Microsoft became one of the largest and most profitable companies in the world. Its founder, Bill Gates, became one of the wealthiest people in the world. Microsoft products enjoy a market share of more than 90 percent of the operating systems business worldwide. Microsoft has continued to expand and to update its product offerings and in doing so, it continues to spur demand among software buyers for Microsoft's newest and best products. The company has successfully navigated through changes in technology, the rise and fall of competitors, the growth of the Internet, and the globalization of business.
None of this could have been accomplished without an integrated, comprehensive and cohesive marketing strategy. That strategy involves developing marketing objectives including specific numerical goals and objectives that allow company management and investors to measure Microsoft's marketing success. Another step involves describing Microsoft's core marketing strategy. This would include identifying specific target markets, determining competitive positioning, and developing each element of the marketing mix. Another step involves the implementation of the marketing tactics in order to achieve the goals established for the company.
To some extent, Microsoft can be thought of as a victim of its own success in marketing its products. The company has been accused of a variety of predatory pricing and distribution practices in its effort to continue to dominate the market for operating software. In the mid-1990s, Microsoft was charged by the United States government with antitrust violations. As part of a consent decree intended to avoid a trial, Microsoft agreed to a series of steps designed to make it easier for personal computer manufacturers and others to select and install operating system software produced by companies other than Microsoft. As described below, Microsoft's position on this issue is straightforward:...