her line of potato chips. According
to her potato suppliers, the recent drought caused a 35 percent reduction in the potato crop compared to
one year ago, resulting in a 25 percent hike in potato prices to large buyers like Jen’s company. Potatoes
accounted for almost all of the content of her chips (which also consisted of vegetable oil, one of three
different flavoring spices, and salt), plus there were packaging costs. To hold the line on margins, which
of late had been slim at only about 5 percent due to fierce competition from several other local and
regional brands, Jen would need to raise potato chip prices about 15 percent. On her most popular 7.5
oz. size, which had a price spot of $2.19 on the package, this would require a price hike of $.33, bringing
the price up to $2.52.
Jen wondered what would be the appropriate strategy to deal with this unfortunate circumstance. She
was very reluctant to raise the price to maintain the margin. First, she feared incurring the bad will of her
loyal customers; it wouldn’t be perceived as fair by them. Moreover, she was worried about competitive
responses; her other larger competitors might be willing to incur a loss in the short-run to keep their
customer bases and to attract price-hiking rivals’ customers. Jen couldn’t afford such a strategy since she
was evaluated solely on the basis of monthly net profits. Historical data in this industry revealed another
possible competitive maneuver in the face of rising ingredient costs: hold the line on prices and package
size while reducing the net weight of the package.
Jen was concerned that this might be a deceptive practice. She recalled from a Consumer Behavior
course she had taken in college a concept known as the “just noticeable difference.” This said that
relatively small changes in a stimulus (such as a price hike or content shrinkage) go unnoticed by
consumers. Jen felt intuitively that the price increase necessary to maintain margins would be noticed,
given the price sensitivity of buyers for snack foods. However, the past industry data suggested that
perhaps buyers might not notice the package size reduction needed to sustain profits, which in this case
would be 1.1 ounces.
Jen asked her boss, Derek, the Marketing Director, about the advisability of reducing the net weight of
the potato chips. Derek said that this was a practice known variously as “downsizing” and “package
shorting.” It was a very common practice among packaged goods manufacturers. For instance, he said,
candy bar manufacturers are subject to constantly fluctuating ingredient prices, and because there are
expected (“fair” or “reference”) prices for candy bars, package sizes are frequently adjusted without
informing consumers. Jim said that was a nonissue since marketers have been above board in labeling
products accurately as to weight, serving size, price, and quantity. Furthermore, the Food and Drug
Administration had no laws against the practice. Derek recommended downsizing the potato chips, but he
made it clear to Jen that the ultimate decision was up to her. Jen still had her doubts. After all, it would
seem that consumers who are in the habit of buying a particular product size generally don’t scrutinize the
net weight label on subsequent purchases. If this were true, it seemed to Jen that downsizing would be a
deceptive practice.

Answer 1

Decision analysis :

There are two more options which Jen can consider

1. Launch a new flavour - by rejigging some of the flavours and coming up with a new one. A new launch will enable her to price the product higher , grab a share of market with novelty value and avoid loss. Ideally flavour can be a seasonal one which means that it can be withdrawn later . However this is not an easy task as launching new products take time

2. Launch a special promo pack - with a special offer on the pack . This will enable Jen to increase the price on the back of the promotion being offered without causing a backlash from consumers. After consumers get used to the new price, she can withdraw the promotion.

Here is the decision analysis for her

	Increase price	Decrease package	New Flavour launch	Promo Pack
Consumer	-	-	+	+
Jen	+	-	+	+
Jen's company	+	+	+	+

Hence in mu opinion , if it is feasible for her Jen should launch a brand new promo pack with better graphics and a great promotion on pack - and increase the price