With a three million-strong workforce, and year-on-year growth, the retail sector is a significant contributor to the UK economy. Between 2016 and 2020, the retail sector workforce is projected to grow by 54,800.
In some parts of the world, the retail business is dominated by smaller family-run or regionally-targeted stores, but this market is increasingly being taken over by billion-dollar multinational conglomerates like Wal-Mart and Sears. And yet, as the leading retailing players are increasingly seeking for opportunities to expand their global presence and are investing heavily in driving internet retailing sales, numerous local British retail companies have been successfully competing with their global competitors in the UK Market such as Morrisons, Ocado and Card Factory.
You have been hired by a local British retail company (Either Morrisons, Card Factory or Ocado) as a consultant in order to develop a market entry and business level strategy plan into the Chinese market. You are expected to write a report to summarize your research findings on the given tasks below.
Tasks (100%)
- Analyse and demonstrate an understanding of the external environment in the Chinese market: Opportunities, threats, industry competition, and competitor analysis. (25 marks)
- Identify the firm’s resources and determine the potential of the firm’s capabilities and competencies in terms of a competitive advantage in the Chinese market. (15 marks)
- Reframe the vision statement and the mission statement of the firm for the new strategic business unit in China. Critically evaluate if the firm can continue with the current vision and mission statements in the new market. (20 marks)
- In the light of the analysis done in Task 1, 2 and 3, construct a SWOT analysis of the company and recommend a business-level international strategy for and market entry mode into the new market. (25 marks)
- Referencing (Harvard) (10 marks)
