Brandname: Tai Koo Sugar Company Name: Tai Koo Sugar Co Ltd   Management Function Analysis The company has a long history of success and basically is a strong brand. It has been able to keep the leading brand position through continuous promotion activities and customer-centered product variety development. It is a typical case of a brand that can withstand the test of time. The degree of customer-centered or the need-centered approach in product development is witnessed by the over 20 different variations in sugar product, satisfying the specific needs of customers under different consumption situations. The company has not been ceasing its promotional activities, in terms of brand image, product image, product design expertise, cost control and sales strategies. Causal look at the market may easily misled companies into thinking that the market is homogeneous, such as in the sugar market. In fact, based on detailed and professional market segmentation analysis, companies can discover the heterogeneous nature of customer demands. The heterogeneous nature is due to the presence of practical and material needs, emotional and psychological needs, implicit or unconscious needs, developing or emerging needs, and latent or potential needs, not to mention the differences arising from consumer culture. Ability to clearly identify the heterogeneous pattern of needs of customers, such as the consumption of sugar in this case, is a vivid demonstration of excellent practice of customer needs analysis skill and the determination to provide the utmost level of satisfaction to product consumers.   Implications for SMEs Market-driven approaches, like the customer-centered and need-centered approach to product or service development is essential for sustaining market share This is especially so for SMEs which do not have the resources and influence to adopt a Market-driving approach. Niche marketing is an example of marketing strategy targeted at a narrowly defined market segment and SMEs are best suited to concentrate their resources and upgrade their expertise in serving niche markets.