Gucci Case Study

This expansion demonstrates how the luxury industry is now run by massive corporations whose focus is only on growth, visibility, brand awareness, advertising, and most importantly, PROFITS! With growth and expansion, has come a decrease in quality and rarity. The luxury garments produced are mostly not handmade but are even outsourced to large factories in places such as China and Turkey. Also, to meet quarterly turnover projections, “designers churn(ed) out increasingly trendy collections of clothes, handbags, and shoes.” (Thomas, Pg. 246) With hundreds of new stores around the globe the surplus of designer labeled merchandise is immense hence, the proliferation of outlet malls.

Organizational structure is a system used to define a hierarchy within an organization which improves operational efficiency by providing clarity to employees at all levels of a company. A systematically outlined structure can also provide direction for internal promotions, allowing companies to create employee advancement routes for entry-level workers. In other words, it identifies each job, its function and where it reports to within the organization. Harley-Davidson’s organizational structure, for example, assists centralized control of the business through the company’s arrangement of its components in terms of their interactions and functions. As one of the world’s oldest motorcycle manufacturers in the world, Harley-Davidson Inc. maintains this organizational structure and centers its current focus on a limited number of markets. While the business continues to grow by international expansion, Harley-Davidson’s corporate structure focuses mainly on the fact that most of the company’s revenues are generated in the United States. Thus, Harley-Davidson has a functional organizational structure that is based on the company’s current focus on the motorcycle markets in developed countries, especially the United States, in addition to ensuring centralized control of business activities. The basic characteristics of Harley-Davidson’s organizational structure include Function based groups, Centralization, and Global hierarchy.

This advertising campaign is for Autumn Winter 2009/10 for Prada and Gucci for the footwear collection. In both the advertising campaign both the brand focused only on the product. Gucci’s products are very shiny and glamorous which represents very urban, beautiful, young and chic look. Where as Prada shoes are inspired by Trojan helmet/headgear which gives very stylish and cool look and more focus on product detailing.

Gucci, a brand known for its quality, luxurious and royal association was confronted with strategic issues which made the company take notice of its strategy of expansion and brand personality. The company was not only having concerns with their product line but they were lacking unified corporate vision and strategy after its acquisition of some major names like YSL. Due to which they started having loophole in their luxurious goods market discipline. Strategic concern for the company was how does the brand image cascade down in the target market and how does it rejuvenate itself is a management lesson.

In her interview with Motto, Victoria’s Secret Model Erin Heatherton admitted, “My last two Victoria 's Secret shows, I was told I had to lose weight. I remember staring at my food and thinking maybe I should just not eat.” Erin, like many, was pressured by Victoria’s Secret and societal standards to get a near perfect body image. Stores and their advertisements influence how humans behave, see themselves, and think of other people. Stores can affect consumers in negative and positive ways. Victoria’s Secret, known for its quality lingerie, has also branched off into perfumes, apparel, and lotions. Their audience encompasses mainly ranging from preteen to middle aged ladies. Many of their target audience members are easily influenced by Victoria’s Secret’s advertisement strategies and sales. Victoria’s Secret at the Empire Mall in Sioux Falls attracts customers with elaborate displays, and periodic sales and erases identity by creating a false sense of normalcy.

ULV Organization: In order to pursue business unit and brands objectives of making savings on product development and encouraging cross-pollination of innovation across brands, Perfumes and Cosmetics division adopted to have both centralized

Gucci was founded in 1921 by Guccio Gucci. In 1938, Gucci expanded and a boutique was opened in Rome. Guccio was responsible for designing many of the company's products. In 1947, Gucci introduced the Bamboo handle handbag, which is still a company mainstay. During the 1950s, Gucci also developed the trademark striped webbing, which was derived from the saddle girth, and the suede moccasin with a metal horsebit. The Gucci group really said it all, Tom Ford, creative director and Domenico de sole, president and CEO, stood side by side facing the camera with eyes of steel. These two men had, in the first six months of 1999, been the centerpiece of one of most higly contested hostile takeover battles ever seen on the Europian

Organizational systems are very important in the development of various properties. Some laws are put in place in order to ensure that all the functions are catered for. However, some laws of additively for the organizational functions don’t take place to the more complicated systems that are composed of the large diversity of the elements that are linked together by the strong interactions. In order to ensure that all the assets are accounted for, it is important to evaluate the organizational resources which includes all the assets that are available to the use in the production process. These involves the human resources, monetary resources, capital resources, and raw materials (Abell & Hammond, 2007). There are several methods that can be used in the organization for the development of various plans and utilization of the organizational resources. These resources have an important role to play in the organizational capabilities. Some of these methods that are the focus of this research paper are analytical and emergent strategies.

Most luxury brands have been family-owned or -controlled and, consequently, were single-brand firms for the most part. However, mergers and acquisitions have been growing in the industry, with LVMH leading the way. Our strategic recommendation is to follow LVMH’s lead and acquire a multitude of diverse companies to build the Gucci portfolio.

The company may face structural problems associated with the diversification strategy. As the company gets larger and larger and diversify into different product divisions, the organization structure should be changed to fit the diversification strategy. An inappropriate fit may result in low performance and lead to strategic changes.

Gucci utilizes the differentiation business strategy, as the brand itself promotes premium quality. They are known for their high end leather products and the red and green striped webbing with the GG logo. The company is in no way price-sensitive and caters to the affluent through customization, genuine leather, premium quality, and exceptional customer service. Gucci’s customer base is more than willing

Aside from educating a manager through formal training in managing an organization through change, there are many ongoing activities that will increase a manager's awareness and aid them in supporting a more complex organizational structure as it develops. A company's organizational structure is a road map of its communication patterns. A well-designed structure can also make it easier to identify inefficiencies and new problems as the organization grows. Reviewing the organizational structure on a regular basis will help ensure that the organization set up for optimal growth well into

Gucci has a lot of competitors in the luxury market where each one provides unique items but the competency between them is high as there is always the chance of the threat of new entrants. 


























Pestle

Businesses have numerous key departments which keep the structure running appropriately and supports the business to build and embellish in all worldwide markets. This report will consider what the key departments do for the business, in addition, this report will enlighten the research procedure used and significant complications which have been encountered throughout.

In the cases analyzed, we might infer that during a period of economic difficulties companies had gone through deep discontinuity. As such, this determined the need for a turnaround to realign the companies’ strategies with the external and internal environment. These changes impacted the four companies analyzed previously.