Cancer Screening in Japan: Market Research and Segmentation Case Analysis

The elements of the USC-CT Case Analysis Framework are shown on pages 4 10. For each case analysis assignment, please provide the
following:
1.
2.
3.
4.

The case analysis using the five elements of the USC-CT Framework (See pages 4 7)
Risks associated with recommendations (See pages 7 8)
A brief summary of the case (See page 8)
A list of additional questions that could be utilized to enhance the comprehension of the case analysis recognizing the context in

5.

which the case is written (See pages 8 9)

Lessons learned (See pages 9 10)

A Supplement of Questions to Consider Before Completing Case Analyses which is listed on page 9 is intended to be for your reference only
and not a part of the grading.
The Five-Step USC-CT Framework and Probing Questions to Support Each Step
U Uncover the potential problems, challenges and opportunities vis--vis organizational goals.
Uncover the various potential problems, challenges and opportunities that should be explored in the context of the case or business issue.
Use probes to further identify, define or clarify issues which could include, among other considerations, the following:
What is the nature of problems, challenges and opportunities and how does that relate to the overall organizational goal/mission?
Who are the stakeholders? Are there differing views on problems, challenges and opportunities?
How did this situation arise? Is this a finite event or systemic? Root cause versus symptoms? Interrelationship?
Why is this important? Whats at stake? (e.g., Revenue? Brand image? Goals?)
Where does this issue reside? (e.g., Marketing? Sales? Accounting? Finance? Combination?)
When did the situation occur, when must it be resolved, is there a window of opportunity?
S Select and prioritize the most critical problems, challenges, and/or opportunities.
Select the three to five most critical problems, challenges and/or opportunities. Prioritize and explain rationale.
Use probes to aid in selecting and prioritizing the problems/challenges/opportunities which could include, among other considerations, the
following:
Magnitude: Have you identified/evaluated how big each problem/challenge is vis--vis the goal?

 Quantifiable: Can we quantify their impact through some metric? What data would help to quantify this impact? Have you assessed data
needs, sought info, and applied the most appropriate analytical method?
Non-Quantifiable: Are there other non-quantifiable issues we need to consider (e.g. gains and losses in brand image, PR, stakeholder
psychological commitment)?
Interrelationships: Are these issues potentially interrelated? Might one (e.g. today's promotions) impact another one (e.g. tomorrow's
brand image)? Cause and effect?
C Create a list of potential solutions.
Create three to five potential solutions for each of the identified problems, challenges and/or opportunities. Look for out-of-the-box solutions that
provide unique opportunities for the firm.
Use probes to assist in the development of potential solutions which could include, among other considerations, the following:
Gather Solutions: What solutions might different stakeholder groups see as viable? What makes them viable from this stakeholder's
perspective? Is this a marketing, accounting, finance solution or elsewhere? Combination of solutions? Dont overlook a simple solution.
Look for Unique Solutions: Knowing what's really motivating stakeholders, are there unique solutions that haven't been considered?
Foster Creative Thinking: What are ways to think creatively that will lead to unique value propositions that are differentiable and not
easily replicable? Each discipline has its own creative tool box. Probes could include the following.
Be Open-Ended: Continue to ask whats another option? to generate alternatives.
Change View: View issues from many perspectives (e.g. marketing, finance).
Build Metaphors and Analogies: Select a metaphor, analogy or precedent. How did a company in another industry solve this?
What would Disney or Google do?
Imagine a Future: List consequences of decisions and best/worst case scenarios.
Play Competition: If you were the competition, how would you attack you?
Rearrange: What if you substituted, modified, adapted, added/dropped elements?
Eliminate Constraints: If resources and time were not issues, what would you do?
Find Connections: Connect unrelated concepts (e.g. Zero calorie candy).
Create Headlines: What action will make positive headlines? Negative headlines?
Expand Solutions: Whats the practical, outlandish, trendy, non-trendy solution?
Change Analysis: Whats another way/method/framework to analyze the data?
Interrelationships. Are some solutions interrelated? Are some more viable in the short vs. long-term?

C- Choose the solution(s) that has the potential to be most effective.

Choose the solutions for each problem, challenge and/or opportunity that have the potential to be the most effective and provide the rationale that
support those conclusions.
Use probes to provide more detail to the selected solution which could include, among other considerations, the following:
Magnitude: What is the potential impact of each solution?
Quantifiable: What tangible gain/loss does each solution represents in revenue, profit, other? Have you assessed data needs, sought info,
and applied the most appropriate analytical method?
Non-Quantifiable: Do solutions have intangible gains/losses or consequences? (e.g. Image).
Resources: What resources might each solution require? (e.g. money, time, people).
Pros/Cons: What are the pros/cons for each in the short vs. long term? Are they interrelated? How would you handle a rebuttal?
T- Translate the solution into an effective implementation plan.
Translate the solutions into an effective implementation plan identifying key steps that are required to implement the solution to each problem,
challenge and/or opportunity.
Use probes to address key steps that ensure success of each solution which could include, among other considerations, the following:
ID Steps: Have you identified the key steps toward implementing the solution(s)?
ID Hurdles: Have you identified potential implementation hurdles (e.g. lack resources) and a remedy?
Unintended Consequences: Have you identified potential unexpected events that may result? Whats the potential domino effect? Are you
prepared for them?
Final Check: Have you conducted a final check/critique of problem/solutions/implementation, looking for logic flaws? Have you
considered a third party review?

Cancer Screening in Japan: Market Research and Segmentation Case Analysis Using the USC-CT Framework

U Uncover the

S Select and Prioritize the Most

C Create a List of

C Choose the Solution(s) that has

T - Translate the Solution

Various otential

Important Problems,

Potential Solutions (3 5

the Potential to be Most Effective

into an Effective

Problems, Challenges

Challenges and/or

per problem/

for Each Problem/ Challenge/

Implementation Plan

and Opportunities

Opportunities (3 5 with

challenge/opportunity)

Opportunity with Rationale for

Vis--vis

rationale)

Organizational Goals
1. How to improve breast 1. Segmentation and targeting of
cancer screening rates
2. Business expansion
3. Segmentation and
targeting of Japanese
women for breast
cancer screening
4. Communication to
increase cancer
screening
5. Value Proposition
6. Promotion
7. Marketing research
8.

approach
Branding

Japanese women for breast

cancer screening (#3)

Selection
A. Good awareness and

G. Conduct new marketing research

urgency, but low

to get an adequate segmentation that

research to confirm

can be actionable

customer profile to

Rationale:

better understand the

It is a government mandate to have

needs of customers to

motivation
B. Good awareness, but
low urgency and
motivation
C. Low awareness, urgency
and motivation
D. All of the above.
E. Two of the above.
F. None of the above.
G. Conduct new marketing
research to get an
adequate segmentation
that can be actionable

all women in Japan have breast

screening exams.
The goal will not be met by selecting
only one or two groups.
At this time, the direct mail
campaigns might not go to the
correct target audiences due to
the flawed research so it is
recommended to conduct new
marketing research to properly
segment the market and obtain
segments that are actionable and
in which targeted messages can
be sent.

Conduct new primary

develop more
successful marketing
strategies
Make sure that the
statistics that need to be
gathered to tailor IMC
messages are gathered
so that direct mail
campaigns can be
effectively delivered.

9.

Types of cancers and

2. What should be the message?

A. Conduct new qualitative

A. Conduct new qualitative and

Conduct primary research

penetration

(#16)

and quantitative marketing

quantitative marketing research

to better understand the

CancerScan mission

research studies to

studies to determine consumer

needs of customers to

and core

determine consumer

insights regarding motivation, needs

develop more

insights regarding

and benefits of cancer screening

successful marketing

motivation, needs and

among Japanese women.

strategies and confirm

benefits of cancer screening

D. Test new IMC strategies in

among Japanese women.

selected markets in India to

B. Do nothing.
C. Purchase secondary

determine best approaches to

competencies
10. Inability of
CancerScan to scale
its offerings
11. Target markets of
CancerScan
12. Japanese goal to

research on cancer

reduce cancer deaths

deaths.
D. Test new IMC strategies

by 20% for those less

than 75
13. Cancer legislation
14. Penetration of

in selected markets in
India to determine best
approaches to increase

municipalities by

appointments for

CancerScan
15. Media to

screenings.

screenings.
Rationale:

secondary research
studies, like IBISWorld,
Passport, Datamonitor,
Forrester, Nielsen, etc.

Conduct research to better

understand customer
characteristics and identification
of customer profiles.
Test messaging and marketing
strategies to increase awareness
and action.
Better understanding the needs of

communicate
message
16. What should be the

the target market will increase

motivations.
Base new strategies on research

message?
17. Aging population in

results and successes of the past.

Doing nothing wont prompt

Japan
18. Japanese health care
system

increase appointments for

correct segmentation
Purchase and analyze

3. Media to communicate the

A. Separate direct mail piece

positive actions.
D. Develop IMC plan to have both

message (#15)

to each target audience and

direct mail and mass media

and mass media ads to

mail every year to all

nationwide.

determine most

segments.

Rationale:

effective vehicles to be

Test various direct mail

B. Separate direct mail piece

This appeals to both the collectivistic

to each target audience and

and individualistic appeals due to

mail every third year to each

the culture and personal nature of

of the three segments.

B. One direct mail message
to all via direct mail
C. Do mass media to all
municipalities.

the service being provided.

It still makes sense to provide some
level of personalization based on
segment needs and fears if good
segmentation can be determined.

D. Develop IMC plan to have

used in the campaign

by segment.
Develop the ads and direct
mail pieces and other
materials, like social
media, and launch
program.
Analyze results and
determine the most
effective techniques.

both direct mail and mass

media nationwide.
E. Do mass media by
municipality.
4. How to improve breast cancer
screening rates (#1)

F. Do nothing.
A. Have government
sponsor nationwide
breast cancer screening
campaign nationwide.
B. Japanese government
hires CancerScan or other
agency to develop
nationwide campaign.
C. CancerScan continues to
conduct campaign by
municipality.
D. Do nothing.

A. Have government sponsor

nationwide breast cancer
screening campaign.
B. Japanese government hires

agrees to sponsor
nationwide campaign.
Solicit bids to develop

CancerScan or other agency to

campaign from

develop nationwide campaign.

CancerScan and other

Rationale:
This would expand the campaign to
be nationwide instead of only in
35 of the 1,700 municipalities or
2.1% of the total country.
This give more control to the
government in helping it reach its
goal of 50% having been cancer
screened by 2016.
It also give the government the

Japanese government

agencies.
Hire agency with best
proposal to develop
nationwide campaign.
Launch campaign and
track results compared
to objectives.

option to select the agency they

want to work with to develop the
5. Business expansion (#2)

A. Cancer screening only

in Japan, including
uterus cancer screening
B. Ad copy development
C. Cancer screening in
other countries
D. Other public health
issues in Japan
E. Other public health
issues outside of Japan

IMC Plan.
A. Cancer screening only in Japan,
including uterus cancer screening.

Talk to Japanese
government to

Rationale:

determine their interest

They have barely touched the

in a nationwide breast

penetration of municipalities in
Japan, only working with 35 of
the 1,700 municipalities or 2.1%.
They need to build scale before
launching into new areas.
Eventually it makes sense to explore
other public issues in Japan which
is the market they have the most
expertise in.

cancer screening
campaign.
Develop plan to market to
all other municipalities
in Japan.
Send out proposal to those
municipalities.
Call on them and ask for
the business.
Close the sale and start
implementing the plan.

Rationale for Selection or NonSelection

Criteria used for selection included
the following:
1.

Metrics of success sales and

2.

profits vs. goals, ROI, etc.

Customer needs, behavior,

3.

motivations and segmentation

4 Ps and what needed to be
addressed first based on impact

4.

to the customer and bottom line

External environment including
industry trends, regulations,

government mandates and the

5.

economy
Timing

Risks Associated with Recommendations

S Select and Prioritize the Most Important

C Choose the Solution(s) that has the

Problems, Challenges and/or

Potential to be Most Effective for Each

Opportunities (3 5 with rationale)

Problem/ Challenge/ Opportunity with

1.

Risks Associated with Each Recommendation

Segmentation and targeting of Japanese

Rationale for Selection

G. Conduct new marketing research to get an

Identifying the wrong target market will result in objectives not

women for breast cancer screening (#3)

adequate segmentation that can be actionable.

being met of a government mandate with the impact being

earlier deaths due to cancer because it was not caught through

2.

What should be the message? (#16)

A. Conduct new qualitative and quantitative

testing.
If the message is ineffective, women will not hear, see or

marketing research studies to determine

remember the message and not take action, thus the goal of 50%

consumer insights regarding motivation, needs

cancer screening rate by 2016 not being met and many more

and benefits of cancer screening among

early deaths due to cancer.

Japanese women.
D. Test new IMC strategies in selected markets
in India to determine best approaches to
3.

4.

Media to communicate the message (#15)

How to improve breast cancer screening

rates (#1)

increase appointments for screenings.

D. Develop IMC plan to have both direct mail

If the wrong media are used, the message will not be heard and

and mass media nationwide.

cancer screening rates will not improve and the government goal

A. Have government sponsor nationwide

will not be met.

Government does not agree to support the sponsorship and not

breast cancer screening campaign.

B. Japanese government hires CancerScan or
other agency to develop nationwide
campaign.

expand the reach of the campaign to 100% instead have only

2.1% of the municipalities participating in the campaign with
CancerScan.

5.

Business expansion (#2)

A. Cancer screening only in Japan.

They might not be able to expand the business and increase their
business due to poor results, eventually ending up in
bankruptcy.

Case Summary

The case addresses a major health issue in Japan, breast cancer, among other forms of cancer, and how screening tests should be used for
preventative purposes.

The case describes how a firm, CancerScan, attempted to raise awareness of the importance of prevention and set a mandate that 50% of all
Japanese under 75 years old be screened for cancel by 2016.

It further examines the needs, motivations, behaviors and barriers to women not making appointment for breast cancer screening exams.

The case identifies the role of the government and discusses its involvement in disease control over time.

It describes the methodology that CancerScan used to segment women before making decisions on what messages should be delivered to
different segments that they defined.

The case also discusses some of the challenges CancerScan had when trying to test and eventually implement results from the research
that they conducted.

The case closes with options that CancerScan should consider in growing its business to be more profitable.

Additional Questions You Would Like to Have Addressed in the Case questions that could be utilized to enhance the comprehension of the
case analysis recognizing the context in which the case is written.
1.
2.
3.
4.

Why were demographics not allowed to be tested among consumers?

What are the costs of health insurance to consumers in Japan who are working and who are not?
What are typical employee benefits for health insurance when typical costs are 4% of annual salary?
What is the relationship between the National Cancer Center (p. 6), the Japanese Cancer Society (p. 4), the Japanese government and the

5.
6.
7.
8.

municipalities?
How affordable is a mammogram at a cost of $12? How much is covered by insurance and how much is out of pocket to the consumer?
How accessible are databases in Japan?
What was the rationale behind the design and methodologies of the marketing research studies that were conducted by CancerScan?
Why were the regular screener takers at 42% of the sample, why were they excluded and how could they have been considered to have
had breast cancer screening in the past?

9.

What have been the results of former breast screening campaigns or cancer screening campaigns? What messaging worked best and what

10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.

was the least effective?

Why didnt the government sponsor a nationwide cancer screening campaign?
Why was CancerScan only working with 13 - 35 of the 1,700 municipalities?
Why was the original research conducted only in Tokyo among 51 59 year old women?
Why did they conduct the research at all knowing no demographics would be made available?
Why were the direct mail pieces each 6 pages long?
Why did CancerScan not test them first before mailing to the three targeted groups? How did they guess on what mail piece to send to

16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.

who?
What were the costs of these direct mail pieces?
Was any social media used?
Why did it cost more for a screening for the control group at $52 versus $30 across the three test conditions?
Do you think that CancerScan really didnt have any competitors working with other municipalities than ad agencies?
What are the real reasons for not going to have a breast cancer screening exam?
Should the messaging be targeted or not?
Of the 40% of CancerScans business that is not dedicated to breast screening testing, what has been most successful and why?

Lessons Learned
USC-CT Framework

The USC-CT Framework forces you to think about business problems and issues more broadly and holistically before honing in on issues

to prioritize.
It forces you to think about multiple stakeholders upfront so that solutions can also address multiple stakeholders.
When overlaying the case analysis outline, the analysis becomes more robust.
By making sure the case questions are answered in the case write-up, it ensures that learning outcomes of the case are met.

Case

The case explores the use of market segmentation to develop more effective communications messages targeted at distinctive consumer

groups for breast cancer screening exams.

However, it shows how marketing research studies can be used incorrectly and thus have results that are not accurate or actionable.
The case identifies the impact of the government and the impact it has on its society.
The case demonstrates how a firm, CancerScan, carved out of the market a niche business and suggests ways in which it can grow to be
more profitable.

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Supplement
Questions to Consider Before Completing Case Analyses
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Did you think of all of the potential problems and solutions to this case study in a more holistic way?
Did you discover issues that werent obvious and not necessarily identified in the case?
What criteria did you use to prioritize the five most critical problems/challenges/opportunities?
How did you develop creative solutions?
If you were the marketing director for this company, what information is missing and what outside information would you use to more

6.
7.

effectively analyze the case?

What additional analytical directions/thoughts/methods could be used?
Did you develop more creative solutions by being forced to develop three to five alternatives for each critical

problem/challenge/opportunity?
8. What criteria did you use to assess which alternative solution would be most effective? Did you think about the pros and cons of each?
9. What is missing in the case analysis using this framework?
10. What are your suggestions for improvement to this USC-CT Framework? What should be added, modified or deleted?

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