Unit IV Research Project Marketing Plan This week you will continue your comprehensive marketing plan researching the SAME Company that you researched in previous units. Again, utilizing the CSU Online Library, you will research the various elements of the marketing plan as it relates to this company. In Unit IV you will provide a comprehensive discussion of the products and/or services provided by your organization. Product This section will provide a comprehensive look at the products, product lines, and services that are offered by your company. This will include discussions about the quality of the product/service and other additions such as warranties, installation, service plans, or unique packaging features that are included with the product (if pertinent). Include a discussion of whether your company’s products/services would be considered business-to-consumer (B2C) or business-to-business (B2B).Branding is also considered a part of the product offering, thus a discussion of the branding efforts associated with your company and the importance of said branding in the overall product offering should be included. Within this discussion, review the positioning strategy of your company. Competitive Advantage A competitive advantage is an important goal of every company, address whether your company has a competitive advantage WITH RESPECT TO PRODUCT. The idea is to discuss whether your company has a competitive advantage with respect to their product offering and the attributes associated with product as discussed above. Competitive advantage with respect to promotion, place, and pricing will be discussed in later sections of the marketing plan. Once you have stated your position, remember to include your rationale. Your submission should be a minimum of two pages in length, double-spaced with a reference page and title page. References should include at least one additional, credible reference beyond the textbook. All sources used must be referenced; paraphrased and quoted material must have accompanying citations and cited per APA guidelines. Include the use of subheadings (this week consider using Product and Competitive Advantage in Product). Running head-SANDISK SANDISK 2 SanDisk general performance Name Affiliated institution General information about SanDisk There are many companies including Toshiba, Apple, Intel, among many others that have continued to evolve over the years since more and more people are adopting to these technologies. The industry has continued to grow with the immense growth of technologies and immense need for storage devices. SanDisk, (2016) argues that since its establishment, the companies has been selling to customers in USA and more than a half of its sales being made outside the country. It has established more than 260,000 retail locations in more than 200 countries, and it also manufactures its products in China and Japan. The company is very creative in the way it designs, developme ...

1. Unit IV Research Project
Marketing Plan
This week you will continue your comprehensive marketing
plan researching the SAME Company that you researched in
previous units. Again, utilizing the CSU Online Library, you
will research the various elements of the marketing plan as it
relates to this company. In Unit IV you will provide a
comprehensive discussion of the products and/or services
provided by your organization.
Product
This section will provide a comprehensive look at the products,
product lines, and services that are offered by your company.
This will include discussions about the quality of the
product/service and other additions such as warranties,
installation, service plans, or unique packaging features that are
included with the product (if pertinent). Include a discussion of
whether your company’s products/services would be considered
business-to-consumer (B2C) or business-to-business
(B2B).Branding is also considered a part of the product
offering, thus a discussion of the branding efforts associated
with your company and the importance of said branding in the
overall product offering should be included. Within this
discussion, review the positioning strategy of your company.
Competitive Advantage
A competitive advantage is an important goal of every company,
address whether your company has a competitive advantage
WITH RESPECT TO PRODUCT. The idea is to discuss whether
your company has a competitive advantage with respect to their
product offering and the attributes associated with product as
discussed above. Competitive advantage with respect to
promotion, place, and pricing will be discussed in later sections
of the marketing plan. Once you have stated your position,
remember to include your rationale.
Your submission should be a minimum of two pages in length,

2. double-spaced with a reference page and title page. References
should include at least one additional, credible reference beyond
the textbook. All sources used must be referenced; paraphrased
and quoted material must have accompanying citations and cited
per APA guidelines. Include the use of subheadings (this week
consider using Product and Competitive Advantage in Product).
Running head-SANDISK
SANDISK 2
SanDisk general performance
Name
Affiliated institution
General information about SanDisk
There are many companies including Toshiba, Apple, Intel,
among many others that have continued to evolve over the years
since more and more people are adopting to these technologies.
The industry has continued to grow with the immense growth of
technologies and immense need for storage devices. SanDisk,
(2016) argues that since its establishment, the companies has
been selling to customers in USA and more than a half of its

3. sales being made outside the country. It has established more
than 260,000 retail locations in more than 200 countries, and it
also manufactures its products in China and Japan. The
company is very creative in the way it designs, developments
and makes its storage devices. Some of the products that keeps
it ahead of its competitors include products like flash drives,
caching software for laptops, USB flash drives, memory cards
which are used in smartphones and those in cameras, embedded
flash drives, PCs applications and enterprise applications.
However, like other companies who are doing remarkably well,
they also face immense challenges and competition like
Samsung and Apple Inc.
Financial record of its performance
In 2013, the company performed very well because its revenues
were increased by 22% from 5.05 billion dollars in 2012 to 6.18
billion dollars in 2013. These increased revenues have been
attributed to an increased use of USBs, U3, Central management
and control, SanDisk Sansa, start key, Eye-Fi, FlashCP and
ULLtraDIMM, SSDs and memory chips from its customers who
are firmly adopting these technologies. The company’s cash and
short-term investment account to 2.91 billion dollars as per the
year 2013. It is also important to note that in the same year, the
company generated 616.8 million dollars from other operating
activities. It was also able to purchase 150 million stocks and
also pay a dividend of 50.6 million. Properties that the company
has acquired include Fusion-io in 2014, Smart Storage in 2013
which produces SSDs, Schooner Information Technology, and
flash soft, Pilant technology in 2012M-Systems in 2006 and
2005; it acquired Matrix Semiconductor (SanDisk, 2016).
Competition
According to SanDisk, (2016), SanDisk has continued to face
competition from various semiconductor manufacturers and
those that manufacture and resale flash memory cards, USB
drives digital audio players among many others. San Disk faces
competition on its flash memory card and USB drive
manufacturers from companies like A-Data Technology,

4. Fujifilm Corporation, Hagiwara, Samsung, Sony, Toshiba and
Verbatim Corporation. Apple Inc. is its main competitor in
digital Audio and video player while semiconductor
manufacturer competitors include Hynix, IM Flash
Technologies, Samsung and Micron. Intel is also one of the
primary competitors which designs, manufactures and sells its
integrated technology which is also digital. It also distributes its
products on a worldwide scale, just like San Disk.
How SanDisk manages to stay ahead of its competitors
However, the company has continued to stay ahead of its
competitors because according to Hoovers, (2016), they have
always had a tradition of innovation and high standard
creativity. This has enabled the company to grow its market
share as its flash memory is always on demand. They have also
had flash ventures with Toshiba which provides the company
with low costs of production. They have a large variety of card
formats compared to other forms from other competitors
companies making SanDisk remain ahead of others. By
establishing retail shops around the world and also having
developed a global retail distribution system has helped them
acquire a significant market share. Their removable flash cards
and USB flash drives are unique and were well accepted in the
market.

5. References
Hoovers. (2016). Retrieved from
http://www.hoovers.com/company-information/cs/company-
profile.SanDisk_Corporation.aa3e40e9230ec935.html.
SanDisk . (2016). Retrieved from https://www.sandisk.com/.
SanDisk. (2016, April). Retrieved from
https://datafox.com/competitors/sandisk.
Running head: swot analysis 1
swot analysis 5
SWOT Analysis
SanDisk Company
Introduction

6. SanDisk as one of the leading providers of the flash memory
products like the PCI flash, SSDs, server solutions, mobile
storage, MP3 players and removable memory cards and USB
drives has grown tremendously in the last twenty seven years.
In the digital world today, they have a vast market segment
ranging from individual and business corporate solutions. Any
individual with an electronic gadget is likely to be their client.
The target age group ranges from as young as four years of age
old children who play video games to adult aged. Anybody with
a mobile or cell phone device, laptop, tablets or computers are
their target market. Anybody on the Internet is also a potential
client. The demographic coverage for their products is the entire
world. Every country, every nation, all cultures, religious
sectors, age groups, genders amongst other groups who have
embraced technology are potential clients for their products.
The Internet has led to globalization which makes the world a
small large market place. Individuals and companies can source
electronic devices from anywhere in the world and SanDisk can
supply their products to all as well (Fujita & Thisse, 2013).
Social media and social sites and applications have led to a
behavioural change where everybody relies on electronic
gadgets and the internet to communicate, share data whether
audio, video or text, learn, campaign amongst other things
people may need to share or exchange. Electronic storage
devices thus become a necessity to store, backup, transfer and
exchange data.
SWOT ANALYSIS
Like every other organisation, the SanDisk Company has its
strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. It could
therefore utilise the SWOT analysis to uncover an exploit
available opportunities by maximising its strengths, work on
reducing its weaknesses as well as understanding risks to the
business in order to protect the organization against potential
threats (Fleisher & Bensoussan, 2003).

7. Strengths
Weaknesses
· There are no barriers to market entry because the Internet has
an already open market online purchases increase daily.
· High growth rate due to the rise in users of their SSD and
storage devices both individual and businesses.
· High profitability and continuous revenue growth due to the
growing increase in customers.
· Good credibility hence has access to monetary assistance that
can improve their product range and coverage thus growth in
business.
· They have an innovative and highly skilled technical and
managerial workforce.
· Their productivity is at times lower than the demand.
· The cost of production is high.
· There has to be continuous investment in research and
development to keep up with technology changes.
· The tax structure is high for their products.
· They have to produce in small batches to avoid wastage due to
dynamic technology.
· Access to monetary assistance may lead to large loans.
Opportunities
Threats
· New Markets emerge each day as new technology in software
and devices evolve
· New products and services due to market demand.
· Growing demand as the world becomes digitalised especially
in terms of communication, storage, transfer of data and data
recording.
· Growth in demand and products leads to growth in revenue
and profitability
· Growth in revenue and profitability leads to growth in
economy
· Rise in competition due to proof that the demand is high and

8. rate of success in continuous profitability.
· Cash flow may be an issue due to loans and high production
levels especially when demand overwhelms supply.
· Increasing interest rates in those they borrow money from.
· High tax rates
References
Fleisher, C. S., & Bensoussan, B. E. (2003). Strategic and
competitive analysis: Methods and techniques for analyzing
business competition. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.
Fujita, M., & Thisse, J.-F. (2013). Economics of agglomeration:
Cities, industrial location, and globalization (2nd ed.).
Cambridge: Cambridge University Press (Virtual Publishing).
Running head: pest analysis 1
pest analysis 5
PEST Analysis
SanDisk Company

9. An overview of SanDisk Company
According to SanDisk, (2016), over the last twenty-seven years,
SanDisk has continued to innovate and develop devices which
have transformed the storing of information on digital
platforms. Their flash memory innovations and inventions have
grown beyond imagination, and they have been adopted by the
world’s leading data centers. It has its headquarters in
California and it manufactures products like memory cards,
readers, USB flash drives and solid state drives. Their devices
have also been embedded in various devices like smart laptops,
phones, tablets. Even though they have acquired a considerable
share of this market, this company vows to go yonder and be
more creative in providing hi-tech storage devices. They have
manufactured flash storage facilities which suit their client’s
uses at home, or even for business. Their products have
acquired a bigger market share because they are of superior
quality, and their performance is impressive. Their products are
also very affordable and therefore can be accessed by everyone.
For instance, regarding costs, their flash memory was reduced
by 50,000 times and it has increased its performance 30,000
times. Their creativity and innovation have earned them the
recognition of being a number one company in storage
facilities. More and even more resources are being used by the
company in research and experimentation to make sure that they
meet the future demands of their customers. Their devices can
either be embedded in hardware, or they can be removable. The
company also ensures that the society can trust them to keep
their valuable memories using their affordable storage flashes.
This company has thousands of stores all around the world,
meaning that their products can easily be accessed.

10. PEST analysis
Political
· The EU regulation governing Privacy Act was released to
encourage data security especially when it comes to legal data
security issues. These problems are making the company be
more creative and produce technologies which are capable of
securing and protecting data. However, when breaches occur on
data security, it becomes a real issue, and which negatively
impacts the company. These legislations place the business in
an impossible position.
· The ability of government to access data is also another
political issue. There are some countries where this practice is
encouraged while in others, it is not encouraged.
Economic
· SanDisk ensures that they have created flash storage facilities
that are 50,000 times cheaper and 30,000 times more effective
compared to other storage facilities from other companies.
· Their products are pocket friendly
· SanDisk Corporation (NASDAQ: SNDK), NAICS Codes
334112, 541711, 2016 Revenue 5,564,872,000 with over 8,000
employees.
Social
· San disk provides support when their clients need it. This
support can be accessed quickly from their robust website
resources. They also have knowledgeable agents who work 24
hours around the clock to ensure that they attend to all their
clients.
· They have a collaborative approach where they collaborate
with the device manufacturer, OS vendors, mobile network
operators, design firms, chipset providers, application
developers and system integrators to ensure that their customers

11. enjoy their experience when working with their devices.
· Their devices are highly trusted by over millions of people and
organizations because of its quality and reliability. Their
products can store relevant information in the form of photos
which most likely stores in the form of a technology.
Technological
· They work tirelessly, invest a lot of money and resources in
research to make sure that they meet the future storage needs of
their clients.
· They have first class engineering teams and a rigorous quality
control team which ensure that their customers can trust the
products they deliver.
· Even though their devices are cheaper compared to the same
products from other companies, SanDisk devices are more
efficient, superior performance and of high quality.
References
SanDisk. (2016). Retrieved from
https://www.sandisk.com/about/company
SanDisk Corporation. (n.d.). Retrieved September 13, 2016,
from http://www.zoominfo.com/c/SanDisk-
Corporation/214679943