...Project Company is a consulting firm that focuses on the comprehensive needs of business organization. We offer a full range of expertise that can assist a company in retaining a competitive advantage against its competitors. We are a staff of five experienced professionals who have successfully helped many organizations plan, create and achieve their objectives. We offer a professional team approach that can bring balance to any organization. The Manhattan Project Company’s consultants specialize in specific areas which include services such as SWOT analysis, sales and marketing, competitive analysis, finance, strategic planning and many others to assist any organization with their needs. We invite business owners and organizations to choose our services and let us show you how we can help you enhance your business. Introduction CanGo’s executive management has contracted with The Manhattan Project Company to provide consulting services in order to understand how to grow its business. We have looked at some areas within the organization and found a few key areas that will assist the company in reaching its goals. SWOT Analysis Strengths: CanGo has turn out to be one of the fastest growing online small business companies. CanGo has different variety of products to offer. They have labeled themselves as “the customer”. By doing this it permits them to keep the question “what do we want” in the front position of the attentions all while concentrating on recognizing...
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...Strategic Choice and Evaluation Paper STR/581 March 18, 2013 Dr. Robert Rowlett Choosing a sustainable business strategy is not an easy choice but there are companies who have done it and continue to do so. One such company is Amazon.com who first opened their virtual doors in 1994 and “emerged from the dot-com bubble one of the few winners and continued to blaze a trail of impressive growth (from about $4 billion in 2002 to nearly $20 billion in 2008),” (Johnson, 2010.) Companies like Amazon.com survive and thrive because of sound business decisions based upon sound business models. Their business model is based in strong management strategy. In this paper we will explore alternative Generic strategies, value disciplines, and grand strategies for Amazon.com based upon past performance focused on continued success. Generic Strategies “A long-term, or grand strategy must be based on a core idea about how the firm can best compete in the market place. The popular term for this core idea is generic strategy, from a scheme developed by Michael Porter,” (Pearce & Robinson, 2011). Porter believed that the generic strategy should be directly tied to the company’s performance in the marketplace in this way a firm could leverage its strengths and become stronger. Porter suggests that companies will subscribe to one or more of three types of generic strategies: Low-Cost Leadership, Differentiation, and Focus. Amazon.com has enjoyed the success of a focus strategy in the past. This...
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...Case Study 2: Cloud Computing Cloud computing is defined by Cearly and Phifer in their case study titled “Case Studies in Cloud Computing” as “a style of computing in which scalable and elastic IT-related capabilities are provided ‘ as a service’ to customers using Internet technologies”. Cloud computing services had been provided by major vendors such as Google, Amazon, Microsoft, IBM, Hewlett-Packard, and others for business computing until recently when Apple Corporation announced iCloud for consumers. Therefore, cloud computing is now available for businesses as well as consumers. Read the case study titled, “ Ericsson”, located here, about Ericsson cloud computing. Write a two to four (2-4) page paper in which you: Assess how Ericsson benefited from Amazon Web Services (AWS) in terms of cost reduction, automated software updates, remote access, and on-demand availability. Evaluate the scalability, dependability, manageability, and adaptability of Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud (Amazon EC2), Amazon Simple Storage Services (Amazon S3), and RightScale. Examine the security concerns for cloud-based services and make suggestions to cope with these concerns. Assess possible scalability, reliability, and cost issues associated with cloud computing, and make suggestions to overcome each of these issues. Use at least three (3) quality resources in this assignment. Note: Wikipedia and similar Websites do not qualify as quality resources. Your assignment must follow these formatting requirements:...
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...The Strategic Framework Of Amazon Online Amazon.com Overview Amazon.com was one of the first major companies to sell goods over the Internet and has become a worldwide established name. Amazon.com is an American e-commerce company that is based in Washington. It was founded by Jeff Bezos in 1994 and began as an online bookstore but due to its success, Amazon has diversified into other product lines and services such as groceries, electronics and Merchant Program (see Appendix 1 for detailed portfolio). Amazon. com’s stock price has fluctuated in recent years from $105 in 1999 to $5 in 2001 (Lauden and Traver, 2000). Amazon.com has developed separate websites for Canada, UK, Germany, France, China and Japan. Amazon.com vision is to become (Amazon.com, 2007): “Earth’s biggest selection and to be Earth’s most customer centric company.” Definition of Strategy An integrated set of actions aimed at increasing the long-term well-being and strength of the enterprise relative to competitors. strategic thinking: creative, entrepreneurial insight into the ways the enterprise could develop. Strategic planning: systematic, comprehensive analysis to develop a plan of action. Opportunistic decision making: effective reaction to unexpected threats and opportunities. Strategic management: having an effective combination of coherent planning, incisive thinking and astute opportunism. The Evolving Nature of Strategy and Strategic Planning in Organization: World War II: Formal strategic...
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...Case Study 2: Cloud Computing Due Week 8 and worth 100 points Cloud computing is defined by Cearly and Phifer in their case study titled “Case Studies in Cloud Computing” as “a style of computing in which scalable and elastic IT-related capabilities are provided ‘ as a service’ to customers using Internet technologies”. Cloud computing services had been provided by major vendors such as Google, Amazon, Microsoft, IBM, Hewlett-Packard, and others for business computing until recently when Apple Corporation announced iCloud for consumers. Therefore, cloud computing is now available for businesses as well as consumers. Read the case study titled, “ Ericsson”, located here[->0]http://aws.amazon.com/solutions/case-studies/ericsson/, about Ericsson cloud computing. Write a two to four (2-4) page paper in which you: · Assess how Ericsson benefitted from Amazon Web Services (AWS) in terms of cost reduction, automated software updates, remote access, and on-demand availability. · Evaluate the scalability, dependability, manageability, and adaptability of Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud (Amazon EC2), Amazon Simple Storage Services (Amazon S3), and RightScale. · Examine the security concerns for cloud-based services and make suggestions to cope with these concerns. · Assess possible scalability, reliability, and cost issues associated with cloud computing, and make suggestions to overcome each of these issues. · Use at least three (3) quality resources in this assignment. Note:...
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...-4 | 1.0 Positioning in Relation to Porters GenericStrategies * Strategic Models * Stakeholder Analysis.....continued on page 5 | 5 | Value Chain Analysis | 6 | 2.0 Business & Corporate level strategy | 7&8 | 3.0 Alternate strategy * Critical reflection | 9 & 10 | Bibliography/Harvard referencing | 11 & 16 | Supporting Appendices | Total word count : 2725 Inc titles/subtitles. Amazon’s Strategic Positioning. 1.0 Introduction This assignment is to establish Amazon’s strategic positioning in Europe in correlation with value innovations that may have contributed to Amazon’s success from 1995 to 2012. About Amazon Amazon is an eCommerce business based in the U.S and was started back in 1995 selling books, CD’s and other media. However Amazon’s profits were only noted in 2002 and to this day have annual sales equal to or more than $40billion with a customer base of nearly 144 million in purchase accounts and over 2 million market seller accounts. In 1998 Amazon also extended their market to the UK with an agreed takeover of Bookpage.co.uk and has since managed to establish their second biggest and most successful market overseas. Value Innovations. Since reporting profits in 2002 Amazon has invested in innovations that add value to the customer, keeps interest and encourages ease of purchasing. Some innovations that have aided in the success of Amazon tend to allow ease of use and convenience, this combined with special...
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...leaving N.Y. City for the Pacific Northwest. On its 15th-anniversary in 2010, Amazon is truly proud to be one of the world largest online retailers, selling everything from musical instruments and sports equipment to household appliances and apparels (Kayla, W. 2010). In our coursework group assignment, we are tasked to study and analyse the strategic management issues of Amazon.com. The case study will base on fourth quarter of 2007 as a current year. We will be evaluating the company's external and internal environments, how the company emerge into the industry by means of its strategies management in dealing with economic, technology & distribution issues and competition. We will also look at the company's vision & mission and it relate to the expansion of its product lines and reach, to increase its revenue and market share, and to understand and consider their possible near-term and long-term objectives that the organization could pursue. Lastly but not least, to out up recommendation for Amazon and conclude it with our learning experiences on BPS module. Page 3 of 27 2. Company Overview Amazon was founded by Mr. Jeff Bezos in 1994 with head office in Seattle, Washington, the company is one of the most customer-centric companies in the World and has grown to be a Fortune 100company. It has a diverse range of product offerings over at extensive network of customer service centers (About Amazon, 2007). Amazon.com is one of the most popular names on the internet, it operates...
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...Amazon case study 1. Analyze Amazon.com each year from 2004 to 2006. • 2004 = SUCCESS - Good net profit - Low price strategy - Use of commercial tools: discounts and free shipping - Launch of A9.com - Acquisition of Joyo.com - Largest database of book - Culture of “innovation” - Creation of “pizza teams”: improve innovation - Technological problems - Many litigations - “Gold box”: online design tools - Diversification of products and commercial tools. • 2005 = GROWTH - Growing revenue of 24% but decreasing of the profit margins - Strategic partnerships (Marks & Spencers) - Assortment of acquisitions (BookSurge) - High ranking in customer satisfaction survey (2nd) - Drugstore become a competitor - Hire product expert - Development of various facilities: Toxona... • 2006 = DECREASE - Amazon S3 (Simple Storage Service) - Alexa Internet (a subsidiary of Amazon) launched the Alexa Top Sites Service - Amazon Connect: allow authors to send messages to the readers - Start competition on the digital music market (Apple’s market) - Amazon “gold standard” in customer satisfaction for online shopping - Stay focus on global expansion (strategic plan) - Diminution of the turnover due to an unfavorable lawsuit against ToysRus.com - Negative impact on share price ($ 35 in 2006; highest value in 1999 $106,69,lowest $5.97 in 2001) -...
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...Burgers 1989). Companies pursuing related diversification over a period of time have achieved superior performance than companies following an unrelated diversification (Palepu 1985). Amazon has started its business by selling books and music, soon after it incorporated online auctions for airlines tickets and hotel rooms, computer hardware, pet food and pet accessories, electronic cards, toys and consumer electronics. Whereas Amazon has achieved very high volume of sales and gained important market shares in the book industry, the company has never been profitable. As a result, in this essay, in order to determine if Amazon’s decision to diversify so extensively was a wise decision, we will firstly describe the firm business model and the reasons for its success. We will then try to determine if this business model is applicable to Amazon’s diversification strategy as well as the limit of diversification. And finally we will try to evaluate the limit of such strategy in an international context. I Is the business model designed for selling book on internet apply for different category of products? The success of Amazon Business Model In e-tailing, one can identify four kinds of business models: the channel supporter, the vertical portal and the category killer such as Amazon. In this regard, Calkins, Farello and Smith Shi (2000) identify three fundamentals of on-line...
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...1. Review of Amazon’s strategy between 2007 and 2009 Strategic analysis Profiling the business: ➢ Mission: Amazon’s mission is to be Earth’s most customer-centric company, where customers can find and discover anything they might want to buy online, and endeavors to offer its customers the lowest possible price[1]. ➢ Product/service analysis: Since the establishment of Amazon, new products has been kept adding into the original book category and Amazon has moved further to provide service. There are three product categories in Amazon, media category, electronic and general merchandise category and other category like Amazon web service and Amazon Enterprise Solution. This means you can buy almost everything from Amazon. ➢ Sales and gross profit analysis: The net sales growth of Amazon in year 2007 and 2008 was in average 30% and the total sales in 2008 was $19166m. In the same time, the gross profit grew from $3353m in 2007 to $4270 in 2008. Actually, both the sales and profits grew quickly since 2001 and they seemed to grow at a quicker way. External environment analysis ➢ Opportunities and threats: • Opportunities: to further improve the speed of delivery; international expansion in emerging markets such as China and India; extension of brands into new areas; through acquisitions and partnership to consolidate Amazon’s technological capability. • Threats: unexpected changes in regulatory requirements both U.S. and abroad ( take taxes policies...
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...Cloud Computing – Case Study CIS500 Introduction Cloud computing is tech jargon which describes an Internet service that allows company employees to communicate via emails, access massive amounts of data instantaneously at various times and places without the network becoming clogged down due to heavy load usage. Ericsson describes itself as, “a world leader in the rapidly-changing environment of communications technology – providing equipment, software and services to mobile and fixed network operators all over the globe” (Ericsson n.d.). Amazon initiated their web service (AWS) in 2006, by offering IT infrastructure services to businesses in the form of web services referred to as cloud computing. One of the key benefits of cloud computing is the opportunity to replace up-front capital infrastructure expenses with low variable costs that scale with your business (Amazon 2014). Ericsson benefits of AWS Amazon Web Services provided Ericsson with a highly integrated public cloud with hosting centers in practically every region in the country. This benefit would be a big plus due to the universal impact that Ericsson makes in the telecommunication industry where they provide services to more than one billion consumers. Cost savings was a significant benefit for Ericsson due to not having to expend the capital to build a comparable IT infrastructure internally. Arpit Joshipura, Ericsson Vice President of Silicon Valley (2014) states that, “With cloud computing...
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...reaching beyond what they already know. According to Cornell University’s HR Spectrum, Amazon’s mission statement states: “Our HR mission has been quite simple: to find, grow, and keep the Earth’s best talents. Rather than be bound by a set of organizational competencies--which might help an organization duplicate its current successes but can ultimately be self-limiting--at Amazon, we stay focused on customer need and develop the new competencies that we think are needed to adapt to changing needs, that has helped us stay innovative, reaching beyond what we already know” (Cornell University, 2012). Amazon.com’s CEO, Jeff Bezo wanted his employees to be invested in the company, that means being 100% committed to the company and wanting success for everyone, not just themselves. The President of Human Resources, Tony Galbato, along with Bezo has a lot of faith in the company and its employees stating, “We have lots of smart people with lots of positive energy, driven by the need to build and continually improve the customer experience” (Cornell University, 2012). That seems to be the trend with Amazon; taking care of its customers and offering the best possible quality without the additional cost. To promote innovation within the company, Bezo relies on a group of skilled HR professionals to find the right individuals for the job. They focus on finding those who will take pride in their job and will want to continue to improve themselves as well as the company. Galbato...
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...Relationship marketing (5 approaches & basic principles) Relationship Marketing refers to a long-term and mutually beneficial arrangement where both the buyer and seller have an interest in providing a more satisfying exchange. This approach attempts to transcend the simple purchase-exchange process with a customer to make more meaningful and richer contact by providing a more holistic, personalized purchase, and uses the experience to create stronger ties. With the growth of the internet and mobile platforms, Relationship Marketing has continued to evolve and move forward as technology opens more collaborative and social communication channels. A simple example of this would be sending new customers a "Welcome Kit," which might have an incentive to make a second purchase. If 60 days pass and the customer have not made a second purchase, you would follow up with an e-mailed discount. You are using customer behaviour over time to trigger the marketing approach. Relationship Marketing Vs Transactional Marketing Transactional marketing is a business strategy that focuses on “single point of sale” transactions. The emphasis is on maximizing the efficiency and volume of individual sales rather than developing a relationship with buyer. On the other hand relationship marketing is a business strategy that seeks to establish long term relationship with its customers rather than focusing on single transaction, not only does it focus on individual customers but on all the stakeholders...
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...Technische Universität Berlin Fakultät VIII: Wirtschaft und Management Institut für Technologie und Management Fachgebiet Strategische Unternehmensführung Prof. Dr. Michael Mirow Seminar Paper on Strategies to Achieve Market Leadership: The Example of Amazon (Summer term 2005) presented by: Sören Preibusch, 215995 Matthias Fleckenstein, 215274 Kottbusser Damm 24 Magistratsweg 21 10967 Berlin 13593 Berlin Berlin, May 17, 2005 Table of Contents I Table of Contents Table of Contents ............................................................................................ I Table of Abbreviations.................................................................................... II Table of Figures............................................................................................. III Table of Tables..............................................................................................IV 1 Introduction.................................................................................................. 1 2 Market Leadership as a Strategic Goal in Electronic Commerce ................ 1 2.1 Value Chains and Actors in EC............................................................. 1 2.2 Principles for Success in Electronic Commerce.................................... 3 2.3 Porter’s Branch Structure Analysis applied to EC Markets ................... 4 2.4 Context Factors and Value Creation Potentials in EC Markets ...
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...Keysha Bacote Professor Larry Yodice Human Resource Management August 29, 2013 WALMART The main subject of this case concerns creating an effective internet strategy. These special skills are necessary for effective internet strategies. As well as having a competitive advantage that can be gained with an online presence. Creating strategic alliances which can enhance the value added to all consumers. Wal-Mart is famous for being a leader in offering the lowest prices to consumers. These prices are possible because corporation has been able to efficiently achieve a low cost competitive advantage. Since 1996, Wal-Mart has made the choice to compete in the electronic market by launching its website named www.Wal-Mart.com. The launching of Wal-Mart.com came with failures and mistakes because the company had no idea how to make their website desirable to the consumer’s eye. However, Wal-Mart revamped its website by reformulating its online strategy, and joint venturing with Accel Partners. Accel Partners has experience in building and leading internet businesses, which Wal-Mart seem to be inexperienced in. The newly redesigned Wal-Mart.com was launched January 1st, 2000 and it is now offering multiple products, features and services. It offers 600,000 items and expects and expects to add pharmacy by the end of the year (Wal-Mart to form dot com, 2000). Wal-Mart is thinking about implementing a drive-through pick-up stations to allow online consumers to collect their online...
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