Assessment of Coca-Cola's Success in Competitive Market

This paper assesses the management strategy of Coca-Cola to understand the reason behind its success in the competitive market. The paper aims to identify the relation between the subject’s management and the competitive edge it enjoys, the role of management in the competitive advantage, the measures adopted by the subject, and the enablers and constraints of the management team.

Running head: ASSESSMENT OF COCA-COLA’S SUCCESS IN COMPETITIVE MARKET
ASSESSMENT OF COCA-COLA’S SUCCESS IN COMPETITIVE MARKET
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

1ASSESSMENT OF COCA-COLA’S SUCCESS IN COMPETITIVE MARKET
Table of Contents
Chapter 1: Introduction..............................................................................................................2
1.0 Background of the Study..................................................................................................2
1.1 Problem Statement...........................................................................................................2
1.2 Aim and Objective of the Study.......................................................................................3
1.3 Research Questions..........................................................................................................3
1.4 Research Hypothesis........................................................................................................4
1.5 Rationale of the Study......................................................................................................4
Chapter 2: Literature Review.....................................................................................................4
2.0 Introduction......................................................................................................................4
2.1...........................................................................................................................................5
2.2...........................................................................................................................................5
2.3...........................................................................................................................................5
Chapter 3: Research Methodology.............................................................................................5
3.0 Introduction......................................................................................................................5
3.1 Research Methodology.....................................................................................................5
3.2 Analysis Technique..........................................................................................................5
3.3 Timeline...........................................................................................................................6
References..................................................................................................................................9

2ASSESSMENT OF COCA-COLA’S SUCCESS IN COMPETITIVE MARKET
Chapter 1: Introduction
The discussed section is aimed at providing an insight into the purpose of the
proposed research work. A background to the research subject and reasons that inspired the
author to pursue the research in consideration along with the research aim that the proposed
paper is aimed at attaining and other crucial facts.
1.0 Background of the Study
Management is one of the crucial needs that ensures that the success of every process
or entity be it a small event or the processes of a multi-national organisation. Hence, it
becomes of crucial importance to cite adequate attention to the management. The subject of
the proposed paper, Coca-Cola having understood the key importance is one of the most
prominent beverage leaders in the market today (Hughes & Bearing, 2016). The subject has
its establishment in the year 1884 and since then with so many technological and trend
changes, the company has still managed to sustain itself (Kraus, 2018). Another notable fact
is the rise of PepsiCo and other major competitions has not prohibited the subject from
maintaining its position in the market (Karnani 2014). Hence, it becomes of great prominence
that the management of the company be assessed and identified to understand the reason
behind its success.
1.1 Problem Statement
Competition is one of the most challenging factor for a business and it becomes of
great prominence that the company copes up with it to enjoy sustainability (Nurse et al.,
2014). The reason for the above statement could be supported by the fact that the competition
leads to cutting of profit ratio and offer better quality products and services so that the
company can succeed in the long run which may develop difficulties at present (Kim &
Mauborgne, 2017). Hence, managing the competition while earning adequate profit to
survive and satisfy its stakeholder along with adopting disruptive technologies and trends is a

3ASSESSMENT OF COCA-COLA’S SUCCESS IN COMPETITIVE MARKET
challenging task. On the contrary, the competitive market could be leveraged to earn
sustainability and competitive advantage which seems to be the case of Coca-Cola. Hence the
management strategy of the subject needs to be assessed which could be used to justify the
selection of the discussed topic.
1.2 Aim and Objective of the Study
The primary aim of the paper is to identify how competition in the market and success
of Coca-Cola Company relate. In other words, the paper aims at outlining the measures that
the subject puts in place to ensure it have competitive edge in the competition market. Hence,
the primary aim of the paper along with the sub-objectives of the proposed research study
includes:
i. To identify the relation between the relation between the subject’s management and
the competitive edge it enjoys.
ii. To ascertain the role of management in the competitive advantage that the subject is
entertaining.
iii. To identify measure, the blue ocean or the red ocean that the subject has adopted as
part of its management that has offered it the competitive edge.
iv. To ascertain the enablers and constraints of the management of the subject.
1.3 Research Questions
The research question of the proposed study is
 How is Coca-Cola management team able to success in the competitive market?
 Is the management team of Coca-Cola primary reason for their competitive
advantage?
 What are the measures that it adopted to succeed in the market, the blue ocean or the
red ocean?

4ASSESSMENT OF COCA-COLA’S SUCCESS IN COMPETITIVE MARKET
 What are the enablers and constraints of the subject’s management team?
 How did they mitigate the constraint?
1.4 Research Hypothesis
The objectives of the paper have been taken in consideration to cite the following
hypothesis:
H0: Management team of Coca-Cola is to be credited for the competitive edge they are
enjoying.
H1: Management team of Coca-Cola is not to be credited for the competitive edge that it is
enjoying.
H2: Management team of Coca-Cola is not the only team to be credited for the competitive
advantage.
1.5 Rationale of the Study
The discussed study will assist the readers to understand the role of management in
the competitive advantage that the subject is entertaining. Understanding of the paper and its
findings would inspire the readers to cite proper attention to management and its adequate
implementation strategy to maintain an edge in the market. It would also inspire academic
scholars to further pursue the process of identifying the competitive edge factors for different
firms. Additionally, it will also support Coca-Cola to manage its processes more adequately
to keep enjoying its competitive advantage.
Chapter 2: Literature Review
2.0 Introduction
The discussed section is aimed at establishing the base for proposed study as through
reviewing the literary work of the past, the current knowledge that is available about the

5ASSESSMENT OF COCA-COLA’S SUCCESS IN COMPETITIVE MARKET
subject and other crucial aspects & factors of the study could be determined. It will assist the
author of the proposed paper in identifying the needs to fulfil the proposed study.
2.1 Competition and management
According to Dereli, (2015) increasing world trade liberalization is leading to the
generation of goods & services according to the global market need which gives buff to
competition and attaining an advantageous position is a challenging task. However, the
author has supported the theory that with creativity and innovative approach the company
could attain the discussed feat. Hence, the firms in a competitive market are attempting to
attain innovative management so that they could cope up with the different and dynamic
market structures offered by the competitions (Gureva et al., 2016). It has also been identified
that innovation has been kept at the centre of the discussion when management is considered
in context with the competition. On the contrary, it has also been identified that inadequate
and non-innovation management could cite adverse impact on the firm’s competitive market
and hence the sustainability.
2.2 Blue Ocean vs Red Ocean strategy
Red ocean strategy is one of the most used competition countering strategy where the
firm aims at outperforming their rivals to gain the competitive advantage ("Red oceans versus
blue oceans. Making the competition irrelevant. | The Official Blue Ocean Strategy Australia
Site", 2017). To attain the discussed feature, the firms reduce their prices which affects their
sustainability in the long run and that of the rivals who try to cope up with them by reducing
their prices too turning the competitive ocean red. On the contrary side, blue ocean strategists
prefer to tap the untapped markets to develop demand (Habibah, 2018). As the firm has
tapped into untapped market in the deemed scenario the competition is irrelevant. Hence, it
would be justified to state that the red ocean strategy can offer competitive edge instantly
while the blue ocean offers competitive advantage along with sustainability.

6ASSESSMENT OF COCA-COLA’S SUCCESS IN COMPETITIVE MARKET
Chapter 3: Research Methodology
3.0 Introduction
The discussed section of the proposed study is aimed at offering an insight into the
methods that will assist the author in attaining the research objectives. An insight into the
data collection method, data analysis technique, the timeline and other prominent aspects has
been offered.
3.1 Research Methodology
The aim of the paper is to identify the reason for the competitive edge that Coca-Cola
is entertaining which could be greatly supported by the firm audit, financial and strategic
reports of the past. Additionally, the support of the literary work that had been assessed on
the subject will also prove to be great vitality because the paper is aimed at assessing the past
moves and not on planning the future moves. Hence, the paper and its aimed could greatly be
supported by the secondary data collection and hence the latter has been selected as the prime
means of data collection (Stage & Manning, 2015).
3.2 Analysis Technique
The paper will adopt thematic analysis as part of the data analysis which will test
different secondary work and identify the patterns that exist in them (Braun, Clarke & Terry,
2014). The identified patterns would then be summarised to conclude on the findings of the
paper. The reason for selecting thematic analysis could be associated with the fact that
different literature work on the subject might cite different results (Vaismoradi et al., 2016).
Additionally, the subject in its 132 years old life spam have witnessed many changes and
hence, the data obtained from the secondary sources cannot be evaluated on the same ground.
However, the secondary sources could be analysed to identify patterns that are common in
most of the sources to identify the core strategy. Additionally, the association of critical
thinking with thematic analysis offers opportunity for brainstorming that will assist in

7ASSESSMENT OF COCA-COLA’S SUCCESS IN COMPETITIVE MARKET
summarising the unorthodox moves that Coca-Cola might have taken in past.
3.3 Timeline
Task Name Duration Start Finish Predecessors
Assessment of Coca-Cola's
Competitive Advantage 84 days? Mon 16-07-
18
Thu 08-11-
18
Initial Phase 14 days Mon 16-07-
18
Thu 02-08-
18
Topic Selection 2 days Mon 16-07-
18
Tue 17-07-
18
Background Establishment 4 days Wed 18-07-
18
Mon 23-07-
18 3
Brainstorming 2 days Tue 24-07-
18
Wed 25-07-
18 4
Preliminary Literature
review 3 days Thu 26-07-
18
Mon 30-07-
18 5
Establishing research
question 3 days Tue 31-07-
18
Thu 02-08-
18 6
Planning phase 11 days Fri 03-08-
18
Fri 17-08-
18
Time scheduling 2 days Fri 03-08-
18
Mon 06-08-
18 7
Budget Planning 2 days Tue 07-08-
18
Wed 08-08-
18 9
Proposal Drafting 6 days Thu 09-08-
18
Thu 16-08-
18 10
Draft Submission 1 day Fri 17-08-
18
Fri 17-08-
18 11
Draft Submitted 0 days Fri 17-08-
18
Fri 17-08-
18 12
Execution Phase 28 days Mon 20-08-
18
Wed 26-09-
18
Literature review 10 days Mon 20-08-
18
Fri 31-08-
18 12
Literature Summary 5 days Mon 03-09-
18
Fri 07-09-
18 15
Primary Data collection 8 days Mon 10-09-
18
Wed 19-09-
18 16
Summarising Primary data 5 days Thu 20-09-
18
Wed 26-09-
18 17
Analysis Phase 20 days Thu 27-09-
18
Wed 24-10-
18
Data Summary 7 days Thu 27-09-
18
Fri 05-10-
18 16,18
Data Analysis 5 days Mon 08-10-
18
Fri 12-10-
18 20

8ASSESSMENT OF COCA-COLA’S SUCCESS IN COMPETITIVE MARKET
Conclusion 3 days Mon 15-10-
18
Wed 17-10-
18 21
Report Drafting 5 days Thu 18-10-
18
Wed 24-10-
18 22
Report Drafted 0 days Wed 24-10-
18
Wed 24-10-
18 23
Closure Phase 11 days? Thu 25-10-
18
Thu 08-11-
18
Report Submission 1 day? Thu 25-10-
18
Thu 25-10-
18 24
Oral Presentation 10 days Fri 26-10-
18
Thu 08-11-
18 26
Table: Timeline of the Study
(Source: Created by Author using MS PROJECT PRO)
Figure: Gantt Chart
(Source: Created by Author using MS PROJECT PRO)

9ASSESSMENT OF COCA-COLA’S SUCCESS IN COMPETITIVE MARKET

10ASSESSMENT OF COCA-COLA’S SUCCESS IN COMPETITIVE MARKET
References
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Psychol, 24, 95-114.
Dereli, D. (2015). Innovation Management in Global Competition and Competitive
Advantage. Procedia - Social And Behavioral Sciences, 195, 1365-1370. doi:
10.1016/j.sbspro.2015.06.323
Gureva, M. A., Kirillov, A. V., Vinichenko, M. V., Melnichuk, A. V., & Melnychuk, Y. A.
(2016). Management of innovations and innovative process: concept, essence,
classification and diffusion. International review of management and
marketing, 6(6S), 147-153.
Habibah, N. A. (2018). BLUE OCEAN STRATEGY DALAM MENINGKATKAN
PEMASARAN JASA PENDIDIKAN (STUDI MULTIKASUS DI SD
MUHAMMADIYAH TERPADU PONOROGO DAN SD AL AZHAAR
TULUNGAGUNG)(Doctoral dissertation, IAIN Tulungagung).
Hughes, M., & Wearing, M. (2016). Organisations and management in social work:
everyday action for change. Sage.
Karnani, A. (2014). Corporate social responsibility does not avert the tragedy of the
commons. Case study: Coca-Cola India. Economics, Management and Financial
Markets, 9(3), 11.
Kim, W. C., & Mauborgne, R. (2017). Red ocean traps. Harvard Business Review Press.
Kraus, C. (2018). More than Just a Soft Drink: Coca-Cola and China’s Early Reform and
Opening. Diplomatic History.
Nurse, J. R., Buckley, O., Legg, P. A., Goldsmith, M., Creese, S., Wright, G. R., & Whitty,

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attacks. In Security and Privacy Workshops (SPW), 2014 IEEE (pp. 214-228). IEEE.
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