An Internal Environment Study Of Autonation Inc.

In addition to their green initiatives, Ford is looking at other trends regarding consumer elasticity and behavior towards the automobile market. In addition to dealing with the shift in consumer short-term behavior (going from “I really want” to “I do not really need”), the automotive industry, along with all others are wondering what the long-term change will be in consumer behavior due to the recent recession. According to Barkley US, there will be significant long-term changes in consumer behavior. Most notably, the changes will be the consumer going back to a basics mentality, the use of technology and green strategy, and women influencing more purchase decisions. The biggest changes will take place in America and parts of Europe, where housing and stock market bubbles have imploded and unemployment has soared. Companies will also need to show they empathize with consumers’ new concerns. “There will need to be a move from passion to compassion in

Over the past sixty years, the American car scene has been dominated by two completely different vehicles and the entire communities that believe in them. Both designed, founded, and rooted in Detroit, Michigan, the Ford Mustang and the Corvette have continued to fuel the chase for the label of America’s true muscle car. The question over the years has been, why and how do consumers choose which to own, and which one is our “bald eagle”? Investigating deeper into the roots of each American superpower, it all began with introduction of something that would change the automotive industry forever. “Corvette: Dream Car Come True”, is an article that highlights the beginning of the car movement in the United States: the birth of Chevrolet’s Corvette. “Born in 1953 at the General Motors plant in Flint, Michigan, the Corvette grew up on the raceway and has ruled the road ever since” (Seiden 14). The article also goes on to mention that “the Corvette is not for racers only. True car lovers own Corvette cars for everyday driving… and the highest performance standards have been built into every model” (Seiden 14). Early dominance of Corvettes on and off the racetrack, led other competitors such as Ford Motor Company wonder why and how the Corvette could be out-driven and out-sold. Directly opposing the release of the Corvette and its multipurpose ingenuity “Lee Iacocca, then general manager of Ford Motor Company, challenged his design team to create a car that could be driven ‘to

“I, Mihir Birua do hereby declare that the report is my individual effort and that no part of the report is copied from published/unpublished sources without proper citation”.

Given the current economic climate, I think the automotive industry is going to be faced with a multitude of economic challenges in the next five years. As an oligopoly market, the auto industry is highly dependent on strategic decision-making, and the demand for dynamic innovation and supply at decreased-cost levels. Competition, possibilities of turning substitutes into compliments, and shifts toward higher demand in services are seemingly leading factors that face the current automotive industry in the immediate future. But first, we should not ignore the political forces at play within the market.

Autozone, the top retailer in the United States has always based its strategy on DIY customers with cars over seven years old (Parnell, 2014). As technology has evolved, cars have become more difficult to work on, hence, a new target market of do-it-for-me is continuing to grow. Sales of 2.3 billion were reported for the second quarter of 2017, and the company cited higher supply chain and shrink costs (Landis, 2017).

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While car manufacturing is a global industry, automotive companies such as JLR operate in broader regions such as Europe and Asia. Three major trends were identified affecting car production in mature markets, the first was the fragmentation of mature markets, customers were demanding more choice, and this has made it difficult for manufacturers to obtain economies of scale, so cost had to be reduced and with the general

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AutoZone was a vision from the mind of J.R. “Pitt” Hyde III after receiving his bachelor’s degree in economics. After receiving his degree he joined his grandfather’s wholesale food store Malone & Hyde’s retailing division. Pitt utilized the corporate profiled to identify several industries the wholefood store operated. The company incorporated drug stores, sporting goods stores, and supermarkets to operate in multiple unrelated industries (Parnell, J., 2016).” “Pitt saw a need for a retail automotive parts store to help with upkeep of their vehicle so he created Auto Shack (AutoZone, Inc., 2004 -2017).”

The automotive industry designs, develops, manufactures, markets and sells motor vehicles, and is one of the world’s most important economic divisions by profits. This analysis focuses on the industry, specifically, manufacturers of automobiles. There are five competitors in the StratSim environment: Firm A, B, C, D, and E. Industry sales in the most recent year were 4.3 million units, with expected growth in the next year. Within this industry, there are seven-vehicle classes: Economy, Family, Luxury, Sports, Minivan, Truck, and Utility. There are two new classes with potential – if properly marketed.

Founded in 1979 under the name AutoShack, Autozone has grown to become the leading retailer of automotive replacement parts and accessories in the United States, employing nearly 65,000 employees with over 4,800 locations in North America. After changing their name to Autozone in 1987, the company was able to implement the first electronic auto-parts catalogue in the retail industry, helping to establish their dominant position in the market. Because the firm was able to record steady growth for years, it was taken public in 1991, allowing it to be listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) under the ticker symbol AZO. Along with heavy investments in their retail footprint, Autozone had also developed a refined hub-and-feeder inventory system, keeping in-store inventory levels low while reducing the chance of stock outages. Because of their revolutionary electronic

There are roughly 250 million registered motor vehicles in the United States (Blanco, 2010). This corresponds to almost one vehicle for every citizen. According to the Federal

Creation, acceleration and emotion are the key components for any automobile industry to deliver its goods to the expected standards. General Motors, popularly known as GM has been a pioneer in the global autoindustry for more than 100 years. Developing from horseless carriages to the latest sports cars, innovations have always excelled at putting the world on wheels. In fact, there are a lot of exciting things to share about the company. GM’s corporation started in 1892 by R.E. Olds, with a solid financial foundation, which enabled him to produce great vehicles for customers and build a bright future for employees, partners and shareholders. GM slowly initiated its staff of experts in the factories which are located in different parts of the globe and acquired the brands like Chevrolet, Pointiac, GMC, Buick, Cadillac(General Motors Corporation, 2015). Leading the way is their tailored leadership team who set high standards for the company so that they can produce the best cars and trucks. This means that GM is committed to deliver vehicles with compelling designs, flawless quality and reliability, leading safety, fuel economy and commercial features. All are intended to create that special bond that can only happen between a driver and a vehicle. General Motors is a customer driven company and aims at earning customers

In 1913, Henry Ford revolutionized product manufacturing by introducing the first assembly line to the automotive industry. Ford’s hallmark of achievement proved to be a key competence for the motor company as the low cost of the Model T attracted a broader, new range of prospective car-owners. However, after many decades of success, customers have become harder to find. Due to relatively new threats to the industry, increasing numbers of cars and trucks are parked in dealer lots and showrooms creating an alarming trend of stagnation and profit erosion. Foreign-based automakers, such as Toyota and Honda, have expanded operations onto domestic shores and, in turn, have wrestled

As a primary worldwide provider of travel-related services such as rentals, lodging, conference facilities, and timeshare exchange, Wyndham Worldwide has overcome inconsistent branding strategy, unstable mergers, and acquisitions, as well as the 2008 economic recession to retain its top position in the industry. An internal and external analysis of the company, opportunities, and threats faced by the firm, its competitive advantage, and a strategic focus reveal the issues that need to be addressed henceforth for it to remain relevant in an increasingly competitive global market. The paper provides a problem statement, alternatives, and recommendations that Wyndham Worldwide can engage.