Global Business Environment (BM461): Marks and Spencer SWOT Analysis

This report presents a comprehensive analysis of Marks and Spencer, encompassing a SWOT analysis and an examination of its operational impacts. The SWOT analysis identifies the company's strengths (clear brand image, private labels, diversity, and multi-channel presence) and weaknesses (inability to penetrate foreign markets, customer satisfaction, and supply chain scalability). Opportunities include new market segments, particularly in Asia, where there's demand for traditional wear. Threats include global competition and environmental factors. The operational impact analysis explores how key drivers from the SWOT analysis affect functional areas such as Human Resource Management (HRM) and Research and Development (R&D). The HR department can leverage the SWOT analysis to develop strategic plans, focusing on employment branding, turnover management, compensation, and safety standards. The R&D department should focus on capturing the Asian market by introducing traditional and ethnic wear, diversifying products, and leveraging new technologies. References include journal articles and books related to innovation, product development, and business strategy.

Case

INTRODUCTION
Marks and Spencer is an organisation which started in the year 1884 by Michael Sparks and
Leeds Spencer. This company is having market share of approximately 10 million. The main
vision of the company is to become standardised maybe fact in the fashion industry.
MAIN BODY
Portfolio Paper 2: SWOT Analysis
SWOT of Marks and Spencer
SWOT analysis is a framework used by the companies in order to analyse opportunity’s as well
as effective strategies that can be used for sustaining in market (Tanev, Rasmussen and
Zijdemans, (2015)). In context of Marks and Spencer, SWOT analysis is mentioned below:
Strength:
 Clear brand image: this company positions itself as a high end value product which is
targeting premium segment. This company is involved in managing the business
operations within market since several years.
 Private labels: Marks and Spencer is a premium brand which is associated with several
other brands including Vera Moda, Louis Vuitton, Versace. This provides an effective
way for Marks and Spencer to customer satisfaction.
 Diversity: Marks and Spencer is an organisation that has approximately 80,000
employees and IT company encourages diversity. There are people from different
religions, athletices and genders were coming together and working.
 Multi channel presence: this is a company which is involved in operating across the
world by having different store and 910 out of them in UK.
Weaknesses of Marks and Spencer
Inability for penetrating successfully in foreign markets: this company is primarily having
presence in UK, Europe and United States (Tian and et.al, (2015)). It has opened stores in Asia
and Middle East.
 Customer satisfaction: there is low satisfaction among customers of Marks and Spencer
in respect to the return policy. This company is having poor brand loyalty and increased
brand switching.

 Supply chain scalability: this is weakness of company in which there is poor scalability of
supply chain. This company is not able to provide products and items globally through
mark and ising and online stores.
Opportunities of Marks andSpencer
 New segments : fashion is an ravages evolving within market. There are ways to this
company which will help in introducing new segments on regular basis will stop in Asia,
there is a demand for ethnic and traditional fearful stop Marks and Spencer can evolve its
market share in Asian countries by introducing traditional wear.
Threats of Marks and Spencer
 This is a company Which is working globally. There are several threat which this
company is also facing. Some of these are related to environmental factors will stop it
diminishes business profitability. There is also huge competition in fashion industry for
stop Marks and Spencer is one of the organisation that is evolving in the clothing sector
in which there is high competition with Zara, Tommy Hilfiger, united colours of
Benetton and many more.
Portfolio Paper 3: Operational Impact Analysis
which functional areas such as; Marketing, HRM, Operations, Finance, or R&D.
Key drivers from SWOT analysis and relation to human resource management
SWOT analysis is a useful tool which is used for developing strategic plan for HR
Department. The human resource Department of Marks and Spencer analyses mission, agenda of
the company by conducting a SWOT analysis. HR team considers strength of the company and
develops strategic planning. In Marks and Spencer at your Department focuses upon the
following factors goal on
 A successful employment branding strategy
 Effective turnover management
 A competition compensation philosophy
 High safety standards
The human resource Department considers the weakness of Marks and Spencer that is brand
loyalty. In Asian markets, there will benew launching of stores which will help in increasing the
market share in that area. SWOT analysis is more simplified for the HR management in order to

establish tactics and strategies which will help in maximising outcomes. When the Department is
pursuing an identified opportunity then strength and weakness are able to overcome and help the
organisation to achieve the mission.
Research and development of Marks and Spencer
Research and development is the Department which focuses upon strategic development of
the company in order to complete the organisational goal attainment. In context of Marks and
Spencer, it is seen that this company is not able to capture the Asian market. That is why the
research and development programme has evaluated from sort analysis that this company must
focus upon the success in Asian market. A new strategy will be conducted in this area by
introducing traditional and ethnic wear. Product development is the only way by which Marks
and Spencer can manage the effectiveness of working within market. Marks and Spencer can
also use diversification of products in Asian markets will stop it can start dealing in food,
furniture, wine and other financial products. Deep business of financial services can make good
cash flow for the company. That is why it will also help in increasing the brand name awareness
who stop there are lots of drivers of Marks and Spencer in the business environment. That is why
Business Research and development can help in enhancing the company’s reputation and loyalty
within market. There are also several changes within consumer demands as well as lifestyle. That
is where there is opportunity within new markets and consumers for Marks and Spencer. New
technologies can also be used by Marks and Spencer as it is dealing in retailing method. There
are lots of IT services which can be introduced by Marks and Spencer for innovating the new
fashion to consumers. This company can also provide suppliers more effective products which
are environmentally friendly. This will help in increasing customer satisfaction and brand
reputation.

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Tanev, S., Rasmussen, E.S. and Zijdemans, E., (2015). Product innovation and
commercialization in lean global start-ups: the challenges of turning uncertainties into risks.
In 22nd Innovation and Product Development Management ConferenceInternational Product
Development Management Conference. Proceedings. European Institute for Advanced
Studies in Management.
Tian, P., Wei, Y., Ye, M., & Liu, Z. (2015). Methanol to olefins (MTO): from fundamentals to
commercialization. Acs Catalysis, 5(3), 1922-1938.
Tolikas, M., Antoniou, A., & Ingber, D. E. (2017). The Wyss Institute: A new model for medical
technology innovation and translation across the academic‐industrial interface.
Bioengineering & translational medicine.
Weng, B., Grice, C. R., Ge, J., Poudel, T., Deng, X., & Yan, Y. (2018). Barium Bismuth Niobate
Double Perovskite/Tungsten Oxide Nanosheet Photoanode for High‐Performance
Photoelectrochemical Water Splitting. Advanced Energy Materials, 8(10), 1701655.