Communication Skills Report: Analysis of Coles Supermarket Performance

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of Coles Supermarket, a major Australian retailer. It begins with an introduction to the supermarket industry, then delves into Coles' business practices, highlighting its strengths in corporate social responsibility (CSR) and health and nutrition initiatives. The report examines Coles' vision, commitment to sustainability, and its contributions to community well-being. Acknowledging challenges, the report identifies change management as an area for improvement. The conclusion summarizes the company's successes in CSR and health, while also pinpointing the need for enhanced change management strategies. The report includes recommendations for change management improvements, and the expansion of online stores. The analysis emphasizes the importance of adaptability and strategic initiatives for continued growth in the dynamic retail market. The report references various sources to support its findings.

Running Head: COMMUNICATION
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Communication Skills
Coles Supermarket
(Student Details: )
12/23/2019

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Contents
Executive Summary...................................................................................................................2
1. Introduction: Supermarkets.................................................................................................3
2. Coles Supermarket..............................................................................................................3
2.1 Corporate social responsibility (CSR).........................................................................3
2.2 Health and Nutrition....................................................................................................4
2.3 Change management...................................................................................................4
3. Conclusion and Recommendations.....................................................................................4
References..................................................................................................................................6

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Executive Summary
The report is focused on researching about Coles Supermarket while covering different
positive and challenging aspects. While doing so, this discussion is going to cover an
introduction to the chosen industry. The industry of this paper is focusing on is the
supermarket industry. Moreover, the company excels at two major aspects include corporate
social responsibility and health and nutrition, which will be explored in detail. On the other
hand, there are some aspects which chosen company is criticized for, and one of them will be
discussed in this paper. Apart from this, a conclusion and recommendations will be provided
in the later section of the discussion. In this way, by focusing on Coles Supermarket, this
paper will demonstrate effective written communication skills in the form of a well-structured
research report.

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Coles Supermarket
1. Introduction: Supermarkets
In Australia, there are so many supermarkets which are offering excellent branded food and
other products for a long time. This report is focused on Coles Supermarket (CS) as it is one
of the largest Australian retailers. The CS is famous in the supermarket industry because it
offers fresh groceries, liquor, food, general merchandise, fuel and financial and online
services to more than 21 million consumer transactions on an average in the global business
network (Keith, 2012). Moreover, the Australian supermarket industry refers to businesses
that include groceries, food items and many more. These days, firms are competing within
the supermarket industry, known as a mature industry. In this way, the supermarket industry
in Australia is necessarily a competitive duopoly amid Coles and Woolworths, while
comprising a collective market share of more than 70%, which is no stranger to product-
based price wars (Treagold, 2011).
2. Coles Supermarket
The vision
The CS has a vision of becoming the top trusted retailer within Australia and thereby
develops long-term shareholder values (Coles, 2019).
In general, CS is a leading retailer of Australia having more than 2500 retail outlets
regionally. Moreover, it has been observed that Coles is constantly making life easier for the
people of Australia with delivering value, services, and quality products to more than 21
million consumers. The CS is a national full-service supermarket Australian retailer which is
operating around 800 supermarkets all across the country (Coles, 2019).
2.1 Corporate social responsibility (CSR)
Although the company excels at so many important business-related aspects yet CSR is the
most important aspect which needs to be highlighted. It is because CS has been fulfilling the
responsibility of managing social and environmental issues strictly (Brandonparkcentre,
2019). By looking for the different opportunities of making a positive difference for the team
members, customers, communities and suppliers with which they operate. The company is

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dedicated and committed to serving as well as supporting the different communities where
they operate. Thus, CS is building collaborative and strong relations with Australian growers,
producers and farmers as well (Davies, 2016). The company excels at sustainability practices
which are clear from their responsible sourcing, ethical sourcing, and eco-friendly practices.
In addition, Coles believes in taking responsibility for social communities which is the best
feature of the company for creating key selling points among the supermarket industry
(Heinberg et al., 2017).
2.2 Health and Nutrition
It is worth knowing that Coles supplies branded products that are good from the health and
nutrition perspective. The company excels at offering good quality brand products that foster
people’s health and well-being (Hamilton & Webster, 2018). Apart from this, the company
has offered healthier choices for their customers while meeting the dietary requirements. In
this context, Coles has developed a broad range of policies which cover saturated fat
reduction, sugar, salt, nutrition and health labelling, artificial flavours and colours use for
Coles brand products. It has been found that Coles also participates in several health and
nutrition partnerships which is developing targets for healthier food goods (Keith, 2012).
2.3 Change management
On the contrary, when CS is very good at almost every business function and aspect, the
company also faces challenges in the context of change management at the workplace
(Davies, 2016). It is because when Coles needs to keep growing continuously, they also need
time-to-time changes to be implemented for sustainable business development. In this
context, it has been found that whenever an organization implements changes then employees
and organizational people face challenges while adapting themselves to that implemented
change. Subsequently, Coles also feel challenges and hurdles while adapting to these changes
as an organization (Treagold, 2011). Hence, the change management can be seen as a
probable weakness of the company, for which Coles criticized for. Thus, the chosen company
needs to work upon its change management strategies and techniques so that it can never be a
hurdle for its future business growth and development (Keillor, 2013).
3. Conclusion and Recommendations
In whole, this report has successfully analysed several aspects of the company where the
company is doing good as well as where the company is facing challenges. The in-depth

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analysis of Coles Supermarket suggests that the company is putting excellent efforts into
CSR practices for making our environment liveable and happier. While discussing so, it is
found that Coles is also contributing their huge efforts and resources to the health and
nutrition sector. With the help of this, it has been found that the company is making
partnerships with many of the health and nutrition institutions for making Australians
healthier and happier. Based on this report and analysis, it can be said that Coles’ business-
level strategy is the generation of consumer value with the help of improved quality, lower
prices and fresher manufacturing processes. In addition to that, the business value created by
the Coles Supermarket has been generated with a simplified supply chain that enables cost
optimization with the help of good CSR strategies, health and nutrition and the use of
advanced technologies largely. However, the report has successfully identified one aspect the
chosen company criticized for, which is change management. In this context, it has been
found that implementing change and managing resistance to this change is being difficult for
the Coles Supermarket hence the company needs to work upon the same.
Recommendations
On the basis of the above discussion, some future recommendations are as follows:
Change management
Coles should use five change management strategies which may result in effective change
management at the company. These change management strategies are as follows:
 Redefining cultural values
 Proposing incentives
 Recruiting experts of change implementation
 Exercise authority
 Shifting the change-related burdens
Promoting mental health and well-being lifestyles in communities
Though the company is doing best in the field of healthy lifestyles and improved
communities yet Coles should still work over promoting mental health and well-being
practices all across Australia.
Online stores expansion

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The company should work upon unlocking important opportunities strategically in the field
of online shopping. It is because the embracement of e-commerce is enhancing at a rapid rate
within Australia.
References
Brandonparkcentre, 2019. COLES. [Online] Available at:
https://brandonparkcentre.com.au/retailer/coles/.
Coles, 2019. Coles. [Online] Available at: https://www.coles.com.au/.
Davies, , 2016. The International Business Environment: A Handbook for Managers and
Executives. 1st ed. london: CRC press.
Hamilton, L. & Webster, , 2018. The International Business Environment. 4th ed. london:
oxford university press.
Heinberg, M., Ozkaya, H.E. & Taube, M., 2017. The influence of global and local iconic
brand positioning on advertising persuasion in an emerging market setting. Journal of
International Business Studies, 48(8), pp.1009-22.
Keillor, B., 2013. Understanding the Global Market: Navigating the International Business
Environment. 1st ed. england: praeger.
Keith, S., 2012. Coles, Woolworths and the local. Locale: The Australasian-Pacific Journal
of Regional Food Studies, 2, pp.47-81.
Treagold, T., 2011. A Product Of Evolution. [Online] Available at:
https://www.forbes.com/global/2011/0926/fab-50-11-product-evolution-wesfarmers-
australian-conglomerate-treagold.html#3c29f22c7cf0 [Accessed 2019].