In the 1980s, a Lapse in Production Quality and an Increase

question 254

Multiple Choice

In the 1980s, a lapse in production quality and an increase in Japanese imports drove the Harley-Davidson motorcycle company to the brink of bankruptcy. The company's share of the U.S. super heavyweight market segment-motorcycles with engine capacity of 850 cubic centimeters or more-had shrunk from over 40 percent in the mid-1970s to 23 percent in 1983. But by 1989, Harley-Davidson controlled some 65 percent of this market segment. From a marketing perspective, what was the most likely first step in Harley-Davidson's resurgence?

• A)developing a new mission statement
• B)repositioning its products in the minds of super heavyweight motorcycle buyers
• C)performing a SWOT analysis to assess the firm's internal and external environments
• D)selling new models of super heavyweight motorcycles in both the United States (current) and foreign (new) markets
• E)improving the quality of its products and communicating this to motorcycle buyers

---

Definitions:

Cognitive Development

The process through which individuals acquire and evolve in their problem-solving abilities, memory, language, and understanding of the world.

Intelligence Testing

The assessment and measurement of an individual's intellectual capabilities and potential.

Theories of Personality

Conceptual frameworks used to understand, describe, and predict how people's thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are influenced by their individual characteristics.

Cross-sectional Study

An investigative approach that examines information from a whole population or a significant segment of it at one particular moment.