Acquisitions and mergers are organizational expansion frameworks that allow companies to gain control of more resources and grow their reach to diverse markets. An acquisition involves obtaining another organization’s shares or resources, and a merger refers to establishing an alliance with aligned goals while sustaining independence. Therefore, though creating a partnership and buying out other companies are effective growth strategies, they have different implications, target specific outcomes, require varying managerial approaches, and do not often succeed. For example, eBay’s acquisition of Skype in 2005 was one of the biggest business flops of the 21st century because they did not investigate the feasibility of their expansion strategy. Although eBay made a sound decision to purchase a fast-growing internet company, its initiatives did not yield fruits because it could not use Skype to enhance its business or facilitate efficiency. In the late 1995, Pierre Omidyar established “Auction Web”, as an online auction Continue reading
Business Analysis Case
Case Study of Ford Company: Use of Innovation for Better Competition
Ford is one of the revered car brands in the global market. The Ford Motor Company has its headquarters in Dearborn, Detroit. Henry Ford founded the automobile company in 1903. The firm has become a leading manufacturer and marketer of automobiles around the globe. The firm is known for producing the Lincoln and Ford brands. Ford competes with different companies such as General Motors (GM), Volkswagen, Toyota, and Mercedes Benz. Throughout the years, Ford has been using powerful approaches to attract more customers and improve its sales. For instance, the introduction of the Ford Mustang in 1964 revolutionized the firm’s performance. Ford also introduced and marketed new vehicles in different parts of the globe. The success of the firm led to the acquisition of Aston Martin in 1990 and Jaguar Cars in 1994. However, the beginning of the 20th century was characterized by numerous challenges such as increased fuel prices Continue reading
Case Study: Starbucks Resilient Turnaround Under Howard Schultz in 2008
Founded in 1971 in Seattle, Starbucks had grown to become a respected global brand, present in 50 states in the US and 43 countries. However, its premium pricing was a considerable disadvantage during the economic slowdown. By March 2008, Starbucks had to close 600 underperforming stores, and its profit had plummeted by 28% compared to the same period in 2007. The following year saw another 300 store closures and 6,700 employees laid off. On January 8, 2008, Howard D. Schultz returned as CEO, taking over from Jim Donald. Schultz, who had been with Starbucks since 1982 and previously served as CEO from 1987 to 2000, found that rapid expansion had diverted the company’s focus from creating inviting cafes and developing new products. In 2007, several factors stood behind Starbucks’ decline, among which one might note a loss of human connection. Howard Schultz observed that the company steadily lost its connection Continue reading
Case Study: Chrysler’s Merger With Fiat
Among the most attention-grabbing dramas to come out of the Great Recession was the marriage of Fiat and Chrysler. Financed and brokered by the United States government in an unmatched market intervention, the amalgamation brought two outstanding companies together whose histories were strangely similar but whose prospects had recently diverged. Chrysler is an American symbol one of Detroit has framed titanic three in the auto industry. Chrysler is a company with a turbulent history having experienced several cycles of booms and busts. The company fell on hard times and needed a government bailout in the year 1979. Chrysler managed to pay up the government loan and continued to be successful in the auto industry for a better part of the years. This improvement in its activities was under the leadership of the legendary Lee Lacocca. In the mid 1990s, Chrysler was a strong and growing company, and this aspect led it Continue reading
Case Study of Amazon: Management Information Systems for Business Growth
Globalization can be credited for causing significant alterations in the way business is conducted and the increasingly competitive and constantly changing business environment. In many large corporations, it is not easy to detect strategic issues that confront business operations. It is also difficult to develop sustainable programs that steer organizational success. However, the advent of computers and information technology makes it easy to prepare strategic plans that facilitate the growth and success of companies. An ‘MIS’ is a strategic system that aids in collecting, analyzing, disseminating, and storing organizational data in the mode of information required to implement management functions. Management Information Systems (MIS) are concerned with planning for, development, management, and use of information technology tools to help people perform all tasks related to information processing and management. MIS aids in planning by offering the necessary information that assists in firm decision-making, especially in large organizations where the managers Continue reading
Case Study: Amazon’s Innovative Business Model Using Information Technology
Nowadays, Amazon is the largest and most popular online retailer. It is known for being the second-largest e-commerce company in the world being outperformed only by Google. During two decades on the market, the firm managed to reach the position of the retailer with the Earth’s Biggest Selection, thus growing extremely popular among customers and enjoying customer loyalty. Amazon is an international corporation employing more than 150,000 people around the globe. Launched as an online bookstore in 1994, the company diversified its assortment so that now it offers a wide variety of products, including video games, software, furniture, electronics, apparel, jewelry, toys, and food. More than that, cloud services and infrastructure, as well as video gaming and music streaming, are provided to its customers.The specificity of the company is the fact that it has several different websites launched and operating in different countries around the globe – the United States, Continue reading