Answer:
Timken Co.
a. Factors in the Economic Environment that contributed to Timken;s new strategy in 2002 and 2003 in addition to foreign imports at cheaper prices:
1. The needs of industrial business customers for integrated systems
2. Lowering of prices resulting from bundling
3. Addition of installation, maintenance, and engineering services, leading to increasing profits
b. The relationship of this strategy to bundling
1. Remaining in proximity with customers
2. Significant research and development
3. Flexible factories
4. Education of customers on product variety
c. Additional factors presented in this case are:
1. Customization
2. Means of making entity more indispensable to manufacturers
3. Uniqueness of products
4. Lobbying to stop dumping
Explanation:
a) Data and Calculations:
Share of the world market for bearings = 11%
Value of bearing imports in 2002 = $1.4 billion
Value of bearing imports in 1997 = $660 million
b) Companies engage in bundling by offering their main products together with several others together with services as a single combined unit. This strategy always lowers the bundled price when compared with the prices of the separate products and services. Thus, companies that sell bundled products and services often achieve more sales at the expense of profits.
