British Multinational Retailers: Marks and Spence plc

The main source of data presented in this paper is the official website of Marks and Spencer. The details of links are provided at the end of this paper under the title of References.

M&S are one of the UK's leading retailers of clothes, food, home products and financial services. Some 10 million people shop with us each week in over 375

Marks and Spencer Group (M&S) is the premier retailer in clothing, foods and home ware within the United Kingdom. The company’s commitment to quality, value, service, innovation and trust is a key contributor to their success as a high street retailer in the UK. Their current core UK operations centre around three divisions, food, general merchandise (including clothing and home ware), and the financial services industry. Therefore Tesco plc is the prime UK retailer to analyse and compare growth, financial performance and the financial status of M&S Plc in line with other competitors within the same industry.

Part A of this report examines the resources and capabilities of Marks & Spencer (M&S) up to the mid 1990's and how they lead to creating a superior competitive advantage (CA) over all competitors.

This report will demonstrate, apply and evaluate knowledge and understanding of key managerial disciplines of the chosen high street retailer, Marks and Spencer, in different real-world global contexts. According to the report by Deloitte, the retail industry is undergoing immense changes and faces a tough competitive

The company’s brand image in clothing and increasing business in food sector together with successful marketing strategies will ensure sustainability of business. M&S is investing in Multi-channel store (online stores) to increase its capabilities in this field which will be fruitful for the company in future as it already showed quit improvement in online sales. Further, the company’s commitment

Macy's Inc. is one of the nation's largest and well known department store chains. Started over 150 years ago, Macy's has continually generated excellent returns for its shareholders and employees. Currently, in the midst of a global recession, Macy's has generated huge profits with same store sales increasing 5.3% year to date. In 2012 same store sales increased 4.6% in the month of February alone (Macy's Inc., 2012). In fact, throughout the duration of 2012, Macy's is projecting even larger profits for its underlying business operations. Even though Macy's has experienced success with both its assortments and brand, its competitors haven't faired so well. Sears, due in part to part to a lackluster holiday season, has been forced to close nearly 120 locations to generate excess liquidity in an effort to shore up its balance sheet (Isidore, 2011).Other competitors who cater specifically to the middle class consumer have also lost significant amounts of market share as consumers trade down due to the economy. This performance is primarily due to the core functions and operations of the business. Planning, organizing, leading, and controlling. Macy's excels at these forms of management, which has allowed the company to perform at a higher level relative to its peers in the industry.

Best Buy, a familiar retailer in the technology world, is struggling to stay on top. Online and mass stores have cornered the market in terms of convenience, customer service and price matching. The recent closing of over two hundred stores alongside falling sales has experts predicting that the giant won’t be in business long. Using a results-only work environment (ROWE), Best Buy has removed the customer from the equation and forced many employees out. A marketing disaster, Best Buy must change its marketing strategy from sales-based to a customer-based to stay afloat.

Marks and Spencer (M&S) p.l.c. is one of the largest retailers in the United Kingdom with a selling space of 12.5 million square feet, was established in 1884 as ‘Penny bazaar’. M&S sells clothing, food, footwear, gifts and home furnishings in its 760 stores around the world. The company’s wholly own and franchise stores operates in Europe, Hong Kong, Far East, Australia, Middle East, the Bahamas and Bermuda making a total of 34 countries.

it is supported by case studies that the linkage between inability of identifying of retail environmental changes and Zahra’s new rescue plan for David Jones failed because after the new rescue plan of Zahra, net profit and share price continued to decrease. Moreover, the case study said that ‘it may be a good five years before strategy can be assessed properly’ (Waddell Waddell, Cummings & Worley 2014).

This document/report throws light on the business environment of Marks and Spencers and the analysis of strategic position, strategic direction, success criteria and backed up by future recommendations for the company based on all the mentioned aspects. The frameworks used to analyse the company are:

Management restructure that occurred in this year has lead M&S shares rise significantly. “M&S shares closed at 1.5% bigger at 424.2 pences”

Mark & Spencer is a leading retailer that offers stylish, high quality and great value clothing for a wide range of audience (M&S, 2011). They are also offering other products and service such as homeware, outstanding quality foods and financial services. Mark & Spencer was established in year 1884 and introduced by a Russian-born Polish refugee who name Michael Marks. Mark & Spencer had operated it business from a stall and grown into an international company which have over 600 UK stores and serving 10 million numbers of

Mark & Spencer’s was established in 1984 when Michael Marks, a Polish refuge opened a market stall in Leeds, with slogan don’t ask price it’s for a penny. In 1984 Marks went in to a partnership with Thomas Spencer, a former cahier from the wholesale company Dewhirst. Mark & Spencer’s opened their first store in Leeds. Further on 1920 mark and spencer’s start to buy direct from suppliers and open other store in Marble Arch. Mark and spencer’s is the first British retailer to provide pensions, subsidies like health and dental services to their employees. In 1975 mark and spencer’s opens in eastern Europe France and Belgium. Mark and spencer’s have 852 stores in United Kingdom and also working in other countries. After 2002 mark and spacer’s start losing their market shares as compare to other retailers like Next, Primark, River Island and Miss Selfridge they are the top retailers in United Kingdom. This report consists on different parts Market shares of mark & spencer’s, why mark and spencer’s losing their market shares, pestle analysis, Swot analysis, market segmentation, conclusion and references.

The early 1990 's marked the beginning of a sea change in customer 's expectations with regard to good quality, healthy food. M&S image as a respectable retailer with its focus on providing a wide range of premium foods meant that the M&S brand, where food was concerned, became regarded as something of a luxury.