Corporate Strategy Analysis Discussion Summary

MGT/230
10/22/2014

Corporate Strategy Analysis Discussion Summary
After discussing with the group, we agreed that compassion of the end user and ultimately keeping costs of operation at a low are imperative to maintain a successful company and business. After watching the video about Southwest Airlines CEO, Gary Kelley, the strategies he uses are nearly word for word what we came up with as a group, as stated by the video. He uses a very simple model; “to keep costs down, fly all same planes, 737s, so parts and maintenance are easy, treat customers as kings and queens, and employees even better.” (Businessweek, n.d). He treats his employees like family and friends by asking them about their days and how they are doing. We believe that by not dehumanizing his staff, Kelley is creative a familiar feeling within the company and it helps maintain a lower turnover rate of the staff. That alone is a way Kelley is keeping costs down.
The Coca-Cola board brought Nevel Isdel, CEO of Coca-Cola back from retirement. His view was, that instead of “globe-trotting, and introducing Coca-Cola to new markets and countries, it would be more successful to acquire new companies.” Although successful, as a group we felt that this kind of attitude is what initially may have caused the slump in sales for Coca-Cola. The video references how the board of Coca-Cola is hard to work with and had driven away 2 CEO’s before deciding to bring back Isdel from retirement. The strategies used by Coca-Cola are in our opinions too harsh and bullish to have an enveloping feel from the company to its consumers.
We believe that unfortunately this feeling and attitude of the company comes from the company’s longevity and its roots to the past. They came from the early 1900’s, when no corporate company was set as they are today. There was a lot more