Business Strategy Essays (Examples)

Business Strategy

ole of Work/Life Programs in Business Strategy

Strategic Analysis

Strategic Implementation

Human esources

Social Costs and Benefits

Work/Life Programs

Dependent Benefits

Working Conditions

Leaves

Human esources Policies

ole in Business Strategy

Significance of Work-Life Programs for Employees and Organizations

The business strategy is influenced through multiple channels including human resources. The developments of innovative practices in offering employee benefits and maintaining a healthy organizational culture is notable technique. The management of organization takes advantage of high performing employees by offering work-life programs. The outcome of increased performance is achieved by offering multiple benefits to employees with regards to the work and non-work related issues. The notion that satisfied employees are essential to increase retention of experienced and high performance workforce is an important benefit for business strategy considerations (Wang & Verma, 2012). The organizations plan their growth and expansion in consideration with the workload and capacity of the…

Current Problem Diagnosis

The problems within Marks and Spencer began in the 1990s, starting with financial difficulties, aggravated by fierce competition in the industry and consequently decreased sales and profits. Market analysts blamed the occurrence of the problems on a poor quality of the management. M&S was accused of not having paid enough attention to the changes affecting the market and as such, they had failed to adapt to the new requirements.

Also, another cause leading to the issues raised was that of an increased focus on the daily operations, generally low risk activities. The approach had been successful on the short-term as it ensured high quality of products and services through a high attention to details, but it had generated negative implications on the long-term.

Then, a third force generating the problem was that of the internal structure of the leading positions. All managerial seats were occupied by Marks…

Here, the strategic analysis plays a critical role because the key function of the leader is centered into various areas. Strategic management is not only concerned with the formulation and development of policies. Unless a clear grasp of the plan and a procedure on how the process is to be developed and implemented have been provided, it will be hard to make the necessary changes. As regards the required changes, it must be well defined in order to move the organization towards its vision. Here, the existing process is determined, whether it is effective or there is a need for it to be redesigned.

A well organized strategic analysis helps the company to arrive at the best decision where it will be able to assess how the organization is changing as a result of the actions as planned. Strategic analysis is not just confined to planning. he same thing with…

Saying this much, I would like to caution that they must remain within their expertise and professionalism and try to avoid ending up the fate met by some other financial institutions who ventured into commercial banking activity in the past.

One disadvantage in Provident leasing may lie on their weak business strategies and techniques. Improvements in their business process seem to be stagnant. Although the company can boast of increasing revenue, it is a threat that they may be left behind by other companies within the industry that continuously seek for progress and development.

It may also be a good business strategy if Provident Leasing will establish business units in other regions. Although it can be considered that the company has already established its name to clients, it is still a good move to pursue ways that can provide them with more advantage and business revenues. Such may lead the…

The most long-term source of integration difficulties however will be in aligning domestic vs. international channel partners, specifically on the issue of synchronizing demand forecasts to the shared Altria Group supply chain. The need for making the Collaborative Planning, Forecasting & eplenishment (CPF) process which is used for coordinating the demand for tobacco through its many suppliers and procurement partners as efficient as possible (Bowe, 2007) is both a process- and system-related challenge that is long-term in scope. In conjunction with the challenge of disengaging the CPF process from a single location to a domestic and international one, Altria Group will in turn have to define unique supply chain, order management, manufacturing and new product development processes for each geography. These added costs will be more than offset by the stock repurchase program and the reduction in operating expenses. Manufacturing locations that are specifically designed from a process, systems and…

These acquisitions are serious business dealings that require a lot of forethought and a lot of work to get through, but they are well worth it in the end because they cause a great benefit to the company that made the acquisition. Often, any problematic conditions also improve for the company that was acquired, although this is not always the case.

For companies that acquire other companies for brand name recognition, there can be more of a struggle, and it is often one of confusion. If the acquiring company changes the acquired company's name it has lost the brand recognition that it bought the company for. If it does not change the name of the company, many people might not know that anything took place, and that can be detrimental to people who might not have liked the old company but do like the acquiring company - and will, therefore,…

India's cities, on the other hand, are often overcrowded, leading to separate issues within the city regarding high retail space and rent considerations.

Economic Factors

The economic outlook in India is extremely positive. The free market structure is gaining speed in India

ecent governmental changes in 1991 have helped capitalize on a freer economic structure in the region by lessoning high tariff barriers for foreign companies looking to enter into the Indian market.

Here, the research states that there was recently "A series of reforms aimed at further deregulating and stimulating foreign investment have moved India firmly into the front ranks of growing international economies."

This has helped lower entry barriers for foreign companies looking to set up shop in India. It has also helped facilitate the growing business start up environment. According to the research "India's known strength in software and Information Technology (IT) and tremendous e-commerce potential ensures…

More than 44% of users see noticeable indications of benefits from laser treatment within the first 6 weeks.

Another 45% see results in 6 to 12 weeks.

The remainder sees less dramatic results after 12 weeks. (White Cliffs 2008)

2.3: New usiness Strategy

Parnell proposes a number of questions regarding business strategy, including "Is strategy-making an art or science? Should a strategy be publicized or kept largely secret? Is consistency or flexibility more important? Should risk be embraced or avoided? Should the planning process be top-down or bottom-up?" (Parnell, ¶ 28). As answers, however, frequently are not as concrete as the questions in regard to a business strategy, addressing the following issues, Parnell contends, will likely help a business link a strategy to its particular environments and endeavor/s and environment" (Parnell, ¶ 28).

Parnell recommends businesses consider the following information:

Strategy is about making choices...some of which appear to be…

Business Strategy

Aligning IT and Business Strategy

An IT strategy focused on maintaining a cutting edge technology position is not the most effective way to support any kind of overall business strategy. To refute this argument, this essay examines other IT strategies.

Many IT organizations struggle to develop an effective IT strategy. Typically, businesses exhibit confusion about what goals and components make up an IT strategy, and about the process of obtaining business input and developing a long-term strategy that serves the business' planning needs (Gartner, 2011).

According to Gartner's research, most IT organizations are unable to develop a business-strategy-driven IT strategic plan because they use a bottom-up planning process, asking business units what projects they need. Instead, a more effective approach would be integrating the IT team into the organization's upfront, top-down business planning processes (2011).

Gartner argues that IT strategy is effective when it is directly linked to…

business strategy class, group assigned a case study. It a 12-20-page paper, responsibility write 4 pages, part write. Here teacher instruction: "A case study assigned group. Additionally a rubric showing material case study included.

Competitor analysis:

Strengths, weaknesses, and strategies of key industry rivals

Evaluate and discuss situation

When Netflix originally broke into the movie rental market, its main rival was Blockbuster, Movie Gallery and independent video rental companies. Netflix offered what was then considered a unique business model of blending a subscription service in which customers would receive DVDs in the mail coupled with streaming content. The awkwardness of the free-standing Blockbuster store has been replaced with a marketplace of competitors offering different ways to more conveniently access films at home. By 2010, Netflix's list of competitors had expanded. For example, edbox 'kiosk' service did not bring DVDs to customer's doors, but it did allow them to access films…

One of the most important aspects towards the success and growth of any organization or company is having a good strategy. The development and use of a sound business strategy has become an important issue in the modern business environment because of increased competition. In essence, modern businesses are experiencing tremendous challenges due to increased competition, which necessitates the establishment of a good business strategy. The issue of a business strategy has attracted considerable from various stakeholders in the business world including scholars. It has become a major issue because many business organizations lack coherent strategies to promote their success.

In light of the significance of a sound business strategy in today’s business environment, Richard Rumelt has written a book on the difference between good strategy and bad strategy. According to Rumelt (2011), a good business strategy incorporates direction, identifies major challenges and how to overcome them, and promotes coherent…

Reflection on Course ConceptsThis course has involved learning some critical concepts that are applicable to nearly any business setting in todays business environment. Some of the concepts learned in this course include design thinking, building and sustaining an innovation strategy, and organizing and building organization. These concepts relate to todays business environment in terms of their focus on promoting innovation, which is one of the keys to success for modern businesses. Through insights obtained from the concepts, the course has essentially prepared me to develop the necessary skills to drive critical business decisions and develop successful business strategies. I believe that the course has equipped me with knowledge and skills that would help me shape critical business decisions and strategies in my workplace.Most Compelling ConceptsOne of the most compelling concepts from this course is design thinking, which is an iterative process that seeks to understand users and redefine problems through…

Long-Term Investment Decisions
Pricing Less Elastic
A plan that managers in the low-calorie, frozen microwaveable food company could follow in anticipation of raising prices when selecting pricing strategies for making their products respond to a change in price less elastic would be the following: recognize why consumers are buying the product in the first place—is it because of brand loyalty or because the price is right? When prices are inelastic, consumers know what to expect when they go to purchase the product. They are not shocked by rises in the price. Should the price become elastic and the brand they are used to buying suddenly go up in price, they will be more likely to try an off-brand which they viewed as being offered at a discount to their usual brand, which has now become more expensive (Stone, 2010). The degree to which consumers have brand loyalty for the low-calorie…

A brief description of your chosen business, including the organization’s name, mission, and vision
Apple Incorporated is a US multinational company which designs and makes computer software and consumer electronics. Its most popular hardware products are the iPod, the iPhone and its Macintosh computers. Software developed by the company include its operating system, ‘Mac OS X’, ‘iLife’ creativity and multimedia software suite, ‘iWork’ productivity software suite, ‘iTunes’ media browser, ‘Logic Studio’ audio tools suite, and the ‘Final Cut Studio’ film-industry software and professional audio suite. Further, Apple runs over 250 retail outlets in a total of 9 nations, together with a web-based store that sells its software and hardware offerings (Mirabal et al, 2007).
With time, the company’s organizational mission has undergone a change. The company designs the world’s best PCs, its Macs, together with its operating systems and various professional software solutions. It is the industry leader in the…

Executive Summary
The vision, mission and value statements of the company. The vision statement of the Country Joe’s Sporting Goods and More, Inc. (hereinafter alternatively “the company”) is broadly “THE GREAT OUTDOORS … PASS IT ON!” (emphasis in the original) (Our mission, 2017, para. 2). The corresponding formal mission statement of the company is “to be the leading merchant of outdoor recreational products inspiring people to love, enjoy, and conserve the great outdoors” (Our mission, 2017, para. 2). Finally, although the company does not publish a formal value statement, some indication of the company’s values can be discerned from the CEO’s longstanding commitment to environment and wildlife conservation initiatives. For instance, the company’s Web site proudly boasts, “In conservation circles [the company’s founder and CEO] is often referred to as a modern-day Teddy Roosevelt for his leadership, personal commitment and dedication to conservation efforts” (para. 1).
In truth, the company…

System Recommendation and Final BA&SR ReportChoosing the right type of hiring software that would meet the business needs is a crucial step in the efficient recruitment process of a company. MTC must improve the hiring process to speed up the already existing manual process that is quite laborious and time-consuming. This paper aims to recommend MTC that would enable it to reach its strategic business goals.System JustificationAfter reviewing the EZ-ATS brochure, the recommended solution for MTC is to acquire EZ-ATSs hiring services on a trial basis for a small period, which is already included in its offer for 30 days. It would help the company test the hiring software and its features mentioned in the brochure. The testing phase would allow MTC to scrutinize the features and specifications as are promised in the catalog.Since MTC caters to small to mid-tier businesses and serves the federal, local, and state governmental agencies,…

Business Strategies and Objectives

The aim of this paper is to prepare matrices that will be used to justify strategies that will be recommended in the paper. There will also be analysis and detailed discussion on other alternative strategies, including providing the advantages and disadvantages of the alternative strategies. All the specific objectives and strategies will be addressed and there will be an analysis for the next three years with estimated costs for every year. The article will also compare and contrast the recommended strategies and the actual ones adopted by the firm (Google). ecommendations will include how the strategies are to be implemented by the firm in question, and expected results will be noted together with a timetable for recommended items. Detailed information of how to review and evaluate the success of the recommended strategies will also be provided.

Business Strategies

Introduction

In many circumstances, business strategies will always…

Most critical is the ability to capitalize on core competencies while also alleviating any cultural conflicts inherent in pursuing any diversification strategy (Doving, Gooderham, 2008). Related diversifications are related to core competencies can be seen in many industry value chains, especially in the financial services industry (Milberg, 2008). As related diversifications reduce the cultural, system and process risk of a merger or acquisition, they have been proven empirically to be more successful in certain industries, especially financial services (Doving, Gooderham, 2008).

References

Erik Doving, aul N. Gooderham. (2008). Dynamic capabilities as antecedents of the scope of related diversification: the case of small firm accountancy practices. Strategic Management Journal, 29(8), 841. Retrieved August 6, 2008, from ABI/INFORM Global database. (Document ID: 1499091871).

atrick Marren (2007). High-functioning business strategy. The Journal of Business Strategy, 28(6), 37-39. Retrieved August 7, 2008, from ABI/INFORM Global database. (Document ID: 1369331501).

William Milberg (2008). Shifting sources…

The appendixes.

Answer number 3

The online community presents the reader with a multitude of information on how to write the business plan. A valid source in this sense is represented by Maire Loughran's article on the About.com website. Throughout this article, the author identifies a total of eight key elements to be integrated in the business plan. These refer to the next ones:

The executive summary which states the objectives of the plan

The provision of general information on the company soliciting the funds from the potential equity investors

The description of the products and/or services to be provided by the firm

The objective and factual analysis of the industry, the market and the competition encountered by the economic agent

The provision of more detailed company information, including primarily data on the managerial team, the organization and the ownership of the firm

The marketing plan as an integrated effort…

Business Strategies and Decision-Making

Choosing a business structure can depend on a wide range of variables and it is thus essential for a manager to have a complex understanding of his company, the industry it is associated with, and business forecasts. The process of choosing a business structure needs to be considered before starting any businesses in spite of the fact that this respective process can take a significant amount of resources. Many business owners are inclined to either dedicate very little of their time to this process or even to bypass it completely. This can lead to serious issues later in the company's functioning, as business owners can come across a series of problems that they're not prepared to deal with.

Proprietorships are one of the most encountered types of business organizations, this being largely owed to the fact that they are easier to form and maintain and because…

The graphic shown in Figure 1 was also provided in the article (Porter, 2008).

Figure 1: Five Forces Model

(Porter, 2008)

This model's effectiveness does not however capture the increasingly critical role of tacit and explicit knowledge in businesses. The tacit knowledge, of the type that is learned from the continual streamlining of core processes, is not easily captured and communicated. It is often called tribal knowledge as this type if intelligence often stays within workgroups where it originates and seldom is captured for broader use. Specific knowledge, or the type of intelligence that can easily be captured and communicated, is often not used to its full potential as well. Studies in the auto industry suggest that knowledge, not products or pricing, is the new competitive advantage (Dyer, Nobeoka, 2000). The Five Forces Model does not recognize how important knowledge is as a competitive force in the definition of competitive…

Conclusions

The five forces model is well-designed but it is far from perfect, especially for the manager not proficient in its use. The model is complex and is subject to a fairly steep learning curve. A tremendous amount of data must be collected to use the model effectively, and the analysis needs to be conducted in an objective manner. Many recent criticisms reflect the viewpoint that the model does not apply well to knowledge-based industries. hile this indicates a lack of understanding of the model, a manager attempting to analyze the computer game industry for example must be able to effectively translate the model's basic principles and terminology into that industry. This is a complex task, and the risk of relying on models such as five forces is that their surface simplicity leads managers to overestimate the model's usefulness or their own understanding of how the model works.

orks Cited:…

Using the current downturn to a business' advantage is another option. This can include 'greening' existing homes to make them less costly to run and more energy-efficient, selling cheaper homes to buyers looking for 'less home,' especially seniors with retirement funds that have been depleted as a result of the stock market's losses, and refurbishing long-abandoned structures. Diversifying by offering second homes and vacation homes is another possibility for companies wishing to modify and expand their brand image and offerings to consumers (itkowski 2009).

Market segments

First time homebuyers are looking for bargains are a key segment. Some long-term speculators not burned in the first housing boom may rationalize property is always profitable eventually. So are individuals looking for homes that are less costly to maintain.

orks Cited

Vogel, Mike. (2008, May 1). Homebuilders changing business model. Florida Trend.

Retrieved April 1, 2009 at http://www.floridatrend.com/article.asp?aID=48790

itkowski, ayne. (2009, February 22).…

The generation of new products in it which can support product delivery at a faster rate. For example the it Organization that creates software, provides technical support and training, processes payments as and finally enters into an agreement that is nonexclusive in nature with the manufacturers who then authorize the organization in marketing of those products provides the suppliers/manufactures with a great deal of power in terms of the value chain as well as lower costing products. Emerging technologies are one of the threats in the it business. It is possible that a competitor might advance quickly through offering of a new technology and this is always a possibility in the Information Technology usiness.

ibliography

Clarke, Roger (1994) the Path of Development of Strategic Information Systems Theory. Xamax Consultancy Pty Ltd., 1992, 1993, 1994 http://www.anu.edu.au/people/Roger.Clarke/SOS/StratISTh.html

Mitchell, ridger M. (nd) Economic Issues www.rand.org/publica tions/MR/MR650/mr650.ch4/ch4.html

Frank, Ulrich, & Lange, Carola (2004) a…

business strategy class, group assigned a case study. It a 12-20-page paper, responsibility write 4 pages, part write. Here teacher instruction: "A case study assigned group. Additionally a rubric showing material case study included.

Ethics: Euthanasia

Recently, a young woman dying of brain cancer in Queens was forced to engage in a legal struggle with her own parents to 'win' the 'right to die. "Paralyzed from the waist down, the 28-year-old woman won court approval last week to be taken off life support, a move challenged by her devout Christian parents who claimed that would be tantamount to suicide and would be a sin that would send their daughter to hell. After winning the right to die, Grace changed her mind. Her lawyer, David Smith, said she made the decision out of love for her parents and to alleviate their suffering" (Scott 2012). This case illustrates how right-to-die cases can…

Competitive Analysis and Positioning Strategies

Why do strategies fail?

The main reasons behind the failure of strategies are wrong execution practices. Some aspects of a strategy aren't really addressed. Bad strategies produce disappointing results. However, it should be noted that some good strategies also fail. It is much harder to figure out how things went wrong when a good strategy fails. Although good planning is obviously desirable; and indeed putting the strategy in action, few management chiefs really make an effort to fine-tune the process and leadership aspects that lead to the realization of the anticipated results. It is the lack of know-how in the execution of strategies that leads to the failure of, even, great strategies. The consequences are often grave.

One of the common identifiable reasons why strategies fail is to allow a strategy objective to change with time. Another common reason why strategies fail is because there…

Strategy and SWOT Analysis

Key Concepts in Business Strategy and SWOT Analysis

Creating a competitive business advantage is a complex endeavor. Various techniques have been developed to guide the self-analysis process practiced by business enterprises. Traditional strategic planning engages a company in both internal and external analysis. In order to conduct a strategic analysis that makes niche or unique opportunities salient, it is necessary to have a robust view of the competitive landscape. Alternately, a thorough analysis of operations and position requires a penetrating look at the internal capacity of the company. A SWOT analysis promotes a clear-eyed look at the external and internal dimensions of a business that have the potential to impinge on the development of an effective strategic plan for the company.

A SWOT analysis takes the participants through a systematic process of examining the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats that are aspects of a company's business.…

Marriott

HRM and Business Strategy

The Marriott Hotels and Resorts is a high end hotel chain that operates in numerous locations and cultures around the globe. Hotel locations reside in roughly fifty different countries and at over five hundred locations. Not only does the Marriot operate under its own brand, but it also owns other hotel brands such as the Ritz-Carlton; however these organizations operate as a completely independent division of the Marriott International parent company. Each Marriott hotel location offers a different range of services such as spa treatments, golf facilities, as well as luxury condominiums. The Marriott must provide world-class customer service at all times to ensure customer satisfaction and customer loyalty. To support this position, Marriott must have a human resources management (HRM) strategy that empowers its employees to ensure that they are well equipped to handle a wide range of consumer needs and demands.

HRM Strategy…

Business Strategy play a part CM implementation ?

The role of business strategy in CM implementation

The economic agents of today are obliged to answer a wide array of complexities in order to attain their professional objectives. They are for instance forced to answer the growingly complex demands of the customer base. Then, they have to continually review and top the strategies implemented by the competition. They also have to operate in a manner which is socially and environmentally responsible in order to ensure that they have a positive image within the community and they also enjoy the acceptance of the public. At the level of the staff members, they have to ensure that they hire and retain the best employees, that they train their employees, that they satisfy them and that they capitalize on the investments with the personnel.

Overall then, the economic agent of the modern day society…

Guidelines on oral and written communication with job applicants

One important guideline is that the human resources department is solely responsible for setting the policies and procedures regarding staffing and management of all aspects of the staffing process. herefore any written or oral communication to job applicants should come from the human resources department except where the management team may need to reply to an item that they are formally delegated for.

he second guideline is that all oral and written communication with job applicants should be clearly stated and in a conspicuous manner in the appropriate document. his is in order to prevent any misunderstandings or misinformation that comes from the job applicant not receiving or comprehending the message. he members of the organization should require the job applicants to acknowledge receipt or the message being passed and they should be given an opportunity to ask for clarification where…

Woolworth LIMITED

Business Strategy Reprot

Background to Company

Woolworth Limited is the food and takeaway liquor retailer in Australia, often colloquially known as Woolies' and going by the slogan 'The fresh food people'. It operates in every Australian state and territory. Offshoots are Woolworth's online (Homeshop) which allows uses to purchase food over the Internet and Woolworth's Liquor a department of Woolworth's supermarket stores (IRIS Tasmania, November 2007).

Challenges

Woolworth Limited has to follow government rules and regulations. The political factor involved in this situation is creating both opportunities and a threat for Woolworth Limited. It is an advantage in that it affords Woolworth a diverse work crew since the Australian government applies the Fair Work system that requires that employees and other staff receive maximum weekly hours, protections from unfair dismissal of employee, flexible working roaster, balance between work and family life, and advance notice of termination and redundancy…

E-Commerce on Business Strategy

The purpose of this literary review is to determine the effects and impacts of e-commerce on business strategies and internal processes with particular emphasis on the travel industry.

Our review will include material from several different sources including the Sloan Management eview, Travel Weekly and white papers from Ernest & Young.

We will begin by defining E-commerce and the impact of it in the new economy. Subsequently we will discuss the impacts and effects of e-commerce on business strategies. Finally our discussion will focus on the Travel industry and the impact of e-commerce on Tour operators.

E-commerce

E-commerce is defined as the use of telecommunications, in particular the Internet, to purchase and sell goods and services. (The Macmillan Encyclopedia 2001) The term e-commerce also refers to using electronic means to improve the way a company does business and to create value, or competitive advantages, for the…

Exporting apparel to France would reveal a slightly similar difference. As integrant part of the European Union, France has removed numerous financial barriers in relationship to other EU member states. It has however intensified its barriers relative to product quality and sanitary standards. In terms of the direct relationship between France and the United States, this is generally a positive one, revealing mutual gains and lack of controversy. Efforts are currently being made to reduce the trade barriers between the United States and the EU as a whole (Buy USA, 2009).

4.2. Franchising

A franchising entry strategy would reveal numerous benefits for Miana Fashion, such as reduced risks and shared responsibilities, but would also imply shared financial results. In France nevertheless, such a strategy would stand increased chances of success, supported by all political, economic, cultural and legal backgrounds. France is the leading franchising country of the European Union, with…

Danfoss HR managers had to understand these cultural clashes and devised extensive employee training programs and personality development seminars. The management also devised a platform to address employee grievances. It is necessary to conduct such seminars and employee training programs to provide the Chinese employees the cultural orientation to equip them with the skills necessary for working in a global concern. Danfoss management has learnt from its initial experience the importance of understanding and appreciating the cultural differences involved in globalization. The human resource department of the Chinese subsidiary focuses on bridging the gap and promoting a more efficient working platform, which would contribute to the overall profitability of the company. As one of the Supply chain managers at Danfoss put it ' adapt to the Chinese way on the outside and doing things our own way inside the company'. [Jonathan Story]

As discussed above Danfoss has huge market potential…

Sears Strategies

Sears: Business Strategy and Analysis

Sears, officially names Sears, oebuck and Company, is an American chain of department stores which began its journey to success in the field of mail-order product distribution and has grown to one of the largest and most successful department store chains in the United States. Sears business model has long been attributed to a focus on customer service and satisfaction, and in recent years, Sears has begun work to change how its customers interact with the company in stores and online. In utilizing strategies to upgrade web technology, become a facet of goodwill and community giving, and in structuring itself under the business model of customer service and continued improvements to customer affordability and financing, Sears remains a top contender in the U.S. department store field.

Upgrading Web Technology and Increasing Web Presence

In an effort to keep up with competitors and the…

IT Project Business Strategy Alignment

Why is it critically important to align IT projects with the business strategy?

Any enterprise undertaking that will require substantive expenditure of resources, whether time or labor or materials, or that will impact operations to an important degree should be aligned with the business strategy. The term business strategy is deceptively neutral, implying a list of tactics that can be used by a project manager as a basis for establishing a concrete plan of action complete with checklists. However, business strategy is an organic phenomenon as much as it is a tangible plan for increasing market share or OI. This is because business strategy can be the target of deep involvement by stakeholders at many levels of the enterprise (Schwalbe, 2010). In the same way that business strategy is not developed and implemented in a vacuum, IT projects must -- if they are to be…

Atria's Business Strategy

Altria group, the parent company to Kraft, Phillip Morris and a host of other well-known companies, prides themselves on their commitment to innovative business practices and achievement. The company historically has performed remarkably well and has ranked number one for economic value added delivery providing shareholders unsurpassed value and performance (Altria, 2005). Their strategies for growth and business survival include superior delivery and economic returns to their shareholders in the short- and long-term.

To accomplish this goal Altria has committed themselves to improving each member of the Altria family or each of its operating enterprises. These include primarily Kraft Foods and Phillip Morris (Altria, 2005). The company also maximizes the returns shareholders realize in a consistent manner by taking advantage of technological advancements and innovations to ensure optimal technologies and knowledge sharing practices are adopted within the company.

There have been plans in recent years to restructure…

Management of Information Systems Business Strategy: Lessons to Be Learned From the Clinic and esort Cases about the Creation, Implementation and Use of Business Intelligence

The objective of this work is to examine the lessons to be learned from the clinic and resort cases about the creation, implementation and use of business intelligence in management of information systems business strategy.

Business intelligence is described as the "business capability of extracting actionable insight from business and market data to support better decision-making and improved corporate performance." (The Business Intelligence Guide, 2011) Furthermore, Business Intelligence is the business reported to be the "most wanted technology by business across the world" because business intelligence "even in current times of economic downturn, when IT budgets are being cut, is still at the top of the list of urgently needed business capabilities." (The Business Intelligence Guide, 2011) The critical need for business intelligence was learned…

Small Business Strategy

Small Business Marketing Strategy

A television commercials business

The small business will be termed as a television commercials business. The business involves marketing of products and services that include television gadgets, programs, hardware, software, and services related with television services. The small business will start operations as a small entrepreneur that accommodates and sells small and support gadgets that are related to television services in town. The objective of the business is to be a global force in provision and sell of television brands in the years to come. The business thrives in the motive of becoming one of suppliers and repairers of television materials in the region. The business has been established on the notion that there are many services and materials that can be provided to people with opportunities being utilized. As part of the objectives of business, services offered will have to meet the…

There is no forecasting system in place to understand customers' requirements well ahead of time; from the case study it appears the orders are fought for in bidding wars between factories with price and availability being the two factors the majority of factory general managers rely on to win business.

The factory's short-term focus of just completing one order after another forces employees to also be very short-term in their work ethic as well; each order is a battle between employees and the managers of the factories. This dynamic appears to play out across the entire industry.

Basing compensation purely on piecework as a measure of productivity will nearly always lead to work slowdowns by workers to force up the rate per piecework, especially when the order is large and has a short deadline. Workers see these orders as an opportunity to earn more money.

The workers are actually running…

Company-specific, sales, quote and order processes, customer service, and warranty and returns KPIs all reflect financial performance, over time, for any company. By measuring these KPIs and engraining them into the company culture, Citrus can create a sustainable differentiator in exceptional performance as well. The bottom line is that Citrus must turn accountable and measurable performance into a lasting competitive advantage over the long-term.

Analyzing Industry-Wide KPIs for PC Manufacturers

Areas of Measurement

Baseline: What is Measured

Industry Definition

Company-specific

Project costs and expenses

Use as a baseline for defining OI

Number of orders per year

Determine configuration's impact on inventory turns

Current inventory and costs

Inventory turn savings

Customer Data

Lifetime cost per customer; avg. deal size by customer

Sales

Order cycle time

Order cycle times reduction of 35% or more recorded with mftrs contacted

Cost of Sales

Days Sales Outstanding reduction from 55 to 23 days on average…

Coca-Cola's Strategies

Coca Cola's business strategy is built upon differentiation. It uses both types of differentiation, quality and branding, to set itself apart from its competition. The success of Coca Cola is literally built upon the strength of the Coke brand, even though Coca Cola now markets thousands of products in addition to the original Coca Cola. This branding has proven a significant source of the company's strength, as seen when one examines the brand in connection with a SWOT analysis of the company. However, when Coca Cola faces any type of threat as a brand, that threat can leave the entire company vulnerable. Moreover, the company's largest opportunities are in areas outside of its traditional soft-drink market.

Introduction

This paper will provide an internal overview of the business strategy employed by the Coca Cola Company, differentiation, and how it uses both a quality strategy and effective branding to set…

Emerging Trends

There are a number of different trends emerging in marketing, and those involved in the craft should be aware not only of these changes but the implications of them as well. The first is video. Social media in particular has become a forum for video in marketing. This not only means things like Facebook Live and YouTube, but more sophisticated marketing such as Wistia's pro plans, Vidyard, and Brightcove. Video is another means by which a company can tell its brand story, and there is evidence that the use of video in marketing is not just on the rise but is effective as well, because most audiences find that video content is more engaging than other forms of content (Sharma, 2017).

Artificial intelligence is a big one, and that includes the use of smarter chatbots. These will pop-up on screen to help pull visitors to a website into…

Other than humans and the impact on their social and economic life, the oil companies also have a profound negative influence on the environment. The oil drilling and exploration process affect the environment at every stage. The first step is the identification of oil reserves in the region and assessing whether it can produce oil to cover the cost of drilling and exploration. The oil wells can be found inland or offshore. If the oil well is found inland, then it has to be dug out to assess its usability while for offshore drilling, the first step is to send seismic waves to understand its depth and exploration possibilities. This affects the organisms that depend on it especially the seismic waves can confuse the marine animals and disrupt their breeding grounds.

The next step is the exploration and this can lead to large scale displacement of people and misuse of…

32). By contrast, PepsiCo benefitted from its wide product diversification. PepsiCo's product line includes popular snack names, while Coca-Cola has stuck to beverages. That has given PepsiCo the lead in overall sales, $43 billion to $31 billion in 2009 (see Dlugosch, 14 April 2010, p. 1). Question 4: Both companies' vertical involvement in their main global markets was determined by the consideration that contracts between soft-drink concentrate producers and bottlers allow the bottlers to have the last say in retail price, new packaging (but they could use only authorized packaging), selling and advertising in its territory (Martin, 26 March 2004, p. 5). This often causes strain on the relationships between bottlers, that very often are unable to produce and sell in large volumes, and the concentrate producer (Martin ibid). To accelerate revenue growth and be more agile and flexible both companies engage in vertical involvement in their main global markets…

As Aguilera & Dencker (2004) indicate, "although Human Resource Management (HRM) can play a value-added role in the merger process, existing research and evidence does not clearly demonstrate how it can do so." (Aguilera & Dencker, 1357) Thus, the organization in question is still adjusting to the demands placed upon it to accommodate new arrivals. In addition to language translation services, the organization in question could enhance performance from inpatriates by providing cultural counseling to help those arriving from other countries to understand certain basic cultural realities regarding life in the host country.

orks Cited:

Aguilera, R.V. & Dencker, J. (2004). The Role of Human Resource Management in Cross-Border Mergers and Acquisitions. International Journal of Human Resource Management, 15(8), 1357-1372.

Dowling, P.J. & elch, D.E. (2004). International Human Resource Management: Managing People in a Multinational Context. South-estern College…

Strategic Choices

The author of this report is asked to do a few things within this report. First, the author is to look at and assess the Grand Strategy Selection Matrix. Second, the author is to review and assess the general business model and strategy of Overstock.com. The author of this report is to then select which of the quadrants that Overstock falls within. While it may be a little difficult to pin them down as they are like other online companies in many ways and they are also different in many ways, the choice is pretty clear to the author of this report which one applies to them.

There are, of course, four cells in the Grand Strategy matrix and they are numbered I, II, III and IV. The first cell is for companies that are in turnarounds or re-entrenchment status, are divesting or are liquidating. Examples of firms…

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One tactic which has made the John Doe group unique in the industry is its recognition of the importance of community in the viability of individual enterprises. Its damaged relationship with the communities in which it has sought to operate can be rectified by aspects of its model which are already in place. Though the company operates thousands of funeral service establishments from a centralized point of authority, its acquisition strategy incorporates the families who have owned and operated the newly purchased assets into the business plan. As a result, John Doe's holdings are hybrid entities, armed with the resources of a large parent company but endowed with the close community relationship of an independent business. Taking advantage of this model should be central to the company's overall reversal of its negative public image. This will demand that the new core of central leadership make an effort to increase…

Business Strategy

Business and Corporate

business strategy analysis of kraft foods

Analysis of Business Level Strategy

Kraft Foods Inc. is the second largest food company in the world and makes annual revenues in excess of $54 billion (Kraft Foods Annual eport, 2012). It operates in a highly competitive consumer foods industry where high volume sales are essential for competitive success. Tapping into new markets and growing one's brand portfolio are also important for growth and success.

Kraft Foods Inc. pursues a number of business-level strategies to support its corporate level strategies. The business level strategies are determined by answering the question How do we compete? (Ireland, Hoskisson & Hitt, 2008). Kraft Foods Inc. has selected product differentiation and brand development as its primary business level strategy. Product differentiation involves creating and conveying to the consumer a unique feature of the product portfolio that distinguishes the company from the competition and…

Business Manager 0668

Transactions Process

Tools for customers

E-commerce payment solutions

Search Engine Optimization

Strategies for improvement

Affiliate Programs

Website advertisement

Search Engine Optimization and webpage rankings

Global business diversity

Business climate

Language

Culture

Infrastructure

Customer elationship Management

Website integration of tools

Discuss how you will facilitate customer payment using e-commerce solutions (e.g., how the transaction will take place, including the tools customers will use).

The customer transactions and payments are one of the important elements of e-commerce strategy. The businesses are required to offer a secure and trust worthy system for their client to manage the financial transactions. There are different transactions handling methods used by the e-commerce-based organizations. These payment methods should be aligned with the overall business transaction handling process as well as appropriate selection of tools and e-payment solutions.

Transactions Process:

The transactions of products produced under the label of Sunny Day salon are mainly related…

This means that you must continually monitor and communicate about possible changes, pertaining to the overall scope of the threat. Once this occurs, is when an entity will have an effective security procedure that will adapt to the various changes that are taking place.

This is significant, because this information can be used to corroborate the overall nature of security threats that could be faced by the SME. Where, this information is useful in helping to identify and address possible operational considerations that must be taken into account. As a result, this will help to provide not only a glimpse of possible security challenges that will be faced, but it will also help to establish an effective IT security protocol.

When you compare this with the previous source, this information can be used to highlight specific security threats that the company we are examining could face. Where, it discusses the…

The existence and specialization of these three competitors materializes in the need for Creativity Sure to excel in the offering of the three types of products and services offered by challengers Karina Advertising, Falling Agency and Dorna PLC.

4.2 PEST Analysis

Political forces: The development of a full legislation within the advertising field has yet to become a complete process. ecent efforts have however limited the operations of advertising campaigns in the meaning of having eliminated all features that are not compatible with the product or which promise unrealistic outcomes, such as the tremendous loss of weight. Other issues regulated by the new laws refer to truth-in-advertising, product labeling requirements, online advertising and marketing, the advertising of specific products, telemarketing and direct marketing, and finally, regulations relative to environmental marketing (The Official Business Link to the U.S. Government, 2009). The new Obama administration has yet to take a new stand…

Just as Sarbanes-Oxley legislation created significant opportunities for management consultancies, the same holds true for sustainability requirements in European nations.

In conclusion, all management consultancies are attempting to position themselves as trusted advisors to firms looking to stabilizing existing sales while growing into emerging markets. Of the five included in this analysis, all also have social media channels that are well-populated with content meant to convey their thought leadership in specific areas as well. Yet in the area of equating strategies to IT investments, the majority take the approach that more IT spending is potentially the path out of strategies not performing well. Only the Boston Consulting Group takes a more strategic view of systematic change to businesses, choosing to layer in TI after the frameworks have been created. Their legacy strengths in the BCG and Growth/Share Matrices could be the impetus for this approach. Despite that fact, Boston Consulting…

Strategy Formulation: Evaluating Efficiency and Effectiveness

For any business to continued growing over time it must balance the strategic formulation of its business model with the implementation of strategies (Buttner, 2006). There is however, an inherent conflict between strategic formulation on the one hand, or effectiveness, and the implementation of strategies, or efficiency, on the other. As markets change and economic conditions vary by country and region, strategy formulation and implementation are forced to flex or change over time to keep serving customers and generating revenue. The intent of this analysis is to explain how strategic effectiveness becomes more critical the greater the uncertainty there is in a given industry or geographic market. The effectiveness of a business must also be based on a solid foundation of agility and market focus (Dandira, 2011). Efficiency must be increasing in speed and accuracy of execution in highly competitive markets, yet must be…

UK National Environment

In UK, the allocation of resources is purely based on the forces of demand and supply. This form of economy is a free economy in which competition is embraced and firms have to become efficient to increase their level of competitiveness. The government only intervene to provide the necessary infrastructure and to ensure that consumers are not exploited by the businesses. Besides, the government will formulate policies that ensure fair competition and collect revenues for the country development agenda. With these, businesses must ensure that they operate within the law and abide by the regulations that are set by the state. Barr Company can therefore conduct business in a competitive industry without government interference on what form of business to do or the amount of prices to charge on their products. The management has large latitude of choice to make on how to produce, what to produce,…

Where pricing integration typically fails however are in the handling of exceptions. Columbus (2003) makes the point that the use of automated approaches to managing special pricing requests can be one of the highest OI activities of any company. The focus for LOM then is in turning the one-off loan request specifically including a differing rate or structure into a competitive advantage by quickly being able to fulfill it. The use of automated special pricing requests applications and techniques as defined by Columbus (2003) are strong competitive tools that could be used as part of FlashQuote and BFOT overall.

FlashQuote Use Case Analysis

Identifier: FlashQuote Use Case Analysis

Name: BFOT System component that includes quoting, pricing, loan interest rates and the ability to electronically upload the loan, once approved, to the LOS.

Purpose: To more accurately and completely capture the quotes given to prospects over the telephone, the Web, and…

This is when the overall amounts of responsibilities are limited to: the percentage of ownership of the different shareholders. As a far as control is concerned, this means that management must carefully monitor who they are hiring to work as the jackhammer operator. The reason why, is because of the possibility of the on the job injuries that are work related. Taxation issues are limited mainly to the percentage of ownership of the various shareholders. As all income from the business will be divided and reported on the individual tax returns of the business owners. The possible liability issues include: workplace injuries, negligence and the loss of income that an employee can claim (in the event they are injured). To protect itself against the different risks, the business needs to have policies in place that will monitor the activities of managers, to ensure that they are following all regulations. This…

For instance, if a business is keenly aware of the manner in which different conditions are effecting business relationships, that businesses to work to make the appropriate changes.

Stages of Development

All relationships are governed by stages. Business relationships are no exception to this rule. There are various characteristics that businesses must be aware of as it pertains to each stage.

According to Brooks (2008) that are four primary stages of business relationship development. These four stages of development are as follows:

Emerging - getting familiar with one another with test transactions. These test transactions are both financial and non-financial (Brooks, 2008). During this stage first impressions are made and businesses can determine the reliability, quality of products/services and whether or not the cost of the product/service is equivalent to the cost of the product. This stage is critical because it establishes the type of relationship that the businesses will…

To run a business profitably, especially in the modern times where business is dome at the speed of thought, achieving business stability and growth can be made possible by setting goals that have to be achieved and using the proper tools and methods. (Elkin, 1998) Enhancing the business can be achieved by reaching the predetermined point where the investments match the output and there is a situation where the investment has begun paying. This point is called the break even point. In every business there is a great element of risk. A business becomes successful only when the risks are minimized. isks cannot altogether be eliminated but can be minimized. This is done by structuring the credit risk and adjusting the spending and other influential patterns of the entity. (Culp, 2001)

Sometimes the very core of the business need be redefined to achieve the objective of making profits. Strategic redefinition…

Business easons for Supply Chain

Business easons for the Supply Chain Management

There are many factors or reasons why companies choose to invest in and grow their supply chains over time. The intent of this paper will be to analyze the most common reasons why supply chain management is such a critical part of any business strategy today. Managing supply chains effectively can mean the difference between launching a new product on time and at a high quality level

(Amini, Li, 2010), in addition to managing high variability in demand for a given product or service as well (Georgiadis, Tsiakis, Longinidis, Sofioglou, 2010). Supply chains are indispensible for managing any business effectively, across all manufacturing and service sectors.

Better Demand Management

Supply chains are a critical part of the complete value chains of a business and often the make the difference of their being able to fulfill demand or not…