Strategic Management Report: Marks & Spencer, MGT 6800 Analysis

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of the strategic management practices of Marks & Spencer (M&S). It begins with an introduction to strategic management and its application within M&S, followed by an examination of the company's current strategies. The main body of the report delves into M&S's strategic methods of development, analyzing their significance. It then evaluates the leadership styles employed by M&S, focusing on transformational and transactional approaches. The report also explores change management initiatives using Lewin's model and assesses sustainability efforts. The analysis includes PESTEL and SWOT analyses to understand the external and internal environments impacting M&S. Finally, it provides recommendations and concludes with a summary of the key findings, referencing the provided assignment brief and case study.

Strategic management

Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................3
M&S strategy..........................................................................................................................3
Method of development..........................................................................................................4
Analyse and evaluate the leadership style of Marks and Spencer..........................................6
Change management..............................................................................................................6
Sustainability..........................................................................................................................8
Recommendations:...........................................................................................................................8
Conclusion.......................................................................................................................................9
REFRENCES.................................................................................................................................10

INTRODUCTION
Strategic management is determined as a procedure of administration function that
focuses on planning as well as organising resources in such a way that help in making
appropriate strategy in an appropriate manner. The strategy adopted to make appropriate
planning & formulation related to technique that help organisation to adopt administration to
increase level of productivity (Michael, Storey and Thomas, 2017). The primary purpose of
strategic administration is to improve and execute plan for current and future time period so that
subordinate increase their awareness regarding what required to be performed. This report will
describe administration criteria related to Marks and Spencer. It is biggest manufacturer retailing
organisation that is given in year of 1884 by Michael marks & Thomas Spencer. This
organisation is considered as a dealer of variety of goods such as food, clothing, household and
many more. This assignment will determine all operations of organisation that focuses on
analysing micro and macro elements for making their goods to their customer as a priority and
achieving competitive advantage over rivalries at marketplace. They also focus on discussion
regarding SWOT, PESTEL approach for improving and change administration is also evaluated.
MAIN BODY
M&S strategy
Marks and Spencer emphasized on tactics of organisation and make appropriate execution
into operation. The organisation focuses on achieving competitive advantage over rivalries at
marketplace. The company adopt strategy into different aspects that involve implementation of
existing or present resources into appropriate manner and achieve competitive edge to maintain
base of customer within organisation. Furthermore, the other strategies adapted to its workforce
by motivating them along with transformational style and also they focus on perform their
business operations in an appropriate manner. In addition to this, the organisation also provides a
discussion regarding external forces to improve plan in an appropriate manner. And also the
organisation focuses on bring innovative product in context of production that help in adjusting
into dynamic workplace. These kind of strategy focuses on making ensure that it is necessary to
provide sustainable growth to organisation in order to satisfy changing needs of user. For
example the organisation use leadership style to motivate subordinate in respect of innovation
and generating creativity that help in enhancing digital source as well as exploit e-commerce

industry into organisation. It is important for expanding business organisation in innovative
market (Barca, 2017). The offer qualitative goods to its customers that is determined as a main
task of organisation which focuses on providing goods and to conduct market research that help
in maintaining appropriate relation with user during particular phase of time period.
Method of development
Improvement is necessary for growth in context of Marks and Spencer these method or
they could use to PESTEL analysis. This focuses on analysing external factor that is helpful for
organisation to take decisions.
PESTEL analysis this will involve most appropriate element for give accurate analysis
related to external atmosphere of company that is given below:
Political factor: These factor is divided into various government regulation, change in
rate of taxation, custom duties as well as so on. These elements of organisation work atmosphere
get affected and regulate these kinds of changes into operation. Marks and Spencer has impacted
positively by using free trade policy that helps in distribute their product into growth Due to
change in Bruit amendments, the overall scenario related to revenue as well as effect of tariff
procedure through which business organisation required to push their price and that result in
increase in price.
Economic factor: It get affected by demand as well as supply fluctuation and many
more. This factor is based on functions of business organisation that negatively affect economy.
Marks and Spencer required to be cost appropriate for generating appropriate response in respect
of image otherwise that hurdle arise in success and growth of organisation.
Socio-cultural factors: These elements signify social as well as cultural aspects related
to society and display demand of customer and changing trend at marketplace (Ketchen and
Craighead, 2020). The organisation gets benefit or advantages of enormous profit and expands
their business during the period of time. In context of Marks and Spencer, they required to bring
innovation in order to satisfy its user that will advantages to diversifying segment related to
product.
Technological factor this element involves in respect of technological opportunity and
also executes practical aspects related to Marks and Spencer and also uses online selling by
which they get advantages along with user and increasing rate of turnover.

Legal factor: The organisation focuses on run their business for better growth during
particular phase of time period. It involves laws and also the act in respect of discrimination,
equality and many more. Marks and Spencer focuses on undertaking all these kind of laws in
order to perform their work in better way.
Environmental factor: These elements signifies the benefit by reducing pollution as
well as wastage through production of business organisation. The marks and Spencer adopt
strategy to recycle waste material that creates positive image in society.
Internal environment could easily be assessed by SWOT analysis it signifies 4 elements
that is going to be mentioned below:
SWOT analysis
STRENGTHS WEAKNESSES
 The main advantages Marks and
Spencer is due to having a well-
established name of brand it attracts
large number of user.
 Due to having a strong or superior
financial position that help in
conducting appropriate research in an
appropriate manner.
 The organisation has inefficient goods
distribution channel that lead to
decrease in sales.
 The organisation possesses outdated
goods that are not according to
preferences of user results in lack of
retention of user.
OPPORTUNITIES THREATS
 Innovative product improvement is
superior opportunity to expand their
business.
 The organisation should also easily
capture larger market share by
recruiting appropriate employees.
 Due to similar goods segment and
options for its user, the organisation can
find a lot of competition during
particular phase of time period.
 Due to having regular changes that is
determined as a main threat of
organisation

Analyse and evaluate the leadership style of Marks and Spencer
M & S deals with in the international market and it is a renowned brand that provide
quality to its customer which is one of the main reason of its success and growth at marketplace
(Baumgartner and Rauter, 2017). The company have developed and adopt different leadership
styles that are more compatible and suitable with the industry environment through leading the
employees and team members performing within the organization. The leaders of Marks and
Spencer make use of various leadership styles within object if to enhance the performance and
maintain its productivity at marketplace. The analysis of leadership style of Marks and Spencer
are given below:
Transformational leadership style:
This form of leadership style in Marks and Spencer are associated with the pro-active
approach, wherein employees put efforts and is guided by leaders in order to achieve objectives
within this stupid time. Transformation leadership style inspiring the staff members to become
proactive, motivated and time oriented towards their goals. In addition to this, it also help in it is
important for leaders to develop and effective planning for applying such leadership styles so
that all the staff members executed in a proper manner.
Transactional leadership style:
In this type of leadership, leaders promote compliance to the employee through rewards
and punishments. With the help of this, employees are motivated and improved their productivity
level. With reference to Marks and Spencer, it is determined that the company is presently using
transactional leadership style because of their working structure and are more focused towards
developing the culture that motivates staff members to achieve objectives by performing specific
task in a proper manner (Holloway, 2018). The respective organization make use of bureaucracy
approach in order to maintain the aspects and dedication of employees towards work. This
leadership style help company to motivate its employees and improve their living standard and
satisfaction level.
Change management
In every organization, change is required in order to sustain and retain at marketplace for
longer time period. It is determined that without change an organization could not grow fine
work according to the government policies, changing customer requirements and market trends,
technologies and so on. Marks and Spencer is facing change due to Brexit policies on it impact

on its cost as well as prediction. The evaluation of how Marks and Spencer has facing such
challenges of Brexit into the economic factors. The economic changes reflect on the inflation
rate due to which the buying power of customers is declined (Weiss, 2017). These things not
only impact on the societies but also impact on the internal environment strategy of company
which is now required to be changed as per the market requirements.
In order to manage such change, Marks and Spencer has decided to make use of lewin's model of
change that involves three major steps of change. By this, organization undertake the positive
acquisition of environmental crisis an improved operations to being effective and qualitative.
The lewin's model of change is given below:
Lewin's model of change:
It is one of the planned approach that is relevant with the present scenario of respective
organization. As per Lewin’s, change for an organization or individual is a difficult journey that
may not be simple and involved different stages of transitions or misunderstanding prior to
attaining the stage of stability or equilibrium. The three steps of model is given below in relation
to Marks and Spencer:
Unfreeze: It is the first step of transition and is considered as one of the critical stages
within the entire process of change management. It include enhancing the readiness and the
willingness of people to make change by fostering a realization for moving out from the existing
situation (PHORNLAPHATRACHAKORN and Khajit, 2020). Herein, the higher authorities of
Marks and Spencer is required to focus on that effective communication is take place among the
employees on senior authoritie’s so that of new methods of working is easily accepted that will
lead to development of positive and effective results.
Change: Here in, the actual execution of change take place an includes the acceptance of
new methods to perform the activities. It is the stage in which staff members are unfrozen, and
the actual changes executed. At the time of this stage, it is significant for Marks and Spencer to
effectively plan, communicate and encourage the involvement of employees in order to endorse
the change. Moreover, it is also important for company to focus on declining the level of
uncertainties and consequences that take place between the changing process.
Freeze: It is the last stage and here in people move from the change to a more stable
situation. It is the ultimate stage in which employees internalize or accept the new methods of
working change and established new relationships. In order to strengthening the new behaviour

or method of change, it is required by Marks and Spencer to provide employees rewards,
appreciation and recognitions as it can help in reinforcing the transform methods of working.
Sustainability
It emphasize on meeting with the requirements of present without compromising the
capability of future generations to meet the requirements. Sustainable business strategy is
defined as the integration of environmental, economic and social objectives into an
organizational activities, goals and planning with the objective of developing long-term value for
the form, society and its stakeholders. In addition to this, sustainability strategies our efforts and
glands that a company puts into place in order to remain for longer time and deal with the going
concern. It involved employee development, systematic improvements, corporate governance an
innovation as well (Köseoglu, 2019). In relation to Marks and Spencer, the company focuses on
developing effective sustainability strategies in order to enhance it’s brand image and maintain
performance within the marketplace. For this, Marks and Spencer releases office for
sustainability program that is plan A 2025. The respective organization unveiled plan A 2025, an
improved and new sustainability strategy which builds on the organization previous success at
the time of addressing communication gap that exists among the consumers and brand.
This plan takes a three pillar approach to the future, emphasizing on colleague and customer
wellbeing, communities and transforming lives and caring for the planet. This plan supports the
organization bid to become a loyal sustainable retailer by key actions targeting each emphasize
area, like a sustainable sourcing, increasing 25 million for charity as well as having food waste
across within its operations by 2025. In order to achieve it, Martin Spencer packaging wildly
recyclable by the year 2022, focusing on declining greenhouse gas emission by 70% as
compared to 2007 levels (Cavicchi and Vagnoni, 2018). All this will help company to remain
sustainable and trustworthy brand at marketplace.
Recommendations:
After analyzing the above discussion, some of the suggestions is given to the higher
authorities of Marks and Spencer, which are as follows:
 It is suggested to the organization to focus on change management due to their large
operations across the country to execute this aspects of change management in relation of

any operational change associated with pricing as they have to strategically execute this
change in order to cope up with it.
 In addition to this, it is recommended to the company to focus on evaluating the
performance of employees as it will help in making improvements and proper execution
of activities which in turn impact on its productivity and profitability.
 The company is required to focus on employment structure in order to induce more
employees as it is determined that company have poor channel of supply.
 Moreover, it is recommended to company to develop effective strategies by analyzing the
market trends and policies as it will help company to deal with the changes that take
place in market due to technology, government policies and many more (Rudaya, 2019).
Conclusion
From the above study, it has been concluded that strategic management help an organization
to manage its overall resources and maintain its performance I’m productivity level. In addition
to this, with the help of pestle analysis and SWOT analysis the company is able to develop
effective strategies and analyze its opportunities as well as threats associated with it. It is
important for the company to focus on change and make use of appropriate change management
models so that all the activities associated with transforming changes will be implemented in a
proper manner. The organization develop sustainable strategies within objective to enhance its
brand image and retain at marketplace for longer time period.

REFRENCES
Books and Journal
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management to develop a sustainable organization. Journal of Cleaner Production, 140,
pp.81-92.
Holloway, S., 2018. Changing planes: A strategic management perspective on an industry in
transition. Routledge.
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administration relations for NPM-related reforms in German local governments. Public
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