Strategic Management Report: JD Sports Fashion Plc Analysis (2024)

This report provides a comprehensive strategic analysis of JD Sports Fashion Plc, examining its macro-environment through a PESTLE analysis, assessing competitive forces using Porter's Five Forces, and evaluating its product portfolio with a BCG matrix. Additionally, the report includes a SWOT analysis to identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, along with Bowman's strategic positioning model. The analysis delves into political, economic, social, technological, legal, and environmental factors impacting JD Sports. It also explores the bargaining power of suppliers and buyers, the threat of new entrants and substitute products, and the intensity of rivalry within the retail sector. Furthermore, the report offers strategic recommendations for JD Sports Fashion Plc to improve its operations and achieve its business objectives.

STATEGIC MANAGEMENT

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................1
PESTLE Analysis of JD sports Fashion Plc:..............................................................................1
Porters Five Forces on JD...........................................................................................................3
BCG matrix on JD.......................................................................................................................4
SWOT Analysis of JD Plc..........................................................................................................5
Diagram in theory:...........................................................................................................................6
Explaining porter five force model.............................................................................................6
Application to JD:100.................................................................................................................7
How the five forces model works in reality or practice .............................................................7
Conclusion.......................................................................................................................................8
Recommendation.............................................................................................................................9
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................10

INTRODUCTION
Strategic management can be described as continuous planning, monitoring and analysis of
assessments which is very important as well as necessary for JD Plc to achieve its objectives and
goals. The report will cover PESTLE Analysis, Porters Five Forces and BCG matrix of JD sports
Fashion Plc. In addition to this, Bowman’s strategy, SWOT Analysis and Porter’s five forces is
also explained in relation to JD Plc. The report will also describe application of porter five forces
works in reality and practice along with recommendations to improve its operations and other
business activities to accomplish desired goals and objectives.
MAIN BODY
PESTLE Analysis of JD sports Fashion Plc:
PESTLE analysis is a strategic tool for JD plc, which will help the company to analyse
the macro environment of the organisation. Continuous changes in the market will have great
impact not only on the JD sports plc but also on the whole retail sector of sports. The macro
environment factors includes Political, Economical, Social, Technological, environment and
legal factors that can impact the JD sports fashion plc. It is important for the marketing team of
JD sports to make effective strategies in order to be competitive in retail market.
Political factor:
It plays a significant role in planning the strategies for JD Sports Fashion Plc's long term
profitability in certain country or market. As JD plc is operating in more than 10 countries, it has
to face different political environment and risk of that particular countries. Political factor may
affect the survivability of the company (Kolios and Read, 2013). Some political factors that
should be considered are:
 the current political instability in home country UK and EU because of Brexit are
affecting the growth and profitability of the company in UK and EU.
 Changes in taxation and manufacturing laws in different countries can affect the
strategies for production of the goods.
 The political conflict between nations, like increasing trading barriers in EU countries are
making it difficult for import and export of goods.
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Economical factors:
As a well respected medium range product they face less economic factors in market like
others. Still there are some factors like inflation fluctuations, disposable income of customers,
foreign exchange rate and economic cycle that helps in determining the supply and demands of
the company's produc (Kimball, G., 2017)t. The more economic factors like the cost of labour
for JD plc will impact the revenue of the JD plc in that particular market.
Social factors:
The culture and tradition of the country's plays an important role in country's success.
The social factor like shared belief and attitudes of the population play a great role in hoe
marketer of the JD plc will understand the customers of the market, and on the basis of that the
strategies will be made for retail industry consumers. Some of the social factors that will help in
increasing the revenue of the company. Some of them are, as there are growing needs for the
health consciousness of the people they will buy more sports product and sports appeal.
Technological factors:
This factor helps the company to be more innovative in so many different ways. In order
to interacting with customers in order to get their feedbacks as well as their preferences for the
design of the products. With the help of social media, JD plc are using the social mnedia in
effective way to build their brand image.
Legal factors:
JD sports plc has to face number of legal frameworks and regulation of different
countries. In some country laws and institution are not strong enough in order to protect the
intellectual property of the company (Fozer and et.al., 2017). The market of the company should
evaluate the laes and regulation of the country in order to protect the company's secret souse and
overall success of the company in that country.
Environmental factors:
This factors are always an important issue for all sector company. In regarding with the
JD plc there few impacts of environmental on its operations and success. The pollution created
by the mass production of company are facing government norms.
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Porters Five Forces on JD
It is a strategic management tool that helps in analysing the industry and helps in
underlying the main drivers for profitability in an retail sector. The manager of JD plc can use
this strategy to evaluate the competitive forces that influences profitability and develop a strategy
for enhancing JD plc for long term profitability.
Porter Five Forces on JD Sports fashion plc are:
Threat of New Entrants:
With the help of innovation, new ways of going things are increasing. The new fashion
products are creating threat of new entry in market on JD , with the strategy comparatively low
prices, new values proportion to the clients. The management of JD sports plc has to manage all
the challenges related to the threat of new entry (Harding, 2017). The company can overcome
through this challenge by innovative new products and style in their products. By building
economies of scale so as to achieve the optimization in cost effective manufacturing process.
Bargaining Power of supplier:
The company has to buy their raw material from numerous supplier. Suppliers in
dominant position can decrease the margins JD Sports Fashion Plc can earn in the market.
Powerful suppliers in Consumer Services sector use their negotiating power to extract higher
prices from the firms in Retail field. The overall impact of higher supplier bargaining power is
that it lowers the overall profitability of Retail. The management of the JD plc can overcome
through this situation by building an effective supply chain.
Bargaining power of buyers:
With the various choices available in the market. They want to buy the best product in
the most reasonable price from the company offering. This put pressure on JD plc for their long
rum profitability. The smaller and more powerful the customer base is of JD Sports Fashion Plc
the higher the bargaining power of the customers and higher their ability to seek increasing
discounts and offers. JD plc can overcome through this situation by building a strong customer
base in market (Hine and et.al., 2018). JD plc should bring new products with discounting and
other offering in the market in order to attract the customers in market.
Threat of substitute product:
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It poses a threat on JD plc performance as one of the leading player in retail market.
When the new product or services meets similar customer needs, it leads to decrease in the
profitability of the company. The company can overcome from the threat of being substitution
from being service oriented to customers.
Rivalry among the Existing company.
The rivalry between the company's in the market will leads to cut the prices and decrease
the overall profitability of the market. The retail sector is very competitive in which JD fashion
plc operates (Camilleri and Camilleri, 2017). It creates a threat on the overall profitability of the
company in long-run. JD plc can overcome through this situation by building a differentiation in
product, building high scale so that it can compete better.
BCG matrix on JD
This matrix is used to design to help the long-term strategic planning, to help the business
consider growth opportunities. BCG matrix is used for dividing the different segments of the
products and bench mark the performance to the strongest competitors. The BCG matrix of JD
sports plc are:
Cash Cows: These are the product that are the market leader, and bring more of the revenue in
the company, as compare to the cash they consume. These have more market share as compare to
market growth. This provide cash for turning the question mark in cash cow products. The JD plc
has arises 45% of growth of profit across Europe.
Starts: These are the products that generate highest amount of cash in market,but there is the
possibility of these products turning into cash cow for the company, if the growth strategies are
not sustained properly.
Question Mark: These are the problem child of the company, which have the more market
growth as compare to market share, however, if the effective strategies are made by the company
and use efficiently, then the products can be converted into cash cow (Holloway, 2017).
Dog: these belongs to the product of JD plc which are at the break even point for the company
and are not giving cash or revenue to the company.
Bowman’s strategy on JD
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It is a model that helps in exploring the options for strategic positioning of the company
in terms of how a product should be positioned in order to provide competitive position in the
market.
Low price and Low value added: In regards to JD Plc, it is not an effective position for the firm
that the products are not differentiated. In addition, consumers perceive low values and despites
low prices.
Low price: business positiontoning themselves as an effective competitor by delivering low cost
product’s. Cost minimisation strategy is used to become successful in the market.
Hybrid: The position of hybrid includes elements such as low price in relation to competition
including differentiation of products.
Differentiation: The strategy is used to provide higher level of perceived value of products to
customers in the market in which branding has an important role.
Focused differentiation: In this, JD Plc aims to position their products at higher prices where
consumers purchase services just because of high perceived values.
Risky high margins: The strategy is too risky in which argue is doomed to failure eventually.
The firm sets high prices in this strategy without any extra offerings (Mathooko and Ogutu,
2015).
Loss of market share: This position can be described as a recipe for disaster in any competitive
market. The much better option is to provide higher value of the product for the same price from
other competitors.
SWOT Analysis of JD Plc
Strengths: JD, Plc have more reliable suppliers as compare to the others in the market along with
automation of activities that provides consistency of quality to firm. In addition, the firm have
strong distribution network and strong brand portfolio.
Weaknesses: There are some weaknesses also exists in the firm such as there is limited success
outside the core business and some investment is also required for the firm to expand its market.
The profitability ratio and Net Contribution % of JD Sports Fashion Plc are below the industry
average.
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Opportunities: Stable free cash flow provides further opportunities to firm in order to invest in
adjacent services segments. The government restrictions also open opportunity to firm as federal
government contractor (Hill, 2017). Economic uptick and customer spending is also an
opportunity for firm.
Threats: Different liability claims in various countries provide chances to other markets. The
workforce is also not so skilled that certain goals are not achieved by firm sometimes. In
addition, rising prices of raw materials also affect the market and cash flow of business.
Conclusion
It can be concluded from the above report of JD sport fashion Plc that regular changes in the
market will have a great impact not only on the business but also on the whole retail sector of
sports. In addition, manager is also able to use this strategy to evaluate the competitive forces
that influences profits. It is evaluated that BCG matrix is used for dividing the different segments
of the products and bench mark the performances to the strongest competitors in the market.
Recommendation
It is recommended to JD Plc that it should manage its strategies, policies and services
according to the changing environment in politics, social, technology, legal and other
environmental factors. In addition to this, the porter five force analysis also should be managed
according to the market condition to provide products and services to manage profitability and
production. Bowman’s strategy will also help in exploring the options for strategic positioning of
the company in terms of how a product should be positioned. On the other hand, BCG matrix
should be used by JD Plc in order to design services that helps in long-term strategic planning.
This will help business to consider growth opportunities to manage its profitability.
Diagram in theory:
Explaining porter five force model.
It is a simple but very powerful and effective tool in order to understand the
competitiveness of business environment. JD Plc is able to use this model to determine potential
profitability strategy. This will also help to understand forces that affects business profitability.
This tool is created by Michael Porter in 1979 to analyse attractiveness of industry. Competitive
rivalry, supplier power, buyer power, threat of substitution and threat of new entry are the major
elements involved in porter five force model analysis.
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The model takes a little money and effort to enter in the market and also to compete
effectively. In case of little protection and lack of technologies, rivals can easily enter in JD Plc
market (Jarzabkowski and Kaplan, 2015). On the other hand, strong and durable barriers to entry
will help business to preserve a favourable position to take advantage of it.
Application to JD:100
With the help of Porter’s five force model JD plc marketing team can make effective
strategies to overcome these five factors:
1. Threat of new entries:
JD plc can overcome these threat b innovating new products to attract new customer.
They can use their available resources so that they can manufactures the product in cost
effective manner.
2. Bargaining power of supplier:
Jd plc can tackle the bargaining power the supplier by building effective supply chain with
different supplier (Morden, 2016). JD plc can experiment with different design using different
material.
3. Bargaining power of Buyer:
JD can build high customer base of customer. This will be helpful in two ways it will
help in reducing the bargaining power of buyers.
4. Threat of substitute:
JD plc has to be customer oriented and works for satisfying the customer needed and
preferences according to the current market trend.
5. Intense Rivalry among the existing competition.
JD plc should make a differentiation in its product line. It can be building scale so
that it can compete with the existing competition better.
How the five forces model works in reality or practice .
Porters five forces analysis can provide valuable information by three aspects of corporate
planning:
Static Analysis: It looks the industry or market segments as it is present .this aims to understand
the current situation of the company (McKiernan, 2017). The comparison of the competitors
current strategies strength and weaknesses from JD plc to others competitors. With the help of
the five forces model it helps in allowing the company in determine the attractiveness of the
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industry. It helps in providing the insights on profitability that are earn by the company. It helps
in supporting the decisions of entry and exit from the market. the Porter model is used to
compare the impacting forces of the organisation with their impact on the competitors.
Dynamic Analysis: it helps in application of changes that happens in company over time. This
aspects helps in understanding the dynamic analysis that helps in examining the the potential
changes in company as regard to the starting situation. It helps the company to analyse the future
development of the company. Five forces model helps in analysing the insights of the potential
attractiveness of the future market. the expected political , economical socio-demographical and
technology changes helps in influencing the five competitive forces and thus have also the
impact on market structure.
Scope of application of the porters forces model:
These porters model of five competitive forces helps in allowing a systematic analysis of
market structure and competitive situations. The model helps in analysing the industry structure.
It can be applied to particular companies or market segments. In any industry all the companies
has to face the same forces. But the impact of these forces will be vary according to their
strategies, competences and processes of these companies. it is very important to determine the
scope of the market in the starting and than all these market forces will needs to be analysed.
The practice of five forces in real market:
The management of the company can analysis of current and potential future starts of
the five competitive forces. Manager has to search for different options in order to influence
these factors for the sustainable development of the organisation. The objective of the reduce the
power of competitive forces.
Conclusion
It can be concluded from the above report that a fashion business requires a lot of strategies
and plans in order to remain competitive in the market. There are so many things which is
important to consider to enhance profitability and production. It is analysed that JD plc is
operating in various countries that it has to face different political environment and risk of that
particular country. In addition to this, strategic management tool is also useful that it helps in
analysing the industry and helps in underlying the main drivers for profitability in a retail sector.
BCG matrix is also important to use that long-term strategic planning is crucial for dividing the
different segments of services to become stronger in the market to compete others effectively.
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On the other hand, it is concluded that Bowmen strategic model also helps in exploring the
strategic options to positioning of the company. Swot analysis provide information about
strengths, opportunities, threats and weaknesses that helps to make plans to enhance better and
quality services to customers. Porter five force model is also an effective tool that helps to
understand forces that affects business profitability. These are some important elements to be
consider by JD Plc in order to manage and control their production to raise profits. This will
provide strengthen to firm to compete others in the market effectively.
Recommendation
It is recommended to JD Plc to use Porter five force model as their competitive strategy to
provide strengthen to their overall strategies. In addition to this, the model could be used to
identify potential profitability strategy and forces that affects profits. The model can be used as a
durable and strong barrier which will help firm to reserve a favourable position in the market to
take advantage of it. This will provide several benefits to company to enhance their profits and
production.
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