Strategic Leadership Report: M and Co. Analysis and Proposals

This report, prepared as a strategic leadership analysis for M and Co., examines the company's challenges and proposes solutions. The report begins with an executive summary and introduction, followed by an analysis of the organization's business environment, including macro-environmental factors such as government regulations and technological advancements. The analysis identifies increasing competition and changing consumer behavior, specifically a shift towards online sales, as key issues. The report then develops strategic proposals, suggesting a shift to online sales channels and the formation of stronger relationships with suppliers. These proposals are evaluated using the RACES framework, assessing resource availability, stakeholder acceptance, strategic consistency, effectiveness, and sustainable competitive advantage. The report concludes by emphasizing the need for M and Co. to adapt to the changing market dynamics and leverage online sales and supplier relationships to maintain its competitive position. The study also references the provided assignment brief, which includes a PEST analysis, Porter's five forces, and VRIN analysis to assess M and Co.'s overall strategic positioning.

2019
Strategic Leadership
M and co.

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Executive summary
The terms strategic leadership is one of the method that is followed by the manager perfectly
considering the strategic vision of the industry. The managers of the company implement the
strategic direction in order to the deal with the competition from the other companies. The aim of
the report is to explore the strategic proposals that are majorly recommended to the company so
that they can face the issues of M and co. The findings of the report include the strategic
proposals include should shift to online sales and establish better relations with their suppliers
which is supported with the Races framework.

Strategic leadership 2
Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................3
Determining the issues.....................................................................................................................4
Organisation responds to the change in the macro environment.................................................4
Firm access the untapped market.................................................................................................4
Development of the strategic proposals...........................................................................................4
Online sales of the product..........................................................................................................4
Forming the effective relationship with their suppliers...............................................................5
RACES framework..........................................................................................................................5
RACES framework- Online sales of the product........................................................................5
RACES framework- Forming the effective relationship with their suppliers.............................6
Conclusion.......................................................................................................................................8
References........................................................................................................................................9

Strategic leadership 3
Introduction
The aim of the report is to present the strategic proposals with the motive to resolve the issues
that are faced by M and co. Being CSO (Chief strategy officer) of the company it is essential to
form strategic proposal that is clearly available in the previous analysis. In the previous
assessment, this has been found that the level of competition is increasing in the market as well
buying behaviour of the customers is changing which makes them to shift towards online sales of
product. The change that has been suggested to company includes shifting towards the online
sales of the product and forming the effective relationship with their suppliers. The strategic
proposal is suggested in order to bring the improvement in the business operations. Further, the
strategies are evaluated which are suggested to the company are analysed with the help Races
framework. This framework helps in analysing the different options of the strategies that are
suggested in order to check the impact that these strategies can affect the operations as well as
working of company.

Strategic leadership 4
Determining the issues
Organisation responds to the change in the macro environment
Macro environment is used for the market and it is associated with the factors that can affect the
working of the M and co. In the UK market, this has been found that the government promote for
the competition among the already existing firms that are present in the apparel sector. The
technology advancement in the market has made the company to adopt the digital as well as the
online marketing (M and Co., 2018). This shows the major changes in the purchasing pattern and
their willing while purchasing product.
Firm access the untapped market
The market of the UK is growing with the rise in the population; this has been witnessed with the
current population fact that is 66,883,133 according to the latest update (Worldometers, 2019).
Thus, this can be understood that UK is majorly distributed in urban as well as in rural area.
Considering this, the market remains untapped that is essential to be trapped for which the online
sales of the product is considered as the appropriate option through which the company can
increase the presence in the market (Dai, 2018).
Development of the strategic proposals
Online sales of the product
One of the strategic proposals, which are presented to the company in order to deal with the
issues, includes increase in the online sale of the product. The company can enhance the sales
through its website as well as from third party website. There are different ways through which

Strategic leadership 5
the company increase the online sales by forming the tie-ups with the third party who can help in
enhancing the sales. This option will help the company to increase the sales that will bring the
improvement in the profit of company as well as effectively contribute in capturing the market.
However, M and co. Company needs to be very careful enough with the strategies of the
competitors (Brown, 2018).
Forming the effective relationship with their suppliers
The effective relationship can be formed by the company with the suppliers in order to meet the
needs of the customers. The long-term relationship with the suppliers helps the company to get
the products on time that can add to the competitive advantage of the company. Moreover, M
and Co. Company is majorly depended on the brands who supply their products in the market
(Nambisan, 2017).
RACES framework
RACES framework- Online sales of the product
 R- Resources available with the company that are required: - Yes, the company is
fortified with all the mandatory resources in order to sell their products through online
mode.
 A- Suggestion will be acceptable to stakeholders: - Yes, the suggestion is acceptable to
the stakeholders in order to avail the good amount of dividend.
 C- The opinion will remain consistent with entire strategy: - Yes, all the strategy of
the company will remain same when they sell products through online mode (Pisano,
2017).

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 E- Proposal will continue to be effective for desired aims: - The online sales will meet
the ultimate goal of company that is effective to earn maximum profit that is one of the
desired goals of company.
 S-Proposal will lead to the sustainable competitive advantage: - The sustainability last
when the customers of the company will not change and remain sustainable towards the
online sales of product.
RACES framework- Forming the effective relationship with their suppliers
 R- Resources available with the company that are required: - No, M and co. has lack
of resources, as it does not have trained expert who can talk effectively with the
suppliers.
 A- Suggestion will be acceptable to stakeholders: - Yes, the reason due to which the
stakeholders will agree to this is that it will save their interest.
 C- The opinion will remain consistent with entire strategy: - Yes, the opinion remains
consistent with the remaining of the strategy.
 E- Proposal will continue to be effective for desired aims: - May be, the proposal will
be effective in order to achieve the goals.
 S-Proposal will lead to the sustainable competitive advantage: - Yes, this proposal
will bring the rise in the sustainable competitive advantage, as competitors are not able to
form the tie-ups with the suppliers.
The options are evaluated well and this has been found that if M and co. Company does online
sales of the product then it will bring the improvement in the accessibility as well as sales.
However, if the competitors attain the market first then they are going to capture the market
share and leave learning for company (Van Dijk, 2017).

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If the company form the relationships with suppliers then it will increase the sales, accessibility,
as well as goodwill of company. However, if the company fails then it will lead to damage of
financial benefits of market share.
If Then If Then
M and co. online sales
of product
Increase
accessibility and
sales
M and co. online sales of
product after the
competitors
Competitors of M and
co. will be able to
capture the huge
market share.
M and co. online sales
of product by forming
the tie-up with the
suppliers
Financial benefit
with
accessibility+
goodwill in
market
M and co. online sales of
product by forming the tie-
up with the suppliers but
the service are
unsuccessful.
Damage of financial
benefits and market
share

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Conclusion
In the end, this can be said from the above analysis that the company is dealing with the
numerous issues that are faced by them in order to effectively deal with the competitors that are
present in the market. Considering the issues that were assessed in previous assignment, it is
proposed to company to online sale the products in the market and to form the effective as well
as strong relationship with the customers. Many companies offer the quality apparel and make
use of digital technology due to which the companies found the competition in the market. Thus,
this is the reason due to which the company need to shift towards the online sales of the product
in the market. Further, along with this, the online sales of the company require regular and
frequent supply of the product as this is emerging as an issue. In order to accomplish the same,
the company will perform the strategy of forming the effective relationship with suppliers. Thus,
these strategies are further evaluated with the help of Races framework that shows the suitability
of the options along with their consequences.

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References
Brown, H. (2018) M&Co sales rise in ‘complex’ market [Online]. Available from:
https://www.drapersonline.com/news/mco-sales-rise-in-complex-market/7031969.article
[Accessed on 3rd March 2018]
Dai, X. (2018) The digital revolution and governance. New York: Routledge.
M and Co. (2018) Brands [Online]. Available from: https://www.mandco.com/brands/all-
brands.html [Accessed on 3rd March 2018]
Nambisan, S. (2017) Digital entrepreneurship: Toward a digital technology perspective of
entrepreneurship. Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, 41(6), pp.1029-1055.
Pisano, G.P. (2017) Toward a prescriptive theory of dynamic capabilities: connecting strategic
choice, learning, and competition. Industrial and Corporate Change, 26(5), pp.747-762.
Van Dijk, J.A. (2017) Digital divide: Impact of access. The International Encyclopedia of Media
Effects, pp.1-11.
Worldometers (2019) U.K. Population [Online]. Available from:
http://www.worldometers.info/world-population/uk-population/ [Accessed on 3rd March 2018]