Strategic Choices & Implementations

Strategic Choices & Implementations

Introduction

Harley-Davidson, Inc. is the only major American based motorcycle manufacturer that provides heavy-weight motorcycles and its accessories, parts, and general merchandise. Their Financial Services offers financing of motorcycles to HD dealers as well as customers in Canada and the United states (HD - Company Overview, 2013). HD has been able to develop a community of enthusiasts around its brand, which involves associates from diversified groups, and with almost no promotion/marketing. The king of heavy-weight motorcycles, Harley-Davidson, keeps its fans so loyal and gives them a reason to belong (Strategy+Business, 1997). This is mainly based on sound, effective strategic management of HD. Their strategic choices and effective implementation of those choices enables them to become such a famous and highly demanded brand. This essay focuses of strategic choices and implementation of Harley-Davidson, and illustrates how the company used its strategic management to keep their company a successful one throughout the years.

Discussion

Harley-Davidson's Strategies

HD is one of the most successful businesses around the globe, and one of the major reasons behind this is its differentiated products that have continuously stood out from the norm. This is highly associated with strategies that Harley uses to promote it products and services. One of these strategies relates to their distribution networks that have allowed HD the global exposure required for marketing its products and services with remarkable success and demand has always seemed more than supply. In fact, there are more than 1,300 independent dealers globally, among which 630 are within the U.S alone. Considering the growing demand, HD's aim has been to add approximately 20 dealers per year to grow their distribution channels (Capello et al, 2003). Thus, HD's effective strategic management of its extensive distribution network is one of the reasons behind business success.

Besides their dedicated dealer network, HD also uses temporary retail outlets in areas with high-traffic like airports, to sell accessories such as collectibles, apparel, and licensed products. This provides the company an additional exposure required without having to spend huge sums on other types of advertising. Furthermore, the company also offers custom features on its product with different price range, which also attracts huge number of customers. Moreover, the company has made a strategic decision of targeting younger market that is technologically conscious, in order to boost-up its share in the performance cruiser market space (Thompson, 2006).

Another major strategy of the firm relates to HD Financial Services that allows their customers to have an option of 1-stop shopping and allow everything to be done by HD itself. This is one of the key strategies for HD and allows boost up sales while providing the convenience for all involved. They allow their customers to finance some of the items within their loans, which save their time of extra hassles down the road. This strategy leads to a very satisfied consumer base and future loyalist of HD. Thus, HD has chosen and implemented several strategies that have led the company towards great ...