Dell Inc. in 2008: Can It Overtake Hewlett-Packard as the Worldwide Leader in Personal Computers?

The advantages of Dells model are: The internet allows Dell an extensive scope and reach for its products at a relatively low price (Dedrick and Kraemer 2001). Using the internet Dell has been able to automate many of its business functions, such as product configuration, order entry and technical support (Dedrick & Kraemer 2001), therefore the company can achieve higher revenues without customer service costs increasing greatly. Online configuration ensures that the customer gets exactly what they want. Dells build to order strategy means that inventory levels are low, they only hold approximately 4-8 days of stock, therefore inventory costs are low (Breen 2004).

In this paper, Team C will describe the relationship between strategic planning and financial planning for Dell Corporation. The first section will cover Dell’s strategic planning initiative and identify a strategic initiative discussed in the organization’s annual report; from this report Team C will describe how this initiative affects Dell’s financial planning. Team C will break down and address how Dell’s initiative directly affects costs and the sales of the company’s financial plan. The final section, Team C will describe the risks associated with the initiative and the financial impact that these risks have on the company.

In services, Dell is adding more capabilities to provide end-to-end technology solutions to customers, including managed security services focused on threat intelligence and security consulting, and on growing their end-user computing business (desktop and mobility offerings). In 2011 Dell acquired more than ten companies whose offerings and intellectual property enhance its solutions business. Dell’s 2011 Total Revenue was $61.5 M and a Net Income of $2.6 M.

The business model of dell which focuses on a built to order framework where the middleman is removed and PCs are sold directly to the end buyer

The proposal presented herein gives the background information of Dell Computers Corporation highlighting the current operation for the manufacture of computers. The proposal highlights the potential of the company to increase its market share and profitability through change of its culture from order based to inventory base.

Dell Computer Corporation was founded in 1984 by Michael Dell. From the early 1990s until the mid-2000s, Dell was ranked as a PC market leader relying on their distinctive marketing pattern “Direct Model” which undertook direct communication with customers and provided customized products. Recently, the PC industry is facing inconceivable worldwide competition, and Dell is gradually losing their competitive advantages by using its direct model in critical business segments. The company is facing shrinkage of growth, increasing competition, declining quality of customer service, and limitation of expansion. These issues have an enormous impact on Dell’s position as a technological giant in the PC industry.

Dell is the most successful company in PC industry of 21st century. It has shown phenomenal growth record over the past decades & listed as America’s third most admired company. Their core strength lies in Direct model offering closer customer interaction and Virtual Integration. This is giving a low cost advantage to Dell and its competitors are not able to imitate this model for all these years.

What is Dell’s strategy for success in the marketplace? Does the company rely primarily on a customer intimacy, operational excellence, or product leadership customer value proposition? What evidence supports your conclusion?

Essay 1 : Introduction to Dell 3 Parts - Look at the Business Model in Particular (Is it fit for purpose?) – Then the Ecosystem – The Modularization and mention licensing Look the Paradigm of Dell Conclusion

The technology industry is one predicated on constant innovation. Products within the field must provide a compelling value proposition for consumers in order to properly maintain both margins and revenue. Technology companies, particularly those who manufacture products are realizing decreasing margins as the competitive environment matures (Bodie, 2004). Competition for foreign competitors has reduced margins and subsequently profit margins. Cost conscious consumers are now purchasing product based primarily on price rather than specifications. Combine this fact with the macroeconomic factors prevailing in the market and the industry has significant headwinds going forward one year from now. This is particularly true of Dell who has seen an erosion of market share due to the influx and demand of tablet computers. Less demand for traditional laptops has also decreased the profit and operating margins of the firm. Even within its own market, Dell has encountered significant competition for rivals such as HP, IBM, and Microsoft who recently announced its own tablet (Scheck, 2008). Below is a chart indicating markets share within the PC market over the last decade. Notice that market share gains after the housing market collapse have deteriorated. This reflects changing consumer sentiments regarding the overall purchase of PCs and heightened demand for alternative products such as tablets and notebooks.

Dell has always been one of the largest PC makers in the United States. Recently, though its share of the PC industry has been declining. It went from the number one low cost provider of PCs in the world to number 3. Its inability to adapt to the new markets that have emerged has caused the company to fall behind other hi-tech companies such as IBM, Apple, and even HP. I feel this is an important topic because it is an example of a large company that has lost touch with what consumers want and is currently trying to restructure itself in order to gain back the dominance they once had. Consequently, Michael Dell has announced his decision to attempt a leverage buyout in order to retain control of his company. Furthermore,

Dell entered into China, the world 's fastest growing PC market in 1998. Even though it was a late entrant, Dell initially succeeded through its direct business model, which is primarily aimed at industry and public service units. But this approach will leave the Chinese consumers ' desire to touch the product before buying. Although the actual growth of the zones, the third and fourth tier cities are left behind. But the Chinese grass was tamed domestic brand, Lenovo. It 's relational and efficient supply chain business model, combined with the commercial network helped Lenovo corner 35% market share; Dell continues to dip. But 2005 was a challenging year for Dell. Not only did the company 's struggles in the consumer electronics segment, which leads to the cancellation of MP3 players, but also the core of the PC segment, Dell was the corner of its traditional competitors, such as Hewlett-Packard and Gateway, and new competitors, such as Lenovo and Acer. This resulted in lower average sales prices of Dell products and operating margin weakened. Dell has problems on various fronts; the share price fell to $ 29 in October 2005. (IBS Case Development Centre, 2015)

The PC industry has seen many changes in the past decade, such that there was a time when Dell was considered as one of the beloved brands of the internet era and now due to competitive and consumer behavioural changes, sales is not as prominent as it once was.

SITUATION: Once the largest computer manufacturer in the world, Dell has slipped to third in line behind Lenovo and HP. With sales of their once famed laptops and PCs quickly declining, their market share has taken a hit as a result. Lenovo and HP are not only to blame for Dell’s demise, Apple and Google have established new markets for smartphones and tablets that has shifted demand to these new toys away from laptops/PCs. These new disruptive technologies are a cheaper and thus more accessible substitute to the old guard (laptops and PCs).

Although Dell is an extremely successful company, there are areas of improvement and enhancement that should be considered. After a thorough analysis of Dell¡¯s IT tools, business model, IT infrastructure and competitive advantage, we have developed seven key suggestions. By implementing these recommendations, Dell can keep its high ranking in the competitive computer industry by increasing customer satisfaction, competitive advantage and superior value chain, without changing its principal operations to achieve these goals.