Strategic Direction of Apple in the Enterprise

Strategic Direction of Apple in the Enterprise

Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) has emerged as one of the most profitable and prolific companies in the world, generating a market capitalization rate of $623B as of this writing in late August, 2012, delivering $148B in evenues in their latest fiscal year and $40B in Net Income (Apple Investor elations, 2012). One of Apple's greatest strengths is its ability to quickly translate innovative product concepts and designs into state-of-the-art products that deliver exceptional customer experiences. Apple has honed this through decades of disciplined execution and a continual focus on creating a highly synchronized supply chain, highly collaborative product design and development workflows, and the ability to take concepts to completed products in a fraction of the time of their competitors (Murray, Goode, Muro, 2010). Apple is credited with creating the smartphone market, tablet PC, cloud-based music buying and delivery service (iTunes), centralized document and…… [Read More]

Strategic Direction of Radio Shack

Some online retailers will adjust their margins so low that the only money to be made is from the phone contract, not the actual hardware. For adio Shack to compete using its current model of neighborhood expertise it must push that idea- expertise. In order to ensure this to the degree necessary in the competitive market, it must incentivize its retail sales force so that they not only work to sell the appropriate product, but are retained at S in order to build a paradigm of expertise.

Ethical Business- However, in line with appealing to a broader market, adio Shack initiated a series of initiatives designed to push the consumer back into its stores: the Customer Service signage and program; revamping fixtures and upgrading stores; increased marketing to consumer segments, and reconnecting with the do-it-yourself customer, which has been the core basis of the company's success for almost a century.…… [Read More]

L'oreal's Strategic Direction Amidst the Global Economic

L'Oreal's Strategic Direction

Amidst the global economic downturn, France's cosmetics giant L'Oreal corporation outperformed projections in the first ten months of 2010. ith the first three quarters earnings exceeding +11% in sales revenues, the L'Oreal Group continued a strong trend following € 17.5 billion consolidated sales in 2009, with 23 global brands in 130 countries, and 674 new patents. Innovation has kept L'Oreal's market position in front of its competitors, and the company has upheld its promise to stakeholders and its 64, 600 employees alike to continue as the world leader in cosmetic products. Insight into L'Oreal's rare success in a moment in crisis is revealed in the Company Mission Statement,

"At L'OREAL, we believe that everyone aspires to beauty. Our mission is to help men and women around the world realise that aspiration, and express their individual personalities to the full. This is what gives meaning and value to…… [Read More]

Business Vision Mission Values and Strategic Direction

Business Vision, Mission, Values and Strategic Direction

Egelsbach Private Investigation is a company that undertakes investigation services to clients in the U.S.A. It services include private security to individuals and corporations, giving legal advice to clients on business and personal matters, and conducting investigations to uncover information otherwise unavailable to our customers. Private investigation services entail digging and revealing information that can lead to legal action against offending parties. This is why Egelsbach Private Investigation has included in their service outlay the legal service of litigation and advising clients.

In providing security to individuals and property the company embraces both personalized and general services. The personalized services which are premium services are offered in accordance to client specific needs and depending on the risks the client(s) would be in. The general services include gate manning and transportation services which is mainly provided to companies and corporations in transfer of their…… [Read More]

Tourism Opportunities Strategic Directions for

2.0 Nature Tourism

2.1 Capitalizing on existing infrastructure and programs

Currently, the BRTA organizes adventure tours including whitewater rafting, 4x4 off-road adventures through the hills, and also mountain bike touring. The BRTA should ensure that all equipment is up-to-date, and should solicit investment from private companies interested in increasing competition and growth in this sector.

2.2 New opportunities

While adventure tourism remains a strong point of Bilby's tourism potential, the town also needs to incorporate more relaxed and leisurely activities into its portfolio. Farm tourism is one area that Bilby can excel, becoming a regional destination for families and individuals interested in orchards and other agricultu products Bilby is famous for. The BRTA should make sure that its Web site adequately publicizes the annual events related to farm tourism as well.

Conclusions

With a few strategic improvements to the BRTA's approach, Bilby can become a destination for families, couples, and…… [Read More]

Vision and Strategic Direction Visionaries

The biggest failure of this article is the lack of directness and candor the authors call out CEOs for not having a consistency of vision and direction to support their organizations, and in so doing, create effective incentive and compensation programs. The authors have proposed no metrics despite a wealth of theorems and theoretical constructs, further distancing their analysis from the immediate, pragmatic needs of companies who require a very consistent vision in order to succeed.

eferences

otemberg, J.J., & Saloner, G. (2000). Visionaries, Managers, and Strategic Direction. The and Journal of Economics, 31(4), 693-716.

Wilson, I. (1992). ealizing the power of strategic vision. Long-ange Planning, 25(5), 18-18.

Leading Change Critique

Body of the Critique and Summary

The foundation of Leading Change (Gebhart, 1996) is the eight phases of the Kotter Model of Change. The author has carefully defined each of the eight stages of the Kotter Model of Change,…… [Read More]

Strategic Leadership and Management

Strategic Leadership and Management

The link between Strategic Direction and Leadership

Leadership can be described as "a process in which a number of people work together for a common task. It also covers accomplishment and eventually getting the task done."

Chemers M. (1997) has defined the strategic direction (henceforth referred to as strategic management) as the process whereby one can "identify the needs and wants of an organization and achieving that particular goal through joint efforts and collaboration. It might also include the decisions taken by the management and these are the ones which define the long-term strategic plan of an organization. It also includes devising such policies so that organization and its working environment are in line to achieve a common goal."

Lamb, obert (1984) said that it is an advent fact that leadership and strategic direction both are inevitable in any organization. They help to achieve goals and…… [Read More]

Strategic Planning the Business That I Want

Strategic Planning

The business that I want to start is a small barbeque and soul food restaurant. This business will have one location to begin with. The business will be defined by the quality of the food and the fun, comfortable atmosphere of the restaurant. This paper will first explain the benefits of strategic planning, and then outline some of the strategic plan for my new restaurant.

Strategic planning is "an organizational management activity that is used to set priorities, focus energy and resources, strengthen operations, ensure that employees and other stakeholders are working towards common goals and ensure that the organization is setting its direction in relation to the external environment (BSI, 2013). Thus, strategic planning begins with a mission and vision for the company and what it wants to accomplish. These things underpin the actions and directions that the company wants to take.

There are several different elements…… [Read More]

Strategic Management Barclaycard Strategic Alternatives

In both cases, Barclaycard should expand with the aid of its already existent products. Were the new markets or territories to retrieve the desired outcomes, the bank could develop and launch new products and services.

3. ecommended Alternatives

Out of the strategic alternatives presented in the previous section, the organization has to choose those that best fit its unique needs and features. They must also focus on the strategies that help the bank better adapt to the changes and requirements of the micro and macro environments. In order to make the best informed decision, the officials at Barclaycard should analyze each strategy proposed and identify its positive and negative implications. Based on the analysis, the final recommendation would be made.

The product diversification strategy implies additional expenditure and does not guarantee a positive return on investment, just like the expansion strategy for that matter. The first one however is necessary…… [Read More]

Strategic Management the Case for Diversification Deltacom Earthlink

Strategic Management

The Case for Diversification

Deltacom/Earthlink is facing a challenging operating environment. As a regional player in an intensely-competitive market, we face an uncertain future. We acquired Deltacom in order to facilitate future growth, but a quick look at our financials indicates that our growth has flatlined and our profits declined to almost nothing last year (MSN Moneycentral, 2013). One of the issues is that there was considerable overlap between Earthlink and Deltacom, and we felt that this would provide us with synergies, in reality it simply made us bigger without enhancing our operations or reducing our risk. At this point, we probably need a new strategic direction in order to ensure our future survival. Diversification is one of the best strategies to achieve this.

In portfolio management, diversification is a strategy where a number of different types of investments are created in a single portfolio (Investopedia, 2013). The…… [Read More]

Strategic Management Analysis of the

The main advantage is that the stories are well documented and written in an objective manner.

008, GSK Outlines Plans to Become More 'Biotech-like', Fierce Biotech, http://www.fiercebiotech.com/story/gsk-outlines-plans-become-more-biotech/008-06-10 last accessed on June 3, 009

009, GlaxoSmithKline Plc., Hoovers, last accessed on June 3, 009 -- Hoovers is a centralized database that reveals information on multiple organizations. The benefit is that the data offered is extensive and comprises features such as industry forecasts, competition nature and organizational financial highlight, alongside with description of the respective company. The downside of the source is however given by the reduced amount of free information and for more extensive data, the user has to create a paid account.

009, The Industry Handbook -- Biotechnology, Investopedia, http://www.investopedia.com/features/industryhandbook/biotech.asp last accessed on June 3, 009 -- Investopedia.com has been developed as an initiative of the highly popular and leading business publication Forbes. It can be useful for novice as…… [Read More]

Strategic Management SAB Miller SAB

In this sense, one could consider launching several new brands, specifically adapted to the South African market, created especially for it.

Second of all, in the markets where SA is a challenger, the main strategic objective is the increase of the company's market share. The current activity in this sense, with the acquisition of several important brands, seems to have delivered the expected results. As a pointer, it is advisable that the capacities in Central and South Eastern Europe be efficiently used, as these can provide significant scale economies for the company, given the lower overall production costs available in the countries. SA has already purchased local brands in Romania, Poland, Hungary or the Czech Republic, but, considering the particular efficiency of each of these local brands, the operating capacities can also be used to produce original SA brands (although in this case, one needs to consider the European market's…… [Read More]

Strategic Management Able Corporation Wants

Each will be tied to different tactical objectives and timeframes. The effectiveness of the process will be measured in terms of adherence to time frames, cost and key market variables such as penetration and market share. Each variable should be quantitative to facilitate ease of measurement and evaluation.

A wide variety of legal issues will need to be considered. Doing business is foreign countries creates significant exposure to risk, in that the foreign legal environment can be substantially different from the domestic one. The nature and intensity of these differences will be considered. Also, it will be considered if there are any legal or ethical considerations domestically as a result of overseas expansion. To use an extreme example, setting up a factory in Cuba would create a host of legal and ethical concerns that would need to be accounted for in the option evaluation process. It will be critical to…… [Read More]

Strategic Management at Johnson &

(J & J. Official ebsite, 2005) This is a wise description in that, rather than specializing in one arena of health care, Johnson and Johnson's diversity of products and character buffets it against some of the specific regulatory turmoil that has affected largely pharmaceutically-based health care companies, such as Pfizer and Merck. The stress on local managerial control also allows the company's diversity to be regionally specific and focused, tailored to the needs of its environment. Its lack of directive control is a calculated strategic decision of control that allows regional branches of J&J both to take advantage of J&J's diversity as a company and to tailor the company's resources to the region commercially.

orks Cited

Strategic Control." (2004) Johnson & Johnson Official Investor ebsite. Retrieved 1 Jan 2005 at http://www.investor.jnj.com/strategic.cfm… [Read More]

Strategic Leadership at Coca-Cola the

They assumed fewer risks and focused more on consolidating the strategies which had already been implemented, and which proved successful. In other words then, obert Goizueta is understood as a visionary leader, who had the courage to assume risks and to implement his vision of the Coca Cola Company. The managers that followed were more of strategic leaders, who focused on the implementation of the vision through strategic efforts and the consolidation of the gains attained by Goizueta.

3. Problem statement

After numerous leaders had occupied the position of chief executive officer at the Coca Cola Company, it was the time for Muhtar Kent to embrace this new role. But the future CEO was concerned over the direction his leadership style should embrace.

"Muhtar Kent had just been promoted to the CEO position in Coca-Cola. He was reflecting upon the past leadership of the company, in particular the success that…… [Read More]

Strategic Management it Is Very Important That

Strategic Management

It is very important that the factor of 'change' figures within an organization prominently. Different people utilize different approaches to implement these changes, and most often, it is that particular method that suits the organization the best that is used. Among some of the tried and tested methods of implementing change within an organization is the 'Delta Technique', which is one of the more popular and extremely successful methods used by the management. 'Delta' in fact means 'a small change' in Greek, and this is in essence what it represents. This technique has its base on the theory of Lewin, 1952, and it revolves around the three stages of change, like for example, when a piece of ice changes its shape, and it goes through unfreezing, changing, and refreezing. (Strategies for implementing change: an experiential approach)

Lewin has stated that it is very important to devote both time…… [Read More]

Strategic Management and Business Policy

The cons or disadvantages are the lack of accountability to the public, a risk the organization will lose touch with its customers and the needs it is meeting, becoming bureaucratic and inflexible in the process. Another disadvantage is the fact that organizations often lose control to government agencies over time as well. These are all critical factors organizations need to consider before going private and being funded by governments. When not-for-profit organizations shift to being for-profit, there are the opportunities for greater control of their strategic direction, greater flexibility in addressing the needs of the customers they serve, and greater potential to define their own financing strategies. Often non-for-profit organizations must abide by strict requirements of their benefactors, whether they are government agencies or large donors. Being for-profit can give a non-profit organization much more freedom to pursue their own strategic direction and plans, unencumbered with the demands of those…… [Read More]

Strategic Management Strategies of Laying Off Employees

Strategic Management

Strategies of Laying Off Employees

Step-by-step Process of Dismissal Meeting

Generally, a layoff is a reduction in employees to fulfill strategic needs of organizations or financial challenges. The reasons behind a layoff are the strategic issues being faced by organizations or financial issues necessitating drastic changes. Being at a management's position, it is important to understand the ways of coping the negative emotions that may accompany the layoff of an employee. For this reason, it is suggested for the manager to acknowledge that such feelings and emotional strain are normal and appropriate. It is recommended to realize that a layoff can create a profound feeling for employees and the entire organization (Bagley & Savage, 2009). This paper is providing the strategies for coping negative emotions fir laid off employees along with the ways of conducting dismissal meeting.

Strategies of Laying Off Employees

It is appropriate to layoff work…… [Read More]

Strategic Leadership as We Reflect

Therefore, the leaders job become to endorse new strategy and provide resources for the implementation (Boal, 2000).

Second, most business strategies fail not because the strategy is inherently flawed, but because the strategy is not properly aligned with the organization's leadership or culture.

Therefore, the key tasks of leaders are to create a sense of urgency and ensure that corporate strategy is aligned with the culture of the organization. In this regard, leaders need to understand the need for right people, right processes and right methodologies that are essential for companies to be competitive and grow.

Third, the gist of strategic planning is to inspire people for the innovation in the organization. The formulation phase of strategic planning sets strategic direction, defines the related criteria and frames overall strategies. This formulation involves an external assessment that includes understanding how existing and future innovation could affect strategic businesses, offerings and opportunities.…… [Read More]

Strategic Management in Technology

Strategic Planning & Strategy Formulation

Case: Strategic Planning & Strategy Formulation

Case Assignment -- Comcast

Comcast's Current Strategy

Current Event Blog

Discussion Question: Strategy Planning and Formulation

Case

Strategy Implementation & Evaluation

Current Event Blog 4 -- Strategy Implementation & Evaluation

Discussion Question: Strategy Implementation and Evaluation

eflective Discussion

Case: Strategic Planning & Strategy Formulation

Case Assignment -- Comcast

Comcast's Current Strategy

Comcast has developed a current business strategy that is completely focused on the customer. The company has positioned itself at the "intersection of media and technology" (Corporate.comcast.com, 2016). The company seems to be doing well and in 2015 the company had raised their dividend by 10%, for the eighth consecutive year.

The present strategy of the company is to focus on innovation and enhancing of customer experience and being innovative at the same time. The company claims that this strategy has paid off well for them. In fact,…… [Read More]

Strategic Planning in Education Every

General Electric (Collis, Montgomery, 2008) pioneered the development of this framework, working in conjunction with the oston Consulting Group to tailor its specific market sizing and profitability measures to the conglomerate of businesses that comprised GE at the time. One of the key assumptions of the CG Growth/Share Matrix is that there must be continual monitoring of the market, specifically competitors and relative market share growth over time. Only by continually measuring and monitoring these two attributes can the Growth/Share matrix be an effective framework for strategic planning. GE, through their Crotonville Learning Center in Connecticut also defined a series of external customer-facing processes that managers at GE could use to gain the critical information they needed to populate the CG Growth/Share Matrix and use it as a planning tool. Soon other larger multinational corporations (MNCs) with complex value chains and series of unrelated businesses also relied on the key…… [Read More]

Strategic Issues

McDonald's strategic issue is a fundamental policy question or challenge affecting an organization's mandates, mission, and values; product or service level and mix; clients, users, or payers; or costs, financing, structure, or management (Bryson, 1995). This paper describes a strategic issue faced by fast food giant McDonald's, which is fighting to maintain its position as a market leader.

McDonald's has built one of the most successful fast food franchises in the world, with incredible growth for over three decades. The company's long-term strategy has focused on uniformity in its product, service, and the consistency of its information systems. However, with a slew of recent challenges, McDonald's learning that times are changing. The company's main new concern is portraying their sense of healthy eating habits and staying ahead of the competition.

McDonald's reached a low point in 2001, when customer-satisfaction surveys revealed that the company was falling well behind its competitors,…… [Read More]

Strategic Plan

eviving a Company: How to Bring New Life to a Mature Business

An Independent Learning Project

Poly-Metal Finishing, Inc. is a company that has had a successful history of more than thirty years in the metal-working industry, providing complete anodic service to the aerospace, military and commercial sectors. I have worked for this company for eight years and am now part of the management team.

With a change in management has come the need for a revision in management philosophy. We have seen an erosion in employee dedication over the years, partly as a result of somewhat authoritarian and outdated leadership philosophies. We have undertaken to research and analyze the factors that experts have determined are essential to the creative health of a company and how this climate can be brought about. Our goal is to preserve the positive elements of PMF, while correcting the negatives, with the aim of…… [Read More]

Strategic Ground for Listening and

This alignment of listening strategies and strategic plans stops short however in the area of globalization and cultural variation.

An example of this short-coming is in how the Hofstede Model of Cultural Dimensions is not used in this analysis to show how a leader listens across different cultures can have a major effect on the effectiveness of this strategy (Hofstede, McCrae, 2004). The five cultural dimensions Hofstede discusses is also not included from the standpoint of aligning strategies to the unique cultural requirements of different nations as well. Including this in the analysis would have also made the listening competence of the HUIE Model more relevant to unique geographies and their respective cultural differences as well (Hofstede, McCrae, 2004).

Most significant however is the need for anchoring the HUIE Model 6 stage learning process into the strategic planning process in a more agile, and market-driven framework. As it stands, the…… [Read More]

Comcast Corporations Strategic Analysis

Strategic Analysis of Comcast / Comcast Corporation's Strategy

Key Strategies Implemented by Comcast

Viewpoint on Strategic Direction of Comcast

CS of Comcast

ecommendations for Future

As one of the country's biggest internet, video and telephone service providers, Comcast provides its services both to business and individual customers, one of its brands, Xfinity. It has four areas of diversification in terms of business, two being the top ones and these are the NBC Universal and the Comcast Cable. Through its NBC Universal arm, it serves a wide variety of groups, such as television audiences through its NBC and Telemundo networks; movie makers through television production; movie goers through Universal Pictures; and those looking for recreation and relaxation through its Universal Parks and esorts. It has also ventured into the area of sports management through its Comcast-Spectator. The venture firm, Comcast Ventures, looks for innovative businesses in which to invest by coming…… [Read More]

Strategic Position Strategic Choices and Strategy Implementation

Strategic positioning is the positioning of an organization (unit) in the future, while taking into account the volatile environment, plus the systematic recognition of that positioning.

The strategic positioning of an organization includes the planning of the desired future position of the organization. On the basis of present and foreseeable progress, and the making of plans to realize that positioning.

The strategic positioning method is devised from the business world. The method is targeted at ensuring the functioning of the organization. The strategy determines the contents and the character of the organization's activities.

Terms, such as legitimacy, survival, market positioning, relationship with environment and choice for a certain work area, come up in this context.

Subjects, which have been developed reasonably well in literature on strategic management, include information gathering techniques, examination techniques and planning schemes. There are no such methods have been devised for exploring the future:

Various questions…… [Read More]

Strategic Development Supporting Strategic Development One of

Strategic Development

Supporting Strategic Development

One of the biggest development issues any company ahs is if they are at a stage where growth into new markets is possible. At some point the market place is going to get so crowded that a company has to decide whether it is going to try and survive in the present market or forge into new ones. Or, the company can simply create a new market through a niche product. Whatever the solution, the company first has to tak a close look at itself to determine if it is a good idea for them or not. The process by which companies do this is by determining a strategic plan whereby it is possible. To implement this strategic plan a company will have use different approaches that take into account how the company is doing at all levels of the process. Considering that a certain…… [Read More]

Strategic Management in Action

Strategic Management Action: Strategic Position, Choices, And Strategy Implementation

Strategic management is stated to be the "process by which an organization formulates its objectives and manages to achieve them. Strategy is the means to achieve the organizational ends." (Thomas, nd) Managers are required to have a strategic vision in order to become strategic managers and implement strategic management initiatives. The strategic vision of the manager is inclusive of the following elements:

(1) The ability to solve complex and more complex problems;

(2) The knowledge to be more anticipatory in perspective and approach, and (3) The willingness to develop options for the future. (Thomas, nd)

The work of Peter Drucker states that the primary task of strategic management is the focus on the business overall mission and states:

"…that is, of asking the question What is our usiness? This leads to the setting of objectives, the development of strategies, and the…… [Read More]

Strategic Plan for a Technology

As is shown in the low penetration globally an enhanced media platform is also critical for the company to take advantage of these trends.

Apple echnology Sourcing and Internal Innovation

he company is susceptible to a supply risk for key components. IBM is currently the company's sole supplier of the PowerPC G5 processor, which is used in its current Power Mac, Xserve, and iMac G5 products. Freescale is the sole supplier of the G4 processor, which is used in the company's eMac, Mac mini, and portable products. IBM experienced manufacturing problems with the PowerPC G5 processor, which resulted in delaying the shipment of various products and constrained certain product shipments during 2004, 2005 and in the first quarter of 2006. In a market where speed to market is critical, Apple's dependency for key components could put it at a competitive disadvantage.

Apple outsources the majority of its manufacturing for both…… [Read More]

Strategic Planning Is a Systemic and Elaborate

Strategic planning is a systemic and elaborate plan of action expressing the future move or plans a company plans to take. It is a long-term plan that a company puts down in an attempt to shape or build the future. It gives an organization the direction and a goal. This plan can be laid down to cover the near future, but it can run longer depending on the organization's plans. For most organizations, the strategic plan usually focuses on the entire organization. However, a strategic plan can focus on a department or on one product only. This is referred to as a business plan. Strategic planning involves different models, perspectives and approaches, and this depends on the organization leadership, its culture, the planners and also its size, Boyd & euning-Elliott, 1998()

The Sweet Peas Catering services company has the objective of not only delivering their products to the customers but…… [Read More]

Strategic Leadership Influence Culture Organization Eventually Organization

Strategic leadership influence culture organization eventually organization succeed fail. Show examples Air Asia, Apple Enron (Failure). I limit references subject matter Edgar Schein's theories culture organization business management authors.

The influence of strategic leadership on organizational culture and the ultimate success or failure of the organization

The focus on strategic leadership and organizational culture has been increasing exponentially throughout the past recent years, in both the academic community, as well as among the practitioners' community. The assessment of the role of strategic leadership in shaping the organizational culture and influencing the company' final success or failure has to start out with a review of the available literature. This effort as such represents the centralization of important and relevant data from the literature and its presentation in a relevant manner.

The sources addressed at this stage include books, journal articles and internet articles. Each of these sources has its own benefits…… [Read More]

Strategic Linkages

Strategic Linkages

The modern day working environment is the result of decades of evolution. The labor force initially set its basis in the Industrial Revolution, when the people moved from villages to towns and cities in order to become factory workers and pursue better lives. What they found was nevertheless different from a better life, as they were exploited, overworked, underpaid and forced to live and function in unsafe and unsanitary conditions.

Since those times however, the labor force has gained more and more rights, which are enforced through legislations. The modern day employees then are the most valuable asset within the company, as they support the company in attaining its objectives. In such a setting, the role of the Human Resource Department in the organizational setting has become more complex, to be assessed as part of an integrated and multifaceted strategic setting. At this level, it is important to…… [Read More]

Strategic Alliances and Growth Alliances Should Be

Strategic Alliances and Growth

Alliances should be structured in one of four ways: as an equity alliance, as a non-equity alliance, as a global alliance, or as a joint venture (Cartwright & Schoenberg, 2006; igsbee, 2000). How the alliance is structured depends on several different things, because not all alliance structures would be appropriate for all types of companies or all types of negotiations. It is very important that the alliance is one that is agreed upon by both parties, however, and that neither party feels as though the type of alliance chosen was something he or she was pushed into in order to get things moving. A clear understanding of each type of alliance is important. For example, a global alliance is usually something that is undertaken between large, global companies. That type of alliance would not be appropriate for two small-time, sole proprietors who live and work in…… [Read More]

Strategic Management Report Toyota Motor

Therefore, they use strict evaluation criteria to make choice among different alternatives. Keeping in view the strength of customers' bargaining power, Toyota and other automakers are expending huge amounts on advertisements and promotional campaigns to create awareness about their brands and convince these customers to prefer them over all other brands (Jenny & Scammon, 2010).

5. Internal Environmental Analysis for Toyota Motor Corporation

5.1. The esources Types:

Like other types of business corporations, Toyota also relies on four different organizational resources. These are: financial resources, human resources, informational resources, and physical resources. Financial resources are the money invested by the company's shareholders and the profits left after paying off liabilities. These resources enable the company to run its day-to-day operations, run marketing campaigns, and make strategic investments to keep it innovative and competitive in all aspects. Secondly, the human resources are the intellectual capital that plays a major role in…… [Read More]

Strategic Management Mission and Vision Brocade Communications

Strategic Management

Mission and Vision

Brocade Communications systems "provides innovative network solutions that helps the world's leading organizations transition smoothly to a virtualized world where applications and information can reside anywhere" (Brocade.com, 2013). The company notes that "these solution deliver the unique capabilities for a more flexible IT infrastructure with unmatched simplicity, non-stop networking, application optimization, and investment protection" (Ibid).

This is the company's description of its business, and is not specifically billed as a mission or vision statement, this is precisely what it is. The company is stating what it does, what its vision of its market is, and how it seeks to deliver value to its customers. There are all good elements of a mission statement, so in that sense this description of the business can be evaluated as a business statement. The company's focuses on data centers, Ethernet, storage and converged network solutions. The company competes with…… [Read More]

Strategic Plan Conceptualizing a New Business

Strategic Plan

This is a strategic plan for a business start-up that will be a pet store with an adoption center specializing in eco-friendly products and services for large breed dogs. The store will have a physical location and an internet Web site where people can buy products and get information about owning and caring for large breed dogs such as great Danes, Great Pyrenees, Irish Wolfhounds and Newfound lands. The store will be called Big Dogs. The first step in developing the business is to create a vision statement and mission statement for the business and then to develop objectives, strategies, goals and programs (Planware, n.d.).

Vision Statement

A vision statement should tell the world what the business wants to become. Vision provides the long-term perspective and your reason for being -- why you are in business (May, 2010). A clear business vision improves organizational performance and helps attract…… [Read More]

Strategic Competitiveness Modern and Traditional

Then they can transfer them to all the business units and follow through. A best practice of an organization provides it with unique and distinctive competence and cost/benefit impact. Therefore the transfer and sharing of the best practice organization wide becomes necessary for attaining a competitive edge.

enchmarking attempts to improve business processes by analyzing the top-notch approaches of others and adapting it to one's own organization to achieve a competitive lead. est practices and benchmarking can give an organization strategic, operational, and financial advantage. ench marking is an attempt by an organization to look for continuous improvement. Japanese concept of "Kaizen" or continuous improvement also considers benchmarking an important part of its philosophy. enchmarking can also require management to think out of the box. For example, if someone wants to see the standards for team management in the steel industry they might look for the best practice in the…… [Read More]

Strategic Management in Business Development

Strategic Management in Business Development

The term "strategic planning" is generally used in the narrow sense, namely the application of management tools to address areas such as, profitability, efficiency, growth and competitive advantage. Ultimately, to address concerns of stakeholders for increase shareholder value and long-term competitiveness.

Business development is at the heart of strategic thinking and needs imagination and innovation. It should be proactive and anticipatory. It involves the creation of a unique configuration of the company's key features, which will match the challenges of its environment and provides strategic advantage. There are two distinct phases:

The option generation phase, where creativity must be allowed to flourish and diverse ideas emerge.

The option selection phase, where the options are narrowed down through a systematic filtering process.

The process is often iterative with multiple cycles occurring through the two phases.

In the first phase the strategic management team works with the…… [Read More]

Strategic Scaffolding at Apple Strategic

raster graphics, wire-frame and 3D modeling performance, and refresh rates of their screens. What began to occur in the company's culture as a result of this focus on graphics performance and CPU acceleration was a bifurcation or splitting of product lines. At the high end Apple was gradually turning into a workstation company that could easily challenge Sun Microsystems or Silicon Graphics for supremacy of graphically-based calculations. At the low-end, the company was pursuing an aggressive strategy of dominating special-purpose laptops.

This strategy was entirely predicated on the core metrics of price/performance on hardware defining a culture that put pricing above all else, paradoxically nearly driving the company out of business during this period. The focus on metrics that were meant to purely define the Apple competitive advantage made the company descend into pricing wars with competitors whose business models were much more attuned to pricing competition. The metrics the…… [Read More]

Strategic Alliances in the Hospitality

While companies of all types and sizes stand to benefit from strategic alliances, the relevant literature indicates that companies competing in the hospitality industry are particularly well situated to gain a competitive advantage in this way. In this regard, ahatullah and aeside report that, "The strategic alliance literature reveals that resources alone can not bring competitive advantage, but complementary resources can contribute to the strategic fit of partners in the alliance (2009, p. 36). In some cases, strategic alliances may be established in the hospitality sector in unexpected ways. For instance, Jayawardena (2002) cites the example of strategic partnerships being formed between institutions of higher education and the hospitality industry to ensure that the coursework being delivered is congruent with the needs of the sector. According to Jayawardena (2002), institutions of higher education should ensure that their curricular offerings remain relevant and tied to the needs of the industry and…… [Read More]

Strategic Public Relations Discuss the

At Google, areas of interest include their intensive sustainability commitment to promote eco-friendly buildings and energy efficiency, the company's approach to managing the Chinese government relationship and messaging, and the torrent of new applications they produce. In conclusion, the organizations I'd seek out to work for after graduation would have brands that were global and could use my skill set of globally-based coordination and intercultural collaboration while also being highly creative with a pace that made programs challenging yet attainable.

Upload a 300-500-word persuasive essay that describes what you understand to be the fundamental role of public relations in society. Illustrate your commentary by citing a recent example (good or bad) of strategic public relations at work from an area of the field that is of particular interest to you.

At its most strategic, public relations seeks to unify the messaging and communications across a company while ensuring accuracy, authenticity…… [Read More]

Strategic Management at Mcdonald's Strategic Management Strategic

Strategic Management at McDonald's

McDonald's Strategic Management

Strategic Management at McDonald's

Strategic Management at McDonald's

McDonald's: Introduction

Organizational Structure and Corporate Governance

Industry Sector Analysis

Michael Porter's Five Forces Model

Key conditions in the External Operating Environment of McDonald's and its Industry

The Value Proposition on McDonald's Products

Financial Performance

SWOT Analysis for McDonald's

TOWS Matrix for Alternative Strategies

BCG Growth Share Matrix for McDonald's

Marketing, Financial, and esearch & Development Strategies

McDonald's Leadership

Joint Ventures, Strategic Alliances, and Partnerships

Performance Measurement Methods and Benchmarks

ecommendations

eferences

Table of Contents

Sr. No.

Particulars

Page No.

Figure 1: Organizational Structure of McDonald's

Table 1: TWOS Matrix

Figure 2: BCG Growth Share Matrix

Table 2: Gantt chart for Strategy implementation

List of Figures and Tables

Executive Summary

This report presents a complete analysis of strategic management practices at the world's largest fast food restaurant chain, McDonald's. The report starts by introducing and…… [Read More]

Strategic Planning Consists of Fitting the Organization's

Strategic Planning consists of fitting the organization's objectives and resources to the available market opportunities. The purpose of strategic planning is long-term profitability and growth.

Strategic Business Units are independent of one another and maintain distinct missions and specific markets. They have control over their resources and their strategies are unique to their competitive environment.

Strategic Alternatives are different conceptual approaches toward strategic planning. Examples include: Ansoff's Opportunity Matrix, the Boston Consulting Group Portfolio Matrix, and the General Electric Model.

The Marketing Plan Process allows the organization to anticipate future events and design a plan for achieving the organization's objectives by adapting strategies for the marketing environment.

Business Mission Statements provide direction for the organization by defining its business and business objectives.

Situation Analysis is a process that allows the organization to identify its strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT). Environmental scanning identifies opportunities and risks based on the six…… [Read More]

Strategic Research Project Apple Strategic

The Porter Five Forces Model has also shown these strengths and their ability to provide the company with resilience in the face of significant competitive threats. Weaknesses include too much fo a dependence on the iPhone and iPad products, a lack of products at the low-end of the market, and a lack of control of the gray market in China for their products (Apple Investor elations, 2012). The opportunities for Apple are very significant and include selling more iPads and comparable products into the enterprise, greater market penetration into emerging markets including Brazil, ussia and China, in addition to the advances being made with Apple TV. Threats include extreme price competition at the low-end of the market; lack fo control in gray markets over their products, and their high dependence on key suppliers for advanced components for their future products (Apple Investor elations, 2012).

ecommendations for Future Strategies and Conclusion…… [Read More]

Strategic Management Porter's Five

Strategic Management

Porter's Five Forces Model and Strategic Management

as Applied to Bowne & Company

Porter's Five Forces Model and Strategic Management

as Applied to Bowne & Company

Bowne & Co., Inc. is a financial services company which has been in business for 235 years. During this time the company has grown to become the world financial services leader in communication services, investor/shareholder relations and communications, and capital markets communication guidance. The communications side of financial services is Bowne's specialty, as they provide "regulatory and compliance documents; personalized financial statements; enrollment kits; and sales and marketing collateral" (Bowne, 2009). The company has expanded its operations in recent years due to the wish to be involved in all aspects of their customer's financial transactions. In February of 2010, Bowne merged its services with those of .. Donnelley & Sons in an all cash deal. Bowne will remain completely autonomous except in…… [Read More]

Strategic Audit Current Situation A

Although the company relies on information technology it is not at the forefront so can adapt more slowly. There are limited political-legal and societal implications. The most important force -- economic -- does vary but the North American market is by far the most important. Jet fuel prices do not vary significantly from country to country.

Industry competition is driven by overall demand levels, price and service. These forces do not vary globally. There is low threat of new entrants due to high entry costs. Buyers have average buying power due to competition. There is a high threat of substitution from electronic communications and slower shipping services. Rivalry among firms is intense. Unions, governments, interest groups have low relative power.

Customers are the only immediate factor affecting FedEx, as they have curtailed spending on shipping. A major threat is that customers will find ways to reduce shipping permanently. An opportunity…… [Read More]

Strategic Architecture and Therefore a

Again, in an ever-changing environment only through flexibility can an organizational strategy hope to be effective in providing competitive advantage.

Applying this knowledge to the analysis of the statement, 'A strategic architecture, and therefore a strategic plan, cannot be a detailed plan' results in several realizations. First, that strategic architecture goes beyond concerning itself with external factors, but also focuses on internal factors as well. These factors are continuously changing, and therefore an organization's strategic architecture must be able to respond to these changes. Being able to be proactive when certain opportunities and threats present themselves is what sets certain organizations apart from their competitors.

This, as the statement notes, translates to strategic planning. An organization's strategic plan must be flexible enough to quickly adapt to a shifting external and internal environment. And, for this reason, an overly detailed plan becomes more ineffective. An overly detailed strategic plan cannot take…… [Read More]

Strategic Management of Human Resources

The flat structure is also valued greatly by working in teams.

The SHM is supported by flexible work, structure and people and is integrated into the larger participative change business strategy.

2. The report above described the evolution of the business strategy for Macquarie Bank. By emphasizing the continuous adaptation to the environment and adjusting the internal structure to meet expected outcomes, the Bank adopts a prospective business strategy. According to Miles and Snow's model (1984) (cited in Ahmed, Ullah & Uddin, 2006), who investigated the competitive strategies of several hundred companies in widely different industries, three basic strategies exist termed as the Defender, Prospector, and Analyzer. The Defender is also called 'Type a', characterized by such product-market strategies: limited, stable product line; predictable market; growth through market penetration; and emphasis: 'deep'. The Prospector also known as 'Type B', is defined by product-market strategies that are broad, changing product line;…… [Read More]

Strategic Management and Planning Strategic

Strategic Alternatives Addresses an External issue? Draws on a competitive advantage or fixes a competitive disadvantage? Fits with Mission, Values? Moves the organization toward the vision? Achieves one or more goals? Partner with a travel company to offer vacations that include dental surgery, plastic surgery, and vascular surgery.

Supports the strategy of increasing global reach of the company and strengthening the ability to recruit physicians in key specialties.

Draws on a competitive advantage of specialist expertise and high performance of ashid and markets this strength to bring in more German and British clients

Supports the pursuit of international standards as defined within the Strategic Plan.

Yes; also increases the stature of the facility and enhances the ability to recruit world-class physicians.

Invest heavily in medical research in cardiology and vascular research

This investment is focused on making ashid Hospital a center of excellence in cardiology and vascular surgery, attracting the…… [Read More]

Strategic Planning Achieving a Strategic Vision in

Strategic Planning

Achieving a strategic vision in an era of globalization and increasing competitiveness from rapidly emerging economies is complex and multidimensional in scope. The notion of including an ethical component may appear to be a luxury that some companies cannot afford, yet it is something expected by more and more stakeholders, as well as the general public. Achieving and sustaining a competitive advantage in an increasingly globalized marketplace demands that companies of all sizes and types take advantage of every opportunity to reduce costs and add value. For example, Sussan (2006) emphasizes that companies of all sizes and types require effective leadership in order to formulate a corporate vision and make informed day-to-day decisions. The need for leaders to integrate values and ethics in their decision making has been fueled, in part, by three global trends:

Successful leaders in all types of organization understand that ethics and values are…… [Read More]

Strategic Management - Strategic Planning

Their biggest barrier to success dealt with the encroachment of e-commerce and companies who were competing in our market without having brick and mortar expenses; American taxes and employee issues; and American taxation and regulatory issues. Management decided that competition was not dead, and it was up to the company to change and adapt as opposed to ensuring the clients did so.

Traditionally, competition is based on price, offers, and markets -- product or service A versus B. For more sales, more customers. The new market template though, is part of a fluid cooperative environment -- for instance, a great restaurant in a neighborhood that is failing will likely go under. So, the coevolution of companies that take into context environmental issues as part of their ecosystem (supplies, producers, competitors, stakeholders); form a different type of competitive nature. Porter notes that "Substitutes limit the potential returns of an industry by…… [Read More]

Strategic Management Identify a Public

This then allows equal weight to be pulled in various decisions. Finally, utilizing executive compensation as a method for proper governance which is many times set by a board of trustees or directors also proves beneficial in some circumstances. This allows top executives to be compensated for their influence within organizational decision making. These last two prove to be weaker than bearing weight on the stock holders, for they only allow a few voices to be heard.

3) Briefly describe how the external corporate governance mechanism "the market for corporate control" acts as a restraint on top-level managers' strategic decisions. Also, while corporate governance should foster ethical strategic decisions, what are at least two crucial factors that can negate this?

As much as organizations would like to control every situation in the business environment, this has never been the case. In terms of external market factors, managers and executives are…… [Read More]

Strategic Information Technology Plan Oesterlen Services for

Strategic Information Technology Plan

Oesterlen Services for Youth is an organization that helps troubled youth in Ohio. It consists of a counseling center and a foster care placement program, as well as residential services for both male and female youth for intensive care cases. In order for Oesterlen to continue to help as many youth as possible, it has to be up-to-date on its technology. To that end, it has set some goals for its computers from both a software and hardware standpoint. The current M.T.I. goals for the organization are to consolidate the servers and applications as much as possible. By partnering with others, Oesterlen will be better able to fulfill its mission of helping youth. The alliance between Qbase, ADP online, and the merger of a sizeable competitor will enable Oesterlen the ability to serve the clients better while maintaining the delicate balance between the mission goals and…… [Read More]

Strategic Management Case Analysis Business

"Our growth strategy is to increase the number of customers benefiting from repeatable supply chain solutions, particularly in the healthcare, high tech and retail sectors, and to increase the amount of small package transportation from these customers. We intend to leverage our small package and freight customers through cross-selling the full complement of UPS services" (UPS 2008 Annual eport).

Focus on environmentally friendly operations -- UPS has already declared a supporter of environmentally friendly operations and in order to prove this standpoint they have already purchased 200 hybrid electric and 300 compressed natural gas vehicles. The move not only increased their fleet to the largest private fleet in the industry, but also made a strong statement. UPS has also invested in the purchase of hydraulic hybrid automobiles, a new technology that promises to reduce emissions and fuel consumption (UPS 2008 Annual eport).

3.2. Available Strategic Courses of Action

Given the…… [Read More]

Strategic Management the Business Level

In this sense, large companies operating in different sectors would fit this description. An example in this sense would be Vivendi, the French company who went from being a simple water company to having businesses in cinema and movies, the music sector, etc.

4. Michael Milken was an ambitious financial tycoon who was CEO at one of the best investment banks on Wall Street, Drexler. His ambition drove him into deals with junk bonds and inside trading affairs, which led to a $200 million fine and 22 months in jail due to fraud on 1989.

Jake Welch, CEO at General Electrics, revolutionized management by introducing a series of innovatory ideas at his company. Among them, the best known is the Six Sigma methodology, which was subsequently successfully implemented by Motorola as well.

ill Gates was indeed a man with vision, having the chance to foresee the success that the information…… [Read More]

Strategic Review Niklas Zennstrom and Janus Friis

Strategic eview

Niklas Zennstrom and Janus Friis formed Skype in 2003. The two produced VoIP software based on P2P architecture that revolutionized the field of communication. The software provided its users with high quality and free voice calls, as firewalls did not affect this software. The company rapidly grew due to the free quality voice calls reaching its critical user mass in a short time. The company later started premium Skype products to corporate users, which increased the revenue generated. VoIP technology used by Skype means that the company relies on the internet or IP-based networks to transmit the signal. The information transferred through the software requires protection from hackers and for privacy thus encrypted.

Microsoft acquired the company in 2011 for a record 8.5 billion U.S. dollars. This is considers one of Microsoft's most expensive acquisitions as the company grows to become the number one software company in the…… [Read More]

Strategic Management and Strategic Competitiveness in Coca

Strategic Management and Strategic Competitiveness in Coca Cola Company

Assess how globalization and technology changes have affected the Coca Cola Company

Technology and globalization are part of the mechanistic avenues that have played a critical role in the growth and development of Coca Cola Company. Technology is a lucrative avenue of the entity that has contributed to changes in the global business and organizational performance. In most institutions and places of work, technological applications have upraised the general procedures and execution duties that are found within the available measures of performance. In order to have a genuine and a competitive scale in the market, Coca Cola Company has embraced advancement in technological production. Through technology, the company has managed to increase its trading avenues in the market.

For instance, the company has involved numerous technological approaches in marketing its products and services in the market. In order to have an…… [Read More]

Strategic Management the Concept of

3) Whether or not I would encourage an entrepreneurial mindset would depend on the type of business I had. Many firms require constant innovation to excel, others do not. Internal innovation can drive business forward, but this does not need to come from the entire company. If the business is one that is well established the preference may be for incremental innovation, in which case the entire firm need not be engaged. However, if the firm requires radical innovation in order to flourish then in that case I would encourage an entrepreneurial mindset in order to engage the entire workforce in this vital activity.

4) The three versions of M-form structure are the cooperative form, the competitive form and the strategic business unit (SBU) form. In the cooperative form the divisions are integrated and work with one another; in the competitive form they can be in competition with one another…… [Read More]

Strategic Marketing - Leo Burnett

At all entity levels, the company might have to downsize part of its staff members as a cost cutting strategy.

But the problems generated by the complete satisfaction of the customers' needs and wants are not limited to the organization alone. At the level of commodities for instance, using fewer resources negatively impacts the organizational purveyors, reducing as such their business operations and financial stability. At the community level, two relevant consequences emerge from, first, the financial inability of the organization to support the development of the community through sponsorships, and secondly, the firing of employees, which would eventually deepen the socio-economic problem of unemployment. Consequently then, not all the things which help the customer help the organization, and furthermore, not all the things that help the individual help the community.

But since customer satisfaction remains the constant of organizational success, Cochran argues on the necessity to promote marketing strategies…… [Read More]

Strategic Dissection of COMOPTEVFOR

Strategic Dissection of COMOPTEVFO

This text concerns itself with the various strategies employed by COMOPTEVFO in the execution of its mandate. The strategies highlighted in this case will not only be identified but also discussed at the various levels of strategy formulation and implementation. These levels comprise of the corporate, business, and functional levels.

COMOPTEVFO: An Overview

Before discussing the various levels of strategy COMOPTEVFO makes use of, it would be prudent to first highlight its key operations and dealings. In basic terms, COMOPTEVFO is involved in the provision of "an independent and objective evaluation of the operational effectiveness and suitability of naval aviation, surface, subsurface, expeditionary, C4I, cryptologic, and space systems in support of Department of Defense and Navy acquisition and fleet introduction decisions" (United States Navy, 2013). In addition to providing procedural and technical guidance with regard to the objective as well as independent testing of tactics and…… [Read More]