...Jeaneen Pitts Target SWOT Analysis and Porter’s Five December 3, 2011 The purpose of this paper is to discuss Target’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. This paper will also talk about how Porter’s Five affects Target’s business decisions. Target’s mission statement: “Our mission is to make Target your preferred shopping destination in all channels by delivering outstanding value, continuous innovation and exceptional guest experiences by consistently fulfilling our Expect More. Pay Less brand promise.” (target.com) Strengths: One of Target’s strengths is that it’s one of the largest retail outlets. Target is a one stop shop for its consumers. Target also focuses more on product quality and still tries to offer low prices. Target compares prices on over 25,000 items to make sure that they are offering their customers the best price. Target also accepts manufacturer’s coupons making them even more competitive. Target prides itself for focusing on supplier diversity. Target has developed relationships with minority and women owned vendor and suppliers. Target is focused on becoming the industry leader in supplier diversity. (target.com) Weaknesses: Target unfortunately has no international presence; all of their 1,763 stores are located in the U.S. Target’s focus on quality products more so than low prices is also considered a threat. Consumers may tend to shop at Wal-Mart or...
Words: 863 - Pages: 4
...Asma Chughtai Target SWOT Analysis –Weaknesses With much strength, their also comes some weaknesses. Though the business has strength to constantly struggle for market domination, the organization has weakness, which may be affecting the business. 1. The over emphasis upon the quality makes its products rather expensive then compared to competitors like Wal-Mart therefore it does not have that competitive advantage in the industry, as well as a lack in not having many locations when compared to Wal-Mart. 2. It is not diversified enough; the demographic focus is just on America neglecting the need of international presence as compared to its main competitor. Although Target has started to expand into Canada and Australia, they are not bringing in profits on a global scale as some of their competitors are. 3. The company has somewhat lost its attention on marketing plan because of the intensive involvement in resolving out the lawsuits. 4. Target does not play any music in its centers; the atmosphere inside the store is too silent to shop. Target also does not endorse services or items throughout its public address system. 5. Lax Quality control since they procure their products from numerous vendors and thus have little quality control. This can be seen in a number of recalls that occurred, such as activity cart toys in April 2007, frequent company recalls are indicative of lax quality controls, which in turn hurts the company’s image by lowering...
Words: 355 - Pages: 2
...Target Corporation (Target or "the company") is among the top two discount chains in the US. The company is a large retailer with established presence in the US and enjoys a strong brand value which enables quick penetration and a large and loyal customer base. However, the macro economic conditions are adversely affecting the consumer confidence and in turn depressing the discretionary spending, which will impact the top line growth for Target adversely as it is highly dependent on the discretionary spending of the customers. Strengths Large retailer with established presence and robust brand strength Target is one of the largest retailers in the US. The company was ranked 19th in the America's most admired companies list compiled by fortune magazine for 2009. According to a survey, Target was ranked 2nd most valuable brands in the US after Wal-Mart. In 2009, the company concentrated in building its brand despite price cuts and has invested in the same. Its brand value grew by 50% compared to Wal-Mart's brand value which grew at 20%. In the 2009 rankings Target with this investment in brands has leaped ahead of Best Buy and Home Depot to attain the number two spot. It is ranked 30th in the list of Fortune 500 companies. The company operated 1,740 stores in 49 states in the US and the District of Columbia, and 38 distribution centers to support its operations. By virtue of its strong brand value, Target has a loyal and satisfied shopper base and it can further harness its brand...
Words: 904 - Pages: 4
...Target continues to embrace strong financial performance, innovation, and opportunities for profitable growth despite several setbacks. Current and projected income statements (Appendix G), displays strong performance 2011-2013. Projected financial statements for 2014 reflect weaker than anticipated sales due to a security data breach which plagued Target during the fourth quarter 2013 and first quarter 2014. Additionally, fourth quarter 2014 and first quarter 2015 reflects the discontinuance of Canadian operations and the closing of 133 stores abroad. Forecasted 2014 profits are indicative of the organizations struggle as they worked hard to regain trust and profits from massive data breach. Although Target’s 2014 Annual Report has not been made available, information listed at marketwatch.com indicated a decline in sales from $73.3 billion 2013 to $72.6 billion in 2014. Considering the potential damage that a massive security breach and troubled global expansion could cause, the modest decline noted an overall .4% fall in store sales (Marketwatch, 2015b)....
Words: 414 - Pages: 2
...Games 2 The four forces for change may impact upon Alphabet Games 2 Political factor 2 Economic factor 2 Social culture factor 3 Technological factor 3 The SWOT analysis for the Alphabet Games 3 Strength 4 Weakness 4 Opportunities 4 Threats 4 A set of guidelines to conduct an Effective SWOT Analysis 6 Step 1 6 Step 2 6 References 7 Introduction of the Alphabet Games Alphabet Games is the game company which is providing the software and games apps. Alphabet Games is established in 2001 at Scotland. The company began three friends pursing a passion for the software development has grown into multi- million pound nosiness at the cutting edge of the games development market. The rented office that housed three students has been replaced by a custom built facility that houses research development and production which ranks alongside any of its comparable competitors. This report is going to claim about the PEST analysis and SWOT analysis of the Alphabet Games according to the case. Firstly, PEST analysis will be claim as follow. The four forces for change may impact upon Alphabet Games The four forces for change may impact upon the Alphabet Games in the fact of PEST analysis. PEST means that the Political factors, Economic factors, Social culture factors and Technological factors of a country which is the target market of the company. Political factor Political factor of a country means that the law, rule and regulation of the country. Of course the Alphabet Games can...
Words: 1665 - Pages: 7
...opportunities, and threats (SWOT) analysis, and how competencies relate to the essential competencies for conducting a SWOT analysis. The work culture results states that I am high-powered, supportive and an expert. These results will allow me to better understand my strengths and weaknesses in the work place along with allowing me to achieve my organizational and personal goals. The competencies that are essential to conducting strength, weaknesses, opportunities and threat analysis are external and internal analysis The External Analysis examines opportunities and threats that exist in the environment. Both opportunities and threats exist independently in a company. The way to differentiate between a strength and weakness from an opportunity or threat is to ask: Would this issue exist if the company did not exist? If the answer is yes, it should be considered external to the firm. Opportunities refer to favorable conditions in the environment that could produce rewards for the organization if acted upon properly. That is, opportunities are situations that exist but must be acted on if the firm is to benefit from them. Threats refer to conditions or barriers that may prevent the firms from reaching its objectives (http://mystrategicplan.com/resources/external-analysis/#sthash.KgH4dcrD.dpuf) The Internal Analysis of strengths and weaknesses focuses on internal factors that give an organization certain advantages and disadvantages in meeting the needs of its target market. Strengths...
Words: 373 - Pages: 2
...Assessment 1 Course: BSBMGT608 Submitted by: A.C.Gilbert Company 1. Company Overview The A. C. Gilbert Company was an American toy company, once one of the largest toy companies in the world. It is best known for introducing the Erector Set (a construction toy similar to Meccano in the rest of the world) to the marketplace. 2. Key system and Company process a) Supply chain Information gained from planning stage used to purchase raw materials for products and packaging from suppliers. b) Operational System The operational system can explan as Design => Planing => Purchasing => Manufacturing => Distribution Design Toys are designed by a small group of designers who develop the concepts for the products. Planing The planning department translates the concepts into designs and determines resource requirements, including raw materials. Planning also projects sales and develops production plans for each product, timeframes for production runs and scheduling of production runs. Purchasing Information gained from planning stage used to purchase raw materials for products and packaging from suppliers.  Manufacturing Produces and packages toys for distribution Distribution Delivers packaged toys to the warehouse for storage. C Product and Service Deliver The Distribution start by Sale team will take order from customer. The delivery will use the contract transport. It will sent to the retail for sale to the customer. 3. Key...
Words: 1592 - Pages: 7
...TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction 1 Internal Environment 2 SWOT Analysis in the Internal Environment 2 Strengths 3 Weaknesses 4 Opportunities 4 Threats 5 Recommendation 5 Conclusion 6 References 7 Introduction SWOT is an acronym used to describe the internal Strengths and Weaknesses of the firm and the environmental Opportunities and Threats. By description, Strengths (S) and Weaknesses (W) are considered to be factors within the control of the firm. Opportunities (O) and Threats (T) are external factors over which the firm has essentially no control. It is the most prominent tool for assessing and analyzing the overall strategic position of the business and its environment. Its main purpose is to ascertain the strategies that will create a firm specific business model that will best align an organization’s resources and capabilities to the requirements of the operating environment. It is the foundation for evaluating the internal potential and limitations and the likely opportunities and threats from the external environment. It examines all positive and negative factors inside and outside the firm that will affect its success. A steady analysis of the environment in which the firm operates aids in predicting the changing trends and includes them in the decision-making process of the organization. If accurately applied, information gained through SWOT analysis can be utilized by the firm to determine its most desirable options in matching...
Words: 1503 - Pages: 7
...Wal mart With around 5000 retail outlets worldwide, operating in more then a dozen countries and with over US$286 billion in annual sales, Wal-Mart is the top retail chain and number one fortune 500 company in the world. Wal-Mart is the top employer in the U.S. with 1.3 million employees, “the company accounts for 9 cents of every US retail dollar and sells around 20 per cent of the nation’s groceries and pharmaceuticals.” (Times News Network). Wal-Mart’s sheer size gives it unrestrained economic power which allows it to drive down costs in the retail and manufacturing sectors and to enact its own standards with regards to its work force. Facts about Wal-Mart and China * It is important to understand that there is a huge difference between the Chinese model and the Indian growth model, the Indian model is essentially domestic demand driven unlike the Chinese one that is fuelled by export growth. * More than 70 per cent of the commodities sold in Wal-Mart are made in China. * Wal-Mart Stores Inc, says its inventory of stock produced in China is expected to hit US$18 billion this year, keeping the annual growth rate of over 20 per cent consistent over two years. * "If Wal-Mart were an individual economy, it would rank as China's eighth-biggest trading partner, ahead of Russia, Australia and Canada," Xu Jun, Wal-Mart China's director of external affairs said. * Insiders point out that Wal-Mart's imports from China have largely influenced the US trade deficit...
Words: 2423 - Pages: 10
...1) Explain the planning process and state importance of SWOT analysis? b) What are the limitations of Planning? How planning can be effective? This TQM article provides an insight of a typical Strategic Planning Process that was used in several organizations and proven to be very practical in implementation. the key processes of this typical Strategic Planning Process are lined up into 7 steps. Detail of each steps are illustrated below:- Step 1 - Review or develop Vision & Mission Able to obtain first hand information from various stakeholders (Shareholders, customers, employee, suppliers communities etc). You may use templates to evaluate how the stakeholders think about your organization. To find out whether their action are aligned with the organization's objectives. To review or develop company's Vision and Mission with the involvement of other stakeholders to ensure it is still current with the business changes and new challenges. Also use this session as a mean for communication. Step 2 - Business and operation analysis (SWOT Analysis etc) One of the key consideration of strategic planning is to understand internal (own organization) Strengths and Weaknesses as well as external Threats and Opportunities. These are commonly known as the four factors of a S.W.O.T. analysis. Involvement from various stakeholders to provide their points of view about your organization is key. In the process, you will gain better buy-in from these implementers of strategies...
Words: 2871 - Pages: 12
... If you are unsure, ask your tutor. Situational Analysis Market Analysis Summarise the current market and industry environment. This is an overall assessment of the market and should be considered from an overall perspective. Product Life Cycle Environmental Analysis Summarise the MACRO environment and whether it has a major or minor impact upon your brand. ALSO INCLUDE YOUR PESTLE CHART. Do not exceed 1 page including any diagrams or charts. PESTLE Analysis POLITICAL • Insert bullet point here • Insert bullet point here • Insert bullet point here ECONOMIC • Insert bullet point here • Insert bullet point here • Insert bullet point here SOCIO-CULTURAL • Insert bullet point here • Insert bullet point here • Insert bullet point here TECHNOLOGICAL • Insert bullet point here • Insert bullet point here • Insert bullet point here LEGAL • Insert bullet point here • Insert bullet point here • Insert bullet point here ENVIRONMENTAL • Insert bullet point here • Insert bullet point here • Insert bullet point here Competitor Analysis Summarise your general observations of the competitive environment (use a minimum of 3 and a maximum of 5 main competitors) PLUS include your competitive market summary table as detailed below. Competitive Market Summary Competitor Target Market Product Price Promotional Distribution Strength/ Weakness Competitor A Primary Target Market Secondary...
Words: 518 - Pages: 3
...Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT) Analysis is a business management tool used to evaluate an organization’s strength’s, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. The tool is used to produce a model that can serve to provide direction in the development, formulation, and evaluation of project management plans. Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT) Analysis is an important step in the planing process that is often undervalued and omitted in constructing the project management plan. This basic management tool is straightforward and easy to use. Basically, factors are divided into internal and external issues. Based on the analysis of the information provided by the model, project management can better decide if the information gathered is something that will assist in accomplishing its objectives. Conversely, Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT) Analysis can also identify potential obstacles to success, as well as faults in the plan that must be addressed, controlled, or eliminated if the desired results are to be achieved. In order for the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT) Analysis to be effective, project management must do more than simply identify the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats involved. Risk management demands that it is necessary to avoid, eliminate, or at the very least, minimize identified weaknesses and threats. Weaknesses should be closely scrutinized in order to determine...
Words: 2275 - Pages: 10
...Definition: SWOT analysis is not only limited to profit-seeking organizations but also may be used in any decision-making situation when it is desired for an organization. It is use to develop a plan that takes into consideration many different internal and external factors, and maximizes the potential of the strengths and opportunities while minimizing the impact of the weaknesses and threats. This remarkable technique was provided by Albert S Humphrey, one of the founding fathers of what we know today as SWOT analysis. SWOT analysis came from the research conducted at Stanford Research Institute from 1960-1970. A strategic planning method which is used to evaluate the Strengths, Weakness, Opportunities and Threats involved in a project or in a business or in an organizations venture. The team members and the managers mainly use this analysis on behalf of an organization. It specifies the objective of any business venture or project to identify both the external and internal factors which are sometimes favorable and unfavorable to achieve that objective. Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT): It is the first stage of planning and helps marketers to focus on key issues. SWOT stands for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. Strengths and weaknesses are internal factors. Opportunities and threats are external factors. The factors (internal and external) may include all of the 4P's; as well as personnel, finance, manufacturing capabilities...
Words: 1436 - Pages: 6
...A SWOT Analysis view of the software development industry Georgios Kormaris Department of Information and Computing Sciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands gkormari@cs.uu.nl WWW home page: http://www.cs.uu.nl/ Introduction I n the past twenty to thirty years many changes and developments have taken place in the software industry which started off during the 1960s mainly in the United States of America and experienced a revolutionary boom since the 1980s, Steinmueller, (1995). There are many different ways and methods of developing software and planning the strategy of a software development company, as we can derive from many recent research projects. Most of these projects are usually concerned with the way that software is developed and not with the way that the strategy of the company as a whole is planned, Cusumano, MacCormack, Kemerer, & Crandall, (2003). Another important factor is which techniques and methods are used to analyze company’s environment and how the strategy is formulated and implemented. In this paper we analyze a popular method for strategic planning which has been mostly used for product portfolio planning and strategic planning on an abstract level, as stated in a research paper by Houben, Lenie, & Vanhoof, (1999). We will focus our interest in the software industry and base our research on the case study of the Austrian software industry as it is presented by Bernroider, (2002). Additionally, certain guidelines are...
Words: 4799 - Pages: 20
...Firm Research Donna Wright Strayer University Business Strategies and Proposals BUS 505 Dr. Evangeline Jefferson April 20, 2013 Firm Research Introduction The purpose of this paper is to examine Firm Research. In developing this paper concepts will be identified in the areas of describing a small-business line of business (LOB); determining which government procurement opportunity is aligned with the LOB using the Federal Business Opportunities Website; the firm’s current strategies and assessing the strategic success using financial figures or “soft” indicators as the background; providing a SWOT analysis to determine the internal and external factors in servicing the federal government and utilizing a gap analysis in satisfying the expected requirements; and creating an action plan to fulfill the expected requirements based on the gap analysis. According to ("SBA", 2013) the U.S. government is the world's largest buyer of products and services. Purchases by military and civilian installations amount to nearly $200 billion a year, and include everything from complex space vehicles to janitorial services and cancer research. In short, the government buys just about every category of commodity and service available. By law, federal agencies are required to establish contracting goals, such that 23% of all government buys are intended to go to small businesses. In addition, contract goals are established for women-owned businesses, small disadvantaged...
Words: 1128 - Pages: 5
