Leadership and Management: Marks & Spencer - Essay Example

?Running Head: Leadership and Management: Marks & Spencer Leadership and Management: Marks & Spencer [Institute’s Table of Contents 1. Introduction Marks & Spencer is among the top retailers of United Kingdom and operates around 350 M&S department stores in addition to more or less 400 Simply Food shops all over the UK. Apart from UK, it has franchises in approximately 40 nations, together with South Korea, China, Russia, India and Indonesia. Its department stores sell “mid-priced apparel, food, and household items under the company's private label brands, including Autograph, Classic, per una, and Portfolio” (Bevan, 2007, p. 121). More or less 90 percent of its sales are generated from the home country, where it is considered to be leading supplier of both women- and menswear. The company as well deals in selling products online and has been in business for over 125 years. Marks & Spencer has been a renowned retailing company and one of the best managed businesses in Europe with respect to its management quality (Spector & McCarthy, 1996, p. 77). In the year 1998, the condition had changed to some extent and the company started to face a drop in its sales, revenues as well as market share. Its formerly celebrated standing has been affected in home and overseas both as the French courts fined it as well as strictly condemned for its approach and activities towards its employees. At this point, Marks & Spencer’s successful administration faced huge issues and collapse within the business, as the problem deal directly with their board. Marks & Spencer’s history was exemplified by an extensive as well as persistent accomplishment, which initiate a great conviction in the company’s management concept and had generated a culture, which was opposing to transformation. A recent study showed that earlier accomplishment also gave rise to overconfidence, self-importance and a feeling of invincibility. Top order management often undervalued the influence of the outer alterations within the business arena and sometimes question external information as well as studies. Centralized management systems together with intricate as well as officious reporting arrangements not just gave rise to “poor communication but more importantly, the management board became distanced from external environment and the emerging realities of changes in consumer needs, wants and shopping habits” (Bevan, 2007, p. 129). Upholding competitive edge is the key to the endurance of the business; Marks & Spencer had created ethnically entrenched fundamental capabilities that ‘ranged across the value chain’. As a result of the company’s culture in addition to the increased rates of reimburse, the company created the centre of attraction for a higher quality of sales personnel which was deep-seated with the consciousness of the company. Each one of these capabilities was really complicated to replicate and were critical to the company, maintaining its advantage. Marks & Spencer has taken development as another vital building block in maintaining its competitive advantage. The ‘risk aversive’ business did not expand significantly and focused on its fundamental principles, capabilities and ideology. It had been enormously successful offering basic necessary commodities with no the necessity to try to copy what other retailers were selling. Development was consequently restricted to the level of the market share in addition to the amount of retail shops and by persistently increasing the number of shops, the business was capable of putting up obstructions against competition via geographical monopolies and by staying close with its core capabilities, it was then able to maintain the lead in business and successful management (Datamonitor, 2009, p. 65). 1.1 Production Orientation The production oriented organization depend on economies of scale to lessen their unit costs as well as to allow them to deliver to mass markets on costs that public can afford and that are concurrently lucrative to the business itself. The huge the amount of unit created, the lesser per unit cost - known as efficiency. The attraction in businesses described by economies of scale is to be preoccupied with creating as much and as resourcefully as achievable without a lot of thinking as to whether clientele desire or require huge supplies of standardized goods. This is called a Product orientation and businesses that are product orientated classify themselves with respect to the goods they sell, instead of the requirements of their consumers. Enhancing the quality of product or improving its functionality or look, they usually misinterpret the basic gains that clientele is trying to get from their product. In the mid of 1990's, Marks & Spencer started with a product focused approach mainly with respect to the garments they sold. They did inadequate market research and believed that they knew what consumers prefer due to earlier accomplishments. From the last part of 1990s, Marks & Spencer recognized that they had to pay attention to customers. This gave rise to the formation of latest designer labelled attires and innovative store designs (Brown & Turner, 2009, p. 63). 2. Key Environmental Factors Affecting Marks & Spencer Marks & Spencer intends to be the most eco-friendly retailer globally by the year 2015. It prompts its customers to connect in its ecological plan by creating wakefulness and “selling more green products” (Hallbauer, 2008, p. 312). The company is making a series of new assurances with respect to climate change. It is also the first leading retailer to guarantee that six of its basic raw materials (palm oil, soya, beef, coffee, cocoa and leather) are obtained from sustainable sources and are not involved in deforestation. However, in the downside, its shops caused the bulk of its ‘carbon footprint’. In 2010, the company's actual objective was to lessen its energy use by 20 percent, but this has been increased to 30 percent. 2.1 PEST Analysis 2.1.1 Political and Legal Environment Marks & Spencer is located in United Kingdom, which has a very secure political situation. Hence, it is not facing any issues because of politics at the moment. Besides, the ‘European Integration and Free Trade Agreements’ have opened up the market for British businesses to invest in Eastern Europe. Marks & Spencer rivals are benefited from its increasing cost structure and have taken a bit of its market share (Plunkett, 2009, p. 123). It is essential for businesses to act in accordance with government regulations and worldwide organisation systems, for instance, World Health Organization, at the time of doing their planning activities. Governments, particularly of the urbanized nations, pay attention to environmental ecology as well as human’s life. Governments lay down regulations and organisations to check businesses along with their goods, for instance, energy saving rule and genetically customized food management. The government of United Kingdom has launched energy saving associations, such as ‘Climate Change Levy’ and ‘Green Tax’ on energy consumption to decrease CO2 by 2015 by 25 percent against 1990 levels, and provided financial support to improve its regulations. According to Marks & Spencer, the company started an inducement system where stores can take the value of 10 percent of every saving, which will help in saving energy by 5 percent. During last couple of years, “gene technologies have increased substantially” (Lewis, 1995, p. 221). A number of these technologies have used to create foodstuff. Nonetheless, a few of these technologies may pollute ecological environment and put human’s health in danger. A number of European superstores are opting for selling only meat from animals fed on ‘non-GM feeds’. “This is building on moves by many retailers in the UK to go non-GM (Chislet, 2009, p. 216). Marks & Spencer as well declared that it supplied complete non-GM foods on its shelves. 2.1.2 Economic Environment At present, the economic view is quite vague and is expected to influence retail sales, as individuals do not have the additional money to use on lavish stuff, for instance, outfits and food extravagance. The company is influenced by this, lately sealed several shops, and is compelled to go for 3 percent job cuts of their over 70,000 workforce. Marks & Spencer seriously needs to transform the way they promote themselves in order to stay away from the financial collapse. Economic issues have influenced companies to expand their operations or cut back its business, for instance, seal operations that are going in loss, and sale their ‘non-core businesses. For instance, the 9/11 disaster in US has caused several companies - all over the world including UK - to face depressions. It caused customers to modify their buying pattern, and sellers were witnessing sharp drop in sales. Actually, Marks & Spencer faced a drop of more or less 8.6 million pounds in its revenues during 2001 and 2002 from its global dealers. It has sealed its loss-making functions within Europe and sold its non-core operations in North America (Egan & Wilson, 2002, p. 222). 2.1.3 Social Environment Due to its global presence, Marks & Spencer is in huge as well as diverse socio cultural arena. It is essential for the company to become accustomed to the alterations in consumers choice from place to place and supply by keeping in view the local preference because it is the only way to success. Customers’ perception within the marketplace has transformed when they feel that British products are not of the quality they expect. “There is a shift in demand for more fashionable clothing” (Kotler et al, 2012, p. 124). In addition, the cost sensitivity of the mainstream of the consumers has increased, leaving Marks & Spencer at a less competitive spot. The needs of customers are unpredictable. People would like to feel unique, up to date, and opportune. Therefore, they buy designer outfits to satisfy their wants. Marks & Spencer offers the most up-to-date style as well as colour, while maintain the high quality of its goods. “Another social factor is that credit card acceptance has increased more than 10% of all trade. It has allowed its customers to pay online by credit cards to contend with its competitors who have accepted credit cards for comparatively a longer time” (Sternguist, 2007, p. 412). In response to the existing low-priced garments business, superstores have increasingly caught up with fashion drifts, facilitating them to compete with the “high street clothing stores” (Sternguist, 2007, p. 455) with their low-priced stuff. Marks & Spencer is also affected from this; it has modernized its clothing line to carry on with the newest fashions and to retain its customer base. 2.1.4 Technological Environment With the rapid development in the field of information technology and e-commerce, majority of organizations has developed their personal websites, online stores, and databases to facilitate them in increasing their sales from online clientele. They gather data and evaluate their clientele to be on familiar terms with their requirements and preferences. Hence, Marks & Spencer has also entered this foray by launching its online shop during the year 1999. Moreover, the majority of shops in the UK as well as in Western Europe have Electronic Point of Sale (EPOS) systems. On the other hand, Marks & Spencer did not manage its online store with EPOS system efficiently. In fact, its website often failed to display its stocks correctly and consumers, who use its online store, still face difficulty (Keiser & Garner, 2008, p. 222). 2.2 Porter’s Five Forces Model 2.2.1 Threat of Entry It is tough for Marks & Spencer to have a fresh competitor within its division because high expenditure of entry as well as continuance is required for entering the garments market. Marks & Spencer is in this field for long time and have several distribution means and cost benefit on new competitors owing to their understanding of the business arena. Therefore, threat of new entrants is small because of vast capital spending and assurance of consumers reveals major obstacles to entry, and the market is susceptible to reputation as well. 2.2.2 Bargaining Power of Buyers At most instances, the bargaining power of buyers is sturdy. Customers were either trying to get traditional attire became ‘price sensitive’ or trying to seek high status became ‘fashion sensitive’. Because of the quality in addition to the cost of the goods is high, it cannot maintain the customer base as “Tesco, Asda and Top- Shop do so they have come up with quality products with cheaper prices to attract the customers” (Bacon, 2003, p. 188), as a result Marks & Spencer is turning into more price sensitive. The company’s competitors, were more customer-focused, and took away its prospective clientele. This causes an extremely strong competitive opposition within the market. Marks & Spencer had got the wrong impression about its target market since UK customers were hesitant to give a high price for buying British-manufactured goods and they were only ready to pay at a lesser cost but good quality products. Therefore, a customer-centric approach is required to replace the product-centric approach. 2.2.3 Bargaining power of suppliers Over 90 percent of the company’s suppliers were British. It bought directly from many UK suppliers, “all their inventories that they manufacture which created a circumstance where the supplier was dependent on it and vice versa” (Fletcher, 2008, p. 234). The bargaining power of suppliers is comparatively small because Marks & Spencer has concentrated customers. Nonetheless, the sales dropped quickly during the last part 1990s, it permitted the company to subcontract internationally with more than 1900 suppliers as its cost identical to its competitors, which causes the lesser bargaining power of its suppliers in UK. 2.2.4 Threat of substitutes Substitution will drop buyers' demand for a specific ‘class’ of goods since they can easily move to the substitutes. The substitutes mainly came from Tesco and Sainsbury “when they acted upon offering added-value foods as well as other premium branded clothing such as John Lewis, Gap, Oasis, etc” (Fletcher, 2008, p. 288). Within the garments retail area, following the mid 1990s, dealers increasingly inclined to work with overseas imports by lesser cost. At the moment, customers are willing to give a premium for brand name or they can buy similar products with lesser price. Therefore, Marks & Spencer faces high threat of substitutes. 2.2.5 Competitive Rivalry Competitive rivalry is expected to be high because there is the threat of alternative products, and suppliers as well as buyers within the market try to control. In case of Marks & Spencer, there are a number of competitors so they apply approaches such as sales promotions, publicity, product uniqueness and branching out the structure by launching other branded commodities. Marks & Spencer faced the risk of competitive rivalry because of other businesses entered into the industry with same reasonably priced, quality supplies price and the latest fashion. For instance, Next, Gap and Oasis not just started offering similarly priced stuff, but also focuses more on modern fashions. 3. Complexity of Environment This is a tough issue, and one can make several analyses of the alterations to garments production, supply, demand, societal situation, traditions and advertising. The environment in Marks & Spencer’s major market of garments retailing evidently progressed during whole of the 20th century - facing the times of restricted demand, both world wars, a depression during the 1920s and speedy development during the 1950s as well as in 1960s. It modified through all of these and carried on with its accomplishments. However, by the 1990s, the nation had become more affluent and retailing becomes more aggressive. Marks & Spencer continues with their conventional standards, but rivals were aiming at various segments of their market share. Specially, cost-cutters were launching inexpensive substitutes, mainly imported from developing nations like India and China. Simultaneously, other dealers were concentrating on highly priced as well as good quality stylish outfits. In contrast, Marks & Spencer was increasingly considered as offering standard outfit, for middle age individuals. This market slumped in comparison with other markets, and was a prime reason of the troubles they face (Trout, 2002, p. 193). Marks and Spencer has a very extensive product range from foodstuff and garments to beauty products and accessories. All of these are required communicate the similar instantaneously identifiable brand image to the customer. The purchasing departments, which source these goods, function independently, so the Packaging Manager has a complicated task to synchronize the overall appearance. Making sure that there is a consistent ‘Marks and Spencer’ uniqueness asks for close collaboration as well as understanding among “competing departments” (Bevan, 2007, p. 187). The Retail Communications Manager is responsible for underpinning this point if an integrated ‘public identity’ is to be attained. The actual tough task is to ‘speak with one voice’ for this diversity of persistently varying products. 4. SWOT Analysis 4.1 Strengths Marks & Spencer is the “high street giant, has stores all over high streets in UK” (Cumming, 2010, p. 314). It has economic power as a result of it is established and lucrative business and it has big chunk of the market share of various retail divisions. The company has been in industry for more than a hundred years and as a result, has developed a great standing. It was flourishing with respect to supplier power, commodities and store arrangement. The accomplishment Marks & Spencer, with Simon Marks, was always accredited to his perceptive of consumer inclinations and styles. Its workforce treated in a good manner and paid more in comparison to sales people in other companies. Marks & Spencer has repute for high quality and value associated with the trademarks “St Michael, Per Una and M&S” (Cumming, 2010, p. 314). Consumers can take advantage of shopping online. The company as well offers highest values of quality by influencing suppliers to apply the highly developed as well as resourceful production systems. 4.2 Weaknesses Marks & Spencer was susceptible to their rivals because it failed to launch stylish attire to stay abreast of the situation. Marks & Spencer stocked standard garments range with broad demand from the public. Nonetheless, consumers always had to make selections, which would outlive the trend as well as styles. Not all lines of garments were separated neither exhibited as they should be. The company had no extensive understanding about the market for the youth. Apart from that, Marks & Spencer was mostly dependent on some specific British suppliers thinking that it would provide them with best quality; but actually, it made them feeble in struggle. Marks & Spencer rivals were applying economical material from suppliers situated abroad to maintain the low costs, which gave them cost advantage within clothing industry. 4.3 Opportunities Marks & Spencer has an extensive opportunity to go global and to develop as well as expand its business. Moreover, it has the potential to incorporate additional suppliers in a foreign country, which will basically give it cost advantages. The application of available technology in sales as well as manufacturing is able to develop their operations and to acquire competitive edge. The company identifies that it did not react quickly enough to buyers' varying requirements and inclinations, so the utilization of excellent Customer Relationship Management (CRM) is mandatory to help them in keeping track of customers' requirements; the company has to stay ahead of its rivals. 4.4 Threats Marks & Spencer is in extreme competitions. The clients are usually trying to find recent stylish outfits as garments business is established and market is not saturated. Marks & Spencer competitors - Top Shop, Gap and Next, to name few - are providing equally priced stuff, yet more trendy. The company also faces competition from discount shops such as “Matalan and George ranges at Asda” (Fernie, 2003, p. 53). Apart from these, Tesco as well as Sainsbury's came into picture, offering a wide range of food items. 5. Leadership in Marks & Spencer Marks and Spencer allocates a major chink time as well as resources to enhancing its leaders in addition to fostering its ability. Carrying on investing in the talent is extremely essential. Companies that discontinue that investment “risk cutting the Achilles heel” (McIntosh? 2001, p. 221). Companies have to retain these individuals and do it in ways that are not highly priced. To this end, Marks and Spencer has formed a systematic, vigorous training procedure which has done away with yearly evaluations and instead concentrates fragmentary discussions which facilitates its team to consider individuals’ aptitude against particular markers which distinguish them as high potential. According to the reports, published by the Company, this plan is an enormous accomplishment, with the business observing major alteration in the way that individuals act due to the guidance, and the approach they adopt to face challenges in the organisation. The management thinks that the accomplishment of such proposals is very much reliant on those that make them possible: not just does it reveal to workers how their leaders perform but it also places a precedent so when they themselves arrive at the top ranks of the company, they as well can ‘lead by example’. Marks & Spencer’s culture is described as a sign of “taken for granted fashion” (Venugopal, 2008, p. 111) that is an approach shared by top executives and other staff of the company. The values as well as fundamental assumptions functions instinctively among the workers and also present on the organizational level. The assumptions and ‘taken for granted fashion’ was started by company’s accomplishment. In the 80's, Marks & Spencer had an enormous expansion of awareness within traditions and symbolism in organizations. “Marks & Spencer pattern of action within the organization is treated in view of meanings and symbol rather than as a ‘hard’ structure of the business system” (Venugopal, 2008, p. 198). The company relied a lot on the image of Marks & Spencer and ignored the other side of the picture. Until the last part of 1990s, Marks & Spencer has been quite flourishing. It made efforts to attain this admiration by using a controlled formula with all its businesses and retained it by creating a set of basic standards, which were considered mandatory for the organization and applied to all of its business processes since its start. Its paradigm helps the company in the past; however, the same paradigm did not work well in present and Marks & Spencer faced a strategic drift. Marks & Spencer always relied on the British suppliers, neglecting the effect of this arrangement to its economic costs. It had a conventional method of having professional purchasers through a process at the central purchasing office from where it was sent to shops, disregarding its consequence on time factor. Marks & Spencer shops used to have similar arrangement and design. Store managers do not have the freedom to move away from the preset conditions. In addition, there were strict constraints on how store managers link with the local clientele. Lastly, Marks & Spencer was not paying attention to latest fashion trends. 5.1 Failure of Leadership The company, in its tedious ways as well as devotion to hierarchal level policies and an inactive obsolete approach of doing business, faced loss of customer’s approval - which is the key ingredient to success for any organization. According to market analysts, Marks & Spencer had stayed with their conventional risk-aversive approach for an extensive period of time. Marks & Spencer had disregarded the vigour of the industry. It has been noted that the role of Marks & Spencer’s organizational culture and leadership have been failed to nurture lively organization and caused its fall by the end of 1990s. At the moment, Marks & Spencer is attempting to stay even with time - the major aspect that it neglected earlier - with the intention of recovering its position within the market. Innovative strategic approaches are being applied for quick recovery. 5.2 Validity of Strategic Decisions It can be argued that executives are hired to guarantee the accomplishment of a business, and if the organization fails to act according to the hopes then it is always the executives who are to blame. If the business environment modifies, executives should observe it and amend their decisions to be benefitted from the new situations. According to this view, Marks & Spencer’s problems appear to be caused by management failures. Possibly their major setback was inaction. The company had been so flourishing that they were unwilling to make any alterations - even when it was obvious that they should to move ahead. Whereas Marks & Spencer carried on to do its conventional activities well, it was surpassed, both by other businesses that did the same things in an advanced way and by businesses that did very diverse things within the retailing industry. 5.3 Burke Litwin Model of Organisational Change The Burke-Litwin model points out the different factors of change and positions them with respect to their importance. The model suggests that all of the factors are incorporated to some extent. As a result, an alteration in one will sooner or later influence all other factors. According to Burke-Litwin, environmental drivers are the most essential factor for change. In fact, majority of change can be linked with external drivers for change. 5.3.1 External Environment This incorporates such factors as industries, legislation, rivalry and the financial system. Each of these will have influences for the company, and it is vital for the change manager to persistently scrutinize the environment for factors that will influence the company. 5.3.2 Mission and Strategy Marks & Spencer’s mission communicates its basis for existing. It is the groundwork upon which every activity has been done. The policy then sets out how the company will perform and attain its objective. Mostly, the policy will be created keeping in view the environmental change, and will have a major influence on the operations. The change manager needs to recognize change in policy and be capable of communicating the allegations to the team. 5.3.3 Leadership “This considers the attitudes and behaviour of senior colleagues and how these behaviours are perceived by the organisation as a whole. The way in which change is implemented and accepted through the organisation will be largely influenced by the top team” ((Venugopal, 2008, p. 298). 5.3.4 Organisational Culture Organisation culture can be explained as the system of doing things. It incorporates the values, attitudes, standards as well as rules that exist within the company. Culture change does not take place immediately. It progresses eventually owing to a number of other changes within the company. The managers should take into account the required state for the organisation, in terms of how they anticipate individuals to perform, and what the Marks & Spencer considers as significant. It should be ensured that the employees’ behaviour goes well with these anticipations at all times. 5.3.5 Structure More often than not, changes in policy can cause changes in the way the company is planned. This can influence dealings, tasks and techniques of functioning. Leaders should consider the effect of the structural change and guarantee that the staff knows why it is mandatory, and what is its importance for them. 5.3.6 Work Unit Environment This involves workforce’s view of its immediate co-workers as well as working atmosphere. Marks & Spencer’s immediate working atmosphere is usually what shapes the overall vision of the company, and affects the level to which one feels pleased with his or her job. Changes to the immediate working atmosphere have to be handled thoughtfully, as they are expected to raise a number of emotional as well as political reactions from workforce. This is mainly the case where change includes shifting to some other location, a change in staff, or a change with respect to situation of service, for instance, working hours. 5.3.7 Job Conditions and Personal Expertise Change on a top level in Marks & Spencer needs changes within the job done and the abilities available within the group. The leaders should measure whether: (1) all the proper expertise are primed; or (2) if they can be enhanced. 5.3.8 Individual Wants and Principles Changes to human resources can indicate a change in the team dynamic. Talking about a perfect scenario, one can employ the ‘perfect fit’ for the company, with respect to individual manner, talent and ‘skills mix’. Nevertheless, it is not feasible in reality, and it is the leader’s job to recognize risks in these areas and lessen them. 5.3.9 Driving Force for Employees It highlights the importance of personal and organisational objectives. Inspiration is the main component for successful change. The actual challenge is to retain inspiration “throughout a change project, particularly when change is often not well-received by those affected” (Sternguist, 2007, p. 22). 6. Conclusion Marks & Spencer should emphasize more on the delivery of commodities to its clients “in the best possible way” (Sternguist, 2007, p. 76). This is a quite significant method to “improve profitability and to foster competitive advantage in the market place. In this instance, clients have to receive the product that they purchase in satisfying ways such as delivering an up-to-date, fashionable high quality garment to the customer accompanied by an affordable competitive price” (Sternguist, 2007, p. 76). Marks & Spencer is required to improve its processes on its ‘inbound logistics’, functions, dealers, store layout, arrangement and a lot more. Its stockrooms should get rid of old stock to make space for latest innovative stock. The packaging of its goods also needs serious considerations. Marks & Spencer should think about buying supplies from abroad in order to save cost so and to offer final product to customer at lesser price. Marks & Spencer should as well revamp its shops and make them more spacious, convenient, and relaxing for buyers while they are looking around, browsing and making purchases. “Moreover, it is recommended for Marks & Spencer to employ the use of information technology system to facilitate smooth and fast running services to its suppliers and customers. Apparently, Marks & Spencer are already taking steps on the same way. It is to be expected that following this model M & S will regain its competitive advantage one of these days” (Sternguist, 2007, p. 79). References Bacon, T. 2003. Winning Behavior: What the Smartest, Most Successful Companies Do Differently. Wiley. Bevan, J. 2007. The Rise and Fall of Marks and Spencer: and How it Rose Again. Profile Books. Brown, M. and Turner, P. 2009. 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