Market Share & Growth (DP IB Business Management)
Revision Note
Market Share
The size of a market can be measured through sales volume or sales value
Sales volume is the number of products sold i.e the physical number of units sold
Sales revenue = price x quantity sold i.e the financial value of the units sold
The market share that a business enjoys is the proportion of the total sales of a product/service as a proportion of the size of the market as a whole
E.g. Tesco has 26% of the UK grocery market
Market share can be calculated using the formula
An increase in market share can indicate that a business has made effective use of marketing strategies to increase sales and gain customers from competitors
Worked Example
In 2022 the UK coffee shop/cafe market was worth £4.6bn. Sales of Starbucks Coffee were £328m in 2022.
Using the data calculate, to 2 decimal places, the market share of Starbucks Coffee in the coffee shop/café market. You are advised to show your workings.
[4 marks]
Step 1: Identify annual sales of Starbucks Coffee
£328 m
[1 mark]
Step 2: Identify the total size of the coffee shop/cafe market
£4.6 bn
[1 mark]
Step 3: Substitute figures into the formula
[1 mark]
Step 4: Present the answer to two decimal places
7.13 %
[1 mark]
Examiner Tip
By providing the formula and showing your working out, even if you do not get the right answer you will still be able to gain some marks.
Market Growth
Market growth is the increase in the overall size, value or volume of a market over a period of time, usually expressed as a percentage
This metric considers the size of the whole market/industry as opposed to a single firm's share of the market
Some common ways to measure market growth include sales revenue, sales volume or the number of customers
Market growth is calculated using the formula
If the growth rate is positive the market is getting bigger (expanding)
If the growth rate is negative the market is getting smaller (contracting)
Worked Example
In 2021 worldwide sales of plug-in hybrid vehicles was 1.94 million units. By 2022 sales had increased to 2.84 million units.
Calculate the rate of market growth in the plug-in hybrid vehicles market.
[2 marks]
Step 1 - Deduct 2021's sales from 2022's sales
Step 2 - Divide the outcome by 2021's sales
[1 mark]
Step 3 - Multiply the outcome by 100 to find the percentage growth rate
[1 mark]
Market growth provides an incentive for businesses looking to expand, increase sales and generate higher revenue
Businesses are often attracted to the potential of growing markets - and they can become increasingly competitive quite rapidly
Diagram: reasons for market growth
Examiner Tip
You may be asked to calculate the sales in a market given a certain growth rate. In simple terms you are being asked to calculate a percentage increase.
For example, in 2022 a niche market had total sales of $850,000. This was expected to grow by 15% in 2023.
To calculate expected market sales in 2023 you must first find 15% of $850,000:
Then add this amount to 2022's sales:
So, with a market growth rate of 15%, market sales in 2023 are predicted to be $977,500.
Market Leadership
Market leadership is a businesses ability to maintain the largest share of a specific market or industry
It can refer to a product, brand or organisation
It is a key way to measure business success
Most industries are dominated by a small number of large businesses that control a large proportion of market share
These markets are called oligopolies
Market concentration measures how competitive these markets are
A high market concentration is where market leaders have a very high combined market share
These markets are not very competitive
Examples include energy supply and textbook publishing
A low market concentration is where market share is spread across market leaders and smaller competitors
These markets tent to be more competitive
Examples include UK supermarkets and travel agencies
Market leadership has several important advantages
Advantages of Market Leadership
Advantage | Explanation |
---|---|
Brand Recognition |
|
Economies of Scale |
|
Innovation and Resources |
|
Distribution Channels |
|
Competitive Advantage |
|
Attractive to highly-qualified job applicants |
|
Market leaders often face significant pressure
To maintain high market share by repeating successes
As a leading high street retailer, M&S's progress is keenly watched by the media and shareholders
To see off challenges from competitors
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