...A case study on Marks and Spencer which includes: The company at present, Background of the Study, Case Background, Problem, SWOT Analysis, Alternative Courses of Action, Recommendation, Conclusion. A Case Study on Marks and Spencer The Company at Present Marks and Spencer has over 450 stores located throughout the UK, this includes the largest store at Marble Arch, London. In addition, the Company has 150 stores worldwide, including over 130 franchise businesses, operating in 30 countries. Background of the Company * Marks and Spencer (M&S) of Britain (often referred to as Marks & Sparks by locals) is a general retailer that sells clothes, gifts, home furnishings, and foods under the St. Michael trademark in the UK, Europe, the Americas and Far East. * The company also operates financial services segment, which accounted for about 3% of the company’s 1998 profits (Dow Jones Industrial 1999) * Marks & Spencer started as a stall in 1884 by Michael Marks in the Leads market using an L5 loan from a wholesaler * Its philosophy is to sell durable merchandise at a moderate price. It has merchandise made to its specifications. * By 1901, the company acquired 35 Outlets as well as a new partner, Tom Spencer * By 1949 all the company’s stores carried mostly private label (St. Michael) products produced by British suppliers (De Nardi-Cole 1998). Case Background * Britain has often been called a country of shopkeepers, and Marks & Spencer...
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...a lot of companies went through their daily business manually. The use of manual procurement invoice, ordering, payments, catalogues, and requisitions was the order of the day. Times have changed and improved technology has changed the way businesses function. Many businesses have turned to electronic procurement (e-procurement) in the purchasing and supply of goods and services. In as much as there are many advantages ranging from cost saving, time saving and effectiveness, e-procurement also has it disadvantages; high cost of implementation and lack of readiness. More importantly a lot of businesses are not only concerned about cost saving advantage of e-procurement but also achieving high level of customer satisfaction through CRM. Electronic data interchange (EDI) enables the transfer and sharing of data and other forms of information electronically. This research paper will analyze the need for e-procurement, the IT tools and system involved, the advantages and disadvantages of e-procurement, factors inhibiting and supporting e-procurement. Questions such as: will e-procurement add value to my business? does it worth investing in? What IT tools, system and software do I need to implement e-procurement? Do I need to involve every member of my organization? will be addressed in this paper. Keywords: e-procurement, e-government, e-business, e-commerce, supply chain management, Customer relationship management, IT tools, TABLE OF CONTENTS Abstract...
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...Stockholm School of Economics Department of Management and Organization Master Thesis, 20 credits “Can strategic analysis through a market and resource based view prevent the founding of companies with an unsustainable business strategy?” Abstract The Resource-based and Market-based views (RBV and MBV) are two theoretical frameworks which try to find an optimal structure for business strategy by focusing on key strategic points to gain the maximum output or return. During the peak and later upheaval of what is often called the “dot.com bubble” – business models, valuations and strategies were questioned with regards to their anchorage to reality and building endurable businesses. Based on a wide investigation of literature and reports within the Resource-based and Market-based view combined with first-hand interviews and second hand research, we have tried to find to what extent these strategies could or would have prevented investments in IT-ventures lacking the prerequisites for long term competitive advantage. The initial indications and rationale was that the information and frameworks would provide a structured strategic analysis that, if correctly used, could have prevented the poor investments and even lessened the impact of the crash. However, our conclusions are that a strategic analysis, using the MBV and RBV frameworks, would not have been able to give a correct strategic recommendation since the analysis would have been largely based on incorrect...
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