Strategic Management of Marks and Spencer: Critical Assessment and Evaluation

This report provides a critical assessment of the process implemented by Marks and Spencer to determine their strategy, evaluation of critical models and tools, application of strategic tools to a real company, and critical appraisal of relevance of change management. The report covers the subject of strategic management, course code not mentioned, course name not mentioned, and college/university not mentioned.

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Table of Contents
Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................1
Critical assessment of process that is implemented by company to determine their
strategy.......................................................................................................................................1
Evaluation of critical models as well as tools that are implemented by company to
determine their strategy...........................................................................................................3
Application of strategic tools to a real company....................................................................5
Critical appraisal of relevance of change management that is related on complexity of
transformation process, its costs, risks along with sustainability.........................................6
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................7
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................8

INTRODUCTION
Strategic management could be considered as a method which could involve operation as
well as supervisory of every resource for accomplishment of goals in company. It generally
includes formulation of strategies in order to have competitive advantage. Strategic management
basically covers an analysis of internal along with external factors of business which could be
able to affect profiles of companies (Dong, 2021). It provides an accurate direction to group of
individuals for performing out their business activities and it helps in demonstrating a strong
vision and mission for company that could be able to lead in order to accomplish their identified
goals. This report is based on strategic management of Marks and Spencer that is a retail
company and deals in selling out food products, clothing as well as home products by carrying
out product of their own labels. This report consists of critical assessment of process which is
used by company for identifying their strategy, evaluation of critical models and tools that are
used by company for determining their strategy, applications of strategic tools for real company,
critical appraisal of relevance in relation to change management that is associated on complexity
of transformation process deals in cost, risk as well as sustainability along with its conclusion.
MAIN BODY
Critical assessment of process that is implemented by company to determine their strategy.
Strategic plans are basically related in terms of action that could be taken by the manager for
achieving their goals. Strategy plan is beneficial in terms of determining factors of company that
is essential for carrying out various strategies (Masoodipoor, 2021). In relation to Marks and
Spencer there are few of strategies which could be implemented by company for having
accomplishment in their objective that could also be considered as a guideline for business which
is beneficial for them in terms of achieving their goals in their business operations. And these
steps consist of various factors that are as follows:
Vision:
It is said to be one of the main challenge of companies that is maintaining their employees
aligned towards a vision as well as with focus that is essential for them for achieving their
priorities. It basically needs effective as well as efficient sourcing by having a help of assisting in
supporting for analysing vision order to provide proper direction for company. As company's
vision is to be future related that could be inspired by company along with individuals which are
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being focus in retail sector in order to give customers for comparing their shopping experience
by giving them selective options in various number of ways of their customer. In relation to
Marks and Spencer company is carrying up vision for providing out quality products with seller
services to their customers in affordable prices so that customers could be capable to meet their
needs. As goals of company are basically easy for serving their customers in efficient way in
terms of keeping their lifelong interrelationship that is possible for serving their customers in a
smooth manner. And to maintain that Marks and Spencer is keeping their focus in delivering a
cross channel experience to their customers by identifying their demands along with fulfilling
them with affective accessibility of online experience with high touch stores.
Mission:
As company’s mission is related on what objectives they desire to accomplish along with
why they are performing them in markets. Mission basically involves integration along with
diversity among staff of company. In relation to Marks and Spencer company is keeping their
focus on effective employees in context to their staff for making effective strength in market
along with having strong as well as effective communities in order to have healthy as well as
safe business operation (Butkouskaya, Llonch-Andreu and Alarcón-Del-Amo, 2021). Company
is basically investing in having a proper career development for their employees in order to have
wellbeing of their company so that their employees that are working there could be capable to
improve their development by carrying out their job duties along with opening their regulations
in their working practices. Along with that company is keeping their focus in providing
appreciation for their employees in context to their higher performance as well as their
stakeholders on regular basis.
Objective:
As major objective of retail company is to identify about how retailers could be able to
provide satisfaction towards their customers that are loyal and keep their focus on acquiring with
their right product. In relation to Marks and Spencer company is keeping their focus on
delivering accurate healthy and safe quality product. In relation to Marks and Spencer company
is keeping their focus on delivering accurate quality product to their customers for making them
satisfied in terms of purchasing their product for fulfilling their requirements in order to sustain
in market.
Strategy:
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Marks and Spencer is generally more established in relation to retailing for identifying
various needs along with operating with an operation for having work across their functional as
well as global level (Mejabi and Adah, 2021). It is difficult for company to decide from where to
make strategies but company could face different difficulties in relation to receiving success also
with that in order to keep their focus on giving customer experience. As there is different
strategy that could be followed by company for accomplishing their milestones that are as
follows:
 It generally provides commitment to leadership in relation to building different
capabilities in retail sector for performing out innovation operations in their product as
well as services of company.
 It provides a conscious choice in relation to making customer influence for their product
as well as services. As Marks and Spencer should need to have a clear communication
towards their employees in order to transfer any information for having priorities of
customers. As it is associated with different culture changes that takes into day to day
operations which could be capable to convert into aspiration for reality in retail sector.
 Strategic planning could be used by company on constant basis in order to have various
assessment of layout as well as merchandise mix of brand which could be beneficial in
giving adequate experience to their customers for reducing differences among physical as
well as digital channels in retail industry.
 Various strategies should be implemented for providing reviews of models of working
operations for having a proper talent acquisition in relation to company structured so that
methods could be taken with effectiveness by implementing effective technologies in
different areas of retail sector (Tater and Willemsen, 2021). Strategies that are to be
considered is proved to be helpful for Marks and Spencer for defining up their
responsibilities of resource in order to manage their administrative work with a reputed
operation that is to be carried for planning in higher value operation.
Evaluation of critical models as well as tools that are implemented by company to
determine their strategy.
Strategy
It is said to be a major method of any business for carrying out their business operations. As
without having a strategy companies will not be capable for surviving in marketplace. In relation
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to Marks and Spencer strategy could be helpful for company with their various models of
planning, sales, operations as well as marketing for performing out them effectively. It basically
gives company and identification of business market which could be beneficial in in determining
needs of business environment so that strategies could be designed as per that.
Strategic planning model for company
Strategic planning basically caries and focus on providing future as well as long term goals.
Marks and Spencer is focused on their strategic as well as continuous business strategic plan that
could provide them growth along with development for having their future sales (Herrera and
Trujillo-Díaz, 2021). There are few of strategic planning models which could be implemented by
company that are as follows:
Balanced scorecard: It provides review on strategic planning for company as it helps in
reflecting goals along with performing out future projects in business as well as maintaining
them with a highly focused in market. Balanced scorecard could be beneficial in performing
different areas that are connected to business which are Marketing services, operations as well as
sales. It is set to be a backbone as well as a contributed model for cooperative business which
could be beneficial in having analysis of different business operations.
Objectives with their key result: As goals as well as result are said to be an element of
strategic planning model where they are taken as an achievement it of key business activities. It
is important that it should be dependent on three factors that could involve accomplishment of
record, income created from business as well as sales with profits. As goals of Marks and
Spencer should be keep on a focus on stimulating their customers as well as with various
activities that could have a comprehensive tangible factor which could be helpful in performing
out business segments.
Theories of change: It is said to be a method of thinking progressive as well as identified in
situation that are necessary for business in order to achieve their goals (Camilleri, 2021). In
relation to Marks and Spencer company is applying theory of change in terms of setting out of
objectives, team building, planning for initiatives along with formulation of action plan for fulfil
any requirement. As some of objectives of company are explained as follows:
 It benefits in identifying long-term success along with future planning for company.
 It generally gives a roadmap along with requirement that is necessary for completing
targets of company.
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 It works on reviewing operations along with performance for initiative that are to be
performed.
 It is helpful in generating up innovative ideas as well as thoughts for identifying
performance of company (Burford, Shipilov and Furr, 2021).
Porter's value chain evaluation: As this analysis is said to be a strategic planning tool that
could be beneficial in giving out determination of behaviour of Marks and Spencer. This analysis
gives attribute along with a positive behaviour to Marks and Spencer which could help in
reflecting positive brand picture in relation to creating out new ideas along with the opportunities
which are to be focused for having enhancement. As with that it also identifies negative impact
along with mistake which could harm business operations in relation to having growth and
includes sales and operation activities.
Application of strategic tools to a real company.
In relation to Marks and Spencer applications of strategic management tools by carrying out
porter's value chain evaluation model are as follows:
 Inbound logistics: Company is having belief on taking out different actions like
obtaining stock in relation to retail products along with it could involve warehouse where
their stocks along with raw materials in relation to products are being restored with
belongingness of information in a digital manner (Tumbare, 2021). There are best
business operations of Marks and Spencer is carrying out outsourcing with entity of
performing out different treatments logistics for improving their customer base.
 Operations: As it basically combines with different actions which could be helpful for
company in changing their needs as per their final products. As been acknowledged
through having customer information in context to promoting of product on a wider scale
by relying on their target customers for a good commodity that could be helpful for them
in sustaining their interrelationship with their customers.
 Outbound logistics: Marks and Spencer is focused on crafting different strategies for
innovative ideas for their product along with services in context to delivery towards
customer for having various stores as well as online modes. It basically includes different
elements such as warehouses as well as supply chain so that wholesaler could be capable
to collect their products with a channel in retail market.
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 Marketing and sales: Marks and Spencer includes various action such as advertisement,
promotional strategies along with staff company in relation to increasing their sales team.
As company is focused in execute for performing out different practices in order to
continue their brand image in mind sets of customers so that they could be capable to buy
their product from their stores (Knudsen, Lien and Wuebker, 2021).
 Services: As it identifies different factors in relation to delivering effective commodities
to their target customers for providing them sales facilities. As it could involves fixing up
different commodities as well as having a reach of sales target within a particular time
period.
Critical appraisal of relevance of change management that is related on complexity of
transformation process, its costs, risks along with sustainability.
As by using Change management method in retail sector it is helpful for company in order to
sustain their value proposition in market so that they could be capable to make long-term profits
as well as it could be beneficial for them to stay element within minds of customers. In relation
to Marks and Spencer Change management methods will be beneficial in giving out positive
change to company as it is helpful for them in reducing out their waste management by giving a
cost management true sustainability so that customers could be able to get influence in an
efficient way for their products which they are giving to them. Along with that Change
management process is beneficial for company for decreasing their amount of cost in company
so that they could be capable to improve their profitability buy sustaining in marketplace for
longer time (Nayak, Bhattacharyya and Krishnamoorthy, 2021). As there are some of elements
that are to be considered in Change management method for Marks and Spencer process of
transformation that are as follows:
 Cost: As for having effective Change management in company and their workplace it
will take time along with cost in company. So for that according to change Management
which is being caused in term or to be precise and takes training of employees, people
management as well as other operations that are to be taken on necessary basis for
demonstrating relationship among managing cost in company with beneficial of company
for applying a structural model in order to engage with employees.
 Risk: Change management is generally related with identification of threats of company
that Marks and Spencer has to deal with them in relation to keeping their position in
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marketplace. So for that Change management method is beneficial in identifying different
risk rate that company has to realise and deal with a positive impact and should work on
resolving them by having their innovative product.
 Sustainability: This analysis carries an essential role in performing out Change
management transformation process that is related with incorporation of business
operations in context to various factors such as social, economic as well as environmental
factors (Ninan, 2021). It could be beneficial in analysing along with making decisions of
company. Sustainable management practices in company are basically implemented in
Marks and Spencer for selling out their product to customers in a manner that company
could be capable to make profits by generating revenues with meeting up regular changes
in their marketplace so that they could be able to grow in retail sector.
CONCLUSION
It could be concluded from above before that strategic management is said to be a necessary
element that is implemented by different companies for achieving out their objectives along with
identifying different situations in order to carry out their planning by formulating different
strategies and models to have effectiveness. Strategic management basically helps in completing
objectives within a particular time scale. This report carries an explanation of strategic
management process that could be implemented by company for defining of their various
policies. As also it explains about different models which are implemented by company for
identifying the strategy by using application of different tools. At last this report clearly explains
about importance of Change management that is associated for having difficulty in terms of
transformation method that could consist of cost, risk along with sustainability.
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REFERENCES
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and organisational consequences of IMC in different economy types. Journal of
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Camilleri, M.A. ed., 2021. Strategic Corporate Communication in the Digital Age. Emerald
Publishing Limited.
Dong, J.Q., 2021. Technological choices under uncertainty: Does organizational aspiration
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supply chain performance. International Journal of Productivity and Performance
Management.
Knudsen, E.S., Lien, L.B. and Wuebker, R., 2021. A Strategy for Fat Years and a Strategy for
Lean Years: Strategic Human Capital Investment Over the Business Cycle. Available at
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Masoodipoor, S., 2021. Studying the role of Persian language in brands name of Iranian products
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Mejabi, E.I. and Adah, G., 2021. Strategic Capacity Building through Human Resources
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social inclusivity: An empirical study on resource based view in health insurance firms
in India. Journal of Cleaner Production .298. p.126805.
Ninan, J., 2021. Construction safety in media: an overview of its interpretation and strategic
use. International Journal of Construction Management, pp.1-9.
Tater, A. and Willemsen, M.L., 2021. SMEs in Times of Crisis: An Analysis of Medtech SMEs’
Strategic Responses to the COVID-19 Pandemic.
Tumbare, M.J., 2021. A strategic action plan for the sustainable development of the water
resources of the Zambezi river basin. In Management of River Basins and Dams: (pp.
213-225). CRC Press.
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