The Competitive Position of Volkswagen in the Global Market - Research Proposal Example

The paper 'The Competitive Position of Volkswagen in the Global Market' is a perfect example of a business research proposal. Volkswagen is considered to be the epitome of German car manufacturing. Considering the brands which it owns, like Audi, Lamborghini, Bentley, Porsche, etc., it can be stated that Volkswagen holds the top position. The company is worth studying due.Its enormous business operation in a severely competitive market and its successful overseas operations in over a hundred countries with seamless cross-cultural management.

Its market strategies and operational methods have led the company to the top position, so studying them will help understand the automobile industry as a whole and grow and sustain it. Volkswagen AG, headquartered in Wolfsburg, Germany, was founded by the German Labour Front in 1937. Martin Winterkorn is the current CEO of the Volkswagen group (Muller, 2013). Volkswagen holds the eighth rank in Fortune 500 list (Fortune, 2014). As of the financial year 2013, the company earned revenue of €197 billion.

In the same year, Volkswagen had a rise in sales and production by 5.6% and 4.2%, respectively, and it also showed its best performance in Asia pacific regions, with a revenue hike of 14.7% (Volkswagen, 2013a). Sule and Edogbanya (2013) stated in their article that a company's revenue generation is the primary determinant of its growth and success. It also improves the economy of the region in which it operates. After its establishment, the company was focused on manufacturing affordable cars, hence the name “Volkswagen”; in German, it means “people’s car.

” Volkswagen started mass producing its most beloved car, the Beetle, after World War II, and it quickly became popular. The production had hit the one million mark between 1945 and 1955. The beetle was a favorite household car of the 60s and 70s because of its practical design and low maintenance charge. In the 1960s, the company made two consecutive acquisitions of Auto Union and NSU (Schilperoord, 2011). The technological expertise of these two companies helped Volkswagen to develop the front-wheel-drive and water cooling systems.