Green Estate Market Analysis - Essay Example

? Company Analysis: Green E Table of Contents Executive Summary 2 Remit 3 Introduction 3 Method 3 Findings/Results 4Green Estate Background 4 Green Estate Mission 4 Green Estate PESTEL 5 Green Estate SWOT 7 Green Estate Competitors 8 Conclusions 9 Recommendations 9 References 11 Executive Summary The following is a company analysis of Green Estate Ltd. Green Estate Ltd was formed in 1998 with objectives covering specific aspects of creating positive relationships between people and landscape. Green Estate Ltd intended to enhance or make people’s lives better through landscape. In this analysis, the paper provides a remit, which is a brief overview of the company in question. The remit provides background of the company under study. Introduction section, which follows the remit, provides an overview of the whole paper in addition to defining some aspects of the analysis. Methodology section on the other hand indicates how collection of data was achieved and where it (data) was obtained from. The main source of data for analyzing Green Estate as used in this paper is the firm’s website. From Green Estate’s website, it was possible to obtain data on environmental factors affecting internal and external operations of the firm hence development of the PESTLE and SWOT. Within the findings/results, the paper attempts to critically review Green Estate’s background, mission statements, PESTEL, SWOT, competitors, and substitutes that are affecting operations of the firm. A conclusion, giving a brief summary of the main points, forms part of the paper. Lastly, the paper has recommendations, which mainly revolve around taking advantage of their strengths to overcome weaknesses and through opportunities, overcome the threats. Remit Found in 1998, Green Estate Ltd is an organization or firm has been involved in designing landscape, managing landscape, green roof, composting green waste, maintenance of ground, and providing educational experience. Through Single Regeneration Budget (SRB), Green Estate Ltd was created to help in reforming the landscape. The good reputation created from the SRB, Green Estate Ltd was able to attract more reputation hence being an epicentre in enhancing the landscape (Cote et al., 1994). Operations of Green Estate Ltd have enabled the organization to create a landscape, which has so far led to a positive relationship between land and people. Green Estate Ltd has been able to achieve tremendous success in their bid to enhancing land and people (Greenestate.org.uk (a)). Consequently, Green Estate Ltd forms part of the study area. Interest to study and analyze Green Estate Ltd has been aroused by the achievements of the firm over the past few years since its inception. Introduction Like many other organizations, Green Estate Ltd has inspired many people in respect to how it has handled issues dealing with landscape and people. Undoubtedly, contemporary environment has been adversely affected by human activities. Hence, there is a sour relationship between people and landscape especially when the latter attempts to obtain their livelihood from the former. People through land have been able to find their livelihood. Green Estate Ltd has therefore been a fundamental firm in creating a positive and mutual relationship between people and landscape. The mutual relationship between people and land has been a creation of Green Estate Ltd thereby arousing the interest to dig deep into the firm’s mission, objectives, competitors, and surrounding business environment. Method In order to analyze the company, there is need to obtain adequate data and information on the organization. One of the ways of finding data is through analysis of the firm’s PESTEL, and SWOT strategic tools. PESTLE and SWOT strategic tools will provide an overview of how Green Estate Ltd is operating within and is affected by the environmental factors. Moreover, finding or obtaining adequate data on Green Estate Ltd also involved evaluating the firm’s website. The background, mission statement, services, and outcome are the main components evaluated (Greenestate.org.uk (b)). From these components, it was possible to identify how Green Estates Ltd’s operations are effective in developing positive relationship between people and land. Background of the study was used to learn more about the firm whilst mission statement provided the direction that Green Estate Ltd has taken. Services and outcomes of Green Estate Ltd have provided information on some of the actions taken by the stakeholders in a bid to achieving their objectives. The discussions or analysis that follows provide the findings or results arising from the aforementioned components. Findings/Results Green Estate Background According to the background of the firm, Green Estate Ltd was established in 1998 after successful completion of a project funded by the SRB. Environment and Heritage developed some strategic plans and moves to provide life with respect to landscape or environment. The strategic plans and moves involved the Manor Castle and Woodthorpe SRB regeneration programme. Combination of the two organizations was a strategic partnership, which ended up making attainment of the objectives easier (Cohen-Rosenthal, 1999). Green Estate Ltd was a viable social enterprise arising from the strategic partnership of Manor Castle and Woodthorpe SRB (Cote and Reid, 1997). The focal point of developing Green Estate Ltd was reputation that the national and local project attained through creation of open urban space capable of enhancing successful services as well as sales. Green Estate Mission Green Estate Ltd’s mission statement states that “To bring about an inspiring and valued urban ‘estate’, a place where all open space is transformed from a liability into a productive asset, which is managed in a way that protects and enhances the local heritage, demonstrates environmental excellence and delivers social justice, both now, and for future generations” (Greenestate.org.uk (a)). From this mission statement, it is clear that Green Estate Ltd is committed to enhancing urban space through extensive transformation. Such transformations are meant to make the space a productive asset to people thus creating a positive relationship between people and landscape. In addition, Green Estate Ltd through effective management has the aims of protecting and enhancing the heritage locality as well as provides environmental excellence (Cote & Cohen-Rosenthal, 1998). Provision of environmental excellence as enshrined within the mission statement is likely to make Green Estate Ltd an exceptional organization. Green Estate PESTEL Politically, Green Estate Ltd is affected by moves of different nations in respect to environmental aspects. Green Estate Ltd deals in a very sensitive area within the global economy hence attracting so much interest from governments. Like many other nations, political stability highly affects the operations of Green Estate Ltd (Cohen-Rosenthal and McGalliard, 1999). Serenity within the political climate provide favourable conditions and environment for the operations of Green Estate Ltd. Nonetheless, unstable political scenarios are likely to affect operations of Green Estate Ltd adversely. In terms of economical environment, Green Estate Ltd has always relied on the funding from different organizations as well as environmental bodies. With financial crunch, most of those organizations or bodies are shying away from giving the funding. What’s more, distribution and promotion of services or products offered by the firm is highly regulated due to insufficient return or funds that can be engaged in doing the same. As a result, Green Estate Ltd doe not enjoy so much recognition or popularity (Greenestate.org.uk (c)). Notably, Green Estate Ltd is a non-profit social enterprise involved in changing lives of people thus rely significantly on funding, which sometimes reduces or lacks due to economical and financial crunch. Socio-cultural aspects of business environment also affected operations of the firm in a number of ways. Within its vision, Green Estate Ltd explicitly indicated their desire to make difference in people’s lives through the idea of heritage as well as landscape. Since the organization deals with shaping people’s lives, it is highly affected by the differences in culture of the people that it wants to change significantly (Greenestate.org.uk (d)). Most of the business strategies applied by the organization in achieving philanthropic goals within the environment are directed towards the local community in Sheffield hence affected by the cultural and traditional aspects of the Sheffield community members (Chertow, 1999). Technological aspects do not have much impact on the operations of the firm. Nonetheless, contemporary developments and advancements in technology have created the desire for the organization to meet current business standards through incorporation of information technology (Greenestate.org.uk (b)). Through incorporating information technology, Green Estate Ltd is now able to reach a large number of financiers as well as people through the internet. Therefore, information technology has changed the way of doing business within Green Estate Ltd (Ayres, 1996). Contemporarily, most of the activities or roles of the organization can be seen through the website. Environmental bodies, regulations, frameworks, and requirements highly affect Green Estate Ltd given that the firm deals in matters of the environment. Green Estate Ltd has had to comply with various aspects of the environmental regulations especially those dealing with the emission and management of carbon dioxide (Greenestate.org.uk (d)). Every aspect of Green Estate Ltd has to be environmentally friendly as proposed or provided for by the various environmental rules, requirements, and regulations (Barista, 2008). Therefore, environmental factors in form of rules, regulations, and frameworks have highly affected operations of Green Estate Ltd. Legally, Green Estate Ltd has to comply with the requirements of non-profit making rules and guidelines (Barista, 2008). For instance, Green Estate Ltd must be incorporated in order to avoid the taxation as provided for within the Corporation Law. Like many other companies, Green Estate Ltd has to comply with all the legal requirements pertaining non-profit making organizations. Green Estate SWOT Some of the strengths of Green Estate Ltd include the fact that it has high reputation and achievement. High reputation and achievements are attributed to the management of urban space as well as development of cost-effective techniques (Barista, 2008). In addition, Green Estate Ltd enjoys largely the aspects of large business area hence is able to meet some of its objectives (Greenestate.org.uk (a)). Another strength that Green Estate Ltd boasts of is the employee or human resource having deep technical expertise especially within the developments of the two renewable energies. Nevertheless, Green Estate Ltd suffers from several weaknesses such as inadequate number of employees despite the fact that it covers a big business area. Comparing the business area and the number of employees, there is enough evidence that Green Estate Ltd is likely to be ineffective (Greenestate.org.uk (c)). On the other hand, Green Estate Ltd does not have clear business development leaders thus affecting operations of the firm. In any case, most of the employees within the firm do series of roles given that they are not proportionate in comparison with the business area (Cohen-Rosenthal, 1996). The idea is that through lack of business development leaders, Green Estate has limited development prospects. Opportunities for Green Estate Ltd on the other hand includes availability of more business chances such as diamond of green roof, meadow seeds, landscaping, as well as designing of park. In addition, through the London Olympic Games that will take place later 2012, Green Estate Ltd has the opportunity of meeting people from different backgrounds in order to not only educate them but also promote their products to them (Ayres, 1996). Unlike the Sheffield Council, Green Estate Ltd has the capability of managing huge landscapes of up to more than 110 demolition sites, which provides a good opportunity for advancements. Threats to Green Estate Ltd include the difficulties involved in opening new markets due to its limitation in both human and capital resources, low demand from the local market, there are numerous competitors, new entrants, as well as increased substitutes to products sold by Green Estate Ltd, and the fact that it has many business areas thereby exposing the organization to various forms of risks or hazards (Barista, 2008). Green Estate Competitors There are many competitors that affect operations of Green Estate Ltd especially within its different lines of operations. For instance, in provision of education, Green Estate Ltd faces stiff and serious competition from learning institutions such as universities and other educational organizations that extensively and inclusively provide understanding of environmental concepts. In addition, Green Estate’s seed line of operation faces stiff competition from Scotia Seeds, which was established in 1995 despite operating mainly in Scotland (Greenestate.org.uk (d)). Astonishingly, the landscape line of operations is also affected by Landscape Company created in 1978, which has so far been operating within the principle of providing every individual customer with high-quality services that are customized (Falcon Announces). Green roof line also faces competition from the Greenspec, which is an organization that like Green Estate Ltd designs as well as builds green for all the stakeholders. Lastly, Mellow Parks and Snow Park amongst others affect the operations of the park and place line of operations. Conclusions From the above discussion, analysis, and evaluation, there is no doubt that despite under pressure from environmental factors as well as competitors and substitutes; Green Estate Ltd has been on the forefront in shaping up lives of people within the Sheffield locality. With such a powerful vision and mission statements, Green Estate is a firm or organization that has the will and capability of attaining its objectives only if the some reforms are carried out as described within the recommendations section. Nonetheless, it should be noted that like many other organizations, Green Estate Ltd is highly affected by the five aspects of business environment; political, economical, socio-cultural, technological, legal, and environmental. Therefore, in making bids that involve in expansion and growth, there is a serious need to critically evaluate and analyze such factors and how they are likely to affect the organization in an expanded and grown form. In addition to environmental factors that Green Estate should watch out, the firm needs to focus on its strengths and opportunities to effectively eliminate or reduce weakness and threats. Green Estate boasts of strengths such as high reputation and achievement coupled with various opportunities that include includes availability of more business chances such as diamond of green roof, meadow seeds, landscaping, as well as designing of park. These should be used to overcome the weaknesses of as inadequate number of employees and threats arising from difficulties in opening new markets, low demand from the local market, numerous competitors, new entrants, increased substitutes to products sold by Green Estate Ltd, and the fact that it has many business areas thereby exposing the organization to various forms of risks or hazards. Recommendations In a bid to growing and expanding its operations, Green Estate Ltd must ensure that they try and focus their attention on various areas that include the following: In order to engage in serious expansion and growth, there is need for the organization to concentrate on the environmental factors as well as strengths, opportunities, weaknesses, and threats. Increasing the number of employees so as to be proportionate to the huge business area that the organization is dealing with. Engage in specialization of labour thereby having various employees being mandated with the responsibilities of development. Diversification and expansion of markets through increased promotional services. Engaging in mergers and acquisitions as a way of expanding and growing besides reducing levels of competition within the business environment. Taking opportunity of the coming London Olympics in order to attract many stakeholders that will help in the growth and expansion strategy of the organization. References Ayres, R., 1996, “Creating industrial ecosystems: a viable management strategy? Industry and Environment, Vol 19 No. 4 UNEP, Paris. Barista, D. 2008, "Industrial-Strength Green", Building Design & Construction, vol. 49, no. 14, pp. 32-45. Chertow M., 1999, The Eco-Industrial Park Model Reconsidered. Journal of Industrial Ecology. 2(3):8-10. Chertow, M., 2000, “Industrial Symbiosis: A Review.” Annual Review of Energy and the Environment Vol. 25. Cohen-Rosenthal, E. and McGalliard, T., 1999, Eco-Industrial Development--Prospects for the United States. Work and Environment Initiative, Cornell University, Ithica, NY Cohen-Rosenthal, E., 1996, "Top Myths about Eco-Industrial Parks" [Accessed online 22 April 2012] Cohen-Rosenthal, E., 1998, “Eco-Industrial Development: New Frontiers for Organizational Success”, Proceedings Fifth International Conference on Environmentally Conscious Design and Manufacturing Cohen-Rosenthal, E., 1999, Handbook on Codes, Covenants, Conditions, and Restrictions for Eco-Industrial Parks. Cornell Center for the Environment. Cornell University, Ithaca, New York Cote, R. & Cohen-Rosenthal, E., 1998, "Designing eco-industrial parks: a synthesis of some experience", Journal of Cleaner Production 6:3-4, Elsevier. Cote, R. and Reid, H., 1997, Environmental Management of Industrial Estates. Technical Report No. 39 prepared for United Nations Environment Programme, Industry and Environment, UNEP, Paris. Cote, R.P., et al., 1994, Designing and Operating Industrial Parks as Ecosystems. Report of the project “The Industrial Park as an Ecosystem.” Dalhousie University, School for Resource and Environmental Studies, Halifax, Nova Scotia B3J 1B9 Falcon Announces Best-in-Class Green Real Estate Project 2008, New York, United States, New York. Greenestate.org.uk(a), Welcome to Green Estate, [Accessed online 23 April 2012] Greenestate.org.uk(b), Landscape services, [Accessed online 23 April 2012] < http://www.greenestate.org.uk/commercial_services> Greenestate.org.uk(c), Parks and Place making, [Accessed online 23 April 2012] < http://www.greenestate.org.uk/place_making> Greenestate.org.uk(d), Education and training, [Accessed online 23 April 2012] < http://www.greenestate.org.uk/education_training> Greenestate.org.uk(d), Sheffield Manor Lodge, [Accessed online 23 April 2012] < http://www.greenestate.org.uk/manor_lodge2> Read More