EXERCISE 1: MARKET RESEARCH (0136814 MARCUS NG JING HAN)

Marcus Ng Jing Han 0136814

A- 25 questions

C- 15 questions 

A) a brief introduction of the smartphone brand and fast food industry

1- What is Xiaomi?

A Various kinds of consumer electronics and smart manufacturing Chinese company

 

2- When was Xiaomi first introduced?

It was founded in 6 April 2010 

3- Where is Xiaomi originated from?

It originated from Beijing

4- What kind of products does Xiaomi produce and sell?

Xiaomi offers products such as smartphones, home appliances and automobiles

 

5- What does Xiaomi’s logo stand for?

The “MI’ logo stands for “mobile internet”, alternatively it also means “mission impossible”, as it is a company that has face many challenges that had seemed impossible to defy in the early days

6- What is Xiaomi’s vision?

 “Make friends with users and be the coolest company in the users’ hearts”

7- What is Xiaomi most well-known for?

It is well known for its variety of lifestyle appliances such as the Mi-watch, but mainly through its smartphones

8- What is Xiaomi’s ranking globally in terms of smartphone brands?

As of 2023, Xiaomi is the third-largest seller of smartphones worldwide, just behind Samsung and Apple 

9- how popular is Xiaomi?

Xiaomi is one of the world's leading smartphone companies, its products are present in over 100 countries and regions around the world. In August 2023, Xiaomi was included in the Fortune Global 500 list for the fifth year in a row, ranking 360th.

 

10- why is Xiaomi so popular?

Xiaomi offers a range of amazing and solid products to choose from, complementing its honest and affordable prices all over the world 

  

11- What kind of OS (operating system) does Xiaomi use?

Most Xiaomi smartphones run on the MIUI (now HyperOS) operating system, which is based on the Android operating system 

12- what is HyperOS?

It is a new operating system by Xiaomi that would replace MIUI which provides improvements such as comprehensive refactoring, better power performance and improved OTA storage 

13- When did Xiaomi launch its first smartphone?

In August 2011, the company launched its first phone, the Xiaomi Mi 1

14- Who founded Xiaomi?

Xiaomi was founded by Lei Jun along with others, such as Lin Bin, Liu De

15- Who is Lei Jun?

He is a Chinese billionaire entrepreneur, born in 16 December 1969 and the executive Director, Founder, Chairman and CEO of Xiaomi’s team

16- what is fast food?

It is a type of mass-produced specialized food that is designed to be prepared and served quickly

17- what popular fast food restaurants examples are there?

Some of the most popular fast food restaurants are McDonalds, Starbucks, Subway and Taco bell 

18- what is the most popular fast food chain?

As of 2024, McDonalds remains the most popular fast food chain all around the world

19- what kind of ordering services do fast food restaurants provide?

It provides food at high speed, convenience and affordability for customers

20- when are fast food restaurants most crowded?

Restaurants such as McDonalds are most crowded and have peak meal times around 6:30 am to 9.30 am, 12 am to 2 pm and 5 pm to 7 pm

21- where was fast food originated?

It originated from a fast food chain named White Castle which was the first ever fast food chain opened in 1921 back in Wichita, Kansas.

22- how do fast food brands broaden their brand?

McDonalds for example broaden their brand by providing a variety of benefits such as meal bundles and combos, offer collectibles for children in the form of happy meals, allow customers to browse the menu and place orders by scanning a QR code and their own mobile app so customers can order food online.

23- what are the benefits of fast food?

It is a convenient option that takes less time to prepare and is a better alternative to skipping a meal, especially for office workers and students. It also provides a variety of food choices and creates job opportunities.

24- what kind of food are sold at fast food restaurants?

Food such as burger, chicken, fries, ice cream, nuggets, hot dog and pizza  

That can be prepared and served quickly are sold at fast food restaurants

25- what kind of fast foods are most popular or most commonly sold?

McDonalds for example have burgers and fries as their most commonly sold item on the menu, the same goes to many other fast food restaurants 

B) the smartphone brand’s USPs

1- What is USPs?

The unique selling points companies use that differs themselves from those of competitors

2- What are the benefits of USPs?

Examples are brand recognition that differentiates themselves from competitors, enabling customer loyalty and increase in revenue

3- what are Xiaomi’s USPs?

Xiaomi offers a variety of USPs such as affordability, sustainability, variety and quality

4- what is the price range of Xiaomi smartphones?

Xiaomi offers a variety of price ranges for their smartphone such as the Xiaomi 14 Ultra, the current most expensive Xiaomi phone pricing at RM5199 equipped with top-of-the-end quality and features that is worth its bucks

5- why are Xiaomi phones so affordable?

Xiaomi keeps its prices close to its manufacturing costs and bill of materials costs by keeping most of its products in the market for 18 months, longer than most smartphone companies, while at the same time attracting potential customers all around the world due to its price and premium quality

6- why is sustainability an important USP used by many companies?

 A sustainability strategy helps to build customer loyalty, and at the same time attract and retain employees. It also helps to protect the environment from further harm or pollution 

7- what is the sustainability strategy for Xiaomi?

Xiaomi adheres to the principles of prompt action, practicability, steady progress, and continuous improvement, and takes a phased approach to develop and implement our GHG emission reduction action plans and deliver our reduction targets in our operations and value chain.

8- why does Xiaomi also offer a variety of products other than smartphone?

Xiaomi offers a variety of products other than smartphone such as their smart air purifier, robot vacuum and security cameras that can be controlled using their app which is an attempt of building their own ecosystem such as companies like Apple 

9- how does Xiaomi maintain brand recognition?

Providing constant software updates and innovating new smartphone releases

10- What makes MIUI/HyperOS a strong operating system?

HyperOS can eventually be developed as a single interface for smart and connected users which is device and place agnostic. Whether it be for personal use, in home or in cars, HyperOS could emerge as the single interface and platform making it very easy for users to enjoy the connected and smart experiences.

11- what are Xiaomi’s biggest competitors?

Xiaomi’s biggest competitors as of 2024 are Samsung and Apple that has their own USPs

12- how good in quality are Xiaomi phones?

As China's largest phone maker, Xiaomi makes excellent and solid Android smartphones that offer high specs performance at a lower price point but cannot reduce prices further due to manufacturing costs, not too far behind smartphone brands such as Apple and Samsung

13- why is quality control (QC) important for companies?

Quality control is important to safeguard the company's reputation, prevent products from being unreliable, and increase trust on the side of consumers.

14- how does Xiaomi test their product quality?

Xiaomi put their phones through rigorous tests with a 10-point quality check, ensuring that customers receive nothing but the best

15- what is the ten-step commitment?

Drop test, temperature test, keylife test, touchscreen test, SAR test, squeeze test, connector durability test, accelerated aging test, alternating hot and humidity tests, vibration motor durability test

References

1. About - Founder | Xiaomi Global. (n.d.). Xiaomi. 

https://www.mi.com/global/about/founder/

2. About Xiaomi | Xiaomi Global. (n.d.). Xiaomi. 

https://www.mi.com/global/about/

3. About - Sustainability | Xiaomi Global. (n.d.). Xiaomi.

https://www.mi.com/global/about/sustainability#/

4. Cao, X., Ouyang, T., Balozian, P., & Zhang, S. (2020). The role of managerial cognitive capability in developing a sustainable innovation ecosystem: a case study of Xiaomi. Sustainability, 12(17), 7176.

https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/12/17/7176

5. Fleischhacker, S. E., Evenson, K. R., Rodriguez, D. A. & Ammerman, A. S. (2011). A systematic review of fast-food access studies. Obesity Reviews. 12(5).

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.1467-789X.2010.00715.x

6. McDonald’s Malaysia. (n.d.). McDonald’s Malaysia | about.

https://www.mcdonalds.com.my/company

7. Mi India. (n.d.). 

https://www.mi.com/in/service/productquality/#miscreenprotect

8. Xiaomi HyperOS | Xiaomi Global. (n.d.). Xiaomi. 

https://www.mi.com/global/hyperos

Summary

Xiaomi is a consumer electronics and smart manufacturing Chinese company founded by Lei Jun along with others, such as Lin Bin and Liu De, originating from Beijing. Xiaomi offers products such as smartphones, home appliances and automobiles and is one of the world's leading smartphone companies. Its products are present in over 100 countries and regions around the world, and is even the third-largest seller of smartphones worldwide, just behind Samsung and Apple. It also offers a range of amazing and solid products to choose from, complementing its honest and affordable prices. Xiaomi also has its very own operating system powered by android, known as the MIUI (now HyperOS) operating system. Xiaomi offers a variety of USPs such as affordability, sustainability, variety and quality.

Fast food is a type of mass-produced specialized food that is designed to be prepared and served quickly. It originated from a fast food chain named White Castle which was the first ever fast food chain opened in 1921 back in Wichita, Kansas. Fast food is usually served with high speed, convenience and affordability to customers. Some popular fast food restaurants include McDonalds, Starbucks, Subway and Taco bell. Food such as burger, chicken, fries, ice cream, nuggets, hot dog and pizza are served. The reason as to why fast food is mainstream is because it is a convenient option that takes less time to prepare and is a better alternative to skipping a meal, especially for office workers and students. It also provides a variety of food choices and creates job opportunities.

Reflection

From these 3 weeks of working in exercise 1, I have learnt the importance of conducting research and mind mapping in forming my own and my groups ideas. From my research findings, I find Xiaomi to be an impressive company exceeding expectation since their first launch considering the challenges they have faced from all these years. From smartphones to vacuum cleaners, it covers a wide range of products for customers to choose from, further broadening their target audience while still maintaining their main mission in producing smartphones. I also learnt about how fast food as a whole was introduced and its effects on the food industry, providing advantages such as speed, efficiency and convenience. 

Other than that, the mind mapping done in class along with my teammates allowed me to gain insights on different aspects of Xiaomi industry as a whole and learn new things or gain new knowledge on what we are all working on. 

Overall, it was a unique experience and that I am grateful as I was able to cooperate with my teammates in finishing exercise 1.