Featured Student WorkLenovoStudents in an MMS Capstone course completed a project for Lenovo Corporation, located in Research Triangle Park. Student teams analyzed the higher education market for Lenovo computers by conducting interviews at North Carolina State, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Duke, and North Carolina Central to find out how Lenovo is perceived by students, book store and IT personnel in universities, and by faculty. Because Lenovo recently purchased the IBM PC division, the company particularly wanted to find out how the Lenovo thinkpad brand is viewed by educators, since it dropped the IBM name. In addition to brand perceptions, students investigated how Lenovo could better develop relationships with the educational user. The results of the student work were presented to Mark McNeilly, the head of branding at Lenovo. Entex TechnologiesStudents in both Markets and Marketing and in a Capstone course worked on two projects for Entex Technologies, a Chapel Hill engineering firm specializing in waste water treatment, primarily for municipalities. The marketing course students did consumer research and reviewed all of the company's existing marketing literature. The research involved gaining the perspectives of consulting engineers who work with city officials and recommend waste water treatment facilities, waste water treatment municipalities, and Entex employees. Groups presented their creative ideas to the Entex board of directors. New ideas for a logo, website, and brochure design were developed. Students in the Capstone course investigated future markets for Entex's products. Because many businesses have a great need for clean water in the processing of their products, Entex has potential to build their business beyond city municipal water systems. Different student groups investigated the oil and gas market, the pharmaceutical market , and the food and beverage markets. Detailed written reports were presented along with power point presentations.
Cornucopia HouseStudents in an MMS Captstone course developed marketing materials for a Durham, non-profit organization whose mission is "to be a place where anyone touched by cancer can find support and resources to live life to the fullest." Three groups conducted market research on: the general target market for Cornucopia House; the African American market; and the Heathcare-provider market. The projects involved in-depth interviews of cancer patients, board members, heathcare providers including oncologists, cancer care nurses, and cancer support services, and African American leaders in the Durham- Chapel Hill area. Each group presented its insights about their target group and then created market materials to approach that market. Many ideas were produced that the organization plans to implement, including a redesign of Cornucopia House's website, posters to place in hospital chemotherapy and radiation units. In addition, blogs were developed on specific topics of interest to patients and brochures were designed to advertise the organization's various services.
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