A Detailed Analysis of the Woolworths Company - Case Study Example

The paper "A Detailed Analysis of the Woolworths Company" is a good example of a management case study. This report is going to analysis and identifies several important elements of Woolworths Limited. The report includes a situation analysis, strategic that Woolworths may use in the future and recommendations. The most important part - situation analysis, through identify the SWOT, Porter’s 5 forces and competencies to analysis both internal and external aspects in Woolworths. At the end of the report, the report will give some reasonable recommendation and action plan to Woolworths either in internal or external.

Background

The retail industry was seen as growth quick and improvement of the global economic cycle. Woolworths Limited is the biggest retail industry in Australia by beat other retailers such as Coles Group Ltd, ALDI, Foodworks and SPAR Australia. Woolworths owns and operates retail stores that sell food, liquor, fuel, general merchandise and consumer electronics (Data analysis 2007). Woolworths operates its first single basement store in Australia in 1924, then develop quickly in Australia and New Zealand and employed around 200,000 people now (Woolworths Home 2012).

The major brands under Woolworths Limited include Woolworths/ Safeway supermarkets, Dick Smith Electronics, Tandy, Dan Murphy’s, Big W, Dick Smith Powerhouse, hotels and BWS (Woolworths Home 2012). These brands are not only providing customers with diversification shopping but also provided customers conveniences. This increasedWoolworths competitive advantage. The image of Woolworths wants to show is ‘the fresh food people’ (Woolworths Home 2012). The provision of fresh food makes the high profit for Woolworths and makes its position better in the market Woolworths Limited is currently positioned as Australia’s dominant retailer with a 31% market share (Woolworths Limited 2012). The company recorded revenues of A$54,279.5 million (approximately $53,568.4 million) during the financial year ended June 2011 (FY2011), an increase of 4.8% over FY2010 (Porter 2011). Woolworths becomes the leader of the retail industry in Australia when it adopted new technologies. Woolworths was the first major retailer to subscribe to Global Electronic Marketing and Merchandising Network (GEMMnet) in 1994 which connected it to remote markets (Lewis et al. 1996). Woolworths’ self-checkout technology, radio technology, online shopping and App for iPhones all indicate the success of Woolworths development

Objectives, Vision & Mission

The Woolworths objective which is the objective for every company is break-even and makes a profit. On the other hand, they are tried to build and maintain a sustainable business by reducing costs, lowering prices and improving value(Woolworth Limited 2012). Although Woolworths claim they put customers in the first position, everyone understands that making a profit is the most important. However, their claim is indeed to improve customer loyalty and increase in profits. The long term objective of Woolworths may be operating the company all around the world. Right now, Woolworths may the leader in the Australia retail market, but it cannot be satisfying by Woolworths’ growth(Woolworth Limited 2012). Woolworth’s future objective may be operating more and more stores all around the world and become a global retail leader. Moreover, satisfying the customers’ needs and wants are obviously Woolworth’s objective. Identifying what customer what to buy, need to buy and are willing to buy, hence retaining the customers and developing new customers is important(Woolworth Limited 2012).