Question 1 Based on the case study, select one country in the Arab world and critically analyze the market demographics, then select a lucrative market segment and for that segment argue a case for a product offering based on the internet usage that delivers some value to the customer.

In the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), the population is 28,160,273 people with immigrants making up over 30% of the population (Index Mundi, 2017). Many expatriates from other countries come to work in the KSA, in fields like health care and IT, but the KSA is currently promoting a Saudization initiative which is designed to get more native Saudis educated, trained and into the workforce (Al-Dosary, 2005). 19% of consumers are aged 15-24 (nearly equally divided between males and females) and 46% are between the ages of 25-54. The median age is 27 and 83% of the population is urbanized.

The prime segment to target is the 15-24 year-old market segment, as this is nearly 20% of the Saudi population. This segment would benefit from a product like fiber-optics Internet (high-speed Internet), which is the next step forward in high-speed Internet. It is reported by Reuters (2017) that Saudi Telecom has indeed signed on to Saudi’s fiber upgrade. The upgrade will allow Saudi Telecom to connect 1.3 million housing units with fiber-optic lines (Reuters, 2017). Having access to high-speed Internet is important in the Digital Age as so much information is shared via the Internet today and so much video and music is streamed online. Without high-speed Internet, one’s browsing experience can be frustrated. This access will allow this segment to obtain online education more easily, and since education is needed now more than ever among Saudi’s in order for Saudization to work, this product is perfect for this young segment.

One of the barriers to selling fiber optics Internet to consumers has been the lack of infrastructure and the cost of installation. With Saudi Telecom committing to the upgrade, this barrier is no longer an issue. The better quality streams and faster service will be attractive to the core Internet users in the country.

Thanks to this upgrade, Saudis can now have more access to online education. Online education is a great way for Saudis who may not be able to travel to other regions for campus-based classes to receive the education they need to get a job in the fields that the KSA is currently trying to fill with native Saudis. Online education is a great product that Saudis should take advantage of, as it is cheaper that campus-based education and provides access to the material that students need to gain the skills and degrees necessary for finding employment in the KSA (Haynie, 2015).

Online education is the best way forward for native Saudis looking to obtain a position in fields where many expatriates are being rotated out. Because of the KSA’s geographical obstacles to education, online education is a great and inexpensive way to obtaining the skills and training needed. With the arrival of fiber optics Internet thanks to Saudi Telecom, more people

Question 2

Critically evaluate the unique positioning...

Present a case with practical examples that in your opinion how does the launch of Maren could affect the business of the Microscoft in the Arab world.
Based on the behavior of the selected segment of consumers in the KSA, a case with practical examples would be using the Internet for online schooling, which can be a way to facilitate education and the implementation of Saudization. As many students, especially women cannot leave the home to attend classes in another region (especially true for nursing students), online education via fiber optics Internet service can really help strengthen the country’s development (Appana, 2008). As McCutcheon and Traynor (2015) show, online education is helpful in providing nursing students with the clinical skills they need to succeed in the field. For a country committed to Saudization of a field that is primarily serviced by expatriates, online education via fiber optics is an incredibly good way to get the education Saudis need at a cheaper rate and in a more accessible and flexible manner.

In the KSA, young men and women (especially women) have responsibilities in the home and to their families. They are not always able to make the long voyages to specialized schools to receive education and training for their selected fields. This is especially the case for nursing, as there are only a handful of accredited nursing colleges in the KSA. Online education would appeal to this segment, especially when it comes to nursing, because there are so few Saudi nurses working in the KSA. There is a need for more and marketing online education to this segment would be a good way to move the product.

Likewise, the launch of Maren could affect the business of Microsoft in the Arab world by helping the Arab population in the KSA to more effectively use keyboards on their computers to write in their own language while they are doing their distance-learning courses online. It is actually a great fit for students in the segment population—a keyboard that allows them to type in Arabish and have it come out on their documents as Arabic. It is just the thing that students need to succeed in their academic careers as online education becomes more popular in the KSA. Thus Maren is a perfect product that is coming at just the right time for Saudi students who can finally obtain the type of education they need thanks to the help of fiber optics and Microsoft’s Maren, which will allow them to type in their own native language.

2 Arabic BlackBerry

Question 1

Compare and contrast the positive and negative consumer attitudes towards a brand like

BlackBery might develop and critically analyze the role the BlackBerry appears to be

playing in the development of mobile handset market in the Arab world?

Many of the positive attitudes towards a brand like BlackBerry stem from its utility and its ability to use “push email” instead having to “pull emails” from a network. This gives the BlackBerry and its users more mobility and…