Us Patents and Trademark Laws and Regulations

Laws and Regulations

What are some key laws and regulations under which this company and the music industry must operate?

They have copyright regulations and publisher rights. It also includes the right of the U.S Patent & Trademark Office to decide and regulate the names and logos of the bands..

The economy

How does the state of the economy influence the sales of this company’s products?

If there was an economic downturn, then people are able to get online music for fairly cheap or even free by pirating the music.

Technology

What new technologies strongly affect the company you have selected?

Mobile phone and portable music devices have expanded the consumption of music. The distribution of music online has become an important medium and has made the availability of music easier. Though this may be true, copying music without purchasing it has also became much easier with pirating websites.

Demographics

What changes in the population might affect the company’s customer base?

I don't think that there would be much of an impact on Sony's customer base because the only music stores offers a wide variety of music for every generation and every kind on genre.

Social issues

What changes in society affect the market for your company’s music products?

I think that increased tolerance for illegal copying of music has an affect to the music business as well as the public's taste and interest.

Suppliers

How does your company’s relationship with suppliers affect its profitability?

Competitors

What companies compete with the firm you have selected? Do they compete on price, on quality, or on other factors?

When the cost of supplies are low, the company will make more of a profit. Supplies in the music business are both tangible and intangible. For instance, the cost of CDs are tangible and the money paid to artists are intangible.

New entrants

Are new competitors to the company likely? Possible?

They are unlikely but possible. For example, Apple can decide to bypass the music companies and sign on their own talents. Once again its probably unlikely but it is possible. The ability to sell music online may reduce the need for some well-known artists