ISYS40091: Strategic Management Report - General Electric Analysis

This report offers a comprehensive strategic management analysis of General Electric (GE). It begins with an executive summary, followed by an overview of the company's history, business strategies (including differentiation and intensive growth), and market penetration tactics. The report then identifies GE's main competitors and provides a critical analysis, focusing on leadership styles, organizational structure and culture, business sustainability, and corporate governance. Macro-environmental factors (political, economic, and social) and micro-environmental factors are examined using PESTEL and Porter's Five Forces models. The analysis compares GE's leadership to competitors like Siemens AG, highlighting strengths and weaknesses in decision-making and organizational structure. The report concludes with recommendations based on cost-benefit analysis and provides a detailed overview of GE's performance within its competitive landscape.

Running head: STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT
Strategic Management
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author note

1
STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT
Executive Summary
The report has helped in analysis of the different kinds of macro and micro environmental
analysis of General Electric Company. With the help of PESTEL and Porter’s Five Forces
Model Analysis, the different kinds of factors are being analyzed which affected the company
in both positive or negative manner. Furthermore, the different kinds of leadership and
organizational culture followed by GE have been analyzed which helped in analyzing the
growth of the company in comparison to the competitors. With the help of the cost benefit
analysis, the different recommendations have been provided which helped in analyzing the
overall efficiency of the firm.

2
STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT
Table of Contents
Background................................................................................................................................3
Company overview and History.............................................................................................3
Business strategies.....................................................................................................................3
Market penetration.....................................................................................................................4
Competitors................................................................................................................................5
Critical analysis..........................................................................................................................6
1.Leadership...........................................................................................................................6
2.Business Organisation and Culture.....................................................................................7
3.Business Sustainability and Growth....................................................................................8
4.Corporate Governance........................................................................................................9
Macro environment....................................................................................................................9
Micro environment...................................................................................................................11
Conclusion and Recommendation............................................................................................12
Conclusion............................................................................................................................12
Recommendations................................................................................................................13
References................................................................................................................................18
Appendix 1...............................................................................................................................21

3
STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT
Background
The report helps in the analysis of the business strategic review of the business
organization named General Electric in different kinds of aspects such as macro and micro
environmental aspects which can affect the growth of the firm in a negative manner. The cost
benefit analysis is required to be analysed which will assist in analysing and estimating the
weaknesses and strengths of the different alternatives in a proper manner. The business
strategies along with the penetration aspects are required to be taken into consideration
wherein the critical analysis should be regarding business organization and culture, growth
along with leadership aspects which will be beneficial for the analysis of the strategic growth
of the firm.
Company overview and History
General Electric Company is one of the American multinational kind of conglomerate
company which is incorporated in New York and the headquarter is in Boston. The company
was founded in the year 1892 in the month of April wherein the founders of the organization
were Thomas Edison and J.P. Morgan. The area served by the organization is the entire world
and the number of employees and the number of employees working in the organization is
313000 till the year 2017. Moreover, the total assets of the company are US$ 377.95 billion
till the year 2017 and this has helped them in becoming highly competitive in the entire
market as well (Ge.com 2018).
Business strategies
The General Electric Company has generic strategies for gaining competitive
advantage which is inclusive of intensive growth strategies that helps in ensuring the growth

4
STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT
of the conglomerate in the entire global market. The Porter’s Generic Forces are being
utilised in order to develop along with maintain the competitive advantage of the firm in a
positive manner.
Generic Strategy
The differentiation strategy is being used by General Electric Company for gaining
the competitive advantage in the entire market. In this respective strategy, the goal of the
organization is to attract the different target customers towards the products which are unique
in nature (Bolden 2016). These are the different products which are being made special
through proper research and development for which GE is known for. In this manner, GE
tries to maximise the overall sales of the organization which is based on the large customer
base. The major objective of the differentiation strategy is to intensify the research and
development approach in which this will be helpful for retaining the customers in the market
efficiently.
Intensive Growth Strategy
On the other hand, the product development strategy is the intensive growth strategy
which is being adopted by General Electric Company’s growth and business. The usage of
the intensive growth strategy is helpful for GE in maintaining high productivity process of
research and development. The product development strategy is the primary approach which
is being adopted by GE in order to focus mainly on uniqueness of the products.
Market penetration
The market penetration is the other secondary strategy in which the organization
grows by increasing the customer base in the current market. Through the help of the
different marketing campaigns, the GE company aims in adding new customers and trying to

5
STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT
correspond accounts as well. In the respective manner, General Electric grows the revenue
base in comparison to the competitive forces. Additionally, the generic strategy related to
differentiation will enable GE in succeeding in implementing the penetration of the market
effectively (Carasco-Saul, Kim and Kim 2015). For instance- With the help of the
competitive advantage, GE tries in penetrating the electric lighting, aerospace along with
healthcare industries. The strategic objective which is being based on market penetration
helps in increasing the aggressiveness in marketing of the different products of the
competitors such as Siemens and 3M (Leroy et al. 2015).
Competitors
There are various competitors in the market of General Electric Company which are
performing in the similar manner in comparison to the respective company. The name of the
competitors of General Electric are as follows:
1. 3M
2. Hitachi
3. Honeywell international
4. Siemens AG
Particulars General Electric Siemens AG
Valuation
Earnings $15.63 $13.5
Cash Flow 1.31 1.21
Price/Book 1.72 0.76
Per share data

6
STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT
Last Dividend 42.97 0.33
Book Value 11.38 -
Revenue 149.06 115.86
Profitability
EBIDTA 37.21 B $ 27.26 B $
Operating Margin 21.10% 21.01%
Gross Profit Margin 51.89% -
Financial Growth
Quick Ratio 7.80 9.40
Current Ratio 1.03 -
From the above table, this can be analyzed that the major competitor of GE is
Siemens AG wherein the growth of the organization is being taken into consideration. This
has been noticed that the core competencies of GE are inclusive of advanced technological
capabilities along with skilled human resources aspect. Furthermore, in comparison to
Siemens AG, the brand GE is equipped with different technological advancements which will
be beneficial for the overall growth of the company in transportation, healthcare, oil and
energy. The gross profit margin of GE is 51.89% which shows that the company is mainly
focusing on the different skilled human resources which are essential for the global success
(MacKie et al. 2014).
Critical analysis
1.Leadership
The General Electronic is one of the most iconic companies in the entire planet and
the consequently at the forefront of the cutting-edge technology. The General Electric

7
STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT
Company uses the innovative application which allows the managers to coach the different
employees in an efficient manner. As per the CEO of the company GE, the major legacies
which is being followed in the respective organization is rewarding the performing
employees as this will be increasing the morale of the employees (D’Innocenzo, Mathieu and
Kukenberger 2016).
Day et al. (2014), have commented that the decision-making process proves to be
very efficient in nature in comparison to the other competitors. However, on the other hand,
in GE this has been noticed that the decision-making process is informal along with
inefficient in nature than the other competitors such as Siemens AG. Doz (2017), has opined
that in order to make the entire process significant in nature, the ideas are required to be
exchanged between the employees and the higher officials.
However, in leadership aspects of GE, this has been noticed that the exchange of ideas
is being done between the officials and there is no such involvement of peers in the decision-
making process (Carasco-Saul, Kim and Kim 2015). In comparison to Siemens AG, this can
be analysed that leadership is participative in nature wherein all the employees are being
involved in the process. In such cases, the leadership of Siemens is easier as this makes the
process of decision-making more efficient in nature in solving the different issues (Ge.com.
2018).
2.Business Organisation and Culture
The GE has divisional kind of organizational structure which is being shown in the
diagram:

8
STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT
Figure 1: Organizational Structure of GE
(Source: Ladegard and Gjerde 2014)
GE is one of the divisional organizational structure in which the different aspects are
decentralized wherein the different teams have their own management teams. Davis and
Maldonado (2015), have commented that the divisional structure of the organization leads to
different kinds of conflicts between the different teams and there can be duplicity of the
various functions which are being performed in the organization (Sosik and Jung 2018).
In the case of GE, this has been noticed that there are various kinds of selfish attitude
among the different employees which is affecting the overall profitability of the firm in a
negative manner (Lussier and Achua 2015). On the other hand, there is inclusion of conflicts
in the organization among the different employees wherein the operations of the organization
are being affected in a negative manner as well. As per the organizational structure of the
organization, this has been seen that the major disadvantage of the same is potential difficulty
of streamlining the strategic development of operating segments or the divisions (Ge.com.
2018).

9
STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT
3.Business Sustainability and Growth
The General Electronic Company needs to analyse the economic and the
environmental sustainability in a proper manner. There is a set up of the proper sustainability
council which is helpful in analysing the different macro and micro environmental aspects
which is affecting the organization in a positive manner. For the electrical companies, Frich
et al. (2015), has commented that sustainability is essential for the maintenance of the value
chain related activities. Furthermore, on the social level, the organization has tried in creating
impact on the economy in comparison to the peers (Carasco-Saul, Kim and Kim, 2015).
There is a huge level of awareness regarding the sustainability functions wherein the
prices of the different products have been reduced to 2% which helped in increasing the sales
of the business (Ng and Feldman 2015). Furthermore, in addition to optimization of the
services, this can be seen and analysed that the electric companies rely on productivity which
has helped GE in developing the equipment and infrastructure of the company in a positive
manner by investing $150 as to develop their infrastructure in such a manner.
4.Corporate Governance
In GE, this has been noticed that the first ethical issue which revolves around is the
actual effort of the Chamber of Commerce in eliminating the whistle blowing program.
However, the respective attempt has caused GE in firing employees due to whistleblowing.
However, GE has claimed that these allegations are hypocritical and they feel that proper
steps are being followed in solving the issue (Storey 2016).
GE never the checks the standards twice before firing the employees in the
organization and this is affecting their overall efficiency in a negative manner as well. The
proper steps are required to be taken into consideration which will be beneficial for the

10
STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT
reduction of the issues in GE. There should be availability of the governmental actions and
this will be helpful in managing the issue (Mendenhall et al. 2017).
Macro environment
Political Factors- The different kinds of political forces have been growing in a
relevant manner in the business world. In the different parts of the world along with in Asian
countries, the different government bodies along with the legal framework are aggressive in
nature in protecting the domestic kinds of organizations (Ilac 2018).
General Electric Company have the supply along with distribution channels located in
the different parts and due to the political instability in the market can have adverse effect on
the distribution channel of the company in a negative manner. However, on the other hand
the unfriendly political environment which can create adverse effect on business which is
operating in the foreign countries (Hoch et al. 2018).
Economic Factors- There is no direct relationship with profitability and the business
growth. The high economic activity relates higher unemployment along with increasing
purchasing power are changing in a negative manner. In the different areas of power and
aviation, GE has seen a sharp performance rise which is due to the better conditions in the
economy (Shamir and Eilam-Shamir 2018).
Social Factors- The different social factors affect the business in different ways as the
business operates based on the geographical segments. The GE has tried investing heavily on
the research and development activities in order to make the different products which can
create low environmental impact. Apart from these, this has formulated different policies in
order to engage the stakeholders in sustainability (Zacher and Rosing 2015).

11
STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT
Technological Factors- The technological factors play a major role in affecting
growth along with expansion of the international business. The General Electric Company
has tried in investing huge amount of money in research and development which has helped
them in becoming competitive in nature. The GE is brand dealing with the advanced
technology in areas of aviation and power which will be helping them in the continuous
improvement and remain ahead of the competitors.
Legal Factors- The environmental factors play increasingly in the context of the
business and the GE is investing in different products and services which are environmentally
friendly in nature. This is mainly focusing on the sustainability down the supply chain
wherein there are different strict rules and regulations for the suppliers which are mandatory
ton be followed by them. There GE company has faced several legal complications n the
global environment in the past scenario. In the present scenario, the GE has faced different
legal challenges.
Environmental Factors- GE is trying to invest in the different products and services
which are environment friendly in nature and this will be beneficial for the overall success of
the firm in a positive manner. The community development programs are the major part of
the increased focus on sustainability which will be beneficial for the overall success of the
firm in a proper manner.
Micro environment
With the help of the Porter’s Five Forces Model Analysis, the different kinds of
threats and the bargaining power of the buyers and suppliers and the new entrants in the
market effectively.
Bargaining Power of Suppliers