Founded in 1968, Computer Power Group (CPG) was Australia’s largest publicly listed information technology service company. In the mid – to late 1980s, CPG went beyond IT consulting and by incorporating many Australasian companies in the IT education, training, services, staffing, software, and resourcing domains. CPG made acquisitions in the Unites States, United Kingdom and other places through out the world. CPG was establishing itself broadly in the IT marketplace.
By 1998, CPG Corporate controlled seven branded businesses that were each managed as separate companies. CPG Corporate’s senior managers had no ties to the individual operating businesses. Brand integration was not a goal of the company at that time. Identify sources of equity for each brand Computer Power Group Corporate’s only role is to control internal accounting and finance and has no marketing support. Computer Power Group Pty Ltd. was CPG’s only consulting operation. It CPG provided highest quality Information Technology services.
GPG had been dominated by the public service and government firms and were involved in one of the largest system integration projects in Australia. Management Technology Education (MTE) was one of Austral-Asia’s largest and best know corporate IT training companies. MTE provided customized IT applications training courses for both junior and entry-level corporations clients. MTE even taught courses for non-IT business skills. Computer Power Training Institute (CPTI) provided placement for graduates seeking entrylevel positions in the IT field with a 90% success rate within the first three months.
Computer Power Advanced Systems Institute (CPAS) provided IT education and training to mid- to high-level, experienced IT professions with the intention of certifying or accrediting these student in advanced systems. This was CPG’s least well know brand. Parity People specifically focused on low volume, high-margin segments for this professional staffing business. Its main focus was senior IT positions. Parity People had high reputation and loyalty among its contractors. Computer People (CP) specifically focused on high volume, low-margin business and is one of the largest resourcing companies in Australia and Southeast Asia.
They attract large corporate clients. Equus serves a general niche market by focusing its efforts permanent placements because of the higher margin returns. Its focus is the elite end of the IT professional placement market. Evaluate each brand’s identity Computer Power Group Corporate has an overall good reputation for providing quality services however, because it has so many brands under it, users are confused as to specific goal and vision this company has. Computer Power Group Pty Ltd is specifically know for its high quality IT services.
Because it primarily only contracts with public service and government sectors, it is not well know outside of Canberra. Management Technology Education (MTE) is a well-known corporate IT training company that provides quality trainers. MTE spends 2. 2 million on direct mail and print advertising. Computer Power Training Institute (CPTI) is seen as a good place to take junior level IT courses due to the fact that it has free placement. CPTI has a large marketing budget. CPTI is the place to go for a new future. Computer Power Advanced Systems Institute (CPAS) is not well known, values for this company are not clear.
Users see it as a place for older men to go to when they need a career change that requires a certificate. Parity People is well known for providing personalized services and has highly loyal contractors from both the government and private companies. Parity People is seen as a quality company will strong values. Equus does not have high general awareness because it specializes in a niche market of the elite. Equus has a good reputation for “finding the right people”. Computer People (CP) were seen as a not-so-special company that deals with the least skilled contractors. CP is not known for quality. Lacking in positive attributes and values.
Develop a set of recommendations In order for Computer Power Group’s brand to become unified, it needs to bring each of its separate companies together in a way that will take advantage of each brands strengths. Computer People (CP), Parity People and Equus should be under the same brand due to that fact that they all within the staffing market. Both Equus and CP would benefit from the good reputation of Parity People. Management Technology Education (MTE), Computer Power Training Institute (CPTI), and Computer Power Advanced Systems Institute (CPAS) should combine to become one Advanced Systems Training and Education brand.
Training, education and certifying all under one brand would give its brand a clear message and make it a more attractive option for prospective clients or students. Because Computer Power Group Corporate has no specific role other than accounting and finance, they will focus their attention on its only consulting operation: Computer Power Pty Ltd. Computer Power Group Corporate will work directly with Computer Power Pty Ltd to market its services beyond public service and government firms.