Executive Summary
The Mr Price Group Limited is very successful. The divisions within the group are made successful by its stakeholders. In order to strategically plan for the future and grow, Mr Price needs to carefully analyse both the internal and external environments. In this process they can use problem identifying techniques such as SWOT analysis, Porter’s Five Forces and PESTLE analysis to gain better understanding and insight into the Micro, Market and Macro environment. By doing this Mr Price can identify new opportunities for growth and further develop into a well-known and successful brand. Once all issues have been identified Mr Price can put in place strategies in order to alleviate these issues and better the internal functioning
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The new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) was appointed the following year: Alastair McArthur. The next year in 1998, Mr Price Home was created and initiated. Two years later the first international Mr Price stores were opened in Namibia and Botswana. The Galaxy and Hub divisions were sold in 2006. The next year Mr Price Franchising as well as Mr Price Sports divisions were launched. The customer service award from the Orange Index was presented to Milady’s in 2008. The first time Mr Price Clothing was voted the most loved and most visited apparel (clothing) brand was also in 2008. In the same year Mr Price home was voted the most loved and visited homeware retailer. In 2011 the Mr Price group celebrated their 25th anniversary with regards to changes in management and control. The Mr Price clothing store was opened in Nigeria. The following year (2013) their first online store was launched. In 2015 Mr Price launched Mr Price Mobile and Mr Price Money.
SWOT Analysis of Mr Price Clothing
SWOT is used to perform an environmental scan. The Strengths and Weaknesses are used to analyse the Micro environment which Mr Price has full control over. The micro environment is part of the internal environment. The Opportunities and Threats are used for analysing the market
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• There are constant changes in trends and customer preferences with regards to clothing.
• Mr Price replicates many styles and trends from other patented brands and could face legal consequences.
• Economic factors such as labour costs and fuel prices which are constantly rising.
Porter’s Five Forces
Porter’s Five Forces is used to assess the attractiveness of the market. The market environment forms part of the external environment. Mr Price has no control, but some influence on the market environment. Porter’s looks at: The level of rivalry in the market, the threat of new entrants that may join the market, the power of suppliers and the power of buyers.
Threat of new entrants
Barriers to entry- there can either be high barriers to entry which makes the market unattractive and hard for new entrants or there can be low barriers to enter which make it easy for new entrants in the market.
Barriers to entry are high when:
• There are many competitors within the market.
• The existing brands are well-known and established and there is brand loyalty.
• The market is expensive to enter (initial investment costs are high).
• Access to distribution channels difficult to
SWOT Analysis: A tool for examining a company and its environment. Defines the company’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats
The SWOT analysis is commonly known as a tool for business analysis. Its main use is for looking at strengths and weaknesses to do with the organisation, current or future opportunities and possible internal and external threats. These can then be dealt with to make them into a positive.
Threat of New Entrants - The easier it is for new companies to enter the industry, the more cutthroat competition there will be. Factors that can limit the threat of new entrants are known as barriers to entry. Some examples include:
First, Porter’s Five Forces analysis method is used as an “initial step” in evaluating new markets. This method is first introduced in the book during Justin and Scott Beckett’s, VP and General Manager of Oil and Gas division at HGS, meeting in which they discussed their analysis of the men’s white dress shirt industry. Beckett goes as far as using the Five Forces model to describe how all kinds of threats are high (Rivalry, Buyer Power, Substitutes, Entry, and supplier Power). Justin quickly buys into Beckett’s argument and how the men’s white dress shirt industry is not a viable option for Plastiwear to enter. This is an example of Justin deterring from his original views and altering them to agree with the other party, which cannot be necessarily correct in the situation regarding Beckett’s view. As senior director, Ken McCombs states, the most attractive industries according to the five forces approach would have no rivalry, no close substitutes, no threats, and no powerful buyers or suppliers. This type of industry makes us go with lower risk markets, which
Potential for new entrants - The primary prevention to entrance are higher barriers within industry with the threats of new entrants as competitors (Porter, 1998).
Factors that can limit the threat of new entrants are known as barriers to entry. In this case barriers to entry are low because: there is no government intervention to prevent businesses from entering the industry, resources are abundant, and customers’ switching costs are low as well as fixed costs to start this type of business.
Barriers to Entry: The entry barriers in the market are relatively low, making it easy to access. However, as the market is saturated it could be unlikely for new companies to decide to start new enterprises in this field.
During the developmental stage of the company and the product, the market must be examined the market with an environmental scan and swot analysis to ensure the company will be profitable and successful. The environmental scan and swot analysis does a comprehensive assessment of each factor. This tool gives the company better knowledge on how to conduct their business in the market.
Porter has identified five (5) competitive forces that shape every industry and every market. The forces determine the intensity of competition and hence the profitability and attractiveness of an industry. Based on the information derived from this analysis, management can decide how to influence or to exploit particular characteristics of this industry.
Porter's Five Forces can be applied to particular companies, market segments and industries with the step-by-step analysis of market structure and competitive situation. First of all, when implementing this module in organizations, it is necessary to determine the scope of the market to be analyzed. Following, all relevant forces for this market analyzed and key forces are identified (Gerry and Kevan, P.117). Actually some organizational strategy and the longer-term goals are mainly based on or consistent with the key forces. Hence, it is not necessary to analyze all elements of all competitive forces with the same depth. Moreover, the key forces in the competitive environment will vary in different industry. Different forces take on prominence in shaping competition in each industry (Porter,
SWOT analysis covers the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities & threats which a company is facing in its internal & external environment. Strengths & weaknesses fall under the internal environment of the company and opportunities & threats fall under the
SWOT Analysis provides useful information regarding regarding the environment a business finds itself in, ie whats going on right now and its a virtually a cost free way of using that information to make changes in the environment.
To eliminate the threat of customers possibly opting for a product similar to what Mr Price offers, they need to monitor and differentiate their products to be in alignment to what the customers want. For examples, a consumer may feel it is better to buy thing from one of their competitors as they have similar products and items.
SWOT analysis is a useful tool for understanding and decision-making for all sorts of situations in business and organization. SWOT analysis can be classified into internal and external factors affecting a company. The Strengths and Weaknesses of the SWOT analysis represent the internal factors that influence the viability of the company. While the Opportunities and Threats, on the other hand, are the external factors that may affect the company's performances. A SWOT analysis provides more understanding of the organization in relation to its internal and external environment so that manager can formulate better strategy in pursuit of its mission.