Business Administration Case Study Examples: Customer Needs, Strategic Management and Partnerships

Most important facts surrounding the case

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There are a number of critical facts that are made evident in the operations and restructuring that Keurig Incorporateds At Home division has realized since 2002 since John Whoriskey joined the organization. Firstly it is an evident fact that the merger takes place between Keurig incorporation and Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, Inc is successful; this is manifested by the increase in the income of the company. With the merging of the two companies, high levels of restructuring were pertinent in achieving the effect that the company as witnessed among them the large market control in various markets across the globe. Keurig Company has relied on, among other strategies, diversification and innovation in order to achieve the competitive advantage in the global domain. Through diversification, the company has adopted production of different products with a view of meeting diverse needs of different market segments. In designing products to present to the market, specifically tailoring so as to meet the immediate needs has been critical. The results of this are seen by the increasing preferences for services rendered by the company witnessed in the United States in 2010. Another operation component evident is the use of innovation to gain market advantage. Innovation involved adoption of the use of current technologies that helped in promoting the efficiency and general effectiveness of the company in its activities.

Partnering with other complimentary and subsidiary organizations within different markets had a major contribution to sustainability that Keurig has witnessed over the years (Johnson 2008). For example, it is a clear fact that partnering with Van Houtte played significant role in improving the leadership of the organization as well as the delivery plans that the entity realized.

Key Issues

Among the key issues vividly expressed in the case study is the aspect of meeting the needs of different market segments. Over the years, the restructuring and operations of Keurig Company and other involved entities have been directed towards meeting the existing needs within the marketplace. The concept of AH single serve was majorly designed to meet the rising needs of the market and was positively accepted by coffee lovers within the targeted region. This has been based on extensive research. The changing needs among customers has been another critical concern for the company. Within different markets, it is revealed that there has been changing tastes and preferences that the companies have to embrace in order meet these changing needs of the market. Besides, another critical issue that is pronounced in the discussion is the aspect of financial position of the individual companies and the mergers that the management has to take into consideration in order to achieve the desired operational levels (Johnson 2008). After adopting mergers and restructuring with different companies, the net revenue for the company is seen to be on the rise, in my view, this is an issue that the company used in ascertaining the success of the merger.

Competition is another concern that the company had to fight with in meeting its desired objectives (Johnson 2008). This witnessed the adaption of competitive measures majorly tailored to allow the company effective positioning within the marketplace. For example, the entry of many players in the market place witnessed the adoption of intense advertising measures in order to improve the market awareness on the various commodities offered. One of the major measures adopted by the Keurig Company in reaction to the increasing competition in the market was increased number of distribution channels.

An Alternative Course of Action

In reaction to the rising competition in the coffee related service delivery sector, the company can venture into various production lines that will maintain its relevance within the industry. One of the alternative courses of action would be improving on its diversification plans. This would make the company distinct in the market, hence maintaining customers loyalty besides attracting new customers to consumption of companys commodities. Further, in order to meet the changing trends in the sector, the company should get involved in extensive market research. Research activities should held in adopting strategic plans of the organization that majorly should aid in maintaining the relevance of the firm besides properly positioning the company with the view of controlling larger share of the market.

Evaluation of course, of action

The decision by Keurig Company to enter partnership arrangements with different companies was greatly beneficial to the company in terms of increasing its efficiency in terms of operations with the targeted markets. Firstly, through mergers the company was able to increasing its professional skills that influenced the managerial decisions hence the overall performance. Secondly, through the diverse and innovative operational plans, the Keurig company was able to meet the varied market needs allowing the company competitive advantage.

Recommendations

Moving forward, there is a need for constant restructuring in terms of operations so as to meet the constantly changing customer needs. The aspects of the marketing mix, that include price, actual product, distribution channels and the design of the actual commodities should be closely be used to reflect the status of the market.

2nd Case Study

Text Case 06: Business Model and Competitive Strategy of IKEA in India

Strategic Management: Competitiveness and Globalization: Concepts and Cases

IKEA is a private corporation. It is the home of products retailed internationally, which sells kitchen and bathroom items, ready-to- assemble furniture and accessories in their retail stores globally. Founded in 1943 by a Sweden, Ingvar Kamprad at 17 years old, the company is currently owned by a Dutch-registered foundation, which is managed by the Kamprad family. IKEA later applied for permission to set up stores in India. The application was submitted to the government to trade locally, which was then accepted. This paper is a case study of IKEA Company, which was discussed to help readers to be able to determine the opportunities and problems facing the organization (Johnson, Scholes, & Whittington, 2008). The discussion will also contribute to identifying alternative courses of action to deal with the identified problems

IKAE would count on some opportunities in their business. The company can engage all their visitors who entered the store in a relationship. According to Ivarsson and Alvstam (2010), the company believes that this relationship will allow the visitors to explore its store. IKAE as a company has a customer fan base, which is broad and loyal. Most of these clients love enterprise. IKEA has the ability to outsource large portions of its transportation and manufacture operations to capable clients. This is the key to its business model and success. It is the secret of the company being able to offer low price and make a profit yet (Mintzberg, 2003).

IKEA as a company in India has been facing challenges while carrying up their business the county. Among the biggest problems, one that challenges their prices, which were low in other countries, like North America and Europe, but were above the average in China (Johnson 2008). This problem was attributed to the lower prices of furniture made by local stores. They manage their low price since were able to reach cheaper labor and raw materials, and their design is usually cost-free. For the Company to overcome this challenge, a number of course, of action must be put in place. There is a need for the company to put up many local factories in China and encourage the use of local raw materials. Ideally speaking, these local factories and material will settle the problem of high import taxes in China. The company should also perform an inspection on local quality before manufacturing to reduce the cost of repair. There is also need to reduce the cost of production by encouraging mass production and regulating the supply costs. IKEA should also start targeting the population category of the middle class. These are people with; higher incomes, well educated, they are aware of western styles and form the majority of the population (Johnson et al., 2011).

With the IKEA marketing strategy, there was a challenge use of their catalog as a marketing tool gives their competitive advantage to imitate the company's products. It has been realized that competitors can copy the IKEA's designs to allow them to offer comparable products at lesser prices. To solve this problem, the company should use Chinese social media to reach the urban youth. There is also an issue of accessibility to the store in China. Unlike in Europe and U.S., where customers use personal vehicles, most customers in China travel by public means. This makes it difficult to access the stores. Therefore, IKAE should set up their stores on the periphery of cities which are reachable by rail and metro networks.

To conclude with, IKAE's customers think about the Company as one, which provides low price, especially in durable furniture. Chinese consumers are looking at AKAE as the desired brand. The company should strive to comply with their customer's perception about the enterprise (Ivarsson, &Alvstam, 2010). They should regulate their high prices in India by building many local factories and encourage sourcing of local raw materials.

3rd Case Study

Text Case: BP in Russia: Bad Partners or Bad Partnerships

British Petroleum (BP) in 2013 September formed a worldwide joint venture (JV) corporation, TNK-BP, with a group of Russian investors. Between the two investors were Access Industries and Renova (AAR) and Alfa Group. The established JV was out of the combination of Russian's oil companies with the greater part of BP's Russian oil property (Ozawa 2014). TNK and Sidanko were the Russians oil companies owned by AAR, which was involved in the formation of JV. After some years of JV establishment, Robert Dudley a chief executive officer of TNK-BP on 26 May reported a clash between Russian and British shareholders (Leonard 2011). During the disagreement, AAR confirmed that BP handles TNK-BP's as its supplementary not as a JV (Leonard, 2011). Russian shareholders also criticized the leadership of JV of the company's growth plan and climate. This left BP's leadership in a dilemma of deciding whether to step aside or continue participating in the JV as the conflict escalates. This case study is therefore meant to shade light on the TNK-BP relationship. The study attempted to identify key issues and problems in the partnership, to outline and assess alternative courses of action to deal with the identified problems (Mintzberg 2003).

It is evident that TNK-BP partnership has led to several opportunities for success to the parties, which forms the venture. JV has given BP a better chance to be the largest Russia's foreign investor through TNK-BP partnership. This increases their stake in Rosneft giving a chance to build a new affiliation with Russian Oil Company. Furthermore, NPK-BP venture increases Rosneft's daily oil, making four million barrels daily (Leonard 2011).

Despite a successful formation of TNK-BP venture, it happens to face challenges too. The greatest opposition to TNK-BP deal was on the side of TNK. Initially, the deal was to unite almost all energy operations of TNK with cash and technology of BP. Currently, TNK has a strong feeling that BP does not transfer technology to them. Due to this weak relationship, BP also feels like Russians who control and rank TNK are avoiding them in the role of decision-making. BP was not allowed to...