Identify Harley 's strategy and explain its rationale.
Harley is a globally recognised brand firmly associated with large motorbikes with a historic emphasis on style, individuality and freedom rather than on technology, speed or sports. From a segmentation view they belong in the heavyweight motorcycle market and are particularly strong within a sub-segment of super heavyweight. Their bikes are strongest in the Cruiser motorcycle segment, feature in the Touring bikes segment (focus on their style and image) and through acquisition of Buell, now have a presence in the Performance models segment. The Harley-Davidson image and the customer loyalty earned and sustained by the unique Harley Experience ' are its greatest assets.
The appeal
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Honda, in particular, are renowned for their engine technology and they can sustain continued engine innovation as they have a very large product range to which engines are central and over which the costs can be amortised more easily.
Harley turned to their own strengths and organisational capabilities to achieve cost efficiencies and product / brand differentiation. By utilising Strategic Innovation ' they chose to establish competitive advantage through creating value for customers from novel experiences, product delivery, customisation options and customer care. As a smaller organisation and one which adopted a non-hierarchical, team based structure, Harley successfully engineered a transformation in employee commitment and job satisfaction which also helped the company sustain this competitive advantage once it had been achieved. By ensuring that the Harley Experience ' was kept to a very high level it proved impossible for imitators or competitors to tap into the brand attractiveness. The sustainability of Harleys differentiation is less vulnerable to being overturned by changes in the external environment and is more difficult to replicate. Harley differentiate on more than one plane their products certainly, but also their design, marketing and customer interactions have you ever seen a group of Honda owners get together BECAUSE they are Honda owners ? Way to go Harley.
How can Harley D. sustain and enhance it 's
Beals realized the big necessity to implement Japanese techniques & programs in production for better quality products.
Sizing –Due to the volatility and cyclical motorcycle business, Harley-Davidson attempts to expand capacity without taking on further debt. Thus, it would expand capacity first through internal process improvements and restructuring, and externally only if needed.
Good relationships, continuous improvement, employee and management involvement, team building or employee training and empowerment are not just words out of a management book for Harley-Davidson. Only by adopting those management techniques and building a solid base between the management and the Unions/employees made it possible for Harley-Davidson to improve its management processes. While management 's responsibility is to build
The Harley Owners Group or HOG is a factory sponsored motorcycle enthusiast club established in 1983. Its main aim was to negate the influence of outlaw bike-gangs as the face of the Harley Davidson brand and enhance the lifestyle experience of a Harley Davidson owner. This was the roadmap of the firm’s broad philosophy of getting close to the customer. There was a great need to address two main issues with respect to the brand.
Historically, Harley-Davidson has managed to dominate the U.S. market by becoming a staple of American culture. Specifically, the Harley-Davidson motorcycle is considered “a part of American iconography” and is typically associated with well-known American symbols, including both the U.S. flag and the bald eagle. As a direct result of this association, the company has achieved strong and long-lasting brand loyalty among U.S. customers, which has undoubtedly contributed to its great success in the U.S. market.
The first strategy Harley-Davidson uses is customer focus. Harley-Davidson offers a wide range of products and services, from children’s’ tricycles, clothing accessories, and affordable motorcycles to more higher-ended luxury motorcycles targeting customers in all age groups. By allowing their customers to personalize and customize their motorcycles, this strategy helps build their second strategy, which is brand loyalty. Other strategies that help build brand loyalty and selling dreams are to have groups, such as the Harley Owners Group (HOG) and the Buell Riders Adventure Group (BRAG), so they can emphasize to their customers that everyone is welcome to join its large extended family for riders,. Their value is: “Tell the truth. Be fair. Keep your promises. Respect the individual. Encourage intellectual Curiosity.” (Harley-Davidson web
115 years ago, African Americans fought against the most oppressive and cruel system of chattel slavery. Their fight was executed by slaves and white abolitionists. As a result, 13th amendment abolished slavery in 1865, and the struggle succeeded. After the abolishment of slavery, life was a world filled with happiness and hope.The brutalities and indignities of slave life, the whippings and sexual assaults, the selling and forcible displacement of family members, the denial of education, wages, legal marriage, homeownership were gone. Free and enslaved African Americans, abolitionists, and everyone else who helped with this achievement celebrated their newfound freedom and win. However life in the years after slavery proved to be unbearable as well.
Harley managed to remain profitable by introducing larger, more powerful motorcycles, becoming the undisputed leader of the market with over 60% market share. It earned a commanding lead of 50% market share in the United States and 32% globally in the 1950’s. The Harley motorcycle became a part of American iconography and was associated with the U.S. flag and the bald eagle, America’s national symbol. This resulted in unprecedented brand loyalty, especially among U.S. customers, which is prevailing till today.
Historically Harley-Davidson to be a Niche Marketer, which is they had focused in on one particular aspect of the market. Kotler and Keller identified the following characteristics of niche marketing; customers have a distinct set of needs, they are willing to pay more to the firm that best suits their needs, it is not likely to attract competitors, gains economies through specialized products and it has a size, profit and to grow. Almost all of these hold true for the “heavyweight” segment of motor cycles that Harley-Davidson produced.
After a close analysis of Genesis in the Hebrew bible’s story of Adam and Eve, some people may ask, did the punishment fit the crime or was the Lord God being harsh and brutal with his punishments? This can be argued by many people because Adam, Eve and the serpent committed a sin. Adam and Eve without knowledge of what a sin is committed the act thinking everything would be okay, but what they didn 't know was that the Lord God was offended by their disobedience and so he punished them the way he saw fit. The serpent also was included in the punishment because of his wrongful doings. It was a harsh punishment because they were two innocent individuals and were mislead by the serpent. They didn 't know what sin really was until they committed the crime and were punished for it. The Lord God is the supreme being in the story where he has absolute power and expects obedience from his creatures or subjects. The Lord God created the universe, the earth, the land, the seas, plants, and all living creatures. The Lord God also created Adam and Eve and placed them in Eden, which was a beautiful land with beautiful creatures, fresh water and many edible fruit trees. The Lord God had only one rule, he instructed them not eat the fruit from the tree of knowledge. Sadly, Adam and Eve couldn 't obey the only rule in Eden and were punished. However, Adams and Eves disobedience came with a harsh punishment for each.
After an investigation by the US International Trade Commission, in 1983 President Reagan imposed a 45% tariff on imported bikes and bikes over 700 cc engine capacity. The new management deliberately exploited the past appeal of their big machines, building motorcycles that purposely adopted the look and feel of their earlier models. Quality increased, technical improvements were made, and buyers returned. Harley-Davidson once again became the sales leader in the heavyweight (over 750 cc) market.
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The National Constituent Assembly solved some of Frances short term problems, but caused significant discontent due to its inability to resolve long term problems, that had been destroying France economically, politically and socially. There were some groups of society that were quite content with the reforms of the Constituent Assembly, such as a majority of the bourgeoisie, peasants who gained from the abolition of the Feudal system, and some members of the first and second Estate. However, many other people and groups, such as King Louis XVI, Nobles who had become emigres after losing their land, clergy who had refused to swear allegiance to the new
Harley Davidson Company has a long history of building motorcycles that have worked to actually shape a part of the American culture. Its product positioning and marketing strategies have served as a prime example for any company to imitate. Harley Davidson has developed immense levels of brand loyalty over the years. However, the company has also been burdened by the recent economic downturn and now is going through something of a rebuilding phase as it tries to determine its best course forward. This analysis will conduct a SWOT assessment of Harley Davidson's current position and make recommendations on how Harley can continue to develop the next phase of its iconic American brand.
Currently H-D is the leading seller of heavy weight motorcycles across the entire world. Because they are at the pinnacle they are the target for the competition. Some of Harley Davidson 's advantages are name recognition, brand loyalty, brand quality and customer loyalty (Hitt, Ireland & Hoskisson, 2013, p. 81). The company benefits by having “the made in America” image attached to its products. The image of a Harley rider and owner is one of a tough, independent, free spirit, ready and willing to take on the world type of man. The sound of a H-D motorcycle in idle or being ridden is unique and very identifiable.