Capstone Wharton Foundations Business
Capstone Wharton Foundations Business
Capstone Wharton Foundations Business
Oscar Fernandez
9/10/2015
Situational Analysis
Product or Service–
Describe the product or service you are developing a strategy for
The content we are looking to market through this service consists primarily of TV Shows and Movies,
the current offering for these services in India is very limited due to certain restrains which involve high
initial investments, licensing costs, legal processes, licensing agreements, technical barriers
(deficiency on internet penetration, lack of reliable broadband connection across the country) and
Cultural barriers.
Given the restrains mentioned to access this market, India is still one of the most attractive markets
for digital goods. The primary reason being the high volume of internet users, the constant yearly
growth of new users and most importantly the lack of an all in one subscription based video on
demand service that offers a diverse and rich variety of content.
Product or Service–
Describe the product or service you are developing a strategy for
The current internet penetration in India could be considered low at a mere 19.19% of the
population, making the service limited to a certain section of the Indian population. While still
considering this section of the population low, with the constant yearly user growth and the
current market size of 243 million active internet users. With a country starving of decent
entertainment, it is a very lucrative and attractive market to offer Digital Goods in the
entertainment category.
Economic Perspective
India’s economy has been significantly stable since the introduction of the industrial reform policies in
1991. Which has lead to the increase in the international trade sector with top partners being the
United States, European Union and the UAE.
According to the IMF World Economic Outlook of April, 2015. India ranks seventh globally in terms of
GDP at current prices and is expected to grow at 7.5 percent in 2016.
India’s economy has witnessed a significant economic growth in the recent past, growing by 7.3 per
cent in 2015 as against 6.9 per cent in 2014. The size of the Indian economy is estimated to be at Rs
129.57 trillion (US$ 2.01 trillion) for the year 2014 compared to Rs 118.23 trillion (US$ 1.84 trillion) in
2013.
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the Moody’s Investors Service have forecasted that India
will witness a GDP growth rate of 7.5 per cent in 2016, due to improved investor confidence, lower
food prices and better policy reforms.
According to Mr. Jayant Sinha, Minister of State for Finance, Indian economy would continue to grow
at 7 to 9 per cent and would double in size to US$ 4–5 trillion within a decade, becoming the third
largest economy in absolute terms.
External Environment –
Relevant economic, social, political, legal, technological trends
The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in India expanded 7.50 percent in the first quarter of 2015
over the same quarter of the previous year. GDP Annual Growth Rate in India averaged 6
percent from 1951 until 2015, reaching an all time high of 11.40 percent in the first quarter of
2010 and a record low of -5.20 percent in the fourth quarter of 1979.
External Environment –
Relevant economic, social, political, legal, technological trends
Social Perspective
According to (U.S. CIA, 2010. U.S. CIA Factbook), the social landscape of India has experimented
certain neglect. The major concerns for the country include:
In 2007, India ranked 128th out of 177 countries in human development. During the past decade, this
ranking has declined while the economy has grown at record rates. As an example, the gap of annual
earnings between those of the upper income groups and lower income groups has become more
noticeable over recent years.
India also ranks 142nd in the world for GDP expenditure on education by investing only 3.2% toward
these programs. This fact, along with their low literacy rates of 61% total (73% male, 48% female),
places India at a significant disadvantage with other developed and developing countries. For
instance, the U.S. literacy rate is 99% for both male and female, while China’s statistics show 92%
overall rate, with 96% men and 88% women. This data reveals two major problems for India:
Working population: The working population is conformed by 31.1% Children age (0-15 years),
63.6% of age (15-65 years) and 5.3% of age (65+ years). The median working age is 25.3 years.
Urban Population: In 2008 29% of the Indian population lived in a urban environment, with an
average urbanization growth of 2.5 % per annum (2005-2010).
Religion: The Indian religious system is diversified, conformed by 80.5% Hindu, 13.4% Muslim,
2.3% Christian,1.9% Sikh and 1.9% others.
Language: As with Religion, language is very diversified in India and is distributed as follows (Hindi
41%, Bengali 8.1%, Telugu 7.2%, Marathi 7%, Tamil 5.9%, Urdu 5%, Gujarati 4.5%, Kannada 3.7%,
Malayalam 3.2%, Oriya 3.2%, Punjabi 2.8%, Assamese 1.3%, Maithili 1.2%, other 5.9%).
Political Perspective
India is one of the biggest democracies in the word running on a federal form of government. The
political environment is greatly influenced by factors such as government’s policies, politician’s
interests, and the ideologies of several political parties. As a result, the business environment in India
is affected by multivariate political factors. The taxation system is well-developed and several taxes,
such as income tax, services tax and sales tax are imposed by the Union Government. Other taxes,
such as octroi and utilities, are taken care of by local bodies. Privatization is also influenced and the
government encourages free business through a variety of programs.
According to (U.S. CIA, 2010. U.S. CIA Factbook), The political landscape in India in contrast with it’s
social environment shows signs of stability, as Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his Indian
National Congress party were re-elected in 2009, which marks a first for the Indian government.
Conversely, terrorism and poor relations with its neighbors continues to be a dilemma, most notably
with Pakistan. The unrest with Pakistan includes fighting over the rightful claim of Kashmir, which the
U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) recognizes as the world’s largest and most militarized dispute
over territory.
External Environment –
Relevant economic, social, political, legal, technological trends
Legal Perspective
According to (U.S. CIA, 2010. U.S. CIA Factbook), India’s legal system is very comprehensive, with
taxation policies that encourage foreign direct investment. The judicial system is fair, equitable, and
transparent by design. However, lack of resources and inefficient processes has caused a massive
backlog in cases, which undermines India’s credibility on a global stage. Furthermore, the country
continues to rank high on corruption and displays a lack of will to counter this trend, as most political
battles are focused on religion and the caste system.
Technological Perspective
According to (Bertsch, Andy, James Ondracek, M. Saeed, Sonnie Bates, and ABM Abdullah.
"Business Environment in India: An International Perspective.") India’s technological landscape is a
driving force in the success of the nation. The demands for research and development continue to
outpace the number of qualified graduates with science and engineering degrees. Furthermore, the
government’s strategic plan gives priority to expanding R&D in universities and increasing
opportunities in the scientific fields of study.
India currently has wireless 3G and 4G technology which has facilitated several of their technological
projects given the limitation of the wired internet infrastructure in some areas. Furthermore, the
country also possesses one of the strongest IT sectors in the world, promoting constant IT
development, software upgrades and other technological advancements. Recently, India has also
attempted to launch their satellites into space.
External Environment –
Relevant economic, social, political, legal, technological trends
Leaving aside the limitations of the current wired internet infrastructure, India is currently growing at
a steady pace in the technology field. The smartphone penetration is rapidly growing given the
continuous reductions in costs to acquire mobile devices and data services (Mobile Internet). India
is going digital and mobile, partially fixing the issue of unreliable internet access and opening the
doors to a wider spectrum of users which also have a demand for digital entertainment.
External Environment –
Nature and extent of demand (demand elasticity & size of the market)
Market Size
The addressable market size consists of 19.19% of the Indian population or 243 million people which
represent the current amount of active internet users in India.
Market Segmentation
The market for Digital entertainment goods is segmented in two parts:
1) Wired internet users.
2) Wireless internet users.
Market Elasticity
Contrary to the inelastic trend of western digital entertainment subscribers, the Indian market can be
considered a very elastic market for digital subscription services. The reason of the market’s elasticity
can be attributed to the limited purchasing power of the average user as well as the vast availability of
Digital content through other sources (illegal) which has always been the preferred alternative to
access digital content in India.
External Environment –
Industry structure (entry/exit barriers)
Hungama
Spuul
Sony LIV /
Others Digital LIV Sports
Digital Entertainment
Eros Now Entertainment BigFlix Competitors
Leaders (India) (India)
Hotstar Ditto TV
Box TV
External Environment –
Industry structure (entry/exit barriers)
Market Barriers
Entry Barriers
• Economies of scale
• Strict licensing regulations
• High Capital Investment
• Distribution Channels
• Government policies protecting local media and entertainment industries
• Weak customer loyalty
Exit Barriers
• Highly specialized infrastructure
• Long term assets and/or liabilities
• Government policies intended to maintain employment levels
• Specialized workforce
External Environment –
Industry structure – Competition (nature of competition, profile of competitors (background, resources, etc.),
market shares, & stage of product life cycle)
Industry Structure
Nature of competition:
The current nature of the SVoD (Subscription based video on demand services) industry competition in
India is an Oligopoly. The current entertainment offerings are very similar with a small number of
service providers and relatively high entry barriers.
Indian
(SVoD)
Industry
External Environment –
Industry structure – Competition (nature of competition, profile of competitors (background, resources, etc.),
market shares, & stage of product life cycle)
Marketing Strategy:
The current approach/channels used by Indian SVoD companies to market their offerings are:
Web Ads
TV Commercials
Social Media
Printed Ads
Other
External Environment –
Marketing Channels
Social Media
With social media growing in India at a rate of approximately one user per second and with a total
number of active social media users of 134 million (10%) of the total Indian population, Social Media
has become one of the most successful channels used by SVoD service providers to market their
offerings.
External Environment –
Marketing Channels
Web Ads
Taking in consideration the high number of internet users within the Indian population combined
with the average time spent daily on the internet by device per user, the strategic use of web
based ads has been one of the most successful channels on customer acquisition for SVoD
service providers in India.
External Environment –
Marketing Channels
Email
The use of email based ads/promotions is one of the most effective and least difficult to execute
marketing strategies on a global context. With India the case is not remotely different, with tailored
offers and service test trails being offered directly to the user within the same platform that the
goods offered are delivered (Internet), email advertising has been a top channel for SVoD service
providers to market their offerings and acquire customer subscriptions in India.
Internal Environment –
Resources (Top management, Marketing, Production, Finance, research & development)
Top Management
Within the required company resources to launch the project/opportunity the approval of Top
Management is key, the involvement and approval from the top executives of the firm which
represent and protect the interest of the stakeholders as well as determine the company’s goals,
objectives, strategies and future projections is indispensable for the opportunity. Their input and
expertise is very valuable for the successful development of the project.
Marketing
The involvement of the marketing department is an elemental and deciding factor on the success of
the project. A successful marketing strategy can make the difference in terms of reaching the correct
audience, business promotion and sales/subscriptions. With an elastic market and low customer
loyalty, a proper marketing campaign is key for success.
Internal Environment –
Resources (Top management, Marketing, Production, Finance, research & development)
Finance
The finance department is an invaluable resource and key element on the successful development
of the project. The department will provide input on available financial resources and support,
formulation of a financial strategy as well as being responsible for conducting regular financial
analysis and research.
Positioning
Within the Indian online market Snapdeal is currently positioned as the best advertising and discount
platform. For product and service providers it acts as a great advertising platform and for consumers
it acts as a low price online market. Snapdeal focuses on selling exclusively genuine quality products.
Pricing Strategy
The pricing strategy used by Snapdeal aims to offer good value for money to consumers and remain
highly competitive in the market. (High Quality Goods at Low/Affordable Prices).
Distribution Strategy
Snapdeal uses an inventory-free strategy, it is focused on a merchant based supply chain which is
conformed by more than 150,000 individual merchants who list their stock of products. Snapdeal sells
an average of 25,000 products daily and offers to ship them to over 4000 Indian towns and cities.
Promotions Strategy
Snapdeal implements a promotional strategy based on coupons, giveaways, promotional codes and
deals. Promotional offers are seasonal and on constant rotation, Snapdeal primarily delivers
promotions through Social Media, Email and Website/App (Discounts & Deals).
Internal Environment –
Problem definition & Critical Factors
Market Segments
The SVoD project is aimed to the same market segment as it’s parent company (Snapdeal) within but
not limited to India. There is the possibility to expand to other markets in the future.
Demographic Segments
• People in the age group of 16 to 60 years typically conform this segment.
• Individuals who are either college students or people who have recently started earning.
• Individuals having moderate to high family income.
Geographic Segment
• Indian urban and rural class with access to a reliable internet connection (Web or Mobile).
Psychographics Segment
• People in the Indian upper middle class and above.
Behavioral Segments
• Internet savvy users.
• People who are not afraid to make online transactions.
• People who want to try new products or services.
Market Analysis & Segmentation –
Target Audience
The service we are looking to offer to the Indian market is destined to target a mass market of
consumer-paid streaming subscription service of movies and TV shows with aims to have the largest
number of subscribers regardless of age, sex, background, preferences, religion or beliefs. The
nature of the industry does not typically allow segmentation due to the wide variety of content for all
audiences.
Although our SVoD (Subscription based video on demand service) targets a mass market within India,
our approach is focused on satisfying individual subscribers needs within the target audience in order
to retain them long term (Loyalty). The preferred audience are tech savvy individuals in college or
graduates, belonging to the Indian upper middle class and above, located in a urban environment with
availability to reliable internet access and within the age bracket of (18-40 years) primarily due to
higher income levels which represent a higher market share and a higher index of loyalty.
Market Positioning –
Proposed brand positioning
Positioning
The main priority of SVoD (Subscription-based-Video-on-demand services) customers is to receive a
convenient, affordable, fast and personalized streaming service with a wide variety of content (Movies
and TV Shows). Our offering focuses on positioning itself as the provider of choice within the Indian
market by providing a mass market service that is convenient, affordable, fast, personalized, with a
wide variety of content catering the demand of the Indian market at an attractive affordable cost
making it a more viable, practical and cost effective solution to the customer than pirating content.
The successful execution of opportunity would enhance and expand Snapdeal’s brand, the company
will not only offer the Indian e-commerce marketplace tangible goods and services but also digital
entertainment which opens the doors to the offering of other digital goods (expansion). A strategy
similar to the one followed by one of the segments top industry leader in North America and Europe
(Amazon).
In terms of brand positioning the opportunity would position Snapdeal at the top within it’s direct
competitor (Flipkart) by becoming the leading Indian e-commerce marketplace of tangible goods and
digital entertainment. The incorporation of digital services (Entertainment) offers the company a
competitive advantage over the competition by diversifying it’s digital service portfolio which once fully
expanded (Books, Audiobooks, Music, Cloud Service, App Store) will place the company as the
leading all in one Indian solution for goods and digital services, similar to the market position of
Amazon in North America (Leader).
Market Positioning –
Communication objectives
Customer Retention/Satisfaction
For the company to achieve a strong customer retention the first step is analyzing the competition
and adjusting the service according to the gaps within the market. The second step is listening to
customers and establishing an effective co-creation culture. The third step is analyzing data use and
making strategic changes according to found behaviors and trends.
Operations Plan
Operations Plans –
Describe your plan for cost, quality, variety and responsiveness of the new line
Distribution Channels
The primary distribution channel for our SVoD service is Online Video on Demand Streaming to
media devices such as Smart Phones, Tablets, Smart Televisions, PC and Gaming Consoles.
Operational Flow
The core operations of the service, responsible for delivering the content to the customer will be
designed using a direct business to customer model (b2c) where content is requested by the user
through our portal/app, then transferred to the data center where it is processed through our servers
by an algorithm that optimizes it to be streamed back on the best video and audio quality supported
by the customers internet connection/device. Customers can also opt to download content before
watching which allows them to watch in full HD quality without requiring the device to be connected to
the network aiding bandwidth insufficiency to stream content at full HD quality.
To ensure a seamless integration between core operations and successful customer experience the
implementation of support operations is required, support operations will be responsible for customer
support and infrastructure maintenance/content update. For this division, Snapdeal’s customer
support and maintenance departments will be expanded to successfully fulfill customers inquiries and
perform regular maintenance/content update for both (Marketplace and Digital Entertainment).
Marketing will be handled by Snapdeal’s marketing division.
Operations Plans –
Describe your plan for cost, quality, variety and responsiveness of the new line
Operational Diagram
Below is a representation of the fundamental elements that conform the operational aspect of the
service.
Financial Plan
Financial Plan –
Estimate of costs and revenue for the new line
Net Income
(11%)
Initial Investment
The initial required investment to launch the project will be focused on expanding Snapdeal’s current
infrastructure to support the Digital Entertainment branch as well as funding legal and operational
costs consisting of: Restructuring of Internal Departments, Required PP&E, Software Development,
Workforce Training, Legal Fees, Initial Marketing Campaign and working capital. The initial required
investment is estimated to be US$25 million for the first year. The initial founding campaign aimed at
Snapdeal’s investors/stakeholders is intended to raise US$100 million to support the development of
the project over the course of 4 years.
The obtained results indicate that intentionally evaluating the project with a pessimistic approach
(Worst case scenario) it still remains considerably profitable while maintaining a healthy annual
growth rate.
Integration & Evaluation
Timetable of Activities
Market Entry Timeline
• The government’s frequent tax increase policy, tax rates for digital content have increased
drastically over the past few years. This year (2015) the Indian government increased taxes from
12% to 14% and it’s expected to continue this trend.
• Bandwidth cap, if ISP’s decide to constraint the amount of bandwidth they provide in a scenario
where the amount of internet users grows at a faster rate than their infrastructure’s capacity. In this
situation the best solution is to keep a close relationship with Indian ISP’s and stimulate the
proposal of a contract/deal that excludes the company’s content from the cap limitation, another
solution would be optimizing the content’s bitrate to consume the least amount of bandwidth at the
expense of video and audio quality.
Bibliography
References
• Bertsch, Andy, James Ondracek, M. Saeed, Sonnie Bates, and ABM Abdullah. "Business Environment in
India: An International Perspective.“ 2015.
• Bauman,L., Deal, N., Ishak, P., & Johnson, S. "Netflix Environmental Scan / SWOT Analysis.“ 3 Feb. 2013
• "India’s Technology Opportunity: Transforming Work, Empowering People." McKinsey Global Institute, 2014.