Industry Analysis Essays (Examples)

Currently, the economy is not faring very well. With that being the case, there are more people shopping at discount department stores. That would seem like a good thing, but it is not necessarily as good as it would appear at first glance. Instead of being a boon for discount department stores across the country, it is simply another reason for more people to get into the market and try to take market share away from the companies that are already available. That is seen frequently when a particular type of business is performing well, and is not uncommon (Nickols, 2000; Porter, 2002). It can, however, be frustrating for a company that is focused on what it is doing and was not anticipating the need to focus too strongly on the competitors moving into the market.

Threat of New Entrants

In addition to the competitors that a company already has,…

Supply Chain Characteristics

There are five critical characteristics of supply chain in relation to the personal computer analysis. One of the essential characteristics of supply chain is the view of the process as an important asset. This makes it important for the organization to incorporate supply chain within the products and marketing strategies. Another critical characteristic is integration of new technologies with the aim of minimizing the cost of provision of services to the consumers. The third characteristic is adoption and integration of an effective organization's performance. The fourth characteristic is the adoption of quality collaborative model to enhance the performance of the organization within the market and industry of operation. The last characteristic is incorporation of research and development in the identification of issues or problems affecting the achievement of the goals and objectives of the organizations.

eferences

Dell Inc. SWOT Analysis. (2012). Dell, Inc. SWOT Analysis, 1-9.

Lenovo…

This is significant, because it shows how in the next three years, the airlines are going to face increasing amounts of competition, in a number of different markets. This is because the industry is targeting the same demographics of business and leisure travelers. As a result, the increased amounts of deregulation, will affect the industry in the future, as increased amounts of competition will more than likely mean lower fares. Yet, some of the traditional services that many customers have become use to such as: in flight meals and curbside check in are being eliminated. This is because most airlines are seeking to lower costs as much as possible, in an effort to remain competitive with the low cost carriers and new airlines that have entered the different markets. (Cento, 2009)

Task Environment

Three different specific factors that could be affecting the airline industry in the future would include: fuel…

The decrease in 2006 is obvious to most all product categories and it can be explained through the economic crisis in the U.S. And the general reduction of industrial activities and corporate profits.

The communications and telecommunications subsector has also been subjected to changes in 2006 as compared to 2005, registering both increases as well as decreases, as shown by the figures below (millions of dollars):

Product Product Name 2006

Code

3342101 Telephone switching and switchboard equipment

3342104 Carrier line equipment and nonconsumer modems

3342107 Wireline voice and data network equipment

Communication systems and equipment

3342202 roadcast, studio, and related electronic equipment 3,653.3

3342901 Alarm systems, including electric sirens and horns

3342902 Vehicular and pedestrian traffic control equipment

3342903 Intercommunications systems 433.2

3344184 Modems, consumer type 79.1

Unlike the majority of electronic products presented before, the communications and telecommunications systems have increased in shipments. The sole exceptions are the alarm…

This continues the cycle of relying on production efficiencies and build-to-order strategies as an attempt to break the cycle of disruptive innovations (Ervolina, Ettl, Lee, Peters, 2009).

All of these factors lead to a task-based analysis of the computer peripherals market that continue to illustrate how fragmented and highly cost-driven it has become. Figure 1 shows the market share of the computer peripherals industry from a product standpoint. Computer monitors and hard drives, comprise together 50% of the total computer peripheral market, are going through a series of disruptive innovations mentioned earlier in this analysis. The fact that these two categories generate a high percentage of total revenue in the computer peripherals industry illustrate how dependent channel partners, suppliers and channel partners on continued innovation to stay in business (Thormahlen, 2011). Figure 1, Distribution of Sales by Computer Peripheral Type, illustrates this point.

Figure 1: Distribution of Sales by Computer…

Industry Analysis of the United States

Oil & Gas Industry

This report is an industry analysis on the United States oil & gas industry but does not delve into the industry related exploration and production pre-refining activities.

The focus will be on the major producers such as Shell, Mobil, Texaco, Gulf and Exxon and how they are affected by the 5-forces model analysis. The report also analyzes the competition structure of the major competitors to see if there is a strategic group mapping in the industry. And finally, the future trends of the macro-environmental factors such as the economy, technology and governmental regulation are reviewed to see how they influence the industry and what opportunities or threats are presented for future trade.

The media today has guaranteed that everyone knows that oil prices are hitting new barrel highs and the world demand is stellar - but, does that equate into…

Furthermore some of the existing companies already have loyal customers.

Bargaining power of suppliers

Suppliers have an effect on the industry through their ability to raise prices or reduce the quality of goods or services they provide. There are very few airline suppliers globally these are Airbus and Boeing this means that the suppliers have a high power since they are limited and hence control the market since the demand for their manufactured products is high (ahman,2010.)

Bargaining power of Buyers

The industry is affected by the buyers through their ability to bargain for more services that are of high quality. The buyers' power in this industry is high since the airline industry serves many passengers. The costs of switching airlines are low and the passengers have a large option base.

Threat of a substitute service or product

This threat can be viewed on a regional and international point. This…

This means that while the business is profitable, it is in a state of constant, intense competition.

Firms such as Costco must develop a competitive culture, and constantly benchmark against themselves in order to stay ahead of the myriad of different competitors. The future of this business is only good if competitive advantages and strong brand equity have been established, as is the case for Costco. For them, the industry's competitive situation remains favorable, but only because of their established market position. That the industry has as many favorable characteristics as it does means that there will be more competition. There are many retailing giants with the means to eliminate the barriers to entry and the creativity to establish new models. That the industry is favorable will attract these competitors and eventually this will be an unfavorable industry in which to operate, but for the immediate future, conditions are favorable…

Industry Analysis of Harley-Davidson Motor Company

A select few companies throughout the history of American capitalism have become iconic figures that are synonymous with the products they sell, and the Harley-Davidson Motor Company has successfully accomplished this rare feat, engraining the moniker "Harley" in the global lexicon as the emblem of premium motorcycles. While today's generation may consider Harley-Davidson to be a monolith without legitimate competition from domestic motorcycle manufacturers, a careful study of the company's history demonstrates the wide array of difficulties which were encountered over more than a century of operation. It is true that Harley-Davidson dominated the motorcycle manufacturing market throughout the first half of the 20th century, an influx of cheap competition in the 1960s from Japanese companies like Suzuki, Honda and Yamaha threatened to push their American rival to the brink of bankruptcy. Only through a revolutionary adjustment to the company's business model -- premised…

Apparel Industry Analysis

The objective of this report is to provide the analysis of the Women's Clothing Stores industry. The industry comprises of the line of the ready-made women clothing, and the category includes a specialized women suits, coats, and dresses. The industry also includes the maternity wear and line of women misses. Since 1990, the structure of the women clothing stores in the United States has changed significantly because of the transition from the "production-driven market to a consumer-driven market" (Baye, 2010 p 8), and the consumer in the United States spent approximately $36.7 billion in women clothing in 2005. In the mid-2000s, the employees in the industry worked as sales associates performing customer service jobs as well as varieties of operational duties that include the product displays and stock organization. Moreover, the store managers' responsibility is to oversee sales, perform oversea functions and operations. Similar to the other…

Apple

Industry Analysis

Apple competes in the consumer electronics industry, predominantly on the hardware side, but also on the software side. The most significant product that the company makes is the iPhone, which accounts for $155 billion in revenue out of a total revenue of $233 billion. The Mac computers generate $25 billion, the iPad $23 billion, services $19 billion and "other" $10 billion. Most of other consists of software and peripheral products, along with any residual iPod sales that might still exist (Apple Co. 2015 Form 10-K). This breakdown highlights that Apple is primarily a hardware company, though its hardware is embedded with the company's own software. Of these businesses the iPhone is a major growth business, having increased 52% over the previous year on the basis of the iPhone 5 release. The iPad is a declining business, having dropped 23%, while other businesses saw more modest increases. "Other…

Adult Day Care Industry Analysis

Adult day care centers are non-residential facilities that provide and support the health, nutrition and social needs of adults. They are usually staffed with professionals and the adults are kept in groups to provide meaningful activities and ensure ease of socializing and supervision. In some adult day care services, medical services such as assessment, rehabilitation and treatment may be conducted to ensure that chronic conditions such as dementia and Alzheimer's are well taken care of Cavanaugh & Blanchard-Fields, 2009.

At many of the centers, on-site nurses or nurse assistants are available to check vital signs of the adults and provide personal care services. In general, adult day care services benefit both the elderly and their caregivers Davis & Press, 2010.

This is because the elderly receive the much needed supportive care and the caregivers are able to remain in their jobs or normal routines during…

Clearly, Republic holds very low inventory levels. aste Management holds high inventory levels, with the industry average falling in between. This relatively inefficiency has certainly not hurt aste Management, though, judging by the other aspects of its financial performance.

Analysis of External Environment

hile nationwide there are 15,000 firms in the waste services industry, in any given market aste Management will have only a small handful of competitors. Most of these are relatively small, being either local or regional players. Republic is one of the only competitors with a size and scale anywhere approaching that of aste Management. Competition in any given market can vary in intensity, but competition for high stakes bids -- such as civic or large institutional bids -- can be intense. Bids are almost always based on price, highlighting the need for cost control in this industry.

The customers are waste services range from municipalities to…

DELTA

Information Systems Management Industry Analysis Case Study, research airline company (Delta Airlines) give an overview company, identify industry a part, complete a Five Forces Industry Analysis.

Delta Airlines

Brief company background

Delta Airlines became one of the world's largest air carriers when it merged with Northwest Airlines in 2008. Based at the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Delta offers extensive domestic and international service (Delta Airlines, 2013, CAPA). It is also one of the founding members of the Sky Team. The Sky Team is an airline alliance with Aeromexico, Air France, and Korean Air (Sky Team, 2013, CAPA).

Industry overview

Delta Airlines is a member of the international airlines industry. The industry has suffered a number of recent difficulties, including increased security concerns post- 9/11; the rise of electronic communication which reduces the need for business travel; online ticket shopping that enables consumers to find lower-cost fares; and also a…

When Japanese manufacturers were the first to generate the highest densities and the lowest cost per GB and in turn beat other nations; manufacturers to the next level of performance, U.S. And westernized nations aggressively used anti-dumping policies through their governments in an attempt to slow down the technological leads in other nations. Yet these same disk drive manufacturers would load up their channels and report shipped storage products as sold on their balance sheets when they had merely been sent to distribution partners. This level of coercive isomorphism became heightened and was driven by manufacturers looking for differentiation through public policy, having exhausted product-related differentiation as products at this point were different only on price and their date of availability.

The disk drive industry is a best practices study of mimetic isomorphism. Starting from the entrepreneurs who started the industry including Alan Shugart, a fascinating man with a gift…

Computer Microchip Industry Analysis

The challenges for Smart Chips Company include staying current with the latest generation of technologies for their products, continually refining the new product development and introduction process, and continually brining new innovation into both products and processes over the long-term. Each component in their value chain needs to be designed so that innovation, costs reduction and greater long-term integration can be achieved. Value chains have the potential to be the most potent differentiator for any organization by unifying many different, often disparate functions and systems over time, enabling greater productivity in the process (Porter, 1986).

Analysis of Smart Chips Company Strategy

The value chain is the most critical strategic asset the company has, as it unifies its suppliers, manufacturing and quality management organizations, resellers and distribution channels. The value chain needs to continually be improved upon and managed to a set of metrics to ensure its…

Abroad, in Europe and Asia, such amenities are provided by the state, not corporations. Additionally, Japanese car makers have benefited from a national culture that stresses loyalty to one's employer, often at the expense of individual rights.

However, even the powerful United Auto Worker's union (UAW) has realized that the solvency of the industry is integral to its future. The Obama Administration has pressured the major American car manufacturers to adopt a new business model, and companies are currently researching improved use of electric, clean and sustainable fuels. Historically low interest rates and programs such as 'cash for clunkers' have motivated consumers to begin to buy new cars again. Such measures have resulted in a slight improvement in auto sales, but unless the industry changes its business image and exhibits innovative thinking in car design its future rests on shaky grounds.

eference

Lifton, Jack. (2008, December 10). Toyota's business model…

S. are seeing modest improvements in economic indicators.

The social environment is favorable for air travel. The mode still holds tremendous cachet with consumers and is favored when consumers can afford it. There is some consideration that the airline business is a major contributor to greenhouse gases and therefore global warming, but as of yet the industry has not come under serious public pressure as it is generally viewed by the public as a necessity rather than a luxury in this regard.

The technological environment is favorable, and the airline industry has typically responded well to technological change. hile some developments are in the form of new airplane technology, for airlines the more important developments are those that reduce back-end costs. For example, the use of online reservation and check-in has been a core strategy for discount airlines to reduce costs (Starmer-Smith & Alleyne, 2009). Information technology has also facilitated…

These savings can be used in investing in customer services.

However, the company has identified other product categories that can be used in addressing international markets and included them in its offers. Such product categories that can be used in increasing market share are represented by electronics, office products, grocery, jewelry, clothes, and others. Amazon identified these product categories as important opportunities in addressing European and Chinese markets.

Another important area of growth in the case of Amazon is represented by international business expansion. The reduced competition in this industry in other countries allowed Amazon to develop a strong leadership position in these markets. It seems that the company's strategy was successful, given the fact that these markets provided higher development rates than the U.S. market. This can also be attributed to the fact that Amazon developed its international activity based on the successful strategies applied in the U.S. market.…

U.S. Airways Company Background

One of the major companies operating in the American airline industry is the U.S. Airways, which is owned by American Airlines Group. The airline company was founded in 1939 as All-American Airways that focused on delivering air-mail to the Ohio Valley and Western Pennsylvania through the use of a single engine Stinson eliant aircraft. After its inception, the company rapidly developed into Allegheny Airlines, U.S. Air and eventually U.S. Airways following a series of acquisitions and mergers. Throughout its years of operation, U.S. Airways has developed to become one of the greatest success stories of the United States, especially in relation to the airline industry.

After being founded as All-American Airways in 1939, the company changed its name to Allegheny Airlines in 1953 after acknowledging the mountains and river of the similar name that acted as the core of its airline's network ("U.S. Airways Chronology," n.d.).…

Conducting Industry Analysis
Industry analysis is an important process when making investment decisions as it helps to identify the major competitive forces in the organization’s industry, the sources and sustainability of competitive advantage, and major business risks. Through this process, the company identifies factors that may affect its future profitability and how to compete effectively in the industry. However, the process of conducting an industry analysis requires the identification of various factors. One of the major factors to consider when conducting an industry analysis is competitive rivalry or rivalry among existing firms. During this process, the company attempts to answer several questions that would identify forces that impact industry returns. The three most important questions are; how fast is the industry growing? What are the key economic and regulatory issues faced by companies in this industry? Who are the potential competitors and how might their entry affect competitive rivalry? (Young,…

The receivables totalled 2.54 million with the largest percentage

9 million beyond the First Mortgage loan. In order that the company does not dilute its equity, it is recommended that the convertible and debenture issues are made. If the convertibles are taken as equity, the capital structure will be around 28.6% in two years not counting new retained earnings, and this is close to the target capital structure that UniHost has. It is recommended therefore that those two options are undertaken in order to finance the expansion of UniHost. The convertible will need to be more than the $75 million -- more is possible so a this issue should net around $85 million. The company is unable to finance with just equity and convertibles, so some amount of debenture will be required, so it would be difficult for UniHost to undertake its growth strategy and avoid the restrictive covenants that will prohibit it from further growth. Future expansion needs…

The core competencies identified for this paper include: (1) data management (2) personnel management (3) strategic planning and (4) the ability to create technological innovation. ealistically speaking, a company must integrate all of its capabilities to assess its position in the market, and to determine which if any of its core competencies it must work on developing further to maintain a stable position in a volatile workplace. The computer industry is constantly evolving and changing. To be a leader in the industry one might guess the most important core capability for a computer company to have is innovative leaders and the ability to create and easily adapt to new technology.

With a foundation that includes core capabilities as data management, strategic planning and personnel management, a company could easily do this without hardship.

eferences

Aung, M. & Heeler, . (2001, Aug). "Core competencies of service firms: A framework for strategic…

Tredegar Industries Analysis: Connecting With the Value Chain

Summary of the Case

Tredegar Industries has emerged as a conglomerate that has the potential to expand globally in the plastics, aluminum and vinyl, and energy segments they compete in today predominantly in the U.S. The case study indicates that they have also had extensive investments throughout technology early-venture funds including their Tredegar Investments. The intent of this fund is to invest in communications, IT and life sciences technologies. Molecumetrics Ltd. Is another acquisition that also adds to the conglomerate-based approach Tredegar is taking to growth. The case study indicates that profitability as measured by Net Income continues to increase, yet there is little progress in the more niche-based markets the company initially invests in yet sees only small to non-significant growth. The reset on strategies is a step in the right direction yet not enough, as the conglomerate still lacks a…

Business Studies

Southwest Airlines with Porters Five Forces Analysis

Southwest Airlines is a major competitor in the U.S. air industry. The founders; ollin King and Herb Kelleher, developed the idea of a low cost carrier and the airline airlines gained the first mover advantage when the inaugural flight took place in 1971. The airline has been very successful and following the acquisition of AirTran in 2011, the company is now the largest domestic carrier and the world's largest low cost carrier (Southwest Airlines, 2014). The firm has 45,000 employees and flies to 96 different destinations with its fleet of 680 Boeing aircraft (Southwest Airlines, 2014). Competing in the airline industry the company has a number of challenges which can be examined through Porters Five Forces Model.

Threat of New Entrants

The airline industry has a number of barriers to entry and exit which may constrain the potential for new competition.…

Internet Strategies Adopted by Automobile Companies in a Changing Business Market

This is an article on the Internet strategies adopted by automobile companies in the changing business scenario.

hat is the most recent fad that is tempting, informative and dangerous? The author would have loved to hear the responses from an audience, because none would have mentioned the Internet as the answer, and that is exactly what it is. Tempting because companies fall for the hype that the Internet has the potential to increase their profits by huge unrealistic percentages. Informative because the company is soon informed by its event managers that the virtual world is not what it was originally thought of, and dangerous because even after burning their fingers, they keep coming back for more! The reason why the come back is plain simple: the Internet is not directly responsible for the drubbing they received, It is their…

price of oil has fallen from around $120 per barrel about a year and half ago to around $50 per barrel. This has resulted in a sharp fall in revenues for all oil companies and specially the smaller companies that have a limited cash or revenue reserve. IN this condition this paper studies the possible strategies that can adopted by smaller oil companies to tide over the situation.

For this study we take the case of BNK Petroleum. The study reveals that the company expended more than three forth of its revenue of exploration which was one of the major causes of losses. It was recommended that the company should reduce its exploration expenses and look to venture into new markets of South America and Africa. To enable financing of marketing expenses in these markets, it has also been recommended that the company dilute some of its equity. To further…

Oil & Gas Management

An Analysis of OPEC's Pricing Strategy: Has Saudi Arabia underestimated the resilience of U.S. shale oil?

The global environment for oil and gas has changed significantly in just the last few years as a new set of market conditions have been created that can be defined by an increase supply in oil. These supply increases have largely come from technological developments that have allowed for new forms of oil to extract such as shale oil which has in turn reduced the dependence on the cartels and Middle Eastern oil (Doshi & Corrigan, 2015). There have also been changes in the demand due to technology development as well. Engines and efficiencies have reduced the total demand for oil per user despite the fact that the number of total oil and gas users have increased rapidly in the developing world.

The oil industry serves as the foundation for…

Nike, for example, operates in approximately 150 countries around the world. Also, there is room for brand and line extension. This leverages core brands and competencies to move into similar business. In recent years, Nike has built its Hurley and Cole Haan lines in recent years using their manufacturing and distribution competencies, and Reebok has expanded its core brand into ice hockey.

There are many threats to the industry, however. First, the slowing in the U.S. market has resulted in an increase in competition as growth prospects slow for the key firms. The industry is also subject to economic slowdown, especially the top firms, who generally operate with a premium pricing strategy. As most firms in the industry operate with a model featuring global procurement, they are at risk to increases in transportation costs, which cut into their margins.

Another risk is intellectual property rights violations. Two of the key…

Industry Specific

My industry of choice is the auto industry, and I will analyze it using the PESTEL framework. The political environment is critical to the auto industry for a couple of reasons. In most countries, the auto industry is significant, and therefore becomes politicized. The bailouts of GM and Chrysler are just two examples -- albeit extreme ones -- of the intense government involvement in the shape and size of the automotive industry. Another good example is NAFTA, which has resulted in production shifts to Canada and Mexico, but also the opening of the Mexican market. The current climate holds that the governments of the U.S. And Canada are divesting some of their control over GM and Chrysler, but will remain heavily involved in the industry, with the objective of supporting the Big Three, as well as major foreign automakers. The political environment also shapes demand conditions. For example,…

Industry Pattern

Describe the industry and explain the general pattern of change of the particular market model.

Since the 1990s, the electric utility industry has been going through tremendous amounts of deregulation. This is because the monopolistic model made them ineffective in delivering different services. When this happened, consumers began to experience dramatic increases in the costs for their utility bills. In general, this was considered to be a naturalistic monopoly, as the government regulatory agencies could protect the interests of consumers. However, after it became clear that this approach was ineffective, is when there was a transformation in these strategies. This occurred with many governments around the world opening the marketplace to foreign competitors or selling their assets to private individuals / entities. (Griffin, 2005, pp. 39 -- 110)

Moreover, the increasing demand from consumers meant that this model was simply unsustainable. Evidence of the can be seen with…

Philip Zimbardo's research entailed taking good people and putting them in bad situations, just to see how it would affect their psyche. Volunteers were divided into two groups: guards and prisoners. They also left out any clocks or calendars, so that they could not judge the passage of time. A police car drove around the neighborhood one Sunday morning, arresting college students, as part of a mass arrest for Penal codes 211, Armed Robbery, and urglary, a 459 PC. After being processed at the police station, they were blindfolded and put in a cell, left to wonder what would happen to them. Each prisoner was systematically searched and stripped naked, then deloused to convey the belief that they had germs or lice, which was designed to degrade and humiliate the prisoner. They were given a uniform -- a dress or smock, which was to be worn at all times, without…

Analysis of an Organizational Vision
Describe the company and its vision statement.
Toyota Motor Corporation, established in 1937, is an automotive company that has grown to become one of the biggest organizations in the world. Toyota designs, manufactures, assembles and retails vehicles in approximately 190 nations and regions across the globe. Toyota Motor Corporation is a multinational corporation with its main center of operations situated in Aichi, Japan. Since its establishment, the corporation had significantly grown and developed to become the largest car manufacturer in the world.
The vision statement of Toyota is:
“Toyota will lead the way to the future of mobility, enriching lives around the world with the safest and most responsible ways of moving people. Through our commitment to quality, constant innovation and respect for the planet, we aim to exceed expectations and be rewarded with a smile. We will meet our challenging goals by engaging the…

Adult Day Care Industry

ABC Adult Day Care will be a mid-sized company, which will provide adult day care services to the residents of Boston. This mid-sized adult care facility will serve adults aged fifty years and above. It will provide community-based day health services for the elderly and disabled. Services offered include living assistance, nursing, therapy, meals, and social activities. Their services will be secure and safe, presenting the elderly with an excellent place where their caring services will be met. ABC Adult Day Care will be a privately held organization headed by its founder, Ben Stevenson. Mr. Stevenson has extensive experience in strategic business planning. His advanced knowledge and interest in business are the driving force behind his business. A few employees who have extensive experience in adult care fields will support the daily operations of the facility. With the rising rate of inflation, many American families struggle…

Economy (Maket) Analysis

Industy Analysis

Company Analysis

Bief Histoy of the Company

Analysis of Financial Statements (Ratio analysis)

Liquidity Ratios: Cuent atio

Opeating Efficiency: Asset Tunove

Opeating Pofitability Ratios: Net pofit magin, Retun on Equity, and Du Pont

Risk Analysis: Business Risk and Financial Risk, Vaiability, and Debt/Equity

Application of CAPM and Analysis

10F.Estimating the Value of the Company and Analysis

EPS

10• P/E

11• Sustainable Gowth Rate

11• PEG

12• Investment Decisions

13G.Additional Measues of Relative Value and Analysis

13• P/BV

14• P/CF

14H.Measues of Value Added and Analysis

14• EVA

15• MVA

15I.Comments and Conclusion

Refeences:

1.Economy (Maket) Analysis

Consume spending poved vey esilient against the challenge of gadually ising enegy pices, as indicatos of sales in the etail secto show. Howeve, the difficulties caused by huicanes Katina, Rita and othe topical stoms, as well as tensions in oil-ich aeas might lead to ecod-high enegy pices.

Howeve, the…

Target Markets

Given that the new product would be manufactured using better, but more expensive technologies that protect the environment, Shaw Industries' target market would have to simultaneously meet the following criteria:

present an increased interest towards preserving the environment possess sufficient financial resources in order to afford the higher prices of the products manufactured using superior technologies.

In this order of ideas, Shaw Industries' target market is formed of both American citizens as well as foreigners, with ages between 25 and 65 and who register above medium incomes. The age limit is imposed by the belief that the population younger than 25 rarely possesses their own houses, shows reduced interest in carpets and does not possess sufficient financial resources to afford the relatively high prices of the new carpets. On the other hand, the retired population generally spends their pension money on medicines or journey around the world and…

External Analysis: Overstock.com

Porter's Five Forces Model

Porter's framework, as Hill and Jones (2009) point out, concerns itself with forces (five in number) that configure or structure competition within a given industry. These, according to the authors, include: "(1) the risk of entry by potential competitors; (2) the intensity of rivalry among established companies within an industry; (3) the bargaining power of buyers; (4) the bargaining power of suppliers; and (5) the closeness of substitutes to an industry's products" (Hill and Gareth, 2009, p. 42). The subsequent sections of this text will apply Porter's Five Forces model in an evaluation of Overstock.com's operating environment.

Discussion

Overstock.com is "a technology-based retail company offering customers a wide variety of high-quality products, at great value, with superior customer service" (Overstock.com, 2014). Some of the products the company offers for sale include, but they are not limited to; jewelry, furniture, handcrafted items and products,…

Economics

Sources of Information for a Porters Five Forces Analysis on Kraft Foods

To undertake a Porters Five Forces analysis it is necessary to identify potential sources of information that will give the required information. The Five Forces analysis will require an assessment of the five areas; degree of rivalry among competitors, threat of new entrants, bargaining power of suppliers, bargaining power of customers, and availability of substitutes. This process can be examined by looking at the sources which may be used for a Porters Five Forces analysis of Kraft Foods, a firm that competes in the food industry. Each of the forces will be considered separately.

Degree of rivalry among competitors

Source 1; CSI Market; UL is http://csimarket.com/stocks/competitionSEG2.php?code=KFT

This is a very useful web site which has the primary aim of providing information to potential investors. The page on Kraft Foods is particularly useful in assessing the firm's position…

AssetCo

An Analysis on a Crumbling Company

About the Company

AssetCo is an international fire and rescue services business that operates in the United Kingdom and the United Arab Emirates. The services provided by AssetCo are outsourced, including all fire and rescue services. The company makes use of outsourced personnel, training, and equipment, but partners with the London Fire Brigade in its long-term contract (AssetCo.com, 2010).

A key goal of AssetCo is to meet and advise government policy, industry standards, and risk related to fire and rescue. The company functions within the civil defense, armed forces, aviation, and oil and gas industries in the UK and the UAE (AssetCo.com, 2010).

Company History

AssetCo began its life as a leasing and asset management subsidiary of British Gas. It was built to benefit a 20-year operational asset management contract with LFEPA, London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority. In 2009, the company secured…

Howard Schultz

Case Analysis - Howard Schultz Starbucks

Coffee Company

CASE ANALYSIS-HOWAD SCHULTZ STABUCKS COFFEE COMPANY

Case Analysis - Howard Schultz Starbucks Coffee Company

Company Overview

Starbucks Corporation is the first organization to specialize in marketing and retailing of specialty coffee in the world. Established in 1985, Starbuck operates in more than 50 countries, and the company sells varieties of coffee and tea beverages through the company trademark. In addition to the Starbucks trademark, the company portfolio also includes Starbucks VIA, Seattle Best Coffee and Tazo Tea. The vision of Starbucks Corporation is to become one of the most recognized respected brands in the world, and the company has tried to achieve this goal by expanding outside the United States. Between 2007 and 2011, the company has been able to increase its net revenue by more than 24%. At the end of 2007 fiscal year, the company recorded the net…

Impact of Potential Change Factors

The potential change factors that both industries share is offshore production that is drastically re-shaping their value chains while also changing the structure of many industry participants from a supply chain standpoint. The outsourcing of tool manufacturing to India is forcing investment in quality management and compliance (Dangayach, Deshmukh, 2006) while in the high tech industry the change factors of Chinese manufacturing (Albrecht, Morgenstern, Xia, 2008) is changing the cost structures of the high tech industry and product lifecycles. The change factor of regulatory compliance to sell into Europe and global markets with tighter environmental restrictions than the U.S. is also re-ordering both industries.

An Analysis of Strategic Intent

The strategic intent of the power tools industry is to concentrate on the construction industry and generate stable sales through the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) market, where profitability and sales levels are consistently high. For the…

S. production value. Exports account for approximately half this amount (Binnquist, Lopez, and Shanley). Figure 2 portrays three views of bamboo. One: A bamboo forrest; Two: A bamboos shoot; Three: A bamboo grove walkway.

Figure 2: Three Views of Bamboo (adapted from Stickman).

As bamboo production levels have risen, the amounts of raw materials needed to facilitate the production have simultaneously increased. The bamboo industry in Anji predominantly harvests bamboo from plantations, as it primarily grows a fast growing and easily cultivated, bamboo species, locally known as "maozhu" or "moso bamboo" (phyllostachys heterocycla) (Binnquist, Lopez, and Shanley). .

Currently in Anji, the cultivation of moso bamboo encompasses 60% of the forest area, with the percentage rising as plantations expand. Along with the hefty production of bamboo, the intense cultivation bamboo industry uses mammoth amounts of fertilizers and pesticides; which contributes to negative environmental effects. In reference to the bamboo production…

External Analysis Southwest Airlines

One of United States' most successful airlines in the business is Southwest airlines. The company has been one of the most successful businesses in the economy with no case of worker layoff or strike being recorded in the organization. The company has dedicated its commitment to ensuring it provides a favorable environment for its workers. The company's corporate culture has played a significant role in the success of the company as it recognizes the workers emotions. Positive attitude is influential in the workplace as the workers become more productive. The air transport business is in an industry where profit maximization is a challenge to many players. The struggling economy and the increased number of players in the company make the industry unfavorable for business. The industry is also affected by the increased price of fuel which increases the cost of transportation. The paper conducts environmental analysis…

Financial Analysis of Nike

Nike Corporation (NKE: NYSE) is a global leader in the research and development, design and global marketing of a series of apparel, accessory, equipment and footwear products. The company is globally recognized for its excellence in marketing with the Nike brand being considered one of the top ten globally every year in consumer surveys where unaided awareness is the basis of analysis (Kwon, Kim, Mondello, 2008). Nike has one of the most extensive supply chains of any global apparel manufacturer, with a series of supplier quality audits and compliance standards including Corporate Social esponsibility (CS) initiatives and programs are enforced across the thousands of companies it sources from (Doorey, 2011). Today Nike operates in 170 different nations, dividing their overall operations into six divisions including China, Central and Eastern Europe, North America, Western Europe and Emerging Markets. Nike has over two dozen product lines it sells…

Anemic returns on capital and fixed assets - the financial ratio analysis later in this paper makes this point very clear; the company is struggling to gain higher levels of asset utilization and therefore increase gross margins and profitability.

Opportunities

Aerospace growth will significantly grow Alcoa's business - Despite the many problems in the areas of asset utilization and profitability, the company is well positioned to take advantage of the growing demand for their core products, services, and programs oriented to the aerospace industry.

Growth of the global construction industry - This is also a significant opportunity for Alcoa to continue to grow all its core businesses through demand for construction products in the most rapidly growing industrialized economies globally. This includes the growth in construction throughout China, India and throughout the Pacific Rim 4Q06 Analyst Presentation (2006).

Threats

Automotive and truck growth continues to stall - This is impacting…

Similarly, this could influence the international airline community. Then, a stable economy is highly dependent upon a stable oil price, which once again is not the case. "The environment will continue to become more competitive as the LCC's continue to become more convenient. Business fares will continue to drop. Leisure fares won't raise much until capacity is generally in line with demand, which won't occur until much of the capacity overhand has been employed either by surviving legacy carriers or LCC."

To the customer, the continuing of this trend will generate no benefits. "In other words, we're stuck with the current system, because it isn't really in any airline's interest to try to change it. As long as no airline makes a dedicated effort to distinguish itself from the pack, all the airlines can stay lean, even at the expense of quality."

eferences

Surowiecki, J., the Unfriendly Skies, the New…

Individual eport style Case Analysis: - Ford Motor Company - IN TEXT CASE 18 Case Objectives 1. To examine external internal forces affect competitive strategy. 2. To investigate choices business corporate-level strategies a highly turbulent industry.

Ford Motor Company

The modern day society is still striving to overcome the impediments of the economic crisis that commenced in 2007 in the United States real estate sector. The crisis left people unemployed, losing their life savings, and the economic agents in hurdle. Still, in these difficult times, the leading American manufacturer of automobiles reemerges as a strong and stable organization.

Ford Motor Company has not used federal funds to overcome the crisis, but has focused on reconsolidating itself in order to restore its balance and financial stability. Today, the organization is revealing the first signs of this stability, yet challenges still remain.

General information about Ford Motor Company

Ford Motor Company was…

Media

Accounting analysis is an important step in determining the overall health and well being of a particular business organization. Accounting practices must be correctly aligned with the larger, overall business strategy as laid out by the leadership of the organization. Accounting analysis feeds into the larger financial picture of the company and provides a means to audit and improve the often difficult task of keeping track of the many exchanges and trades.

To successfully analyze Fairfax media, is ultimately necessary to perform a solid accounting analysis on the company's practices. This being an external evaluation, requires a certain amount of circumstantial inference to help fully describe the implied accounting methods used in this large company.

Fairfax must incorporate four important financial documents to fully gain an understanding of their accounting practices. The income statement, the balance sheet, the cash flow statement and the statement of changes in equity must…

Applying SWOT Analysis for Effective Planning

Using a SWOT diagram as a planning tool can be very important for a company. The purpose in using this diagram as a planning tool is to ensure that the company is aware of its strengths and opportunities, as well as its weaknesses and the threats to its livelihood. When companies are not familiar with all four of these aspects, they can make mistakes when cause them to lose out on valuable benefits they could otherwise receive. Additionally, these companies may end up ignoring threats that could seriously harm them in the future. By focusing on what they can do to maximize their opportunities and play up their strengths, they will be one step further when it comes to staying ahead of the competition. A company that performs a SWOT analysis properly may also learn that it must take its external threats more seriously…

HSBC Bank and Its Strategy

Industry Analysis:

HSBC is the world's largest banking and financial services provider. Headquartered in London, the firm has global networks that include over 10,000 offices in over 80 states, as well as territories in the Asia-Pacific area, Middle East, United States, Africa and Europe. Listed as HSBC Holdings Plc, the business have roughly 200,000 shareholders in roughly 100 countries as indicated in listings in nations such as Bermuda, New York, Hong Kong and Paris.

Industry life cycle

The industry is in the maturity stage. Industry players have attained the complete aptitude to be consumed by the users. Thus, the growth of firms in this industry tracks economic growth in general. At this level, increased standardization pushes companies to compete heavily. Consequently, the profits margins reduce adding pressure on profits. At this stage, firms in this industry are known as cash cows because their cash flows…

Business - Management

External Environment Analysis

Southwest Airlines is the nation's low fair, high customer satisfaction airline. It mainly serves short haul cities, offering single class air transportation, which aims for the business commuter as well as leisure travelers. The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) classifies Southwest Airlines as Scheduled Passenger Air Transportation - 481111 (North American Industry Classification System, 2011).

When conducting an external analysis it is important to look at Porter's five forces to determine the competitive strength and therefore magnetism of a market. Porter's five forces comprise five forces from horizontal competition and vertical competition. These forces are: threat of substitute products, the threat of established rivals, and the threat of new entrants, the bargaining power of suppliers and the bargaining power of customers (Porter's Five Forces a Model for Industry Analysis, 2010).

The first threat is that of the threat of new entrants into the…

The modifications in the policies of the company's retail trade customers represent important risks that can lead to increased dependence on some of the retailers in developed markets. Another important risk is determined by the global manufacturing activities.

Although these companies develop and implement different strategies, some of the risks associated with their business are common. This is because some of these risks are determined by the international business environment that establishes the conditions in which these companies develop their activity. Some of the most important risks that these companies addressed in 2000 are represented by entering new markets. The potential presented by developing markets determined these companies to make investments in regions like Asian countries. Another important risk during that period was represented by companies' inability to retain important employees. This means that their human resources strategies did not reach the established objectives. In addition to this, the dependence…

HSBC is one of the world's largest banks, and it has the third-largest market share among UK retail banks. This massive global footprint supports a differentiation strategy that is encapsulated by the "the world's local bank" slogan. HSBC plays to its strengths with a presence in many major markets around the world, but its strength in retail and commercial banking belies a relative weakness in investment banking.

The banking industry is highly competitive. In the UK at the retail level it is in an oligopoly state. The company also competes among the global banks of the world, which is a business more in a state of monopolistic competition. It has a differentiated strategy, which is loosely based on a broad geographic scope and customer service. The latter is a difficult area in which to differentiate. There have been some problems with the geographic scope, too, and HSBC has recently left…

Strategy Development at Tesla Motors
The hybrid and all-electric vehicle market is growing rapidly, and some industry analysts suggest that the future of personal transportation is in the hands of these manufacturers. One company that is in the vanguard of this industry is Tesla Motors, named for famed inventor Nikolai Tesla. The purpose of this capstone project is to provide an industry analysis to develop a strategy for the CEO of Tesla Motors to help shape the company's future.
Review and Analysis
Define strategy and examine how the definition of strategy fits Tesla Motors and its situation
Although a number of different definitions have been advanced over the years, a useful definition in an organization context states that “strategy determines the direction and scope of an organization over the long term, and it should determine how resources should be configured to meet the needs of markets and stakeholders” (Three levels…

The Miami International Airport terminal is stated to present "notable life safety challenges because of large occupant loads, presence of significant combustible loads, complex security restrictions, and less than ideal egress provisions from interior spaces." (Miami International Airport, 1998) The Life Safety Master Plan (LSMP) is stated to provide a summary of the fire safety surveys and studies conducted. The first line of defense is stated to be that of prevention of fire however, the facility's size and complexity makes a requirement that there is complete coverage "by automatic fire protection systems...in place in case prevention fails." (Miami International Airport, 1998 ) Also required in combination with highly reliable automatic protection systems are manual fire fighting capabilities of an enhanced nature.

Drug Trafficking Threats

The South Florida HIDTA reports that the Miami International Airport (MIA) is not only the busiest airport in the United States for international cargo but it…

Beverage & obacco

Beverage and obacco Industry Analysis

Opportunities

Although the beverage and tobacco industry face mounting obstacles to their success, there are also an infinite number of possible opportunities. One clear opportunity is provided by emerging markets. he numbers of individuals who have greater levels of disposable incomes are increasing exponentially in the developing world. his represents a tremendous opportunity for corporations in the beverage and tobacco industry to tap into these emerging markets. Another opportunity for this industry can be thought of in terms of a localization initiative. here are growing concerns in industrialized nations which are centered on health issues. hus the beverage and tobacco industry stands the potential to innovate based on the consumer demands. hey could create a diversified product portfolio that was catered to the needs of the specific market.

hreats

here are a growing number of potential threats that plague the beverage and…

On the price dimension of the marketing mix, the company continues to compete with low-end and state-funded carriers, who arguably have a competitive advantage due to their funding source. Nonetheless, 1 Time is fighting the good fight of customer service and delivering value at their price points (Mantshantsha, 2007).

Of all aspects of the company's marketing mix, this one is struggling the most as it strives to capture more of the business traveller market. The promotional strategies are tied to the company's website and to limited direct marketing through social networks, yet is weak at defining a connection between the extensive MO strengths the company has and the ability to translate that into customer value. The lack of connection between the reliability base the company has and the success of its business travellers is a major weakness in the promotional strategy.

On the place dimension of the marketing mix, the…

Although the general public is not likely to know what semiotics is the concepts that have been used by the cultural study known as semiotics have been used by advertising and marketing professionals for a number of years. Through the use of semiotics such professionals have successfully used the information and techniques suggested through semiotics to manipulate the consumer culture so that certain products are now considered to represent style, success, and power in modern society. Semiotics, which is simply, the study of signs and their impact on life, is not a recognized science but incorporates many of the same techniques in defining its studies and recommendations. egardless of its acceptance as a legitimate educational discipline, semiotics has successfully transformed modern culture through its use by advertisers and marketers. It has allowed manufacturers such as Burberry and Gucci to become not only leading clothing manufacturers but also cultural icons. Cultural…

Zain Telecommunications Kuwait

The purpose of this group project is to provide an opportunity for students to make the application of concepts covered in this course to a real Kuwaiti firm. The firm considered in the project is Zain Telecommunications Kuwait. Zain is a top mobile telecommunications provider in the Middle East and North Africa. The company was initially established in the year 1983 in Kuwait and was known as Mobile Telecommunications Company (MTC). The company made major strides by becoming the first mobile operator in the Middle East region. As the company instigated its expansion approach in 2003, Zain experienced immense growth rate in not only the Middle East, but also in Africa. This is predominantly owing to the acquirement of numerous mobile operators across the region. Four years later, Mobile Telecommunications Company underwent a rebranding to become Zain. This was purposed to better mirror the company's improving position…