1) Airline Easyjet has developed a significant competitive strategy in order to enhance its overall business strategy. Their company focus can be seen as providing customers with an efficient and easily navigable process that transcends both on and offline.
Easyjet have utilised several methods to compete with their rivals and cement their business strategy. Firstly, their instant check-in online option works to streamline the travel process that makes this less stressful for visitors within the busy airport setting. Alongside this, changes can be made more or less throughout the entire process that further solidifies their easy and accessible travel ethos. In attempting to distinguish themselves from other airline travel companies, Easyjet has also introduced a frequent flyer loyalty scheme for their main audience, business commuters, which require this service in order to make their trip as hassle free as possible (Wright).
2) The Direct Golf Company ran into extreme financial difficulties due to poor investment and business choices with the company owing significant outstanding financial balances to both suppliers and HM Revenue and customs. Furthermore, changes in consumer buying patterns from high street to online presence plunged the company into trouble. The company’s inability to reinvent itself in order to appeal to new consumer attitudes caused further complications with their shareholders.
As a majority shareholder, Sports Direct had significant rights within the company to enact business decisions and decide the overall fate of the Direct Golf Company. Through this and the Direct Golf Company’s inability to adapt to the emerging trends within the market, in which Sports Direct faired better, the latter effectively seized the directing operation of all 20 Direct Golf stores (Marlow).
3) Tesco can be considered one globally renowned company that has recently changed the way in which it implements it business models and strategies whilst retaining with the intention of adapting its overall business message. Natural changes to consumer needs have seen several changes in terms of the company’s business approach and overall strategy.
The new focus on customer care above low cost and variety can be seen as one way in which the company has amended its strategy. Firstly, the introduction and increase of community charity fundraisers and engagement has been one way that Tesco have aligned with these new trends. Furthermore, new policies including: ‘I don’t queue’ and other improved social interactions between staff and customers aims to reduce stress at the end of the shopping trip (Business Case Studies). Changes to their policy towards a more customer focus have seen the business recover after suffering set backs over the last few years with improved customer loyalty over their competitors (Gladding).
4) The Walt Disney Corporation can be considered one business that has attempted to diversify its business portfolio and strategies in order to feature within other markets. The company initially specialised within the animated film industry and has now diversified in order to include holiday properties and letting as well as Disney-inspired theme parks.
Initial problems to the way in which it formally introduced its business strategy can be found within its early desire to ally and acquire firms and whether this would have a positive effect on shareholder value. The Disney Corporation’s decision to diversify its portfolio into new areas called for a review of its current strategic organisation; such changes came in the form of interconnectivity between all company’s owned by Disney (Favaro). This strategy can be seen to have a positive effect on the Disney Corporation as a whole with the company continuing to gradually diversify and interconnect with the Disney brand.
Bibliography
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—. Vision, Values and Business strategies: A Tesco case study. 1st Jan 2016. 31st July 2016 <http://businesscasestudies.co.uk/tesco/vision-values-and-business-strategies/vision-and-mission.html#axzz4G0Mm3Qon>.
Favaro, Ken. Strategy+Business. 26th Feb 2015. 31st July 2016 <http://www.strategy-business.com/blog/Diversify-or-Focus-The-Best-Strategies-Do-Both?gko=2daea>.
Gladding, Nick. IGD. 9th March 2015. 31st July 2016 <http://www.igd.com/Research/Retail/Tesco-new-strategy-shows-signs-of-progress/>.
Marlow, Ashley Armstrong and Ben. Sports Direct accused of intimidating founder of Direct Golf. 2nd October 2015. 31st July 2016 <http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/retailandconsumer/11908123/Sports-Direct-accused-of-intimidating-founder-of-Direct-Golf.html>.
Wright, James Quinn and Ben. easyJet maintains low-cost model despite business and frequent flier focus. 18th November 2014. 31st July 2016 <http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/transport/11237378/easyJet-maintains-low-cost-model-despite-business-and-frequent-flier-focus.html>.
