Depending on a firm's approach to the competitive market place, firms within any given industry can be categorized based on strategic type. A firm's strategic type can provide insight into how the firm will seek to shape and/or respond to changes within its environment. This activity is important because marketing managers need to be mindful of the organizational strategies in play when developing marketing strategies for their firms. The goal of this exercise is to demonstrate an understanding of Miles and Snow's four strategic types that classify the organizational strategies of firms. Miles and Snow propose several categories of firm within any given industry based on strategic type. Firms of a particular strategic type have a common strategic orientation and a similar combination of structure, culture, and processes that follow their organizational strategy. The four strategic types are prospectors, analyzers, defenders, and reactors.

Mathc the related item to its appropriate position depending on which strategic type it represents.

a. Proctor & Gamble
b. Tesla
c. Kmart
d. Mrs. Fields

Prospector Analyzer Defender Reactor

Reason: P&G is a huge company with a strong market share. Also, innovation is key at P&G. Hence, their focus is to protect existing market share and look for new opportunities through innovation.

b. Tesla - Prospector

Reason: Tesla is still growing and is innovative and has a decentralized control.

c. Kmart - Defender

Reason: Kmart has a certain market share which it is trying to protect by implementing strategies which also involves closing stores, moving to new businesses.

d. Mrs. Fields - Reactor

Reason: Mrs. Fields is a slow organization that often will change after looking at other changes.