Posts Tagged ‘Retail’
Gap Inc. business strategy in the global market of fashion, style and accessories can be classified as cost leadership. The retailer offers stylish and fashionable clothing items and accessories for competitive prices. In simple terms, Gap business strategy is associated with offering people the opportunities of being ‘cool’ and ‘stylish’ for affordable prices. Gap Inc. portfolio comprises Gap, Banana Republic, Old Navy, Athleta, and Intermix brands. Gap competitive advantage has been traditionally associated with innovative casual design of clothing items and accessories and the variety of choice that enables the opportunities for self-reflection for a wider range of customer segment. For the past few years, the fashion retailer has been facing challenges in terms of maintaining its US and global market share and ensuring the growth of revenues. During the fiscal year of 2015, Gap Inc. experienced a decline of both, sales and gross profit. Net sales for fiscal 2015 decreased 4 percent to USD 15.8 billion compared with USD 16.4 billion for fiscal 2014. Gross profit for fiscal 2015 was USD 5.7 billion compared with USD 6.3 billion for fiscal 2014.[1] Gap business strategy to deal with the issue of declining sales as announced by CEO Art Peck includes the following plans and initiatives. Focusing on its Gap’s core products that contributed to the global success of the company. Specifically, the senior management has expressed a commitment to return Gap iconic denim, including a rich assortment of on-trend silhouettes, washes and fabrications. Start selling on Amazon. The company has shun association with online retailers for more than a decade mainly because online stores are not able to convey attractive store desing and the point of purchase marketing efforts of the brand. However, in a most recent meeting with shareholders CEO Art Peck announced that “Gap is open to selling…
Introduction This article explains core process mapping that directly contribute to the production of Tasty-Beans brand of canned beans owned by Tasty-Beans Co. by to be delivered to Sainsbury’s Plc distribution centres, one of the largest supermarket chains in UK. Moreover, the paper contains in-depth illustration of lower-level mapping that focuses on packaging element of core business processes. Core business processes of Tasty-Beans Co. in general, and packaging element are explained in this paper with the application of ‘Four V’s’ and IGOE frameworks. Tasty-Beans Operations Core Process Mapping Business process can be defined as “well-understood interplay of activities that targets a certain business objective” (Draheim, 2010, p.75). Accordingly, for the case of Tasty-Beans, business process relates to the process of manufacturing and selling canned beans for the purposes of profit maximisation. Business processes can be divided into two categories: core and support. Core processes related to the production of products and services in direct manner, and they include operations, inbound and outbound logistics, and marketing and sales (Burlton, 2001). Support processes, on the other hand, “do not add value, but are necessary to assure that the core processes continue to function” (Harmon, 2007, p.86), and support processes include human resources development, development of technology, procurement and overall infrastructure. BPNM stands for Business Processes Modelling Notation and it assists with finding and utilising possibilities for increasing the levels of effectiveness of various business processes. Mapping of Tasty-Beans Co. canned been manufacturing operations provided below only comprise core processes: Analysis of Sub-Section Process: Packaging Illustration of Mapping of Tasty-Beans Co. canned been manufacturing operations provided above captures main activities within core elements of operations in general manner. Each of lanes within the pool such as inbound logistics, packaging, marketing and sales and outbound logistics can be further expanded in a lower level map in order to…
Tesco CSR programs and initiatives are developed and implemented by Corporate Responsibility Committee led by Chairman John Allan. The importance of CSR for Tesco maybe greater nowadays than ever before due to a series of ethics-related scandals the supermarket chain had to deal with recently such as inappropriate profit reporting and poor supplier treatment cases. In other words, it is important for the supermarket chain to restore the trust of its towards the brand and engagement in CSR programs and initiatives is an effective tool to achieve this objective. The company releases Corporate Responsibility Update regularly and it includes the details of CSR programs and initiatives engaged by the company. The table below illustrates the highlights from the latest report for the financial year of 2014/15: Categories of CSR activities Tesco Performance Supporting local communities The company donated GBP 55 million, which accounts to 3.96 per cent of its pre-tax profit to various charities and good causesIn total, GBP 37.9 million has been raised from Tesco employees and via customer fundraising Educating and empowering workers 70% of employees stated they would recommend Tesco as a great place to workAs much as 77 per cent of managers, directors and business leaders within the company made career progresses Labor and human rights The supermarket chain declares its commitment to UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Labour Organization Core ConventionsIn 2010, Tesco’s USA stores, Fresh & Easy was accused by Human Rights Watch for allegedly exploiting weak labour laws in the US and bullying employees to prevent them from joining unions[1] Employee health and safety In 2015 a total of 1539 employees in retail and distribution were injured at work that resulted in fractures or lost time of more than three days Gender equality and minorities The percentage gap in payment…
Tesco McKinsey 7S model illustrates the linkage between seven separate elements of the business to increase the overall effectiveness. According to this model, businesses have hard and soft elements and shared values as soft element are the result of interaction of all elements with direct and huge effects on employee behavior and performance. Tesco McKinsey 7S Framework Hard Elements Strategy. Tesco pursues cost leadership business strategy according to its marketing communication message Every Little Helps. The supermarket chain has been able to sustain this strategy due to the extensive exploitation of the economies of scale and the exercise of bargaining power in dealing with suppliers to secure low purchasing costs. Currently, Tesco is dealing with a set of complex challenges such as restoring customer trust following profit accounts scandal, supplier payment delays scandal and dramatic decline of sales as a result of these incidents. Tesco strategy to deal with these issues as announced by its new CEO Dave Lewis include the reduction of capital expenditure to GBP 1 billion, replacement of the benefit pension scheme for all employees and the review of property portfolio with the aim of cost reduction. Moreover, a focus on availability, service and selectively on price emerged as a strategic priority for the new management. Structure. Tesco’s organizational structure is highly hierarchical and comprises many layers of management from store sales assistant to the CEO. The new CEO Dave Lewis eliminated the roles of deputy store managers in 2015 as part of attempts to simplify the organizational structure. There are 10 members in The Board of Directors and the company’s Executive Committee comprises 11 members. Systems. The supermarket chain relies on a wide range of systems on a daily basis to sustain its operations. New management led by CEO Dave Lewis announced plans to simplify organizational…
Value chain analysis is an analytical framework that assists in identifying business activities that can create value and competitive advantage to the business. The figure below illustrates the essence of value chain analysis. Tesco value chain analysis Primary Activities Inbound logistics Tesco inbound logistics operations are complex and involve the supply of hundreds of product categories to 7817 Tesco stores around the world[1]. Economies of scale due to the large scope of its operations is a major source of value creation for Tesco. The company makes regular investments to increase the capacity of logistics so that the economies of scales can be exploited to a greater extent. For example, in 2013 as a part of a government-backed trial program testing the efficacy of longer trailers, Tesco received 25 new 51-foot Gray & Adams refrigerated units. New trailers can carry 51 cages (UK shipping units), six more than a standard 45-foot trailer. This change resulted in 13 per cent increase in logistics productivity[2]. The company has a history of poor supplier treatment under the previous leadership that involved the cases of payment delays to improve Tesco’s operational profit margins[3] and unnecessary and unjustified fines being imposed to suppliers[4] with negative implications on various aspects of supply chain practices. However, the new management led by new CEO Dave Lewis announced its commitment to form strategic relationships with suppliers. Operations Tesco operations can be divided into three large segments: 1. Retail. This segment represents the core business of Tesco PLC. With more than 80 million shopping trips made thousands of Tesco shops in 11 countries around the world[5], the scope of Tesco’s retail operations is extensive. The company operates stores in the following format: Metro. Metro stores sell wide range of food and a smaller selection of general items such as cook ware…
Tesco Porter’s five forces attempts to analyze five separate forces that determine the extent of overall competition in the grocery retail industry. These forces are represented in Figure 1 below: Figure 1 Tesco Porter’s Five Forces Threat of substitute products or services for Tesco is irrelevant. Tesco sells a wide range of products belonging to the following categories: Clothing & jewelry Technology & gaming Health & beauty Home electrical Entertainment & books Home appliances Baby & toddler Garden Toys DIY & Car The range of products sold by Tesco is highly comprehensive. The supermarket chain sells a wide range of products, as well as, substitutes of the majority of these products. Therefore, it can be argued that the threat of substitute products and services for Tesco is irrelevant. Rivalry among existing firms in supermarket chain sector is fierce. The amount of advertising expenditure and the extent of differentiation of products and services are major factors impacting the competitiveness of companies operating in food and grocery retail industry. There are no switching costs for consumers and this fact also increases the intensity of competition in the industry. As it is illustrated in Figure 2 below, although there are many major market players in the grocery retail industry in the UK, Tesco maintains a clear leadership position despite challenges the company currently faces. Figure 2 Market share of grocery retail chains in the UK from January 2015 to April 2016[1] Bargaining power of Tesco suppliers is low. Tesco has hundreds of suppliers and there is a minimum or no supplier switching cost for the supermarket chain. The company has the history of using its barraging power to delay payment to suppliers in order to improve its operational profit margins under the previous leadership in 2014.[2] After this and other incidents of poor…
Currently, Tesco marketing strategy aims to regain the trust of stakeholders to the brand. The company is refocusing on “Every Little Helps” strapline to strengthen its core traditional competitive advantage in the marketplace. Certain elements of the marketing communication mix such as print and media advertising, sales promotions, events and experiences and public relations are used by the retail chain to communicate this message to customers. Advertising Tesco marketing strategy makes an extensive use of print and media advertising systematically as a tested channel to send marketing communicate message to current and potential consumers. It is important to note that although Tesco has decreased its advertising budget in 2015 compared to previous years as a part of its massive cost-saving initiatives (see figure below), the efficiency of its print and media advertising has increased. This has been achieved via application of marketing differentiation. For example, during Christmas period, the retail chain eschewed an emotional campaign for humour using the family of characters, played by Ruth Jones and Ben Miller, it had introduced earlier in the year.[1] Changes in Tesco advertising budget Occasionally, Tesco print and media advertising contains valuable advises on cooking or home styling. For example, company recently “released reactive print ads around the Great British Bake Off, with a “bake it or fake it” theme. One page shows what ingredients someone can buy to make the creations shown on TV, the other page shows what they can buy instead.”[2] Sales Promotion Various forms of sales promotions play an integral role within Tesco marketing strategy. The supermarket chain facilitates sales promotions in the following formats: Clubcard. Customers collect 1 point for each GBP 1 spent in Tesco. Several times a year customers receive statements and and vouchers equal to the value of points they have saved. Free gifts. The supermarket chain offers free…
PESTEL is a strategic analytical tool used to evaluate external environment for the business. Specifically, Tesco PESTEL analysis involves an evaluation of political, economic, social, technological, environmental and legal factors affecting the retail chain. Political Factors A range of political factors can affect Tesco in direct and indirect ways. The list of political factors that may affect Tesco include but not limited to political stability in the UK and abroad, bureaucracy and the extent of corruption in Tesco’s home market in international markets. Moreover, activities of trade unions and home market lobbying initiatives in international markets are important political factors that affect the retail chain. Tesco’s new Chairman, John Allan has proved himself as an outspoken business leader to express his views about impacts of political factors on the business. For example he has stated that “the prospect of an EU referendum is causing uncertainty for investors, and this represents a “heavy pebble” placed in the scales of the British economy”[1]. Certain political factors can potentially have negative implications on Tesco’s bottom line. For example, in 2014 a group of local councils in the UK formally asked the government to for new powers to tax large supermarkets, an initiative that became known as ‘Tesco Tax’.[2] Although, this specific initiative was refused by the UK government to avoid price increases, similar political initiatives may succeed in the future with negative implications for Tesco. Economic Factors Various macroeconomic factors affect Tesco to a great extent. The cost of labor is one of the major economic factors greatly impacting the revenues of the supermarket chain. The company’s annual wage bill accounts to GBP 4.5 billion. Accordingly, increase of 1 per cent in the cost of labor costs the company about GBP 45 million. An increase of the national minimum wage to GBP 7.20…
Tesco Board of Directors comprises 10 members and there were significant changes in the Board during the financial year 2014/15. These changes include the appointment of John Allan as the Chairman of the Board, the appointment of a new CEO Dave Lewis and new Chief Financial Officer Alan Steward, the retirement of four Non-Executive Directors and the appointment of three new Non-Executive Directors. In 2015, Mr. Lewis announced the reduction of costs across head office functions by 30 per cent with direct implications on the management structure. As it is illustrated in Figure 1 below, Tesco governance structure comprises five committees reporting to Tesco PLC board. There are 11 members in Tesco Executive Committee led by Group Chief Executive Dave Lewis. Figure 1 Tesco Corporate Governance Structure Tesco organizational structure is highly hierarchical reflecting the large size of the business. Even in store level, there are as many as four layers of management in some large stores. The Figure 2 below illustrates a typical organizational structure within Metro, Superstore and Extra formats. It is important to note that the structure below is not rigid for all Tesco stores and some stores operate with a slightly different structure reflecting their location, size and a range of other store-specific factors. Figure 2 Tesco organizational structure at store level It can be argued that three or four management layers within a single store may create unnecessary bureaucracy with a negative implications on the flow of information across the management layers. Therefore, the senior level management needs to consider delayering opportunities i.e. increasing the flexibility of operations and changes within store and accelerating the flow of information via reducing the layers of management. Tesco PLC Report comprises a comprehensive analysis of Tesco. The report illustrates the application of the major analytical strategic frameworks in…
Tesco leadership had to change following a major scandal in 2015 that involved the cases of supplier mistreatment and profit mis-declarations as revealed by BBC’s Panorama.[1] John Allan has been elected as a new Chairman of the Board and Dave Lewis, who once was a supplier for Tesco has been appointed as the new CEO to lead a new senior management team. Restoration of trust of stakeholders in general and consumers and suppliers in particular has been announced as the main strategic task by the new management. The new leadership has introduced a new Code of Business Conduct, supported17 by a company-wide training programme along with other measures in order to prevent wrongdoings in the future. Simplification of the business has emerged as another main priority for the new management team. Range of initiative declared by Tesco leadership also include concentrating on “availability, service and selectively on price; undertaking a significant programme of restructuring and financial discipline; and launching a programme of renewal to restore trust in every aspect of the brand”[2] The new management aims to address supplier relationship issues proactively and it has established new Supplier Helpline, designed to resolve payment and administrative issues quickly and simply.[3] The first ‘outsider’ to lead Tesco since its foundation in 1919, Dave Lewis has been able successful so far as a CEO with his drastic measures that included “selling Blinkbox entertainment arm; slashing up to 10,000 positions and shutting stores; closing down Cheshunt and putting its GBP1bn Clubcard data business Dunnhumby and its South Korean arm up for sale. A new deal is reportedly on the table with staff to end its costly defined-benefit pension scheme, worth GBP3bn.”[4] Tesco PLC Report constitutes a comprehensive analysis of Tesco business strategy. The report illustrates the application of the major analytical strategic frameworks in business…