...Table of Contents Major Problems or Issues…………………………………………………………Page 2 A. Organizational Purpose, Objective, and Current Strategy…………………………..…...Page 3 ANALYSIS B. SWOT Analysis…………………..………………………………………………………Page 3 C. Competitive Analysis………………………………………………………………….…Page 5 D. Financial Analysis…..……………………………………………………………………Page 7 E. Implementation Issues/Problems………………………………………………………..Page 10 F. Evaluation/Control Procedures……………………………………………………….…Page 14 ALTERNATIVE SOLUTIONS TO PROBLEMS /ISSUES………………………………Page 15 RECOMMENDED COURSE OF ACTION/JUSTIFICATION…………………………..Page 17 IMPLEMENTATION PLAN………………………………….…………………………..Page 18 MAJOR PROBLEMS OR ISSUES Ann Taylor (NYSE ticker = ANN) was founded in 1954 based upon the corporate mantra of providing professional, yet fashion conscious, business women access to quality, yet affordable, attire. During the last fifty-four years Ann Taylor has become very well known for its offerings, especially “the classic basic black dress and women’s power suit”, and has maintained itself as a leader and innovator within the specialty retail sector. Ann Taylor’s strategic management has maintained its comparative advantage by successfully and accurately predicting client fashion preferences and meeting these preferences through three, diversified, retail divisions (AT, LOFT and FACTORY). The instigation of each division was an effort to meet the broader specialty retail challenge that accompany changing consumer demographics, buyer habits...
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...Ann Taylor Stores Corporation International Management Project Management 4900 – International Management and Globalization Executive Summary As an opportunity to apply concepts of international management, the following analysis evaluates issues and provides recommendations for the Ann Taylor Corporation. The retail apparel industry as a whole has rapid business cycles because fashion and consumer tastes changing constantly. The already fiercely competition for market share is amplified by the declining economy. Like many apparel companies, Ann Taylor creates the designs and outsources the manufacturing process. Ann Taylor sells women’s apparel and accessories and targets affluent career-minded women. One of the company’s strengths is brand equity. Every aspect of the Ann Taylor brand supports corporate social responsibility. Any association with a supplier or manufacturer that doesn’t support CSR and environmental sustainability will tarnish the Ann Taylor brand and risk losing brand loyal customers. With dependency on over 150 suppliers around the globe, communication and culture awareness is required of all Ann Taylor management. Lack of culture understanding will put business partnerships at risk. Although Ann Taylor doesn’t have ownership rights in China, understanding what drives and motivates Chinese workers will help Ann Taylor management collaborating more effectively with the managers of the outsourced manufacturing located in China. The need for strategic...
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...The Company’s Strategies Analysis A. Analyze Corporate-level Strategy a. The Company’s mission and goals ANN associates are committed to and driven by a simple but profound mission – to inspire and connect with our clients to put their best selves forward every day. ANN always try to respond to the customer with “wardrobing” such as a philosophy of “outfitting from head to toe”, combining relaxed everyday wear with more dressy pieces. b. Concentration on a Single Industry When Ann Taylor was founded in 1954 as a wardrobe source for busy, socially upscale women, the company has focused on retail industry till now. Ann Taylor has a 60-year history and gathers rich experience to know how to design clothing to meet the changing needs of customers, so it is wise for Ann Taylor to adapt this strategy to concentrate on doing what it knows best and avoid entering new businesses where it can just create little value. As is known to us, the competition in the retail industry is intensive and the market changes rapidly with the changes of customer needs and behavior. Concentrating on a single industry enables Ann Taylor not only to focus all its financial, marketing, and functional resources and capabilities on the company’s main business to increase its scales of economy and grab market share but also to focus on its competitive advantages to raise its long-term profits. However, Ann Taylor is a women’s specialty retailer and this kind of single-product focus increases risk....
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... | |Strategic Management 21705 | |Summer 2014/2015 | | | | | |Individual Report on the | |Ann Taylor Case Analysis | |Survival in Speciality Retail | | | |[pic] | | | |...
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...Established in 1956 by Robert Liebeskind, Ann Taylor, an upscale woman’s clothier began operation in New Harford Connecticut. Ann Taylor was established to cater to working women who wanted style and class to be their trademark. Ann Taylor or ANN is in the retail clothing industry. According to the ANN website, their purpose is to, “inspire and connect with women who put their best selves’ forward each day.” (Ann Taylor) Kay Krill, CEO of Ann Taylor states on their website that, “At ANN Inc. we share a profound commitment to our clients. For more than half a century, we have evolved with the needs of real women, who live full active lives. Our values are her values. We understand that a woman expresses herself by what she wears- at work, at home and at play.” (Ann Taylor) Ann Taylor has grown to encompass the markets of both work and leisure clothing for a discerning customer. Porter’s Five Forces, states that there are five issues that affect the strength and viability of a business, the model developed by Michael Porter, identifies and analyzes five competitive forces that shape every industry, and helps determine an industry's weaknesses and strengths. The five forces are: 1. Competition in the industry 2. Potential of new entrants into industry 3. Power of suppliers 4. Power of customers 5. Threat of substitute products The key issues in the competitive environment that affect ANN and its rivals are the threat of substitute products. The retail clothing industry...
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...Journal Volume 5, Issue 2 (Spring 2009) Ann Taylor: Survival in Specialty Retail Pauline Assenza Manhattanville College Alan B. Eisner Lubin School of Business, Pace University Jerome C. Kuperman Minnesota State University Moorhead In the summer of 2008, headlines announced that the declining economy was generating a “wave of retail closures” among many well-known companies, including Home Depot, Pier 1 Imports, Zales, Gap, Talbots, Lane Bryant, and Ann Taylor. The Chief Executive of J.C. Penney’s called the 2008 situation “the most unpredictable environment in his 39-year retail career”. i One industry group forecasted that nearly 6,000 retail stores would close in 2008, a 25 percent increase from the previous year. A representative from the National Retail Federation (NRF) suggested that these businesses should “look at where they’re underperforming and how can they change their operations so that they have a little bit more power in another area, or a little bit more growth potential.” ii Kay Krill, President and CEO of Ann Taylor Stores Corporation (ANN), was already considering this advice. Krill had been appointed President of ANN in late 2004, and succeeded to President/CEO in late 2005 when J. Patrick Spainhour retired after eight years as CEO. At that time, there had been concern among commentators and customers that the Ann Taylor look was getting “stodgy”, and the question was how to “reestablish Ann Taylor as the preeminent brand for beautiful,...
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...sales “as traditional Ann Taylor shoppers sought more relaxed, lower-priced merchandise, particularly during the recession.” Ann Taylor would be 59 years old in 2013 and needed to make sure it wouldn’t become a victim of a midlife crisis.3 Kay Krill, ANN’s CEO, had been reflecting on these issues for some time. Krill had been appointed president of Ann Taylor Stores Corporation (ANN) in late 2004, and she succeeded to president/CEO in late 2005 when J. Patrick Spainhour retired after eight years as CEO. Even back then, there was concern among commentators and customers that the Ann Taylor look was getting “stodgy,” and the question was how to “reestablish Ann Taylor as the preeminent brand for beautiful, elegant, and sophisticated occasion dressing.”4 Krill’s challenge was based on the ANN legacy as a women’s specialty clothing retailer. Since 1954, Ann Taylor had been the wardrobe source for busy, socially upscale women, and the classic basic black dress and woman’s power suit with pearls were Ann Taylor staples. The Ann Taylor client base consisted of fashion-conscious women from age 25 to 55. The overall Ann Taylor concept was designed to appeal to professional women who had limited time to shop and who were attracted to Ann Taylor stores by their total wardrobing strategy, personalized client service, efficient store layouts, and continual flow of new merchandise. ANN had two branded divisions focused on different segments of this customer base: • Ann Taylor (AT), the company’s...
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...Ann Taylor (based on an earlier version of the case) 1. Consider the performance of A nn Taylor. How well is the present strategy working? Ann Taylor compared to the industry: I n fiscal year 2005, Ann Taylor was number six in the Women’s Wear Daily’s top twenty of the publicly traded retailers specializing in women 's wear. ANN maintained this position from the previou s fiscal year 2004. Ann Taylor compared to key rivals: Several retailers that target the same or similar demographic of the 35-year old woman include Talbots, Chico's, and Coldwater Creek. Talbots maintained its number seven position with $1.81 billion in sales, and a seven percent increase in volume over the previou s year. Coldwater Creek also maintained its number 18 position with $780 million in sales and a staggering 32 percent increase in volume. Chico's moved up three positions from number nine to 12, also with a 32 percent increase in volume, and $1.4 billion in sales. ANN saw a 12 percent increase in volume over the previou s year and had sales of $2.07 billion. ANN is maintaining its position in the standings, but with a 32 percent growth rate, Chico's may be an even greater threat to ANN in the years to come. Ann Taylor's past performance: Ann Taylor has seen some up years and some down years, but overall seems to be growing each year. In fiscal year 2002, the company as a whole (Ann Taylor and LOFT) experienced a negative sales percentage of 3.9%, but in 2003, they achieved...
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...Company Strategy e. Functional Value Chain f. Geographical Value Chain g. Core Competencies External Audit a. External Forces b. Customer Trends c. Porters Five Forces d. Competition SWOT Analysis Size ANNspansion Ann Goes Technical Financials a. Sales Forecast b. Net Income c. Inventory Turnover 3 Final Report I. Executive Summary Ann Taylor was founded in 1954, when Richard Liebeskind opened his first shop called Ann Taylor. Back then Ann Taylor represented a best- selling dress style that had been gifted to the store owner by his father. The company began its story in the retail industry by opening up stores in which their designs embodied the well-dressed woman. By 1983 Ann Taylor had grown from a regional brand to a national brand with 47 stores across the United States. Today Ann is represented by two brands, with multiple channels of distribution. They operate 907 Ann Taylor, Ann Taylor Factory, LOFT and LOFT Outlet stores in 46 states along with e-commerce websites anntaylor.com and LOFT.com. They rely on a large base of third-party producers and distributors. Ann Taylor is now a one-stop shop for high quality and fashion-forward women’s apparel, accessories, and footwear. Though Ann Inc. has a strong brand recognition in the women’s retail industry, it faces threats that they must overcome in order to continue their success. Ann Inc. competitors are companies such as Talbots and Coldwater Creek as well as smaller high end women’s stores. Ann Taylor has the...
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...Sign In | Sign Up StudyMode - Premium and Free Essays, Term Papers & Book Notes Essays Book Notes AP Notes Citation Generator More Case Analysis Of Ann Taylor Survival In Specialty Retail Essays and Term Papers Search Advanced Search Documents 1 - 20 of 1000 Book Review of Business Policy and Strategy: an Action Guide Book Review of Business Policy and Strategy: An Action Guide Submitted in partial fulfillment of B.S. in Business Administration Century University, New Mexico Grade = 95% {A} Business Policy and Strategy: An Action Guide, by Robert Murdick, R. Carl Moor and Richar Premium 4514 Words 19 Pages Burger King and Its Advertising Campaigns Burger King and Its Advertising Campaigns Burger King is a reliable burger company which has had its ups and downs. In 1974, it came out with a slogan of "Have it your way" and at this time it also had a 4 % market share. Burger King's idea was to have the customer have their burger done their w Premium 1694 Words 7 Pages Foreign Aid Foreign Aid There are two words that many politicians like to shy away , and those two words are, "foreign aid." Taking a firm stand on either side of this topic is usually side stepped by decision makers. Their opinions are usually based on a case by case analysis. This extremely controv Premium 1773 Words 8 Pages Rainforest Cafe, Inc: Outline to Rainforest Cafe Research Report...
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...Promotional and Advertising Strategies Author’s name Institution’s name Promotional and Advertising Strategies Abstract The automotive industry is a multi-billion industry. The dawn of the twentieth century witnessed the beginning of the automobile industry.entrpernuers in the United States and Europe made the first prototypes of vehicles by the end of the nineteenth century. Since then entrepreneurial activities has been booming in the industry that has been motivated by competition among car manufacturers. Competition in the automotive industry inspired the introduction of innovative promotional strategies, marketing strategies, pricing and consumer-oriented promotional strategies. This paper researches on the automotive industry, taking note of leading companies in their respective product category, their marketing strategy, consumer-oriented promotional strategies, their pricing and the leading companies within the product group. This paper also recommends ways in which companies I the automotive industry could use marketing information to gain competitive advantage and to differentiate itself in the marketplace. Effective advertising strategies for automotive companies will also be mentioned. Introduction Automotive industry started in the 1890’s as a result of the domestic market and the introduction of mass production in the automotive industry that rapidly revolutionized the industry into the largest in the world (McAlinden, Sean & Bernard 2005). The industry...
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...Three most pressing issues in Organizational Behavior and the practices that might be implemented Organization behavior is the study of behaviors and attitudes of people in an organization. After all human behaviors and attitudes determine effectiveness of any organization. The approach used in studying OB is the system approach. In other words, this approach interprets people-organization relationships in terms of the whole person, whole group, whole organization, and whole social system. Its purpose is to build better relationships by achieving human objectives, organizational objectives, and social objectives. In this paper we propose to study leadership, motivation and organizational conflict, as among the most pressing issues in organizational behavior. Further, we shall discuss how these issues can be addressed. Critical role of motivation It is critical for managers to understand why and how employees are motivated if they are to make full use of a worker’s capacity to learn and perform. For a manager, motivating employees to learn and perform at their best is a complex and difficult challenge. No two individuals, that is, no two employees including the two who are doing the same job are alike. At any time two different individuals will have two distinct needs and desires. Moreover, what motivates an employee to perform well today may not motivate him the next year, or next week, or even next hour. However, a motivated set of employees represent tremendous promise....
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...| Sustainability management | | | | | * Executive Summary Sustainability is a key concern for the business now-a-days. Firms are now triggering resources and practices towards the sustainable growth of the business. Shell Group, a leading firm in energy industry, is trying to turn their resources for being sustainable in their business practices. For being so, they can follow two approaches such as Carroll’s four part model of CSR and stakeholder analysis. It has become a vital concern for the firms like shell to conduct CSR activities as they have to operate in an environment where they have to be economically viable as well as conforming to the legal laws, rights and obligations of the society. Not only the corporate social responsibility but also the stakeholder’s satisfaction can influence a great deal in the firm’s success. So, the stakeholder’s theory means a lot to the firms. Stakeholders can be internal as well as external. For applying those approaches, shell has to consider several analysis like cost benefit, life cycle analysis, environmental impact analysis, stakeholder matrix , segmentation analysis and so on. Finally, the company will get findings of taking one approaches as per the analysis to implement for being sustainable. * Contents Executive Summary 1 1 Introduction 3 2 For effective management of sustainability, these two approaches can be considered by the Shell Group as prescribed. The approaches are 4 2.1 Carroll’s...
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...PEOPLE AND ORGANISATIONS: MOTIVATION AND INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES - LITERATURE REVIEW – INTRODUCTION Many literatures in the past have served as string evidences of the need for the right approach towards the management of people within an organisation. In lieu of being able to improve the performance of an organisation, taking into account the management of its workforce, difference approaches and frameworks have been introduced. For instance, Bolman and Deal (2008) introduced four major frames which are significant for the management of firms as it presents ways on how to understand how an organisation operates. The four frames which have been introduced include structural frame, human resource frame, political frame, and symbolic frame. In this literature review, the focus of the discussions which will be made will be the human resource frame, specifically, an understanding of how motivation and individual differences becomes essential in such context. DISCUSSION The human resource frame is commonly used in having an understanding of how organisations work basically because of the psychology and counselling components included in such. This frame places an emphasis on the subsystem of the organisation, with focus on different factors such as motivation, training, needs, hiring, commitment, and socialization of people who are working within the organisation. More importantly, the...
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...LEADERSHIP, MOTIVATION AND ORGANIZATIONAL CONFLICT MOST PRESSING TOPICS IN ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR Organization behavior is the study of behaviors and attitudes of people in an organization. After all human behaviors and attitudes determine effectiveness of any organization. The approach used in studying OB is the system approach. In other words, this approach interprets people-organization relationships in terms of the whole person, whole group, whole organization, and whole social system. Its purpose is to build better relationships by achieving human objectives, organizational objectives, and social objectives. In this paper we propose to study leadership, motivation and organizational conflict, as among the most pressing issues in organizational behavior. Further, we shall discuss how these issues can be addressed. 1. Critical role of motivation It is critical for managers to understand why and how employees are motivated if they are to make full use of a worker’s capacity to learn and perform. For a manager, motivating employees to learn and perform at their best is a complex and difficult challenge. No two individuals, that is, no two employees including the two who are doing the same job are alike. At any time two different individuals will have two distinct needs and desires. Moreover, what motivates an employee to perform well today may not motivate him the next year, or next week, or even next hour. However, a motivated set of employees represent tremendous...
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