Introduction

Microsoft was founded by Bill Gates and Paul Allen on April 4, 1975. Microsoft Corporation
is an American multinational corporation headquartered in Redmond, Washington, that
develops, manufactures, licenses, supports and sells computer software, consumer
electronics and personal computers and services. Its best known software products are the
Microsoft Windows line of operating systems, Microsoft Office office suite and Internet
Explorer web browser. It is also one of the world's most valuable companies. Microsoft
dominated the personal computer operating system market, until the early 2000 when
Apple, Google, and Face book came about. (Microsoft) This is when the company started to
lose its credibility.
In December of 2008 Microsoft decided to kill off Windows Mobile because it couldn’t
compete with the I Phone and Android. They decided instead to develop Windows Phone a
completely new mobile operating system. In October of 2010 Microsoft's first phones
running Windows Phone was established, but the sales were low. The company was not
coming up with a firm product to successfully sell to the consumer because it was not
meeting the wants and need of them as well. Microsoft had to find a way to boost sales.
Microsoft later decides to buy Nokia cell phone business for 5.4 billion euro or $7.2 billion.
The two companies have had a development agreement since 2011. The combination of the
two companies would help increase their sales on the Window Phones. Microsoft CEO said,
“Clearly, greater success with phones will strengthen the overall opportunity for us and our
partners to deliver on our strategy to create a family of devices and services for individuals
and business.” Microsoft was determined to increase its strengths ...

smart phone. The company has improved increasingly because the combination with the
Nokia company. Away to insure that the company can stay on top is to increase the
innovations to their devices. Nokia was once a mobile telephone powerhouse, but has
struggled since smart phones hit the market. As part of Microsoft, it will have better footing
to compete there, however Ballmer noted that Nokia remains a leader in non-smart with
phones sold in developing regions. The company’s ultimate goal is growth for the platform.
After years trying to regain relevance in the mobile industry, Microsoft’s Windows Phone
operating system narrowly nudged ahead of third-place BlackBerry in global smart phone
shipments, now sitting somewhere in the neighborhood of five percent globally. In the end
Microsoft has accomplished their goal as a company and plans to stay there for a while.
Get AccessCheck Writing QualityHistory of Microsoft
Microsoft was founded on April 4, 1975, by two friends Paul Allen and Bill Gates. It all
began when Paul Allen got fascinated when the first microcomputer, Altair 8800 was
released the previous year.

Upon hearing about the new microcomputer system, Paul approached his childhood friend
Bill Gates, who was a sophomore at Harvard, to share and hear his take on the new system.
Paul and Bill were geeks at the truest sense – they both were totally into computers and
never missed the chance to experience anything related to technology.

It was said that the two usually used to skipped classes in their high school to tinker with
the computers there and once even got caught for hacking into their school systems. But
instead of being punished, the two were asked to help penetration and help the school
strengthen their computer systems.

With such a background, the two were eager to share about anything related to technology
and both soon released the potential of the micro system. They decided on developing an
implementation of BASIC – a general-purpose high-level programming language – for the
Altair 8800 micro system.

So both, Paul and Bill founded Microsoft in an Albuquerque garage in 1975 and soon moved
to a motel nearby, where they wrote the BASIC port for Altair 8800. Their BASIC
implementation for the Altair 8800 was a success and the new system was sold by Altair’s
manufacturer as Altair BASIC and both Paul and Bill knew that they had something unique
in their hands.

This became the first product to be developed by them under the newly formed Microsoft.

Exploding Onto The Scene – DOS, Microsoft

Word & PCs
Initially, Microsoft was known by the name that Paul came up with – “Micro-soft”, a
hyphenated version of microcomputer and software. This name stuck for a while and they
even registered the company under the same name in Albuquerque, New Mexico on
November 26, 1976.
Microsoft Logos over the years | Source: Designs

Microsoft grew quickly in size and scale – it made its first $1 million in 1978, just three
years after starting. They soon felt the need to shift their headquarters to Washington since
it was hard to find good programming talent around New Mexico. On January 1, 1979,
Microsoft moved to Bellevue, Washington which remained as its headquarters for around 7
years.

The company was incorporated in Washington, D.C. under the name “Microsoft
Corporation, Inc.” on June 25, 1981. The name stuck chords with everyone at the company
after Bill Gates started calling it that. With having incorporated the company, it was
announced that Bill Gates and Paul Allen would be the president and executive vice-
president respectively, with both of them being a part of the Microsoft board.
 After the shift, the company started focus on producing software for various systems and companies.
Apart from its take on the BASIC programming language for different systems, Microsoft also launched its very first
operating system in 1980. it was a port of the Unix operating system that it licensed over from AT&T Corporation.

became the main source of revenue for that year, helping Microsoft stay afloat.

Entering The PC Market

Microsoft’s breakthrough into the PC market came in 1980 when IBM approached
Microsoft to develop the operating system for its upcoming IBM PCs. Microsoft was among
the few companies that were approached by IBM and eventually IBM gave the contract to
Microsoft to develop a CP/M operating system for the IBM PC.
Paul Allen (left) & Bill Gates (right) in 1981 after signing the IBM deal | Source: Verge

Instead of developing from the scratch, Microsoft bought a CP/M clone named 86-DOS and
made changes to it as MS-DOS or Microsoft Disk Operating System. IBM released its IBM PC
in August 1981 and marketed CP/M and MS-DOS versions for around $240 and $40.
This lower price led to MS-DOS becoming the standard for the IBM PC. The IBM PC sold in
large numbers and helped put Microsoft in the minds of the consumers and enthusiasts
alike.

In 1983, Microsoft released its word processing software Multi-Tool Word which was later
renamed to Microsoft Word. People took notice of Microsoft Word since it was much easier
and intuitive to use than what was currently available in the market. During the same year,
it launched the Microsoft Mouse, which was also given away for free with every purchase of
Microsoft Word.

Windows
Microsoft launched the first version of its renowned Windows operating system software
in November 1985 named Microsoft Windows. It was initially launched as a GUI for its
existing MS-DOS operating system but soon went onto becoming a standalone software.
 RESEARCH METHODLOGY

Research methodology

Research methodology is a collective term for the structured process of conducting

research. There are many different methodology used in various types of research and the
term is usually considered to include research design, data gathering and data analysis.

Research methodology can be quantitative [for example, measuring the number of times
someone does sometimes under certain condition] or quantitative [for example, asking
people how they feel about a certain situation]. Ideally, comprehensive research should try
to incorporate both qualitative and quantitative methodologies but this is not always
possible, usually due to time and financial constraints.

Research methodologies are generally used in academic research to test hypotheses or

theories, A good design should ensure the research is valid, i.e. it clearly tests the
hypothesis and not extraneous variables, and that the research is reliable, i.e. it yield
consistent results every time.

Research designs

Research designs are connected with turning the research question into a testing project.
The best depend on your research question. Every design has positive and negative sides.
The research design has been considered as a ‘’blueprint’’ for research, dealing with at least
four problems; what question to study, what data are relevant, what data to collect, and
how to analyze the results.

Method the data collection

Data can be collected in two forms, namely, primary and secondary data. The data
collection method used in this research involves the search secondary data. Primary data
are originated primary data can be expensive ans time consuming. Since primary data is
collected with specific purpose, it is the most significant. Depth interviews, focus group,
observations and surveys are the major methods of gathering primary data.
Primary data

 Questionnaire
 By observation

Secondary data

Secondary data is information gathered for purpose other than the completion of a
research project. A variety of secondary information sources is available to the researcher
gathering data on an industry, potential product application and the market place.
Secondary data is also used to gain initial insight into the research problem.

Secondary data is classified in terms of its source either internet or external. Internal, or in
house data, is secondary information acquired within the organization where research is
being carried out. External secondary data is obtained from outside sources.

The major advantages of using secondary data in market research are time and cost saving.

The secondary research process can be completed rapidly generally in 2 to 3 week.

Substantial useful secondary data can be collected in a matter of days by a skillful analyst.

When secondary data is available, the researcher need only locate the source of the data
and extract the required information.

Secondary research is generally less expensive than primary research. The bulk of
secondary research data gathering does not require the use of expensive, specialized,
highly trained personal.

Secondary research expenses are incurred by the originator of the information.

Sources of secondary data

The secondary data are collected by the following sources.

Official; e.g. The publication of the statistical Division, ministry of Finance, the Federal
Bureaus of Statistics, Ministries of Food, Agriculture, Industry, Labor etc.

Semi-Official; e.g. State Bank, Railway Board, central cotton committee, Boards of Economic
Enquiry etc.

Publication of Trade Association, Chambers of Commerce etc.

Technical and Trade journals and Newspapers.

Research Organizations such as Universities and other institutions.

Internet.& The sources which are used in this project are:

 Internet.
 News papers.
 Limitation

Secondary data can be general and vague and may not help in researcher.

Secondary information pertinent to the researcher topic is either not available, or is only
available in insufficient quantities.

Much secondary data is several years old and may not reflect the current market condition.
Trade journals and other publications often accept articles six month before appear in
print. The research may have been done months or even years earlier.

Data may be in a different format or units than is required by the researcher.

 Product

These Are the Top 10 Microsoft Products of All Time

10. Windows XP
With each iteration released every few years, Windows operating system has undergone some
major revamps over the past decades. Microsoft took the experience gained from each iteration
and created a version of Windows that held the top market share of computer operating
systems. The end result was Windows XP, and its default desktop picture is now synonymous
with stability and innovation. All users, whether it was the consumer, developer, student, small
business, or enterprise was using Windows XP heavily from its launch in 2001 all the way until
the beginning of the 2010 decade. Some people still praised it as the all-time best version of
Windows.
9. Bing
You might know Bing as the search engine that is historically overshadowed by Google.
Bing is without a doubt not as popular, but can proudly claim the title of second-best
behind the search engine that already has a place in dictionaries (to google something is to
look it up on Google). The power of Bing comes from Microsoft’s various experiences with
the search engines that preceded it. These include MSN Search, Windows Live Search, Live
Search, and Yahoo! Search. Yahoo! Search has a long and storied place in the finance and
medical industries. This gaves Bing access to previously compiled indexes.
8. MS DOS
MS-DOS, short for Microsoft Disk Operating System, was the premier operating system for
IBM personal computers in the 1980s and 1990s. It’s a classic interface with simple neutral
colors that consolidated many different user interfaces and systems before the visual
operating systems that we know and use came to be, making them more attractive and
widely used among mainstream users. You could say MS-DOS truly defined the ‘personal’ in
‘personal computers.’

7. Microsoft Solitaire
Back in the 1990s, Microsoft faced an issue that would affect its software ease of use and
usability. Computer mice were just starting to become popular and Microsoft had adopted
the mouse and pointer method for navigating the graphical user interface of Windows. The
average consumer didn’t know how to use the mouse. Microsoft tackled this issue by
bundling the Solitaire card game with its operating systems, starting with Windows 3.0 in
1990. The game taught users how to use, move, click, drag, and drop, the basic motions and
actions required for using a mouse. Many users were also intimidated by the GUI of
Windows and the mouse, but Solitaire eased this daunting challenge. Solitaire is included in
the new versions of Windows even today, paying homage to an integral piece of software
that may have influenced an entire generation.
6. Visual Studio
Microsoft Visual Studio is used to develop computer programs, web services, and mobile
applications. The first version of Microsoft Visual Studio was released in 1997 and it gave
developers great flexibility with its bundled toolkit creating an overall better experience
and providing different angles with various development languages, frameworks, and tools.
Since 2015, Microsoft has dedicated their Visual Team to adding utility to Visual Studio by
revamping the already great interface and overhauling the toolset to make development
more efficient.

5. Xbox 360
Microsoft entered the gaming console war with the release of the Xbox in 2001. It featured
online game services where players could compete with each other without being in the
same room. There was also an intuitive user interface and buddy list system. The Xbox 360
built upon all of this and was released in November 2005. Over 75 million units were sold
worldwide and have completely changed the way people think about multiplayer games.
With games like Halo and Gears of War, the Xbox 360 proved that online gaming
communities could exist on gaming consoles.
The Xbox team at Microsoft went above and beyond with the release of Kinect, a webcam
mounted peripherally for the Xbox 360 that enabled gamers to play games with motion
gestures and oral commands. For its time, Kinect was truly a technological ingenuity, and
that puts the Xbox 360 in the Top 10 Microsoft Products
4. Microsoft Office
The launch of Microsoft Word, followed by Excel, and Power point in the mid-1980s was
the precursor to the release of Microsoft Office. These three programs were released
separately, with many more Office programs to follow in later years. Microsoft released
Office 95 in 1995, which bundled Word, Excel, Power point, Access, Schedule+, and Binder.
Professionals and everyday normal consumers around the world have since been utilizing
homogenous content creation, editing, and management. Today we applaud the efforts of
the Microsoft Office teams from its humble beginnings to the now cloud-based Office
360 that helps businesses power their management teams in addition to offering the great
programs that we know and love.

3. Internet Explorer
The history of web browsers is relatively young. It all began with the grandfather of web
browsers, Mosaic. Hand in hand with ViolaWWW, the evolution of these systems lead to the
release Netscape and subsequently the creation and release of Internet Explorer in 1995.
Netscape is no longer with us today, but Internet Explorer is still going strong. While
Microsoft Edge replaced Internet Explorer, many professionals are still using Internet
Explorer to maintain compatibility for older websites. Internet Explorer was also the
default web browser bundled with every version of Windows. For many, the first access to
the world wide web was through Internet Explorer. This program and its name itself will
remain timeless.
2. Microsoft Azure
Microsoft Azure is a cloud web service and arguably a product that can become the next
transcendent Microsoft product. Azure is in many ways the future of Microsoft. It offers
Virtual Machines, app services, SQL database, storage, frameworks, development tools, and
so much more for businesses seeking Digital Transformation and professionals. 95% of
all Fortune 500 companies use Microsoft Azure. It offers unprecedented horizontal and
vertical scalability that enterprises and corporations are constantly striving for. It operates
as a Software as a Service Infrastructure as a Service and Platform as a Service
Microsoft Azure runs mainly on the .NET framework, another Microsoft product, and
provides over a hundred different services. You can run both Windows or Linux virtual
machines on Azure, providing a means to run programs and bring about immediate
changes and support. Or essentially set up a Windows or Linux virtual machine that hosts
whatever software you want to use and the software runs only when you want it to. Access
to this software can be from anywhere in the world due to the nature of the cloud. In many
ways, it’s simply a product of the 21st century just like how Windows 95 was a product of
the 20th century.

1. Windows 95
Our number one in our Top 10 Microsoft Products of all time is without a doubt Windows
95. It really needs no introduction. Great functionality, Windows File Manager, Program
Manager, Windows Explorer, Print Manager, and dynamic interface are just a few reasons
why Windows 95 is at the top of our list. This fully integrated version of Windows and DOS
and offered built-in internet support and came bundled with Internet Explorer.
The interface of Windows 95 was so great and useful that every version of Windows
succeeding Windows 95 uses an upgraded version of the original user interface. It’s the
interface that hundreds of millions of people around the world are familiar with. A desktop
with icons, a start button that gives access to programs, and a taskbar that displays the
programs that are currently running. Windows 95 was released during the dot com boom
and certainly assisted in connecting millions of users to the World Wide Web for the very
first time. It’s hard to describe its place in technology history and its impact will remain
undeniable for eternity.
So after doing the great countdown, what is Microsoft doing today with its products?
 SWOT Analysis of Microsoft
Following is the Microsoft SWOT analysis:

Strengths – Internal Strategic Factors

1. Leading Software Company – Microsoft is the undisputed global market leader in
software technology specifically in cloud computing. It’s the world’s largest developer of
Windows OS and the leading cloud player. It offers commercial cloud services through
Azure, Office 365, and dynamics 365. In fiscal Q3 2020, daily users of its remote work
solution, Microsoft Teams, increased by 70% from 44 million to 75 million within six weeks
and increased by 110% four months prior.
2. World’s largest Company with dominant market share– Microsoft ranks 2nd largest
Company in the world based on market value. It also owns the largest market share with a
3% point gain among the five largest cloud service providers(Microsoft.

3. Vast market reach – Microsoft operates in more than 190 countries worldwide. After
launching the promoted version of Windows 10, it has over 700 million installs worldwide.

4. Constant growth – The latest earning results of Microsoft clearly demonstrate its strong
growth in the cloud business. According to Investor’s Business Daily, Microsoft could be
worth

5. Addition of newer SKUs (Stock Keeping Units) – Microsoft has recently added
newer SKUs to its brand portfolio. This includes Microsoft 365 combining Office 365 and
Windows 10. Its M365 is a multi-billion dollar business.

6. Reputed Brand with superior customer loyalty – Microsoft has 1.2 billion Office
users and 60 million Office 365 commercial customers. It has undoubtedly the greatest
loyal customer base. Customers trust the brand and remain loyal to it.

7. Huge Market Capitalization – With 776 billion U.S. dollars of market capitalization,
Microsoft is one of the biggest hi-tech company on the planet. Microsoft is ranked the 2nd
largest Company in 2020 based on market value and was the 3rd most valuable Brand in
the world in 2019.

8. Effective Adverting platform – With its strong and effective marketing strategies,
Microsoft has influenced people all over the world. Its emotive advertisement aired in July
with the title ‘The future starts now’ touched many worldwide.

Brand reputation – Microsoft was ranked 4th by Interbrand as the world’s most valuable
brand with the highest brand strength and brand equity in the digital industry. In 2020
Forbes Global 2000 Ranking, Microsoft is ranked 13th overall and 6th Top Regarded
Microsoft is known for its hi-tech and quality products offerings. Windows OS and Office
software products are quite user-friendly with highest quality standards Brands in the
world.
 Weaknesses – Internal Strategic Factors
1. Overexposure to the PC market – PC shipments are often subjected to frequent falls due
to vendors’ rising prices and currency fluctuations. It has landed Microsoft in a vulnerable
position.
2. Cybercrime theft – The increasing cybercrime cases have left Microsoft in a vulnerable
state. Hackers have reportedly attacked the cybersecurity of the Windows Operating
System several times.
3. Lacking innovation – Microsoft has been failing to grow its hardware products sales such
as surface pro computers and phones. It has been lagging in innovation and advanced
technology, whereas, Apple, Google, and Amazon are quickly blazing trails.
4. Lacking market leadership in Internet browser segment – While Google, Safari, and
Firefox have been gaining the market share in internet browser segment, Microsoft is
losing the market. Microsoft IE & Edge didn’t even make a list in 2018’s most popular web
browsers.
5. Unsuccessful acquisitions – Microsoft’s fewer acquisitions like WebTV, LinkExchange,
Massive, and Danger resulted in failures and divestitures. Such unprofitable investments
are the biggest weaknesses of Microsoft.

6. Unfair business practices – In Europe, Slack Technologies filed a complaint against

Microsoft on the grounds of anti-competitive practices. In the US, a federal appeals court is
hearing an appeal by Improved Search LLC, which can revive a lawsuit against Microsoft
for infringing on search engine technology patent.

Opportunities – External Strategic Factors

1. Cloud business growth – Its cloud-based services have gained immense growth and
success in recent years. Thus, there’s an opportunity for Microsoft to expand its cloud
business. In May 2020, Microsoft announced that it is rolling out a new version of its cloud-
based software to cater to the needs of healthcare organizations.
2. Innovation and Artificial Intelligence – Microsoft has a massive opportunity in many
innovative areas like AI and game technology. Investing in these areas can give an upper
hand to Microsoft.
3. Partnerships and Acquisitions – Microsoft can focus on entering into new strategic
alliances and partnerships. It will enable the company to gain high market share. Acquiring
major hi-tech firms will also be a profitable opportunity for Microsoft. In April 2020,
Microsoft won a five-year deal to supply Coca-Cola’s business software.
4. Smartphone industry – The fast-growing market of smart phones and tablets offer an
excellent opportunity for Microsoft. It can capitalize on the rising demands of these
products.
5. Cost leadership strategy – Microsoft can gain the opportunity of increasing its sales and
revenue by offering its products at low prices. It may also prevent the hackers to use its
software illegally.
6. Remote work solutions – Recent events have increased demand for solutions that enable
people to work from home or remotely from anywhere across the world. Microsoft’s
remote work solution, known as Microsoft Teams, is already a leader in the sector and had
75 million users as of April 2020. Revenue from Teams helped Microsoft beat quarterly
expectations for Q2 of 2020. It can exploit Teams further for long-term growth.
7. Diversify portfolio – Offering a wider variety of services enhances stability. Microsoft
recently announced that it is interested in buying Interactive Entertainment, a gaming unit
owned by Warner Bros..

Recommendations
To remain the leading software provider, Microsoft needs to work on its weak aspects and
embrace opportunities. Few recommendations are given below in this regard:

1. Upgrade its software and bring innovation. Microsoft must take radical steps to
successfully embrace the future of innovation.
2. Continue enhancing its brand reputation through effective marketing tools.
3. Update its internet browser market and take initiatives to increase the market share in
this segment.
4. Build more competitive advantages to compete with technology rivals like Google and
Apple.
5. Increase partnerships, strategic alliances, and acquisitions to strengthen its market
standing.
6. Resolve the cybersecurity issues and address the global cyber thefts by advancing its
security network systems.
7. Decrease the prices to reduce the illegal use of its software systems.
 Marketing Strategy of Microsoft – Microsoft strategy
Founded in 1975 by Bill gates, Microsoft, the American MNC is the technology giant which
is making the life of the people around the globe convenient, comfortable and advanced
through its various offerings in personal computers, consumer electronics & computer
software.

It manufactures, develops licenses and provides supporting services for the products &
services in its portfolio. It is world’s largest and one of the world’s most valuable company
which is listed in Forbes top 100 companies of the world repeatedly

Segmentation, targeting, positioning in the Marketing strategy of

Microsoft
the market in groups with similar characteristics. Demographic segmentation is used for
The tech giant uses mix of demographic & behavioural segmentation strategies to segment
products like Operating systems and Office products which are applicable to
everyone. Behavioral segmentation is used for products like Microsoft Windows server
operating system or for the Windows mobile phones. It has presence in large number of
hardware & software businesses ranging from operating system to mobile manufacturing
& selling.

Due to having a wide product & service portfolio Microsoft uses mix of differentiated &
undifferentiated targeting strategy. In office and Windows or overall in operating systems,
the population is homogenous and the target is the complete world which has access to
computers. However, in mobiles and developer tools, Microsoft needs to have a
differentiated target as these products have a lot of competition and the market is divided
based on the features offered.

From rebranding its products & services to logos; company underwent a turnaround
recently to reposition itself as a value based company mean to enrich the life of the
individuals worldwide. If we talk about the positioning of Microsoft, then its operating
systems and several software are simply top of the mind positioned in the market. Because
of the brand value of Microsoft, any product it launches gets a good positioning. But in
some cases, it might not be the top of the mind positioning. Example – Microsoft mobiles
phones vs Samsung or Apple in the smart phone market.
Competitive advantage in the Marketing strategy of
Microsoft
Microsoft is in the business of large no. of products & services which gives it edge over other
companies in the world. It has offerings in Microsoft tablet to Xbox console games to software.
Being in meta-market industry is helping the company in using shared capabilities to excel in
its functional businesses.

One of the most important competitive advantages that Microsoft has over its competitors is its
acquisition strategy. Microsoft have acquired some of the best companies in the world like
Hotmail, skype, Nokia, Visio corporation, Navision and many other small and big companies.

Another competitive advantage which Microsoft has over its closest competitor Apple, is that
its operating system is installable on any PC or laptop and there is no hardware binding on the
operating system – A key problem in the distribution of Apple Smartphones. But this also
means that there is huge loss due to piracy.

The whopping product line of Microsoft gives the company its advantage. It is the world’s
leading operating systems provide computers and it is almost dominating that industry when
we compare worldwide figures (of which last & latest one in its series is Windows 10 which
was given as a free upgrade for Windows 7 owners). Microsoft has worked upon TCO (Total
cost of ownership) so as to make the software easily & economically available to the customers.

Similarly it has other solid line of products like Skype, Mobile phones, Xbox series, games,
Browsers, Search engine, Microsoft office, Business solutions and whatnot. Naturally, it is a
mammoth organization. And that is where lies its competitive advantage.

BCG Matrix in the Marketing strategy of Microsoft

Its windows & online service division and business division dealing with client side
businesses are stars, as it is based on the windows OS platform and with high market
share on OS its related software offered by the company seems attractive to the customers.
However, recently Apple did overtake Microsoft as the largest used operating system in its
home market – USA. But globally there is no comparison of the OS – Windows.

The XBox 360, and the office suite are also stars because their market share is high but
there is continous direct and indirect competition in these two segments. In the former it is
from Nintendo and Sony and in the Latter it is from open source programs like Open office
or Kingsoft or many of the others.

Distribution in the Marketing strategy of Microsoft

Wide spread distribution channel and using multi-channel strategy for making its products
& services available to the end customers has helped the company in increasing its
visibility & awareness.
Brand equity in the Marketing strategy of Microsoft
Microsoft is the 5th highest valued brand in the world in 2016!! Microsoft has high (TOMA)
top of mind awareness due to high acceptability of its operating system “Windows” in the
market. It is also one of the longest present companies in the technology sector and has
constantly changed as per the change in the business environment.

Some of its campaign like “Get the facts”, Scroogled and many others had helped the
company in increasing the brand visibility further.

Competitive analysis in the Marketing strategy of Microsoft

With the emergence of the Hi-tech culture and technology, companies are creating
innovative products & services tailored to the user’s requirement. This high acceptance of
technological products is making this industry like a hot cake. IT companies around the
world are fighting hard to take the leadership position. Google is the biggest rival of
Microsoft.

Market analysis in the Marketing strategy of Microsoft

Microsoft is growing rapidly with the growth & challenges of the industry. Companies in
this industry are outsourcing the services from the developing nations in order to decrease
their cost of operation. While client side have bargaining power due to the presence of
large no. companies in the market with similar offerings

Customer analysis in the Marketing strategy of Microsoft- Microsoft has products &
services for every age group and different types of customer groups whether it
is individual customer or an enterprise.

.
 Finding
1. Majority of respondent are belonging to age group of 18-25.

2. 90% of respondent are male and remaining 10% are female.

3. I find that majority of respondent are own various Microsoft product, but window MS
office & internet explorer are best among all of them.

4. out of 100%, 54% of respondent feels that Microsoft product are not costly.

5. 90% of the people/respondent are satisfy with the features of Microsoft product.

6. From the research I find that 60% of the responsible are complaining to retailer in the
case of dissatisfaction.

7. I find that, most of the respondent came to know about Microsoft from t.v. & internet.

8. I find that 90% of the respondent are using Microsoft product from more than 2 year.

9. 70% of the respondent are attracted towards promotional activities of Microsoft.

10. The research also shows that people like Microsoft because of their new application.
 Suggestions

Recommendation for Microsoft

1. Microsoft should improve and increase the effectiveness of its software’ s.

2. Microsoft should try to make their project pirated proof.
3. Microsoft should expand its business in telecom industry.
4. Microsoft should improve customer care solutions.
5. Microsoft should expend its retail outlets in india.
6. Microsoft should tries to purchase entire “Nokia corporation.”
 Conclusion

Microsoft with its apparent success in the present must face problem that will be evident in
the near future. Although Microsoft is a leading company in its chosen field of software
industry. The dominance and the monopoly that it enjoy can be erased and its dominance
in the market can be eclipsed by other new companies in the industry. The has I dentified
several problem inherent to the company and have highlighted the effect thet the negative
factors will bring on the overall stability of the company in the future. Problem such as
poor designs, the challenge of the other competitors like linux and tightening government
control are some of the hindrances that will eventually obstruct Microsoft in its road to
progress. To eliminate and to diminish the impact of these problem and difficulties the
compny must undertake needed reforms and initiate policies that will improve certain
aspect of the company.

These adptabillity and changes helped Microsoft to maintain as a tough competitor and
strong player in the market. In spite of the high growth of google and apple the future of
Microsoft is bright and can actually help to make the market more balanced interms of
decreasing the monopoly of any single player.
 Bibliography

INTERNET

http;//www.microsoft.com/enable/Microsoft/mission.aspx

http;//www.computerworld.com/s/article/9215786/Apple vs. Microsoft by the numbers

http;//www.pcworld.com/article/169467/apple vs.Microsoft rival strategies rival results.

Html

www.google.com/images

www.businessbuffet.net/analysis

BOOKS

The economic times

NEWSPAPER

India today
 Questionnaire

1. Which age category you belong ?

Below 17 ( ) 18-25 ( ) 25-40 ( ) 40 & above.
2. Gender;
Male ( ) Female ( )
3. How many product from Microsoft do you own? ( Please specify)
……………………………
……………………………
……………………………
……………………………
4. Do you think the product is costly?
Yes ( ) No( )
5. Are you satisfy with the features of the product?
Yes ( ) No( )
6. Do you complain to the retailer in case of dissatisfaction regarding the product ?
Yes ( ) No( )
7. How do you came to know about the product ?
Television ( ) Newspaper( ) Internet( ) magazine( )
8. For how many years have you been products from Microsoft ?
1 year ( ) 2 year( ) 3 year ( ) 4 year & above
9. How many hours do you spend using product from Microsoft per week on average ?
……………………………………………………………..
10. Were you attracted by the promotional offer of Microsoft ?
Yes ( ) No ( )
11. Are you aware about latest technologies/ product of Microsoft?
Yes ( ) No ( )
12.Why you prefer Microsoft product?

New application ( ) comparatively cheaper( ) easy to use ( ) easily

available ( )
 Objective

1. To know about the marketing strategies of of Microsoft.

2. To know about the brand personality of Microsoft.
3. To know about the swot analysis of Microsoft.
4. To know about the introduction of Microsoft.
5. To know about the product of Microsoft.
 SESSION 2021-22

BRAND PERSONALITY OF MICROSOFT

Submitted in the partial fulfillment of degree in
MASTER OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

SUBMITTED BY: SUBMITTED TO:

GULAFSHA BEE MR. NEERAJ RAIKWAR
ENROLMENT NO. 10200UITMBA2100008 (FACULTY OF MBA DEPARTMENT)
 preaface
Preparing a project of this nature is an arduous task and I was fortunate enough
to get support from a large number of person. I wish to express my deep sense of
gratitude to all those who generously helped in successful completion of this
report by sharing their invaluable time and knowledge.

It is my proud and previledge to express my deep regards to Respect HOD M r.

Neeraj topkhane Head of department of business management, SVNU SAGAR for
allowing me to undertake this project.

I feel extremely exhilarated to have completed this project under the able and
inspiring guidance of MR. Neeraj Raikwar here undered me all possible help me
guidance while reviewing the manuscript in finalizing the report.

I also extend my deep regards to my teachers, family members, friends and all
those whose encouragement has infused courage in me to complete to word
successfully.
 Acknowledgement

Preparing a project of this nature is an ardous task and I was fortunate enough to get
support from a large number of person. I wish to express my deep sense of gratitude to all
those who generously helped is successful completion of this report by sharing invaluable
time and knowledge.

It is my proud and previledge to express my deep regards to Respected Head of

department MRS.NEERAJ TOPKHANE Department of business management, SVNU, SAGAR
for allowing me to undertake this project.

I feel extremely exhilarated to have completed this project under the able and inspiring
guidance of He rendered me all possible help me guidance while reviewing the manuscript
in finalizing the report.

I also extended my deep regards to my teachers, family members, friends and all those
whose encouragement has infused courage in me to complete to work successfully.

GULAFSHA BEE

MBA 2nd SEM.

 CERTIFICATE

The project report ”A study of brand personality of Microsoft” been prepared by

GULAFSHA BEE MBA 1st sem. In the guidance of mentor mr. Neeraj Raikwar for the partial
fulfillment of the degree of MBA.

Signature Signature Signature

Of the of the of the

Supervisor Head of Department Examinor
 Declaration by the candidate

I declare that the project report titled ’’A STUDY OF BRAND PERSONALITY OF
MICROSOFT’’ on market segmentation is nay own work conducted under the supervision of
MR. NEERAJ RAIKWAR Department of business Management, SVNU, SAGAR to the best of
my knowledge the report does not contain any work, which has been submitted for the
award of any degree, anywhere.

GULAFSHA BEE

MBA 2nd SEM

 INDEX

1. INTRODUCTION
2. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
3. OBJECTIVE
4. PRODUCT
5. SWOT ANALYSIS
6. MARKET STRATEGIES
7. FINDING
8. LIMITATION
9. SUGGESTION
10. CONCLUSION
11. BIBLIOGRAPHY
12. QUESTIONNAIRES
13. THANKS
THANKS