Mark & Spencer Plc: Comparative Analysis and Considerations for Cross Border Trading

BUSINESS PROJECT
Mark & Spencer Plc

TABLE OF CONTENT
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................4
PART 1............................................................................................................................................4
a) Comparative analysis of M&S.................................................................................................4
b) Considerations M&S should consider when trading across borders......................................8
PART 2..........................................................................................................................................11
Considerations that M&S needs to improve business................................................................11
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................14
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................15

INTRODUCTION
Business activities are the ways in which the company is able to make money by either
producing or buying and selling the products and services. Competition in business is the contest
or the rivalry which happens among the companies selling the similar products and has the same
target audience to get more sales. Competitive advantages are very important for the organization
to gain an advantage towards the business activities which can help them it to increase its
profitability. In this project the chosen organization is Mark and Spencer group plc which is also
abbreviated as M&S. This company is a multinational organization based in United Kingdom
which is the retailer for clothes, food and home products. This organization was founded in 1884
by Michael Marks and Thomas Spencer in Leeds. Only in UK this company has more than 960
stores most of which are very successful.
The famous products of this company is the luxury food and beverages which can also be
ordered online through food delivery services. Mark and Spencer is the part of a retail industry
which is very competitive and has a lot of large companies competing with each other with their
own specific strategies for success. In first part, the report will outline the comparative analysis
of M&S competitive position in the market with the help of porter’s five forces. These forces
help the company to examine all the strengths, weaknesses, threats and opportunities to take a
first mover advantage of the new opportunities emerging. Furthermore, the report will highlight
various challenges and barriers faced by Mark & Spencer for carrying out its cross border trade.
In addition to this, a VIRO analysis is performed for better understanding of the resources
available with company.
There are many issues and challenges for Mark & Spencer to be scrutinized to improve its
business performance. In the second part, the report will highlight all those considerations that a

business can adapt to improve and grow its business. For this purpose, Ansoff matrix is applied
to identify the opportunities available in the market. Ansoff Matrix helps to spot the strategies
which will benefit the company. Lastly, the report will pin point one strategy that Mark &
Spencer can implement to enhance the business performance and to give a tough competition to
its rival company's and increase its profitability. The report will also show that how company can
increase its market base by focusing on pricing, branding and promotion activities.
MAIN BODY
PART 1
a) Comparative analysis of M&S
For the analysation of the competitive position of the Mark & Spencer porter's fiver
forces be utilized. This model has been developed by Michael Porter who observed fiver forces
which impacts a company's profitability. This model analyses the five competitive forces which
shapes up the industry and determines the strengths and the weakness of the competition ( Lin
and Dinh, 2020). The forces discussed in this model can be applicable in the segment of the
economy for understanding the level of competition within the industry and also enhancing the
company's long term profitability.
Source : Martin, 2019
Illustration 1: Porter's Five Forces