Introduction
Intel is a company that deals with the production and marketing of electronic products, specifically computer chips. The firm was established in 1968 by Bob Noyce in partnership with Gordon Moore. In the recent past, there has been advancement in the business environment, particularly for technology. This has increased to the degree of competition. This is because other companies are emerging, such as Cyrax and AMD, presenting a challenge to Intel Corporation (Intel, 2001, Para. 1).
Despite this challenge, Intel can compete in its business of producing and selling personal computer microprocessors. For a firm to succeed in the volatile business environment, it must incorporate an effective communication strategy. Integrated marketing communication (IMC) refers to how a firm’s management included all marketing communication concepts such as public relations, advertising, sales promotion, and direct marketing. The objective of IMC is to ensure that these strategies work together rather than in isolation (Laura, 2009, para.1).
The discussion of this paper is to illustrate how Intel Corporation has incorporated the concept of integrated marketing communication in its operations.
What was noticed?
Upon conducting an audit on the form of communication at Intel Company, it was evident that Intel has got a well-defined, integrated marketing communication strategy. This has enabled the firm to achieve its goals and objectives. This is since the firm has integrated both the traditional and the modern methods of promotions. The firm has incorporated the concept of integrated marketing communication in its promotion Strategy. This includes the use of advertising, electronic marketing, direct marketing, and sales promotion.
Electronic marketing
The firm has also incorporated integrated marketing communication by utilization of the process of electronic marketing. This means that the firm conducts online marketing of its products. One of how the firm utilizes e-marketing is by completing online advertising. This is through developing a website from which the customers can obtain the wide range of products the firm provides. This enables the firm to reach a wide range of customers, thus increasing its market share. Through the incorporation of electronic advertising, the firm can conduct interactive marketing. The internet thus forms an excellent mode of communication in the process of firms’ marketing. By using an e-marketing strategy, the firm can obtain a response from the market more timely (Deborah, 2003, para.3).
Print Media
To reach a broader range of customers, the marketing departments of Intel Company have incorporated the use of mass media in its objective of creating awareness of its products. This includes the use of printed media such as the use of newspapers. It also uses catalogs that provide rich information about the firm’s products.
Apart from the print media, the firm also uses broadcast media, mainly television, in its advertising. The use of the media has enabled the firm to improve its publicity amongst the customers since it can reach a large market audience.
Direct marketing
Concerning direct marketing, Intel’s Marketing department utilizes this concept to institutional consumers such as organizations. This enables the firm to identify the firm’s needs effectively, thus winning in their decision regarding the supplier of the computer products (Deborah, 2003,para.5).
Critical success factors of Intel Company
Intel Company has, over the years, been very successful in its activities. It has managed to be ranked in the 49th position out of the 500 significant firms. This success is linked to the following success factors.
Competition
The directors of this firm have always been aware of the importance of competition in entrepreneurial activities. This is since the firm can continuously scan its competitive environment; this creates enough awareness for the firm. Competition can be a risk to a firm’s success which makes Intel perceive this with fear. The management of Intel Company can utilize this information objectively. By getting information about the competitors, Intel can counter the competition proactively rather than reactively. This makes Intel take advantage of the competitive environment’s opportunities (Inside Intel: success factors of a firm that inspired and industry, 2009, para.5).
Exclusivity
Approximately 75% of the personal computers manufactured have got an Intel Company microchip inside. This is because the firm has incorporated the concept of specialization in its production process, thus enabling it to focus on a particular niche market. This gives the firm stability since its market is well established, which contributes to an increase in its market reputation compared to other competitors who shift from one market to another. This increases the market size of the company.
Effective management
Intel Company has appreciated and incorporated the importance of effective management in a firm’s success. This has been through ensuring that its workers are satisfied. One of the ways the firm has done this is through encouraging open communication amongst its employees. This is through the adoption of the concept of material competition enabling the workers to give their best, increasing Intel’s employees’ benefits.
Areas of the vulnerability of Intel Company
Central Processing Unit
Despite the success of Intel Company, it faces particular vulnerability from the products. One of the areas in which Intel is vulnerable is its central processing unit products (CPU). This is since there is a risk of the CPU being affected by either local or remote attacks. These attacks are vital in that they can work against the available Operating System (OS). This is regardless of any applications that have been installed or the patches applied (CyberInsecure.com, 2008, para.1).
Intel LAN Drivers
Intel LAN drivers are the most popular on the internet because many individuals acquired their computer hardware installed using these software’s (Bogdan, 2006, para.1). Recently there is a vulnerability identified in the Intel LAN devices. This is for the PCI, PCI-X, and the PCIe drivers responsible for the network adaptation. According to Bogdan, this vulnerability has the capacity of allowing code execution that is not privileged (2006, para.3). This means that unauthorized code can be installed in the system.
Intel BIOS
There is also a security risk concerning Intel’s BIOS. This is because Intel’s BIOS cannot verify whether the update data of the BIOS has the correct microcode. This is a significant weakness since if the header checksum is operating effectively, the BIOS will load the microcode to the microprocessor. This presents a threat since hackers can remove the microcode installed in the CPU (Alexander, 1997, para.8).
Areas that Intel should watch out
One of the main areas of the firm’s concern is the security of its products. This is evident from the fact that there is an increase in the vulnerability of the firm’s products. From the above discussion, it is clear that there is an ease with which the hackers can remove Intel’s microchip codes, posing a security threat to the firm’s products. This is since if the security of Intel’s products is at risk, then there is a possibility that the firm will end up losing its already established market.
The firm should also be concerned with the quality of the firm’s products. This is through the incorporation of the quality control concept in its production process. This is evident from the fact that the management at Intel has admitted having sold out a defective Pentium chip in the recent past. Despite the management’s defense on the minimal effect of the defects in terms of mathematical reliability and its conclusion for compensation to anyonedue to who claims damages as a result of the damaged microchip, the management should be on the look for the quality of their products.
The firm should ensure that it is observant of the technological environment. This would enable it be able to identify the available opportunities which it can positively exploit effectively. For these opportunities to be effectively used anyone due, the firm should ensure that its research and development team is well constituted. This means that the firm can be proactive in terms of changes in the technological environment. The research and development team would lead the firm towards innovation. A well-constituted research and development team will ensure that the firm can cope with the volatility in the technological environment. It would also rectify any defects in the firm’s products to ensure that the firm does not lose its market.
Recommendation
For Intel to improve its market share within the volatile technological environment, it should develop a good marketing plan. The plan should integrate the various communication methods that will aid it in improving its market share; that is, integrated marketing communication.
The firm should also incorporate a technical team. The team should be involved in the determination of the areas where the firm’s products are vulnerable. This would enable the firm to seal those loopholes, thus gaining more confidence from its customers.
The research team should also be observant of the changes in customer demand. This would enable the firm to develop products that assist in solving technological problems faced by computer users. This will give the firm a competitive edge against its competitors.
To develop an integrated marketing communication plan, the executive marketing committee should ensure that it researches the most effective mode of communication. This will help in the firm implementing the most effective way.
References
- Alexander, W. (1997). With Intel, hackers check in when bugs check out.
- Bogadan, P. (2006). Intel LAN drivers’ vulnerability. Softpedia.
- CyberInsecure. (2008) Remote code execution through Intel CPU vulnerability will be presented in Hack in the Box Security Conference.
- Deborah, B (2003). Integrated marketing communication New York: Thompson Incorporation.
- Laura, L. (2009). Integrated marketing communication. About. Web.
- Motivation and strategies for entrepreneurs (2009) Inside Intel: success factors of a company that inspired an industry.
- Tim, W. (2009). Vulnerability found in Intel CPU caching: flaws could allow attackers to remotely control Intel based devices or extract data from the memory. New York: United Business Media, LLC. Web.