Strategic Planning and Competitive Analysis for L'Oreal Company

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of L'Oreal's business strategy. It begins with an introduction outlining the report's objectives and the significance of strategic planning for the company. Task 1 includes a detailed PESTLE analysis, examining the political, economic, social, technological, legal, and environmental factors affecting L'Oreal's operations. It also features a SWOT analysis, assessing the company's strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. Task 2 delves into Porter's Five Forces model to evaluate the competitive environment within the cosmetics and personal care industry. Additionally, the report explores different strategic directions available to L'Oreal, recommending growth strategies and platforms. The report concludes with a summary of findings and recommendations, supported by a list of references.

BUSINESS
STRATEGY

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
TASK 1 ...........................................................................................................................................3
PESTLE and SWOT analysis for organization's capabilities.....................................................3
Porter's Five Forces Model for competitive analysis..................................................................7
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................8
Different types of strategic directions available to organisation with justification and
recommendation of growth strategies and platforms..................................................................8
Strategic management plan for L`oreal.......................................................................................9
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................10
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................11

INTRODUCTION
Business strategy refers to the set of actions as well as decisions taken by a company with
an aim to achieve organisational goals and objectives. Such course of action is largely focussed
at gaining the attention of a large base of customers. Also, it assists in getting a competitive edge
over rivals and strengthening the existing performance of business in order to ensure its long
term sustainability in marketplace (Brewster, 2017). The mission, objectives, vision and goals of
an entity serve as the foundation on the basis of which a strategy is devised by top management
of an organisation. The present report is based upon L`oreal which is a multinational brand
engaged in manufacturing as well as distribution of cosmetics and personal care products to
serve the needs of people globally. It comprises of PESTLE and SWOT analysis to gain an
insight into organisational capabilities. Also, Porter Five Force analysis is done to get
information about firm's competitive environment. Evaluation of different types of strategic
directions available to company along with recommendations for growth strategies are provided.
TASK 1
PESTLE and SWOT analysis for organization's capabilities
Strategic planning is defined as the process of ascertaining as well as declaring the future
planning of an organisation which is a prerequisite for achievement of long terms goals and
objectives of enterprise. This procedure consists of a set of actions which are imperative for a
business to make sure that the overall functioning as well as operations of company is aligned
with their vision and goals and objectives (Jeston, 2014). It can be said to be a 3-5 years long
plan made with the sole aim of increasing the goodwill as well as stake of company within
market. Also, it assists in ensuring the sustainability of company in market for a long period of
time. Strategic planning tends to provide a direction to leaders so as to make them capable of
taking such decisions which affect the operations and functioning of entity at large scale. Such
decisions can be associated with employees, utilisation of resources, operations, processes, tools,
techniques and stakeholders. In all, strategic planning assists the entity in making sure that
activities are conducted across the organisational premises as per the formulated strategy.
L`oreal is one of the top multinational brands which is engaged in product categories
such as skin care, make-up, hair care, sun protection, perfume, hair colour etc. Being a global
brand having various outlets situated across the world, it is immensely necessary for this

enterprise to carry out strategic planning so as to become a leader in cosmetics and personal care
industry by continuing to provide high quality products to people spread throughout the globe. In
today's modern world where brand rivalry is on rise, it is essential for L`oreal to gain an insight
into the internal as well as external environment of business. A number of companies are
increasingly gaining entry into the cosmetic and personal care range industry situated within UK
which enhances the element of risk for L`oreal. Thus, this organisation keeps in consideration the
internal and external environmental factors which impact upon the operations of this business
entity in long run.
PESTLE Analysis
It is a strategic analytical tool used by an entity to gain in-depth knowledge of external
business environment. The top management of L`oreal is conducting PESTLE analysis to
determine the external capabilities of business, as described beneath:-
Political Factors: This examines the magnitude of government intervention in the
functioning as well as operations of business taking into account the acts passed by law. In this
context, UK government is highly stable which indicates that the rules and laws passed by them
for cosmetics and personal care industry remain consistent from year to year. L`oreal is a top
brand which recognises the importance of adhering to political legislations in order to avoid any
fines or punishments being levied upon them. The products provided by L`oreal across the globe
does not comprise of any harmful or dangerous constituents which can affect health or skin of
people. Further, animal testing of products is banned within UK which may create hurdles for
company (Chang, 2016). L`oreal is capable of complying with all the laws and legislations
passed by UK government and not getting indulged in illegal activities so as to avoid prosecution
or penalty.
Economic Factors: An entity functioning as a part of a country's economy is posed to
various economic factors such as inflation, interest rate, currency rates etc. In the present context,
the UK economy is affected by the large scale outcomes of Brexit in terms of currency
fluctuations. In addition to this, inflation has also substantially risen within the country
consequently implying an increase in manufacturing and distribution costs. Within UK, the GDP
of cosmetic sector has witnessed significant growth over a period of last some years which is
fruitful for L`oreal. This company is capable of coming up with more products within cosmetics
and personal care range so as to get an edge over competitors.

Social Factors: This comprises of the norms, values, beliefs, ideologies and traditions of
population within a country. L`oreal is one of the leading brands across the globe within
cosmetics and personal care sector. The primary reason behind this is that the enterprise
produces and distributes only those products which possess the potential of taking the company
to heights and fulfilling the needs and preferences of consumers. In addition to this, L`oreal
invests a large amount in analysing the latest trends and tastes of people in order to launch such
products in market which can give a boost to the current position of company within UK. There
are some ingredients that are used widely within cosmetics which are considered as holy sin
(Goffee and Scase, 2015) L`oreal is capable of taking this into account and using only such
components which gain acceptance from public.
Technological Factors: With efflux of time, various advancements have taken place
within cosmetics and personal care industry. L`oreal is a multinational brand having outlets
spread across the globe and thus, it is capable of manufacturing and launching innovative
products or utilising unique and exceptional technology to gain an edge over rivals in UK
market. Further, the company invests a handsome amount in R&D to gain an insight into the
latest techniques and processes being used by competitors within same sector so as to utilise a
more advanced technology (Chen and Jermias, 2014). The managers of L`oreal understand the
significance of embracing digital transformation to become a leader in market and thus, the
products manufactured by company prevail at e-commerce portals such as Amazon, Superdrug,
Boots, Very, Feelunique etc. Thus, L`oreal has been utilising the right technology at the most
appropriate time and is capable of continuing to do so in order to maintain its position in global
market.
Legal Factors: A number of laws and legislations are posed by law upon the entities and
businesses have to ensure that they abide by these to avoid any legal action. Over years, L`oreal
has been targetting the upper middle class or the elite section of society. Such segment of
population within UK is highly aware of the legit norms and consider this element before making
a decision to buy the products of any company. Thus, L`oreal is capable of complying with
legislation to enhance the revenues of enterprise. The UK government has banned the use of
certain chemicals which may be hazardous for skin or health of people and the company has
taken this into consideration.

Environmental Factors: This element examines the extent to which the company carries
out activities and procedures which are in interest of environment and future generations. The
world has become aware of the need for conserving nature and thus, businesses also take this
into account. In this regard, L`oreal is one of the leading brands which ensures that there is lead
emission of pollution while conducting manufacturing of products so as to contribute their part in
preservation of environment. Further, the company has restrained the use of such substances or
ingredients in the products which can cause harm to skin or health of customer and even
possessed the probability of cancer in people using those items (Jeston, 2014). L`oreal has also
publicly revealed the names of their fragrant chemicals in order to avoid any legal action.
Company is capable of undertaking campaigns which can result in conservation of environment.
SWOT Analysis
This is yet another strategic analysis and planning tool which assists an enterprise in
gaining in-depth knowledge of internal environment of business. The manager of L`oreal has
conducted SWOT analysis to gain knowledge about the internal capabilities of company.
Strengths Weaknesses

 L`oreal is one of the top brands within
the cosmetics and personal care
industry and is capable of introducing
more such products or product ranges
which can take the company to new
heights.
 L`oreal is currently operating in 150
international countries with over 40
manufacturing plants. This company is
capable of expanding its reach to more
locations where at present their goods
are unavailable.
 L`oreal taps the advantage of digital
transformation and collects revenues
through its presence on e-commerce
websites.
 L`oreal has a decentralized
organisational structure. There a large
number of sub-divisions of this entity.
Also, the employee count to handle
such divisions is approximately 70,000.
This reflects huge human capital
expenditure owing to large quantum of
sub-divisions (Jocovic and et. al.,
2014). L`oreal is capable of devising an
effective strategy to deal with this.
 Loreal faces massive competition from
brands like Mac, Lancome, Elemis,
Espa. The company is capable of
launching innovative and unique
products that can significantly reduce
this threat.
Opportunities Threats
 L`oreal is capable of expanding its
operations into developing economies
so as to enhance their global brand
recognition.
 The enterprise is also capable of
producing new products or ranges
within cosmetics industry to enhance its
existing leading position within global
market.
 Owing to large scale rivalry within
cosmetics and personal care industry,
company may face the threat of
substitution from other unique brands.
L`oreal is capable of introducing
innovative and creative products to gain
customer satisfaction and high stake in
marketplace.
Porter's Five Forces Model for competitive analysis
The manager of L`oreal has utilised Porter Five Force Model to examine and analyse the
competitive environment within cosmetics and personal care industry in UK.

Threat of new entrants: The amount of funds required to develops cosmetic as well as
personal care products which can meet the high profile needs of people within UK is high
(Klettner, Clarke and Boersma, 2014). Besides this, pricing, marketing and quality of the goods
are also to be ensured by new entrants. This tends to lower down the overall risk of entry of new
companies in cosmetic and personal care sector which is significantly advantageous for L`oreal.
Competitive Rivalry: The extent of competition prevailing with cosmetic and personal
care industry is high. The rivals present within this sector are Espa, Mac, Elemis, Maybelline.
Dior, Chanel, Urban Decay etc. The presence of such quantum of business enterprises within this
industry tends to reduce the overall growth and profitability of companies such as L`oreal. Thus,
L`oreal should concentrate upon quality and pricing of products.
Threats of Substitutes: Owing to the presence of a number of leading and strong brands
such as Chanel, Mac, Lancome, Estee Lauder within this industry, the risk associated with
substitution of brands is very high (Laudon and Traver, 2016). In order to deal with this, L`oreal
should introduce innovative and unique products at regular time intervals which will strengthen
the brand position and reputation in UK marketplace.
Bargaining Power of Buyers: Owing to the availability of various choices within
cosmetics and personal care range, buyers enjoy high bargaining power within this sector.
Further, as the same products are available in different brands, customers can significantly make
the manufacturers such as L`oreal reduce the prices of products.
Bargaining Power of Suppliers: Cosmetic industry has significantly low bargaining
power of suppliers. This is due to the presence of large number of market players and
manufacturers who provide diverse products to customers (Lawton, 2017). This may become a
hassle for L`oreal in short term but in long term, company has contacts with a number of vendors
which relatively reduces the risk for enterprise.
TASK 2
Different types of strategic directions available to organisation with justification and
recommendation of growth strategies and platforms
Strategic decisions refer to the course of action taken by an enterprise taking into account
the internal and external business environment as well as the interface between them. These are
generally taken based upon the vision, strategies, goals, objectives and mission of company with

the prime motive of achieving the desired outcomes. Growth strategies are the decisions taken by
an enterprise to execute development of company's operations and functions across the globe.
Further, growth platforms refer to the initiatives undertaken by an enterprise to enhance the
profitability and growth of company in marketplace (Jocovic and et. al., 2014).
In this regard, L`oreal is a leading brand having its global presence in 150 countries.
They are exposed to various internal and external threats owing to the quantum of sub divisions
of company and massive rivalry within cosmetic and personal care industry respectively. Thus,
following are certain strategies that can be adopted by L`oreal to deal with the before mentioned
challenges:-
Market Penetration: This is a strategy that can be utilised by L`oreal to sell its existing
products within their current markets. This strategy will assist the enterprise in increasing the
stake and name of the brand in the existing market (Peng, 2017). Over years, L`oreal is targetting
the upper middle class or the elite section of global society and thus, the charges are relatively
high. The company can significantly reduce the prices of products to attract lower middle class
segment.
Market expansion: Also referred to as market development, this strategy enables an
enterprise to offer existing products to new geographies. This may possess an element of risk as
huge investment is required to facilitate expansion into new countries. Yet the probability of
gaining success for L`oreal is also high. By applying this strategy, company can significantly
enhance its revenues and profits by tapping the advantage of increased reach (Scholes, 2015).
Product expansion: Here, company launches new products in current market. With the
passage of time, L`oreal is known to be an organisation which introduces unique products at
regular intervals to gain maximum customer satisfaction. L`oreal is capable of expanding its
perfume segment or entering the style accessories section to gain the attention of people and
enhance its sales.
Diversification: As per this strategy, an organisation tries to expand their stake by
introducing new products within new markets. Diversification tends to raise the cost of
investment for L`oreal as product development and expansion both are expensive procedures.
Thus, L`oreal adopts a number of marketing and advertising strategies to keep healthy
relationship with customers in order to lure them to make a purchase (Strategies of L`oreal,
2018).

To make sure that the products manufactured by L`oreal gain high recognition within
UK, it is essential that managers of this company undertake certain effective initiatives which
can substantially lead to increase in sales and profits of enterprise. For expanding the share of
L`oreal in market, it is recommended that organisation should adopt market penetration.
Consequent to the execution of this strategy, the revenues as well as profits of enterprise will
increase. Owing to the already established image and position of company in its existing
markets, L`oreal is capable of tapping the advantage of market penetration to attract a larger
quantum of population by rendering products with high value addition. This will differentiate the
goods sold by entity from its rivals and provide a strategic edge to organisation in marketplace
(Wheelen and et. al., 2017).
Strategic management plan for L`oreal
Strategic management plan is a tool used for communicating the vision, mission, values,
goals, strategies of an enterprise to employees and other key stakeholders in order to ensure that
the behavioural characteristics of all are aligned towards the common objective. This is the key
to success and growth of a company. In this regard, following is a strategic management plan
devised by L`oreal to communicate various key aspects associated with enterprise to
stakeholders:-
Aim: To increase the magnitude of operations of company in existing markets.
Organisational structure: L`oreal follows and executes a decentralised structure with the
presence of a number of sub-divisions to handle the various processes of company.
Vision: To become a global leader within the cosmetics and personal care industry.
Mission statement: To offer products with high quality and value addition to ensure
maximum customer satisfaction.
Values: L`oreal is a French brand possessing high beliefs such as honesty, integrity,
respect, transparency and conducts activities in an ethical manner (Spender, 2014).
Goals: The short-term goal of L`oreal is to focus upon pricing and quality of products to
gain maximum satisfaction from consumers. The long-term goal is to enter into developing
markets which possess the potential of increasing revenues and profits of enterprise.
Strategies and tactics: L`oreal is going to make use of market penetration to attract the
attention of a large base of audience within the current markets of company. This will provide a
competitive advantage to the enterprise as it already possess a loyal customer segment. The

tactics of entity will be to introduce products with high quality and low price to meet the tastes
and preferences of consumers.
CONCLUSION
From the above report, it has been concluded that strategic planning is of prime
significance to an enterprise to make sure that goals and objectives are achieved in a timely
manner. Also, it is assessed that business performance of an enterprise needs to be in accordance
with the formulated plans and strategies in order to ensure the sustainability of company in
marketplace. Besides this, SWOT analysis demonstrated that the organisation is capable of
launching unique and innovative products within personal care range. PESTLE analysis
indicated that this enterprise is capable of producing goods as per the advanced tools and
techniques to gain an edge over competitors in marketplace. Further, Porter Five Force analysis
portrayed that there is low threat of new entrants in cosmetics industry.