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Scenario 1-1 in Fall 2004, Sears and Kmart Announced a Merger of Merger

question 23

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Scenario 1-1
In fall 2004, Sears and Kmart announced a merger of their operations. The new company, known as Sears Holdings, will be based at Sears headquarters outside Chicago. While the new company will operate both Sears and Kmart stores, "several hundred" Kmarts will be converted to Sears. The companies currently operate about 3,500 stores combined. Kmart is known for its in-store special offers which it signals with blue lights. Recently Kmart has been losing ground to industry goliath Wal-Mart Stores Inc. The Troy, Michigan based Kmart has a history stretching back more than 100 years from its start as Kresge dime stores. To compete, Kmart has introduced Super K Stores which offer thousands of name brand products for personal use, home and auto, as well as full service grocery stores. (Jackie Sindrich and Michael Erman, "No Sure Way Seen to Keep Kmart's Blue Light Shining," Reuters, AOL Online, January 4, 2002. Parija Bhatnagar and Chris Isodore, "The Kmart Sears Deal,"CNNMoney, money.cnn.com, November 17, 2004.)
-(Scenario 1-1) The use of a direct mail flyer with free incentive "blue light" and free offers enticing potential customers to come into the new store, the blue lights during the shopping trip, the purchase of Super K blue light specials and merchandise and blue light logo items are all coordinated to build brand awareness, identity and preference. This is advertising technique is called:

Definitions:

Finished Goods Inventory

Refers to the inventory of goods that are completed and ready for sale.

Cost of Goods Manufactured

The total expense incurred in manufacturing goods, including materials, labor, and overhead, up to the point of completion.

Raw Materials

Primary components used to produce or fabricate products.

Direct Labor

The wages and expenses directly associated with workers who physically produce goods or provide services.