Horseshoe Market
| Horseshoe Market | Steel vs. Aluminum | Problems/Case Paper #2 | | Shelby Thiebaud | 7/17/2013 | Marketing Management | MKTG 508-020 | Dr. Walter Kendall |
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Overview
In the July 17, 2013 edition of The Wall Street Journal, John W. Miller wrote an article titled Some Think Shoes Make the Horse, but Others Tend to Say Neigh. This article takes off talking about a Standardbred horse (Incredible Dragon) on a harness race winning streak whose trainer gives credit to his (Dragon) shoes. Dragon has been on the winning streak since his shoes were arranged with two aluminum shoes on his front hoofs and two steel shoes in back. Crediting success to the horse’s shoes raises many eyebrows in the horse world. Defining which shoes are best for any particular horse would be beneficial for both the market and consumers. The predicament in this market is the lack of scientific proof to which (aluminum or steel) has the upper hand in the horseshoe market.
Problem
The problem is that neither consumers nor merchants know whether the steel or aluminum horseshoe is best for any particular horse. Users base their decisions on many variables such as the horse’s gait, the track, hoof shape and the weather, but also their opinion. The situation that needs to be addressed here is the lack of scientific proof to which horseshoe is best for any certain horse.
Situational Analysis
Strengths
Horseshoes have been around for many centuries and are a must in the horse industry, especially the racing business. As long as horses are being raced and used for competitions, a type of horseshoe will be necessary to keep on the market. The strongest part of the “shoes” is the need for them in the horse industry worldwide.
Weaknesses
The horseshoe market is driven by opinions not facts. This is a weakness because misunderstanding and confusion about which type of metal is best for a particular horse leads to incorrect information about the products on the market.
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Overview
In the July 17, 2013 edition of The Wall Street Journal, John W. Miller wrote an article titled Some Think Shoes Make the Horse, but Others Tend to Say Neigh. This article takes off talking about a Standardbred horse (Incredible Dragon) on a harness race winning streak whose trainer gives credit to his (Dragon) shoes. Dragon has been on the winning streak since his shoes were arranged with two aluminum shoes on his front hoofs and two steel shoes in back. Crediting success to the horse’s shoes raises many eyebrows in the horse world. Defining which shoes are best for any particular horse would be beneficial for both the market and consumers. The predicament in this market is the lack of scientific proof to which (aluminum or steel) has the upper hand in the horseshoe market.
Problem
The problem is that neither consumers nor merchants know whether the steel or aluminum horseshoe is best for any particular horse. Users base their decisions on many variables such as the horse’s gait, the track, hoof shape and the weather, but also their opinion. The situation that needs to be addressed here is the lack of scientific proof to which horseshoe is best for any certain horse.
Situational Analysis
Strengths
Horseshoes have been around for many centuries and are a must in the horse industry, especially the racing business. As long as horses are being raced and used for competitions, a type of horseshoe will be necessary to keep on the market. The strongest part of the “shoes” is the need for them in the horse industry worldwide.
Weaknesses
The horseshoe market is driven by opinions not facts. This is a weakness because misunderstanding and confusion about which type of metal is best for a particular horse leads to incorrect information about the products on the market.
References: Miller, J. W. (2013). Some think shoes make the horse, but others say neigh. The Wall Street Journal, CCLXII(14), 1;A12.