...Ford Motor Company Eric Andrews IRN: 9003104860 MGT/521 December 30, 2012 Dr. Tim Williams The purpose of this report is to conduct a SWOT analysis of the Ford Motor Corporation. The author will decide which parts of the SWOT analysis are most relevant to the decision to invest in the company. The author will identify the company’s internal and external stakeholders and those stakeholders’ wants and needs. The author will also explain how the company is fulfilling those needs and if they are not; why those needs are not being meet and how he company can fulfill the needs not being met. Strengths Brand Image Ford Motor Company has strong brand recognition through out the world and is one of the oldest manufacture of automobiles in the world. The company manufactures and distributes automobiles in over 200 markets on six continents (Ford, 2012). Ford’s main strength is it’s brand image because of the Ford and Lincoln brand name (Ford, 2012). Ford place seventh in 2012 amongst the leading automotive brands, ahead of (a) Audi, (b) Hyundai, & (c) Lexus (Ford, 2012). The company’s market share in the United States increased from 14.2% in 2008, to 16.5% in 2011 on the combined sales of their cars and trucks (Ford, 2012). The company is the leading automaker in Canada and Turkey with a 17.1% and 15.8% of car and truck sales (Ford, 2011). Their share of the market in Brazil and Argentina is a respectable 9.8% and 12.9%. The company’s market share throughout the world...
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...Memo To: Alan Mulally From: Travis Harper Date: March 6, 2012 Re: SWOT and Value Chain Analysis The purpose of this memo is offer the Ford management team advice and recommendations based on an internal and external analysis of the Ford Motor Company. A SWOT analysis will be conducted and the memo will outline and explain the processes involved with the analysis. A SWOT analysis will provide the decision makers of the company with information about the positive and negative aspects of both the external and internal environments currently facing Ford. The internal analysis will provide better insight into the strength and weaknesses of the company, and the external analysis will recognize opportunity and threats presented by the external environment. In addition to the SWOT analysis, the memo will provide an analysis of the primary and support activities that make up Ford's Value Chain, which is a systematic way of examining how these activities create customer value. External Analysis The external analysis was conducted by scanning and evaluating Ford's external environment. It is important that both the general and specific sectors of the Ford's external environment are scanned in order to identify the opportunities, which are positive trends, and threats, which are negative trends, facing the company. When analyzing the general environment of Ford, the economic sector should be a major focus for the company. A major aspect of Ford's decline has been due to poor economic...
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...The Ford Motor Company established itself as one of the preeminent auto companies worldwide with a long, refulgent history of automobile development for over one hundred years. As one of the leading vehicles manufacturers and prestigious brands in the world automobile industry, Ford’s solid brand management is its major strength. In 2014, Ford stands as the second largest automobile manufacturer in the United States and fourth largest in the world (Forbes). Furthermore, the firm ranks eighth among the largest American corporations in the 2014 Fortune 500 companies list. In the past decade, Ford succeeded in building credible and reputable auto products – its vehicles are visible on the roads throughout the United States. The company has garnered a loyal customer base and reputation through its quality goods and services. In fact, due to its mature US market and loyal customer base, Ford ranked second on a best car brand perception survey about customer satisfaction and brand loyalty (Consumer Reports). Ford endured despite the major financial hits of the 2008 recession because of its extensive knowledge of US market and consumers, and its great reputation in its home market for reliability, performance, and durability. In fact, Ford has leveraged its strong market position and brand name to intensify its competitive advantage and expand into international markets in over two hundred countries. As a result, Ford has achieved magnificent profits, especially in major developing...
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...Strengths • Global Company – Ford is a global company with manufacturing in the North and South America, Germany, England plus joint ventures with Japan and Nissan. The Ford (Family Tradition-CEO 100 Years) has owned and managed a major hand in the company. • Bill Ford Jr. introduces major cost cutting measures at just the right time 2003. New ideas turn out good for the company -Reverse Engineering on Taurus Made in Best in Class • • Voip --Saves money on phone costs. Use of telecomm through Computers Ford remains Innovator in the Industry: • • VideoConferencing to hold meetings across the country in several locations simultaneously saving travel costs and reducing time to market • Computer Aided Design Engineering Portal allows design engineering to collaborate on CAD designs and to share information, ideas, and prototyping plans F-150 State of the Art Facility with totally wireless assembly • Capitalized on profits enjoyed 2001-2004 by reinvesting in the company It reduced overheads, cut product expenditures and slashed warranty costs. At the same time, it boosted revenues by targeting incentives and increasing the mix of high-profit vehicles, such as sports utility vehicles (SUVs) with four-wheel-drive packages" (Taylor 10). Weaknesses • • Struggling with sales due to weak designs. 1st Quarter loss in 2009 of $1.4 billion. Opportunities • Capitalize on the fact that they are the only auto co. of the big three that did not have to take a buyout and are not facing bankruptcy...
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...SWOT Analysis Ford John Smith MGT/521 January 9, 2012 Daniela Schultz, MBA SWOT Analysis Ford Located in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit, Ford Motor Company is an American automaker and the world's fifth largest based on worldwide vehicle sales. The company was incorporated on June 16, 1903 and founded by 40 years old Henry Ford. Among the few companies to survive the Great Depression, the company would also become one of the largest and most profitable companies in the world. Additionally, the company is the largest family-controlled company in the world, for over 100 years the Ford Motor Company has been in continuous family control. In 1899, Henry Ford founded the Detroit Automobile Company. The company failed, and in 1901 was reorganized as the Henry Ford Company. In 1902 Ford had a falling out with his financial backers, and left the company with the rights to his name and 900 dollars. Henry M. Leland was brought in to manage the operation and their name changed from The Henry Ford Company to Cadillac, and went on to be a successful manufacturer of automobiles. Henry Ford is known to have adapted practices that were not popular in those days. Their famous “Model T” and the unique innovation of interchangeable parts in moving assembly lines that make it possible to assemble cars at low cost and high reliability are what the Car Maker is known for. The company established an impressive financial track record almost throughout the 20th Century except for...
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...Ford Motor Company not only survived the financial crisis of 2008/2009, which had pushed General Motors and Chrysler into bankruptcy, but also emerged as a robustly competitive member of the world’s leading auto producers. However, Ford’s ability to sustain its strong financial performance depends critically on the state of the world’s automobile industry (Grant). Synopsis of the Case: The automobile industry soared in early 1920’s and became primary industry which drove US economy during that time and Ford had built the largest factory in the world which corroborates the growth and state of auto industry and since then it is having huge impact on US economy. Relevant Factual Information about the Problem The downfall of auto industry in 2008/2009 suffered losses to such an extent that General Motors and Chrysler, two of the Big Three players, filed for bankruptcies. Financial crisis was not the only reason, high supply and less demand was one of the prominent reason for the financial crisis. This decline in industry revenues and profits in 2008 promised a major industry restructuring. (Grant) Explanation of Relevant Concepts. A SWOT analysis on the Ford gives more insight and effective solution to sustain the financial performance and have an edge over competition. Strengths: Ford has strong position in US market and it is the second largest auto-maker in US. It was described as the “most important industrial company in the history of the United States” by Forbes...
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...Ford Motor Company: Strategic and Operational Plans Eric R. Scott Management 521 September 29, 2014 Alisa Fleming Ford Motor Company: Strategic and Operational Plans The Ford Motor Company is one of the first automotive companies in the United States and the world. Today Ford is the second largest U.S. automaker and fifth largest vehicle seller in the world. The Ford Motor Company manufactures and sells a wide variety of automobiles, trucks, buses & automotive related parts. Using the SWOT analysis format, we will look at Strategic and Operational plans that are critical to the future of the company. Strategic Plans Increasing global market share is the first strategic plan the Ford Motor Company, as an organization must focus on. Drawing on their strong engineering capabilities, Ford has been an innovator in the automotive industry and will need to continue to be a leader. Producing some of the most technological advanced vehicles, Ford has been a leader in their industry. Today Ford is focusing on hybrid & highly fuel efficient technologies to gain an advantage over their competitors. Specifically Ford has been developing Hybrid Electric Vehicles (HEVs) that use ECOnetic innovations. ("Company Spotlight," 2010) Offering significantly improved gas mileage as well as low operational costs; Ford vehicles attract customers worldwide. Looking towards emerging markets, Ford will also increase their global market share through their manufacturing, distribution...
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...Lefkoff BMGT 350-0101 16 September 2014 Ford Motor Company SWOT Analysis Strength: Ford Motor Company’s strength lays in its ability to use internal resources such as knowledge and reputation to maintain its dominancy in the automotive industry. Ford has managed to survive depressions, recessions, and internal breakdowns to become one of the biggest automaker in the world. What sets Ford apart from its competitors is the amount of knowledge it has acquired in the automotive industry for over a hundred years. In the business world, time plays an enormous role because it separates the weak from the strong. Ford is able to maintain its popularity by introducing new and innovative ways to produce and sell automobiles. Ford started with the assembly line, which revolutionized the automotive industry making it faster, cheaper and safer to manufacture vehicles. Then, it continued with the introduction of dealerships all around the United States enabling accessibility to transportation, which was soon to be the fastest growing industry in the world. Knowledge is key in any business, and Ford recognizes the strength and advantage it has over its competitors, by simply being in the business longer and learning from the past. Another major strength Ford has is its reputation. Ford is recognized for its unparalleled ability to speak to the American people. When people think about cars and America, they immediately think Ford. Why? Ford has branded itself as the father of the automobile...
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...Objectives a. To be able to implement the marketing strategy used in the said case. b. To be able to have a good relation in dealing with consumers needs and wants. c. To be able to maximize operating performance and financial returns to ensure growth for the company’s future. d. To be able to classify the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats that the company have. e. To be able to explain the solutions in the major problem of Toyota. IV. Statement of the problem Major: Competition will arise. Toyota’s has a closest competitor regarding on its consumers – Ford motor vehicles and Mercedes. It is a problem on how they can implement their marketing strategy to stay on top amidst of the consumers demands. Minor: 1. A reduction on ratio of inventories to sales by 35 percent versus 6 percent. 2. Toyota relied on identical suppliers as of Ford motor vehicles and Mercedes. 3. Easy access on the internet that may cause imitation on each competitor’s latest idea. V. Areas of Consideration | |Production & operation |Marketing |Finance | |Strength |Toyota provides good quality, |Toyota continues to excel where |In 2005, Toyota earned $11.4 | | |production and customers’ |as its competitors are losing |billion – more than all major | | |satisfaction...
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...Importance of environmental analysis Introduction No single organization can exist in a vacuum. For a successful business operation, an organisation needs to interact with various other actors and players around it. These may range from political institutions to other business and financial institutions. These institutions are called environment of an organisation. In this assignment, we would try to illustrate the importance of environmental analysis for a business organisation. The conceptualisation of environment holds the central position in this discussion. Thompson uses the term ‘operating or task environment, or inner layer’ for immediate or internal environment (Thompson, 1997). It relates to that domain where staff from one organisation interacts with people from others in their day to day business relationships (Douglas Brownlie, 1994b). Brownlie employs the term ‘remote or general environment, or outer layer’ for external or macro environment (Douglas Brownlie, 1994b). This refers to those factors which are outside of company’s direct control but have significant direct and indirect influence on company’s operations. For a company to be successful, it needs to be fully aware of its environment as it allows an organisation to respond to the needs and requirements in its environment. ‘Whilst organisational decision makers may wish to believe that they are the masters/mistresses of their organisation’s destinies, in reality that destiny is shaped by governments, customers...
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...Contents 1. Introduction 2 1.1 Purpose 2 1.2 Structure 2 1.3 Background 2 2. Internal and external factors impacting The Galley 2 2.1 SWOT analysis 2 2.2 Pest analysis 2 3. Nature of Change undergone by Lunchbox UK ltd 3 4. Employee reactions to the current change 3 5. Recommendation 4 6. Conclusion 5 7. References 6 8. Bibliography 6 9. Appendices 6 1. Introduction 1.1 Purpose The purpose of the report is to analysis the key change issues arising in Galley cafeteria and to suggest them appropriate recommendations. 1.2 Structure This report is divided into four sections. First section of the report will demonstrate the impact of internal and external factor on Galley. To describe this Swot and pest analysis were done. Second section of report will address the undergone change in cafeteria. By using theoretical evidence this section will give brief of emergent and planned change further it will also analysis change is incremental or transformational? Third section will illustrate the reaction of employee towards change which will explain by using coping cycle. Final section of the report will address the key element of the report which is recommendations. With the help of Kirkpatrick change model this report will give some useful recommendation. 1.3 Background Initially The Galley cafeteria was canteen style restaurant, however, due to international completion and other reasons it was sold to commercial catering company –...
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...Advantages and disadvantages of using SWOT analysis to develop corporate strategy. Discuss using examples related to at least two companies. Introduction SWOT analysis SWOT analysis can also be called as SLOT analysis which is a strategic planning or direction for making decision based on available resources to determine valuate the Strength, Weaknesses/limitations, Opportunities, and Threats involved in a project or in a small business (business venture). It mentions the objective of business or a collaborative enterprise project and recognizes the internal, external factors which come in the achieving of objective. This method of analysis is prepared by an American businessman and a management consultant named Albert S Humphrey (Stanford University in the 1960s and 1970s). An objective of a project or a business venture should be only started after the SWOT analysis has been carried out. It would be easy for the organization to achieve its targets/objective. With the help of SWOT analysis decision makers are able to ascertain after a calculation that whether the objective they are planning is capable of been done or not. If not they must choose the distinct objective and the process is done over again. (Source : http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://swotanalysistemplate.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/Slide5.jpg&imgrefurl=http://swotanalysistemplate.com/&h=302&w=604&sz=36&tbnid=ntJM-sR_xbjS7M:&tbnh=61&tbnw=121&prev=/sea...
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...Product Deadlines SWOT analyses must be turned in the night of the case discussion. You must be present for the discussion. Late work will not be accepted. Examinations must be taken at the dates and times scheduled. About Case Studies Case studies have had an important role in business education., but there are very different pedagogical goals in using case studies and experiential learning versus traditional teaching methods, such as lectures. Some of the advantages are that learning tends to be retained longer, since the learning is learner-based, rather than teacher-based, and learning is more personal and powerful. The disadvantages of case studies are that there are often no right answers. The student has primary responsibility for the learning’s failure or success. Some students, even at the graduate level, struggle with this learner centered approach. The technical tools of business are really quite simple. Application is surprisingly complex. This course aims to help you sharpen your skills in application. The acronym GIGO (garbage in – garbage out) applies here. You will get out what you put in. Those who put in little or nothing will receive comparable value. Helpful Hints for Writing Case Analyses 1. Be specific – avoid generalities and “weasel” words. Say exactly what you would do or what management should do. For example, to say the “management should improve communication with the rank and file,” or “the company needs to aggressively...
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...like GM who are peer competitors. Toyota is keen to see what these competitors are doing and make sure it reacts to their actions in a way that will guarantee its market leadership. 2.0 Situation Analysis Toyota’s capacity to stay on top of productivity efficiency and quality rankings can be credited to its internal environment. This entails the way production process is managed by the top management who are famous for their competency. The production team has an insatiable obsession to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of its manufacturing operations. Therefore, to fully understand the situation analysis of Toyota Company, a SWOT analysis is determined and it mainly consists of the Company’s strengths, weaknesses, available opportunities, and finally the threats that the Company is experiencing or projected to go through. 2.1 SWOT Analysis Strengths and weaknesses are referred to as internal factors of the Company as their impact starts from within the Company, while opportunities and threats normally originates from...
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...Organizational analysis is the process of reviewing the development, work environment, personnel and operation of a business or another type of association.[1] This review is often performed in response to crisis, but may also be carried out as part of a demonstration project, in the process of taking a program to scale, or in the course of regular operations. Conducting a periodic detailed organizational analysis can be a useful way for management to identify problems or inefficiencies that have arisen in the organization but have yet to be addressed, and develop strategies for resolving them.[1] Organizational analysis focuses on the structure and design of the organization and how the organization's systems, capacity and functionality influence outputs. Additional internal and external factors are also accounted for in assessing how to improve efficiency. Undertaking an organizational analysis is helpful in assessing an organization's current well-being and capacity, and deciding on a course of action to improve the organization's long-term sustainability. A restructuring of an Organization may become necessary when either external or internal forces have created a problem or opportunity for improvement in efficiency and effectiveness. When performing an organizational analysis, many details emerge about the functions and capacity of the organization. All of these details can make pinpointing what is efficient and inefficient difficult. Using theoretical organizational models...
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