Case study 2 - Coursework Example

Taking into account the inferences drawn from the SWOT analysis, a comparative analysis of Zara and H&M have been conducted so as to provide Caifu with rational suggestions and recommendations to select either Zara or H&M, when opting for collaboration in the targeted European market. Table of Contents Executive Summary 2 Introduction 4 Company Profile 5 Zara 5 H&M 6 SWOT Analysis of Zara and H&M 7 Zara 7 H&M 9 Comparative Analysis of Zara and H&M 11 Conclusions and Recommendations 12 References 13 Introduction Since the past three years, globalisation has evidently ignited a more advanced and internationalised fashion sense and has diverted the customers towards the fashion industry by a substantial extent.

Consequently, cultural values, consumer changing purchasing behaviours, consumer preferences, and willingness of purchase towards fashion merchandises has been the most critical issues faced by the contemporary managers today, in the retail sector of the industry. Based on the fact, the contemporary organisations have been largely observed to implement customer-centric market strategies to improve and attract the purchase behaviours of the consumers on the way to the fashion products (Bianchi & Birtwistle, 2010).

In addition to these contributing factors, fashion shows in television, fashion advertisements, promotion of fashion apparels by celebrity models and superstars, in-store displays of fashionable clothes and organising fashion events in urban shopping malls have developed the consumer fashionable behaviours among consumers and thus can be regarded as another driving force in the industry since the past three years. Such kind of interactive and attractive marketing strategies of fashion apparels have shown junction of traditional and contemporary values (Rajagopal, 2012).

Another the prime driver of the consumer behaviour towards the fashion apparels is the dominance of the social interactions. The relationship between the apparels and identity has come out as the result of various social interactions. In other words, apparels have become an opportunity and medium to represent individuals as a new identity of the person within the past few years (Pentecosta & Andrewsb, 2010). Additionally, the strategy of the younger generation of fashion fanship and impulse buying to stand apart from their predecessors and other fellow consumers also act as a driver towards the divergence of the fashion industry (Holmberg & Ohnfeldt, 2010).

Also the buying patterns of the consumers have shifted from low-pricing brands to high brand fashion markets that have been established in to family environment, which also act as a few noteworthy driving forces in the industry to change consumer behaviour (Pentecosta & Andrewsb, 2010). It is worth mentioning in this context that the way an organisation manages these driving forces, determine their strengths and weaknesses in the current fashion retailing industry context. Accordingly, in this paper, a comparative evaluation of Zara and H&M will be conducted with the intention to suggest Caifu regarding its further initiative of collaboration with either of these retail brands to penetrate the European market.

Company Profile Zara Zara was founded in 1975 by Amancio Ortega Rosalia Mera as a Spanish company situated in Arteixco, Galicia. It is one of the largest international fashion retailers, which operates under