...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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...Marks & Spencer is Europe’s most profitable retailer with a global brand and global recognition. Its achievement largely depends on the effective use of people. An organisation may have the latest technology and the best physical resources, but it will never thrive if it does not value its people. Its most valuable asset will always be its people and the work they do. For Marks & Spencer, this means that the people who look after customers, select and merchandise the products and run the operations, must aspire to be the best qualified and equipped in retailing. This case study focuses on the challenging role of the Financial Manager behind the scenes at every Marks & Spencer store. In doing so, it highlights many of the qualities, such as leadership, adaptability and analytical consideration, required by Financial Managers every day in a busy retail environment. Working for a retailer Retailing is ‘the practice of selling goods in small quantities to the general public.’ It is a business where employees come face-to-face with customers every day. Customers can be very demanding - they enter a store and expect their needs to be met immediately, irrespective of whether the lorries delivering bakery goods are stuck in snow or that a key supplier is having production problems. Many businesses in different types of environment are able to keep their customers at arm’s length. If they need to do some training or catch up on paperwork, it is relatively easy to make time...
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...Marks and Spencer: Summary Report of the Case Study Introduction Marks and Spencer (M&S) is a leading UK retailer selling clothing, food, and housewares. In 2007, the company put sustainability at the heart of its business. In order to succeed, it would have to change the attitudes and the behavior of its shoppers. As a result, it launched Plan A which set out a five year plan involving 100 social and environmental commitments that were expected to shape the future of the company. Plan A would allow the company to resolve some of the big issues facing their business. They called it Plan A because there is “no B when it comes to conserving the earth’s finite resources” (Marks & Spencer Website). Brief Background on Company In 1884, Michael Marks started the company by selling an assortment of goods in an open-air stall in Leeds, UK. In the 1920’s, the company went public and expanded into general merchandise and ready-to-wear clothing. By the 1970’s, the company had become a British icon and a household name. However, from the 1980’s to 1993 came the troubled years. Despite the expansion of its operations in the 1980’s, the retailer had failed to keep current with its shopper’s preferences and this led to financial woes. From 1994 to 2006, it was back to the basics for the company. By 1996, it had rebounded to become the UK’s most profitable retailer. However, this recovery was short lived, and M&S experienced a significant slump in business in 1999 which continued into the...
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...* With more than 120 years of heritage, Marks & Spencer is one of the best-known British retailers. The company has more than 450 stores within the UK and employs more than 65,000 people. It also operates outside the UK where it has a developing business in places as far afield as Hong Kong. In recent years, the UK's retailing industry has been characterised by intense competition. Customers are more aware of where and how they want to shop. They also know what sort of shopping experience they require. This has made it much more difficult for retailers to survive. The result was that Marks & Spencer had to develop a new business strategy. This created a period of change for the whole organisation. The period of change involved refocusing the business upon the basics. This included the three business values of Quality, Value, and Service. Marks & Spencer developed a promotional campaign that emphasised 'Your M&S'. This helped the company to connect customers with the heritage in the business. It also linked the business in the minds of customers with its two other values of Innovation and Trust. The process involved three key features: * developing products that customers wanted * investing in the environment within stores * providing good customer service to look after customers. These changes have created a business environment with more challenges for employees. Managers had to prepare employees for whatever role they would be asked to undertake...
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...党的群众路线教育实践活动个人对照检查材料 邹光明 党的群众路线教育实践活动开展以来,本人通过学习教育，深刻认识到开展为民务实清廉，以整风精神，反对形式主义、官僚主义、享乐主义、奢靡之风，落实党的“八项规定”是增强党员队伍的纯洁性和先进性的重要举措.按照镇党委统一部署，查摆问题，相互谈心，对照职工群众反映的各种问题，结合工作实际开展批评与自我批评。以“正衣冠、照镜子、洗洗澡、治治病”为总要求。通过这次活动从中感觉到自身在遵守党的政治纪律、加强党风建设以及“四风”方面还存在很多不足，有许多地方有待进一步提高。针对自己实际情况，认真反思，努力整改，现将情况分析对照检查如下。 一、遵守党的政治纪律和加强作风建设情况 （一）遵守党的政治纪律情况 做为一名党员干部和乡镇工作者，深知党的政治纪律是党的生命线。因此本人在以党员标准严格要求自己的同时，坚持党的领导，坚持党的基本理论、基本路线、基本纲领、在思想上政治上行动上乡党委保持高度一致。努力做到自觉遵守、严格执行，坚决维护党的政治纪律。在工作中，能够较好地执行党的方针、路线、政策，自觉执行民主集中制原则和维护班子团结。自觉用党章规范自己的一言一行，做到政治信仰不变、政治立场不移、政治方向不偏。 在工作中自觉以身作则，严格要求自己。严格遵守党的政治纪律，自觉同党中央和各级党委保持高度一致，坚决贯彻落实党的路线、方针、政策；能够自觉按制度和规定贯彻落实各项，做到令行禁止、政令畅通，给自己身边的人当好模范，真正发挥党员的模范和带头作用。 作为一名党员，对照纪律要求，存在一些不足：一是对放松自身的学习和修养，对自己学习要求不严，学习不认真；二是学习流于形式，在党的大政方针的学习上存在着不够深入，不够及时和不够具体等现象；二是在工作中存在着在对党的路线、方针政策，宣传贯彻不到位。 （二）加强作风建设情况 认真贯彻中央八项规定、转变作风，加强作风建设。一是全面认真学习了中央八项规定，深刻领会中央八项规定精神和各级领导讲话精神；二是通过观看警示教育片等，自觉自醒自律，遵守党风廉政建设规定和各项工作制度；三是紧密联系群众，联系实际，深入基层调查研究，系统掌握基层基本情况，真正了解群众所盼所想；四是严格落实公务接待制度和公务用车制度。 二、“四风”方面存在的突出问题 通过学习，本人在思想认识上虽有一定提高，在思想境界上有所提升，但对照党的群众路线教育实践活动的要求，特别是“四风”方面还有许多突出问题。 （一）形式主义 1、工作作风不扎实。开展党的群众路线教育实践活动要求乡干部每次都要亲自下基层走访，认为自己一直在乡下工作，群众工作做得很多了，自认为很了解群众的疾苦，放松了在思想上贴近群众，感情上亲近群众，行动上靠近群众。 2、群众工作不够扎实。下基层了解情况的少，不能从繁杂事务中解脱出来，不能深入到群众中调查研究，不了解群众困难，群众盼什么，有什么要求不知道，没有解决好密切联系群众的认识问题，对群众面临的实际问题不够了解，对一些问题没有及时发现和真正解决，没有深入基层进行扎实有效的工作。 3、平时不注重政治思想学习，集体组织的各项学习活动虽能按时参加，但平时学习的自觉性、主动性不强。学习内容不系统不全面，联系实际也不够紧密。。 5、对新问题、新情况、探索的不够。重视具体工作的少，没有充分发挥主观能动性，关注细节不够，致使实际工作达不到预期效果。 ...
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...Paper Title: An Exploratory Study into Failure in Successful Organizations: The case of Marks & Spencer Author: K. Mellahi, P. Jackson and L. Sparks Journal : British Journal of Management, vol 13, 15-29 (2002) Web access: This journal can be accessed through the Polyu library: web.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=3&hid=8&sid=91e8f38e-e681-45f7-af1a-ac2cacb7d0f2%40sessionmgr12 Question: 1. Discuss the reasons of failure for M & S. Internal: 1 Top managers tended to underestimate the effect of external changes in the industry landscape and, at times, disbelieve external reports and studies. 2 M&S lost contact with its customers’ needs and wants. 3 Powerful managers focus on their own benefits in a large part, ignoring give some solutions to the development of company. 4 Some conceptions of management and old policy have become a block to develop in an entirely new circumstance. At the same time the leaders always avoid to answer some underlying problems and find some excuses. 5 a. Rather than continuously looking for new ways of managing the company under changing circumstances, it continued to preserve and do what was previously successful. Be cause of its long and continuous success. b. M&S not only stuck to its previous routine procedures, but when change was under- taken, the company initially exhibited modification routines by using similar change and modifica-tions made to the management and operation systems throughout...
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...Instructor’s Manual CASE TEACHING NOTES Marks & Spencer Nardine Collier and Gerry Johnson 1. Introduction This case study is about why one of the world’s most famous retails, Marks & Spencer, ran into trouble at the end of the 1990s and how it attempted to manage a programme of change to overcome those problems. It is therefore useful to explore issues concerned with organisational culture, strategic drift, strategic choice and the management of change. The case covers both the history of Marks & Spencer throughout the last century and, in more detail, from 1998 to 2004, the period when it moved from a position of market dominance to one in which it was deemed to be a take-over target. The case charts the attempts by its different chief executives to address the problems during this time and, therefore, the various change initiatives that were mounted. 2. Position of the case The case study relates, in particular, to the problems and means of managing strategic change in Marks & Spencer. So it is particularly related to the coverage of strategic inertia and strategic drift in chapter 1 and programmatic design and change in chapter 10. With this in mind it might be taught at the end of the strategy course. However, it could also be used as a case to require students to analyse the reasons for the problems of Marks & Spencer, not only in terms of organisational culture, but also in terms of the market and competitive position of the firm. In this sense it could be...
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...ASSIGNMENT 1: HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT Contents Question 1: 1 Question 2 4 Question 2.1 4 Question 2.2 8 Question 3 12 Question 3.1 12 Question 3.2 15 Bibliography 21 List of Figures Figure 1: Model of effective Performance Management Process 5 Figure 2: Steps and Responsibilities in the Career Management Process 9 Figure 3: Strategy - decisions about competition 15 List of Tables Table 1: HR Practices utilized by Marks & Spencer to address strategic needs 17 Question 1: In an industry where competition is intense, developing staff has probably never been so important. By training and developing its staff, discuss how Marks & Spencer is in a position to develop a competitive advantage over its competitors. Introduction A competitive advantage is a superiority that an organization can gain over its competitors by providing the same value at lower prices or charging higher prices for providing greater value through differentiation, Business Dictionary (2015). Grobler et al (2011:9) noted that in the past the focus of Human Resources (HR) was an administrative one (traditional HR) with focus on personnel issues, more recently HR has been recognized as being contributory to the organization’s overall strategy. HR is therefore an integral part of achieving competitive advantage. One such HR practice that enables competitive advantage is in training and development of its staff. Noe et al (2012:98) noted that in the knowledge...
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...) Executive Summary Marks & Spencer is a company which had a history of 56 years and operating till now. The co-founder is actually Michael Marks and later joined by Thomas Spencer in 1894 to create Marks & Spencer. The main product which produced by Marks & Spencer is clothing line and then expand to food industries. Marks & Spencer are successful because of they know how to apply the sourcing strategies within their supplier around the world. There are two types of strategies implemented by Marks & Spencer, combination of in-house and third party manufacturing for food s line and third party contracting or sourcing for clothing section. Tesco is the choice from us to compete with Marks &Spencer; Tesco had their own sourcing strategy to compete with their rival within the same industries line such as group food sourcing (GSF) and regional supply base making the right product at affordable pricing. Tesco do developed its own brand which is cheaper in price and better qualities control. The last sourcing Strategies is Sourcing global, which they have contract with the supplier around the world. The sourcing strategy for Marks and Spencer has disadvantages and advantages which affect the company performance. Lastly, we recommended enhancement in their sourcing strategy by comply with China supplier in Clothing line or green field investment in China. Company Background (Mark & Spencer) The years of Marks & Spencer established was in 1958,...
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...Marks & Spencer Marks & Spencer was founded on 1884 as a market stall by Marks. It became Marks & Spencer in 1894 as a partnership with Spencer. From that humble beginning Marks & Spencer became leader in the industry. And for more than half a century M & Spencer was the epitome of enlightened capitalism. It dominated the British high streets and provided shoppers with quality and value clothing unrivalled by competitors. It was one of Britain’s largest high profile retailers selling variety of goods and services such as clothes, food, furniture and loan services. But its glory has started to crumble when it profits began to fall since 1998. M & S has been facing their worst times ever. Their problems began at the start of financial year April 1999. They suffered almost from financial ruins. Since the event of its failure, M & S has been taking more than several attempts to recover their losses. Extensive studies and researches have been conducted to find out the root causes so as to come up with appropriate strategies for development. Most of the studies started with the company’s profile. Below is an analysis of the company’s profile and the validity of one strategic management models to Marks & Spencer’ experiences. Marks & Spencer’s organization culture is characterized as a reflection of “taken for granted fashion” that is an attitude shared by members of the organization. The beliefs and basic assumptions operate unconsciously among the members and also exist at the organizational...
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...ASSIGNMENT 4 CASE STUDY MARKS AND SPENCER In this assignment, I will be explaining the strengths and weaknesses of Marks and Spencer and will be discussing to which extent I regard leadership, corporate culture and corporate governance as key factors in accounting for Marks and Spencer’s underperformance over the last twenty years. Section A Identify and explain five strengths and five weaknesses of Marks and Spencer. Marks and Spencer is a British retailer which was founded in 1884 by Michael Marks. It became known as Marks and Spencer after getting into partnership with Thomas Spencer. They started off with a single penny market stall, then gradually expanding them into stores, and are now international retailers with currently 718 locations across 34 countries. Strengths Marks and Spencer has many strengths which help the business grow. 1) Marks and Spencer has a long term relation and works close with suppliers to ensure high standard quality and reliable brands to its clients. They emphasise on promoting quality goods and are committed to customer satisfaction. 2) Profitable company and large market shares in retail sectors. Marks and Spencer has stores all over high streets in London, totalling in 718 locations across 34 countries. A large number of stores result in increased sales, due to the wide range of quality products that Marks and Spencer stock. 3) Marks and Spencer is known for having an excellent relation with employees...
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...Identification – This case study looks at the tension firms experience between adequate research in the safety of a product and pressure to minimize development costs and bring the product to market as soon as possible. Description – The case study “Primark Versus Marks & Spencer” compares these two different corporations and how each of them are reacting to the increased demands that arise from operating in a global, constantly wired and increasingly complex business environment. Primark produces low cost clothes to compete with firms such as Wal-Mart. On the other hand, Marks & Spencer seeks to differentiate its products based on quality and charges a corresponding price premium to reflect the different market segment it targets. Reaction – This case study argues that “corporations exist because their products are in demand and that; in general, it is in society’s best interests to encourage healthy and wealthy corporations because they bring many benefits.” After researching all the websites presented in this case study I agree that corporations are in the best interest to society. This case study took two companies, Primark and Marks & Spencer and compared how these companies reacted to the “increased demands that arise from operating in a global, constantly wired, and increasingly complex business environment.” Primark is a low cost retailer, similar to Wal-Mart, while Marks & Spencer is a brand loyal company who base their products on quality. ...
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...Objective The objective of this report is to focus on the concept Training and Development in HRM” and examines in more detail some of the theoretical advantages and disadvantages of Training and Development strategies in HRM followed by a critical review on the evidence based around what impact it has had in practice in terms of promoting and enhancing business performance. While we cannot ignore the importance of HRM theories in today’s management context, this paper explores whether these theories work well in practice. Introduction The key purpose of HRM is to enable management to enhance the individual and collective contributions of people to the short and long term success of the enterprise. (Personnel Management Lead Body, 1993) The workplace is in a constant state of change resulting from ongoing developments in technology and innovation and increasing economic, social and political pressures. This poses new and complex challenges for the human resources function within organisations. (Hathorn, 2012: 3). In today’s competitive global business climate, companies looking to improve their gross margins and increase productivity are increasingly looking for ways to boost employee performance and effectiveness. People in an organization are considered to be one of the most valuable resources of today’s firms. Other resources such as brands, products, processes, technological advancement, economies of scale can still provide a competitive advantage but an organisation’s...
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...behave in an organisation, and why it involves a major role of within the organisation in general. Furthermore, why organisation is essential for every business and how it can make the company successful in the business area. What is more, it expresses why people need to study organisational behaviour and how it is important to a certain extent for every business. In addition to this factor, it compares and contrasts different organisational structures and cultures which have a great impact on culture as well as performance. This essay concludes by presenting how different types of leadership styles stand in both organisations and their effectivness. Marks & Spencer's background The company of Marks & Spencer is a well-known retail store in the UK with 21million people visiting each week. The profitable UK company, Marks & Spencer, operates over 600 stores in the United Kingdom employing over 75,000 people in the UK and abroad with the support of 2,000 suppliers globally. The largest store is located at Marble Arch on London's Oxford Street. Moreover, stores range from the large out of town and flagship stores of over 100,000sq ft, to simply food stores of around 7,000 sq ft. It is true that Marks & Spencer is a number one provider of womenswear and lingerie in the UK and market share is significantly growing in menswear and kidswear. Furthermore, the company offers stylish with great value clothing to...
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...Literature Review History and Culture It was very common to read about Marks and Spencer as ‘one of the best managed and admired businesses in the world’ (Mellahi et al 2002). The company had enjoyed a great success in the retail sector. Marks and Spencer commenced its business activity in Leeds in the late 19th century, as a family-run shop, with strong values. Since then and for many years after, it became popular for its alternative way of business, in comparison to other British retailers (Mellahi et al 2002). It established a good relationship with customers based on loyalty and trust. The firm also gained high respect from the British people; it was considered the biggest corporate charity donor within the UK (Mellahi et al 2002). Not only consumers, but staff and shareholders could share this great success. According to Wallop (2012) the company has been the most important British clothing retailer for decades, and also the first retailer in the UK to publish annual profits of £ 1bn. Lately Marks and Spencer has undergone a difficult period. The latest management changes have once again disrupted stability. In July 2012, M&S announced widespread changes across the company, including a new head of general merchandise, style director and a new head of food. A number of external and internal factors explain these changes. External Factors Consumer spending & Competition External factors can be described as things affecting the company beyond its control....
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