Strategic Formulation for Competitive Advantage

Course: Cases in Feasibility Analysis

Project: Feasibility Plan

Professor: Jill Kickul, Ph.D.

Concept: A social enterprise that creates mentorship opportunities for women in corporate roles.

Courses: Marketing Independent Research; Social Entrepreneurship Capstone Project

Advisors: Diane Badame, Ph.D., Jill Kickul, Ph.D.

Abstract

This research explores social impact strategies to increase authentic Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) engagement; And the initial research considers new opportunities for CSR through sports and fitness. The following research will focus primarily on wellness based community health programs and will investigate sports, yoga, and meditation as a tools for community health.

Note: The proposal designed for this research recognizes corporate utilization of internal branding, specifically in lifestyle brands, as the catalyst for both corporate community outreach and additional revenue generation. 

 Also presented in the following research is the increasing potential for lifestyle brands to utilize health and wellness programs as tools to improve the life quality for employees, increase shareholder value, engage consumers, and as a result more deeply empowering local communities. Community health programs often provide crucial access to health care or health education in otherwise marginalized communities. Diabetes, obesity, Cardiovascular Disease, and Psychological Well-being have all been identified as health issues affecting low income communities. 

Although little information on niche fitness markets, there are several growing sub segments within the fitness industry. The Yoga Industry and Kickboxing Industry were both researched for growth potential. As the larger and more established industry, the Yoga Industry will be used as the research model. Branding concept models proposed for fitness niche markets are presented in the conclusion.The conclusion will present potential solutions for effective community programs through corporate and community partnerships. This concept proposes how popular lifestyle brands can increase positive community relations, enhance corporate culture, and increase brand equity while improving the health and economics of local surrounding communities.

Brand admiration strategies are utilized in conjunction with global entry strategies to offer a potential model for marketers in fitness sub segments, pursuing regional or localized market entry. Secondary data is used to show previous market trends and the current market outlook. Primary interviews and survey data serve as sources to build the niche market branding model in fitness. These data results are used to formulate branding concepts that compliment both region of entry and the sociocultural aspects of the sub industry. Also, the cultural, social, and economic benefits of niche fitness markets are examined. The significance of using yoga as niche market model in this research and the limitations of this study are also discussed.