STRATEGIC MARKETING

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Strategic Marketing

 

 

 

 

 

 

Table of Contents

Introduction3

Discussion3

Business functions4

Marketing Mix6

External Factors7

Internal Factors7

Strategic Focus10

PESTLE Analysis10

Porter's 5 Forces12

Conclusion13

References15

 

 Strategic Marketing

Introduction

Marketing and management philosophies have been helping organizations create strategies and plans which have been tested in theory and hence are applicable on real life situations. These management philosophies can only be defined as a set of ideas that make up the best management practices, and can thus be standardized for others. Although these standard practices cannot cater to every organization out there, they have a true enough affect if the theory is correct. In this paper, I will be conducting a marketing audit for the U.K based retail chain store Debenhams. It operates mainly in the U.K and Ireland, but has many franchise stores operating around the world.

 

Discussion

Debenhams is a public organization that is considered to be one of the U'K's beloved chain stores and is ranked as the longest operating clothing and goods retailer. It has nearly 100 stores operating only within the U.K, while there are many franchise stores opening around the world, most recently, in Pakistan. Debenhams generates annual sales of 1.3 billion pounds, putting it among the country's top five retailers. It was founded in 1778, and operated as mainly an independent company till the 80's, when a hostile takeover by the Burton group changed its face.

However, the company was soon “demerged” from Burton group, who changed their name to Arcadia instead. Subsequently, the now independent Debenhams is led by the renowned CEO Terry Green, under whose leadership Debenhams has performed well. It sells clothing as well as a wide array of accessories under a number of segments. The most prominent of these sectors are the health and beauty ones, Christmas, wedding services, women's wear, menswear, young fashion, food services, home, children and fashion accessories and so on. The store also has an online shopping portal which is highly reliable and has been used for the past few years by loyal customers.

Financials: Debenhams PLC (DBNHMS.PK, 2010)

 

Business functions

Debenhams effectively manages its risks and opportunities by performing appraisals regularly that aim to examine the achievement of strategic and operational goals. The reputation of the organization is at stake since it has such close competitors such as Marks and Spenser's, Primark and Harrods. Furthermore, with the current business environment being as competitive as it is, there is a definite need for strategic decisions to enhance shareholder value. Risk management and internal control are two functions that are very closely formed in relation to strategic management.

According to studies, Debenhams seems to lag behind as per its competitors In international expansion, and have concentrated more on their domestic chains. Only 15 other countries apart from Britain can boast of a Debenhams store, and their strategy for growth is only franchising. The products within Debenhams include their own brand as well as various international brands. Domestically, Debenhams has formed a strong product range for itself, although this lacks internationally.

Debenhams operate in several segments, like clothing, electrical, home and furniture, as well as a niche offering of ...