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Business Analysis

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Introduction:
One of the least known aspects of business is failure. Upper management has the tendency to place the blame on others for preventable mistakes. Many business fail due to the lack of research needed to stay relevant within its market. For most companies, the consumer has a good idea of what is not working for the business prior to the company identifying the issue. Major issues like poor accounting, not giving the company small goals to obtain prior to reaching for unobtainable goals, and out of control growth can harm a business without giving any warning signs. This essay will review the rise and fall of Sharper Image and the continuous growth of retailer giant, Wal-Mart. The mission of each company will be reviewed, the role of leadership will be examined and the steps needed implement change will also be reviewed.

Sharper Image: Objectives, Vision, and Mission

Sharper Image was founded in 1977 and grew to over 200 retail locations. This company reached millions of households with its award winning website and catalog (Sharper Image, n.d). Sharper Image believes that meeting the unique standards of its customers is what will make the company standout among the competition. The objective of Sharper Image is simple, to offer state of the art products that span numerous lifestyle categories including health, wellness, beauty, home, recreation, and other categories not mentioned. Sharper Image has the idea that its products were meant to be fun and memorable (Sharper Image, n.d).
Wal-Mart: Objectives, Vision, and Mission

Wal-Mart was founded in 1962 in Rogers, Arkansas and has been dedicated to making a difference in the lives of its customers. The retail giant mission statement is one sentence with a powerful meaning, “Saving people money so they can live better.” Wal-Mart operates more than 11,000 retail units and employs 2.2 million associates around the world (Farfan, n.d.).
Describe the steps you will follow to implement the organizational change based on John Kotter's 8-step plan for implementing change
Sharper Image lost its luster because of a lack of product innovation. It was openly admitted that the investors for the retailer knew little about merchandising to develop innovative, creative ideas to sell (Goltz, 2011). Employing Kotter’s 8 Step Change Model could have had a positive impact on Sharper Image’s bottom line. For things to change, a sense of urgency should be created to implement the changes that are going to take place. Potential threats for Sharper Image must be identified to predict the future of the company. Sharper Image became dull when Apple Stores became the new hangout spot for individuals who have to keep up on the latest technology. Allowing others to state what changes should be made causes all levels of the company to become involved with the company’s new goals. The investors of Sharper Image should create a powerful coalition with a brand that would be exclusive to this company only. The other aspect of the coalition would be with the employees. A commitment to making a difference in the company should be obtained from every employee. Team building exercises and workshops should be organized to strengthen the change coalition (Mind Tools, 1996-2013). The vision of change should be visible for all to see. A clear vision assists everyone in understanding the need for change. Communicating the vision to Sharper Image as a whole is a difficult task and should be taken seriously. Upper management should be seen implementing the new changes so that others can follow their lead. It is not feasible to ask someone to do anything you would not. Certain obstacles would have to be removed to really see a difference in Sharper Image. Changes in management or other positions should be made if the individuals holding this station do not believe in the changes necessary to lead the company in a new direction. Short-term goals are recommended to keep morale up when the new changes become challenging. When an individual or team achieves small goals, recognition should be implemented to motivate others to want to go along with the suggested changes. Once small goals are being reached, the success should be analyzed to keep the positive momentum of the company going. Understanding what works will increase the possibility of continuous improvement for Sharper Image. To keep the changes being made positive, Sharper Image should recreate the company culture around the new company vision. Progress should be discussed on a daily basis to keep the idea of change fresh in the minds of every employee.

Conclusion:

Refrences
Farfan, B. (n.d.). Mission Statement, Purpose, Headquarters and Founders Facts About Wal-Mart. Retrieved from http://retailindustry.about.com/od/retailbestpractices/ig/Company-Mission-Statements/Wal-Mart-Mission-Statement.htm

Goltz, J. (2011). Top 10 Reasons Small Businesses Fail. Retrieved from http://boss.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/01/05/top-10-reasons-small-businesses-fail/?_r=0 Mind Tools. (1996-2013). Kotter's 8-Step Change Model. Retrieved from http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newPPM_82.htm

Sharper Image. (n.d). About Us. Retrieved from http://www.sharperimage.com/si/company/about-us.jsp

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