Strategic Initiative In general, the Target Corporation’s overall strategic plan is to improve the relevance and reliability of its customer experience across multiple channels (in-store, online, mobile and social media), as well as preserve, grow and leverage the Target name and maintain a reputation of satisfying customer needs. Consistent with the overall strategy, Target Corporations plan for 2013, involved a number of strategic initiatives to improve long long-term growth. Included in the initiatives is investments in technology, the opening of 17 new stores, the expansion of store base facilitates to effectively penetrate into its target markets to gain a competitive advantage over its competitors. While looking at expansion opportunities in international markets such as Canada and Latin America through the use of smaller-format stores called City Target. (Target's Strategic Initiatives, 2013). The focus of this paper will be Target Corporations technology initiative. Technology Strategic Planning Initiative As noted above, Target Corp. 2013 annual report discusses several strategic initiatives one of which relates to technology. Target Corp. relies on a computer system to manage inventory, process guest transactions, manage guest data, communicate with vendors and other third parties, service REDcard accounts and summarize and analyze results of operations ("Target Corporation" 2013). Target Corp. business is becoming increasingly reliant on technology; Target continues to make significant technology investments. In addition to the items noted above, Target sees technology as a way to increase competitive position, and effectively manage guest facing experience. Additionally, due to a data breach experienced in 2013, Target faces the loss of consumer and government confidence, which can
