Strategic Analysis and Competitive Advantage: ALF Mizzi and Sons Ltd

This report provides a strategic analysis of ALF Mizzi and Sons Ltd, a marketing company operating since 1915. It examines the company's strategies over the past five years, focusing on competitive advantages, drivers, and the implications of these strategies. The report covers various types of strategies, including corporate, business-level, and functional strategies, along with the implications of different strategic models for achieving a competitive edge. It also explores internal analysis tools like SWOT, and the interrelationship between HR, operational, and financial aspects. The report also discusses the impact of technology, globalization, skilled workforce, and exports/imports on the company's competitive position. The analysis provides insights into how the company can effectively manage its internal factors and adapt to external competitive pressures.

STRATEGIC
MANAGEMENT

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................4
TASK 1 ...........................................................................................................................................4
Different types of strategies used in schools..........................................................................4
TASK 2 ...........................................................................................................................................5
Implication of models for taking competitive advantages along with some competitive drivers
................................................................................................................................................5
TASK 3............................................................................................................................................7
Some tools for analysing internal factors...............................................................................7
Task 4...............................................................................................................................................9
Strategic models of the company.........................................................................................9
Differentiation leadership.....................................................................................................11
Task 5.............................................................................................................................................12
Discuss Interrelationship between the HR, operational and financial and also provides the
strategic model .....................................................................................................................12
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................13
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................15

INTRODUCTION
The alf mizzi and sons ltd is the marketing company and is working form the 1915.
Company is achieving the growth from the help of the strong brands and the effective
management of the company. It is also building the wide range of the networks through the
partnership business. The company is operating in the field of the sales and the distribution and
also in the food sector as well. The report includes the strategies which are used by the company
in the last five years. Company is using the relevant models and concepts for the fighting the
competition in the market. Internal analysis tools are helping the company to work in the
effective manner (Park 2017). The report includes the company competitive position in the
market and the implications of the strategy used by the company. These all the points are
discussed in the report.
TASK 1
Different types of strategies used in schools
Strategy is the action in which the direction of the set of an organization and the several
elements which would achieve the desired state of the company in the future. Strategy is the
systematic phenomena which involves the action plans and the common theme which would run
in the company. The nature of the strategy important because it would include the marketing,
finance and the human resource operations. It is influential and the multidimensional as well. It
is following the hierarchy and the corporate strategy in the top of the management as well.
Strategies are divided into the three types which are commonly known as the corporate
strategies, business level strategies and the functional strategies.
Strategies at business level include the three types of the cost leadership strategy and the
differentiation strategy. It also includes the focus level strategy which include the cost
leadership. Cost leadership is the business must maintain the products price and the services by
which company can attract wider range of customers towards buying their services and products.
In the differentiation strategy it includes the companies which are having the differentiation of
the product and the unique features of the products which would attract the customers towards
the company. Focus level strategy is focusing on the cost leadership and the differentiation
strategy which include the focus on the strategies which are working efficiently.
Through the help of the functional level strategies the actions and the goals of the
company are satisfied and the department of the company are working effectively. So the

functional level strategy is focusing on the human resource management decisions and the
marketing of the products as well. Production of the product is also managed and functioned by
the functional level strategy. The products which are to be rejected are rejected and the quality
products are supplied to the customers. The company is running because of the departments
which are preforming their functions in the effective manner.
Corporate level strategies are guiding the employees and the company in increasing their
productivity and improve overall performance in the market. It will affect the decision-making in
the every department and every part of the organization. It would focus on the use of the
resources and the results which are gained by the company by working effectively. The corporate
level strategies are working and the strategy is focusing on the business and the effective
measures for how to increase the business through these strategies (Floreddu and Cabiddu 2016).
TASK 2
Implication of models for taking competitive advantages along with some competitive drivers
Competitive drivers are the drivers which are increasing the competition and the
companies are affected due tot the geographical markets. The companies are using the strategies
for overcoming the competitive market. The competitive position of the company is analysed by
the attracting the customers and the gaining the market share of the customers in the market. Duo
to the competitive position of the company is not able to attract the customers. The customers in
the market are changing the preferences and the attracted toward the company which is offering
the quality product in the low price (Olatunji, and et.al., 2019).
Technology
There are several companies who are making an effective use of advanced technology as
it is increasing rapidly. The company needs to improvise the product according to the customers.
The new entries in the market are brought up the products with the new innovations and the with
the low price so the customers are attracted towards the new and innovative products. Customers
are adopting the latest technology in their daily life and the customers are willingly accepting the
new technologies which are brought up in the world. Technology is increasing because the
company is selling the products through the online mobile application and the through the help
of the websites as well. The companies are also entering the market and the company would not
run in the effective way which would improve the position of the company. The companies are
also exporting the products and improving the products form the countries which is also

increasing the competition. Through the use of the technology the company is able to improvise
the products with low cost and product the products to the customers at the low cost.
Globalization
Globalization is increasing in the country and the also it is affecting the company. The
ALF Mizzi and sons are working according to the employees which are working. Due to the
increase in the globalization various new companies are entering the global market and the
company is suffering because the company is not able fight the competition in the market. The
market is not expanding and nor the customers are expanding but the customers and the market is
divided. The company is focusing on the competition and not on the products. Company must
focus on the products and look after that the product quality is improving and the products so
that the customers are attracted towards the company. The Latest technology include the
technological software sand the machines which are used by the company. The company need to
work in the specific manner which would provide the effective training to the employees (Finch
Peacock Levallet and Foster 2016).
Skilled work force
work force of the company is the employees which are working in the efficient manner.
The company must also focus on the employees because thew growth of the business is
depended on the employee performance in the market. Employees of the company must be
trained and the employees need to be skilled as well. The training provide to the employees must
be in the specific manner because it would affect the company objectives. The company would
not focus on the abilities and the skills of the employees which would need time to time
motivation. Employees are motivated by the way of the rewards like the bonus and the
promotion as well. The company need to use the employees at their best and used their skills and
the abilities for fulfilling the objectives as well. The company is using the latest technology and
the employees need to be trained for using these latest technology which include the machines
and the software (Islam Molla and Ha-Brookshire 2015).
High exports and the imports
Exports and imports are affecting the business performance because the companies are
entering the new markets and exporting their products in the exports as well. It can have critical
impacts on the productivity and the performance of the company and the company is working in
the effective manner (Caputo 2016). The new entrants are troubling the companies which are

helping the company to work in the efficient manner. Competitors form the different continents
are entering the market and the companies are fighting with the strong competition in the market.
The market is affecting the business growth and the performance of the Exports and imports are
affecting the business performance market is affecting the business growthperformance company
as well. Various independent countries are entering the market in the effective way which is not
useful for the company. The companies of our country are entering the market by the exporting
the products of the company in the other market.
TASK 3
Some tools for analysing internal factors
There are several internal factors that can affect the company in positive and in a negative
manner. So, it is important for the company to analyse all these factors by implementing SWOt
analysis tool.
Strengths
Strengths include the internal environment of the company and the factors which are
affecting the company performance. There are many strength of the company like the use of the
latest technology in the products and the services is useful for the company. Now days customers
are attracted towards the company in the effective manner which would increase the sales of the
company. Through the help of the strengths the company would concentrate on the long term
objectives of the company (Aithal 2016). The financial goal of the company are set and the
company would concentrate on the effective measures for improving the performance.
Weakness
Weakness of the organization are the problems of the organization that give negative
impacts and also affect become the reason of poor productivity and decreased performance. It
would include the lack of the assets in the company and the increase of the competition in the
market. The company would not be stable to provide the assets in the effective way. It would
include the increase in the competition in the market the company is suffering. The customers are
not using the products nor buying the products and the company could not increase the sales.
Opportunities
The opportunities are the ways for the company to increase the sales and the company
performance in the market. It includes to enter the global market and expand the business.
Company need to increase the business so the company need to enter the new market and

Strengths include the use of the latest technology in the products in the effective manner
weakness would include the lack of the assets The opportunities increase the sales so the
company need to enter the new market d try to promote the products in the new market which
would increase the sales of the company. New entrants are entering the local market but these
new entrant are not capable of fighting with the company in the market. It would increase the
business performance and the sales of the company in the effective manner.
Threats
It includes the factors which are the threats for the company and the company could not
increase the business (Aichhorn and Puck 2017). Due to the increase in the competition and the
use of the latest technology the company is not able to strive before the new competitors. The
company need to increase the business and try to improvise the products as per the customers
need. New companies are using the latest technology and making the new products which are
attracting the customers. So the company must take the effective measures for improving the
sales and for striving in the market.
Work force
The company must also focus on the work force of the company and the employees of the
company. These are also affecting the company performance. The human resource department of
the company is handling the issue of the company. Efficient workforce is important for the
company because it would make the company more efficient and the company would also
achieve the long term goals of the company. The investment of the office must be suitable and
the employee of the company would work in the effective manner with the main aim of
increasing revenue and sales as well.
Culture
The organization culture is playing the vital role in affecting the company performance
because the employees of the company would focus on the effective measure for satisfying the
need of the employees. The employees of the company must have the power to give the
suggestions in the company matters. The suggestions of the company would be appreciated and
the employees of the company would be motivated from time to time.
Polices
The polices of the company are prepared for the employee of the company and the
employees of the company are working in the efficient manner. The policies must be strict but

not so strict that tit would change the environment of the offices. The policies are also made for
the company and the customers. These policies must be followed by the company and the
services must be provided to the employees. These factors are affecting the company
performance and the company would increase the sales as well
Task 4
Strategic models of the company
Strategic models constitutes a plan or a model that can be used to design a process. Firms
like Malta use the strategic models so that it can improve operations as well as meet their goals.
Alf Mizzi and sons used such models that required to identify the goals of the company. It can
identify the key goals of the firm (Zhao And et.al., 2017).
VRIO framework is an effective tool as like SWOT and PESTLE that is used to evaluate
Alf Mizzi and Sons internal sources as well as capabilities to find out the if they can be a source
regarding a sustained competitive advantage.
VRIO is considered as an acronym for four question frameworks of rarity, value,
imiatability and organization to capture (Hitt,Ireland. and Hoskisson,2016)
Value
The first question of the frameworks represents that the if a resource able to add the
values by allowing a company to exploit opportunities or also they can defend against threats.
If answer to this question yes then resource can also be considered as the value if they assist
firms to enhance the perceived consumer value. This can be done by enhancing differentiation
or decrease the price regarding the product. The resource unable to meet this condition as their
leads to the competitive disadvantage. It is crucial to continuous review the values regarding the
resources due to regularly changing the internal or external conditions that can make them
less valuable or can be considered as useless (Baumgartner. and Rauter, 2017).
Rare
Rare means limitation and uniqueness of products that are available at only few stores
and organization so, it includes those resources that are not available at different organizations.
Valuable as well as Rare resources able to provide the competitive advantage. While on the
other hand the situation when there is more than few companies have used the same resources
or can also use the capability within the similar way that can leads to the competitive parity.
This happens because Company can use the identical resources or of same kind of resources so

that it easily implement the same kind of strategies as well as no firms can accomplish superior
performance. Thus, competitive parity is not considered as the desired position. Alf Mizzi and
Sons must not neglect the resources as well as capabilities that can hurt the company as they
are essential to stay within the market (Engert, Rauter.and Baumgartner, 2016).
Costly to Imitate
It means that the feature of resources which can not be copied by other and competitive
company. Here limitation can occur within two ways such as by duplication (directing imitating)
the resource or by giving the comparable products as well as services.
Alf Mizzi and Sons has an valuable, costly and rare to emulate resources that accomplish
sustained competitive advantages. As there are three reasons why here is a hard to emulate the
resources. Casual ambiguity, Historical conditions and social complexity (Papke-Shields. and
Boyer-Wright, 2017).
Organized to capture value
The resources do not confer any kind of the benefit for the firm until if it is not organized
to grab the values from them. Alf Mizzi and Sons must organize its management
systems ,polices, structure , process and also culture that able to realize fully the potential
regarding rare, costly and valuable to emulate capabilities and resources. Than only the
company accomplish sustained advantage of the company (Höglund. And et.al., 2018).
Second generic model applied is porter five forces.
Porters five forces is a tool the used to explain the intensity regarding the comparison of an
industry as well as profitability level. These are the forces that able to determine the level.
Cost leadership
In Cost leadership, an organization sets to be low producer within its industry .It may
involves the Pursuit of the Proprietary technology ,economies of scale as well as preferences
access regarding the raw materials as well as other factors. Alf Mizzi and Sons can sells it
product either at a average industry to gain the marketing share. Cost leadership needed close
cooperation among all the functional areas regarding a business (Papke-Shields. and Boyer-
Wright, 2017). Such as High Level regarding productivity ,Utilization of the high capacity,
Production methods which are considered as to be lean.
Cost focus

Here the business of the firm Alf Mizzi and Sons seeks as a lower cost advantage
within the market that is small segments. The product o the firm will be basic and also a similar
product of the higher prices and featured leaders of the market but at the same time it can b
acceptable to the sufficient costumers (Engert, Rauter.and Baumgartner, 2016).
Differentiation focus
Here the aim of the business is to provide the opportunities regarding products that are clearly
different from the other rivalries within the market that can target a broader groups of the
consumers. The important issues that arises is to assure that consumers really have the various
needs as well as wants. In other words there are valid differentiation as well as that existing
competitors products that are not going to meet needs as wants (Hanson and et.al., 2016).
Differentiation leadership
This strategy includes that selecting one or more criteria that are used through the buyers
within a market. This strategy is basically associated by charging a premium prices for the
product that are often highlights higher production cost as well as extra valued added features
that are provided through the customers of the Alf Mizzi and Sons.
Differentiation is considered as charging a premium price that able to covers the
additional production cost as well as about the giving customers clear responses so that it can be
preferred the product over the products that are less differentiated. There are various ways that
can be accomplished,as it is not considered as an easy and it needed the substantial as well as
substantial marketing investments. There are various methods includes such as
Highest quality of product (durability, features and authenticity)
Branding (strong recognition of desire, and brand loyalty and strong customer
recognition)
Regular promotional support- It can often dominated by sponsorship as well as
advertising.
Resource based view
To get competitive advantages there is a requirement to produce unique features of
products. There are several resources and products which are available in the market already .
ON the flip side, there are some products that are not available. So, by producing rare products it
can accomplish its goals. There are two types of resources that can be familiar to financial and
accountants specialist (Hanson and et.al., 2016).

Tangible Assets- There are the physical things such as lands,property,products and capital. These
are resources tat can be bought easily on the market and also it offers a little competitive
advantage that can be needed for the same identical assets quickly (Papke-Shields. and Boyer-
Wright, 2017).
Intangible assets
These are the items as well as concepts that have no physical value that can still claim to
be owned by the firms. As it may refer to any trademarks ,reputation that the firms may possess.
Some of these reputations such are build up over the significant period as it is something as
compare to the firms cannot buy on the market.
Task 5
Discuss Interrelationship between the HR,operational and financial and also provides the
strategic model
Relationship with Human resource department.
Human Resource management within an organization reflects on the skills, behaviors
knowledge as well as values as it has the abilities as well as skills that helps to perform better
and productivity. The human resource managers of the Alf Mizzi and Sons manager falls within
the major areas such as staffing ,benefits and employee compensation as well as also provides
benefits. Essentially the purpose of the Human resource managers of the Alf Mizzi and Sons is
to maximize the productivity of a firm by optimizing the effects of its staff members (Papke-
Shields. and Boyer-Wright, 2017).
Relationship with Finance.
Finance department of the Alf MizziInterrelationship Human Resource management of the
Alf Mizzi and Sons manager falls withinajor areas such ,benefits and employeFinance
department of the Alf Miz and Sons needs to keep the track of sales as well as spending as
procedure yearly as also the quarterly statements . This department also regularly update
managers of other departments with the firm about the financial state of the business.
Financial departments requires to assist the firm to secure necessary funds as well as
distribution profits within the form of the dividends. Manager of the Alf Mizzi and Sons assist
the performance and efficiency of the team leadership to make the improvements as well as
address problems (Baumgartner. and Rauter, 2017).
Relationship with the operational manager

Operational manager of the Alf Mizzi and Sons develops the internal policies as well as
procedures and operational staff members. As they assist to analyses the spending and finance
of the operational staff of Alf Mizzi and Sons. Operations can perform for a number of the
human resource management functions as they assign tasks and also setting the staff members
as well as determining the requirements of the staff members (Zhao And et.al., 2017).
Swot analysis of the Alf Mizzi and Sons
In the Swot analysis of the Alf Mizzi and Sons strength and weakness are known as the
internal factors over that a retailer has more control. While opportunities and threats regarded as
the external factors that have the positive as well as negative impacts that can be faced by the
firm like Alf Mizzi and Sons.
Identify strength
First one is the retailer's banking finance as it has the plenty of the capital as well as bank
loans. Another strength of the firm has cheaper wholesale prices. Additionally, the firm has
offeres the unique products as compared to the other retailers (Engert, Rauter.and Baumgartner,
2016).
Identify weaknesses
Alf Mizzi and Sons need to check that whether their brand image versus key competitors
or due to the lack of identity within the marketplace. The store can be sell both the expensive as
well as cheap brands (Engert, Rauter.and Baumgartner, 2016) .
Looking for the opportunities
It is the most crucial for the Alf Mizzi and Sons to create and identify the opportunities
within the market. It able to identify consumers who desire it as well as conducting the research
of the market. It can identify an opportunity to purchase a smaller retailer to enhance market
share with the help of the swot analysis .
Threats
A retailer can identify various threats by the help of the swot analysis as it includes a
decrease within consumer demand as a recession as well as price among the competitors to
enhance within competition (Hanson and et.al., 2016).