Target Corp Strategic Recommendation Essay

Target Canada is the company’s first international expansion. However, Target’s expansion was not successful, as the company had initially planned for. Therefore, the company will be closing 133 Target Canada stores across the country and lay off approximately 17,600 employees. According to Target’s CEO Brian Cornell, he stated “After a thorough review of our Canadian performance and careful consideration of the implications of all options, we were unable to find a realistic scenario that would get Target Canada to profitability until at least 2021.” Moreover, problems occurred immediately when Target opened up over hundred stores in the first year of its Canadian Expansion. For example, customers complained about the lack of basic goods, prices being too high, and the unavailability of U.S. brands in the stores. It was the start of Target accumulating losses as high as a billion dollars a year. In addition, there was also increasing competition with Wal-Mart being the biggest retailer in Canada. The already intimidating rival lowered its prices in order to fend off Target. Furthermore, Target Corporation’s cash costs to discontinue Canadian operations are expected to be $500 million to $600 million, most of which will occur in the Company’s 2015 fiscal year or later. The Company has sufficient resources to fund these expected costs, including cash on hand and ongoing cash generation by

Target store have started their promotional activities by social media. Target has their official accounts on Facebook, twitter, channel on YouTube and pictures on Instagram. Target promotes its products through online, print and television advertising. It additionally includes the application improvement deliberations which concentrate on the visitor experience. Guest

Target Corporation (NYSE:TGT) is the leading large-format general merchandise and discount retailer in the U.S., challenging Wal-Mart in electronics, toys and apparel while also seeking to differentiate with higher-end fashions and products for an upscale audience. As of the close of their latest fiscal year (FY2011), Target operated approximately 1,760 stores encompassing 233,000 square feet in 49 states and the District of Columbia. The company is divided into the retail and credit card divisions and moves the majority of its products through a highly integrated network of 37 different distribution centers, which include four food distribution centers. Target is one of the most well-entrenched large format retailers in the U.S., has the ability to manage their pricing strategies at a level of accuracy and precision that is comparable to Wal-Mart (Henderson, 2001). Unlike Wal-Mart, Target concentrates on a value-based message that concentrates on quality and price differentiation to sustain their gross margins while Wal-Mart concentrates on supply chain efficiency and a continual reduction of supplier and transaction costs (Krishnamurthi, 2001).

Human resource is an appellation used in referring to the workforce of an organization or company. Human resource management is involved in the act of putting together employees in an organized manner to assure the objectives of the organization are achieved in a competent and experienced manner. Human resources are the most important services of any organization since they are the catalysts of non-human resources and the medium for developing competitive advantages and sounds of creativity. No organization can exist without a human resources department (Walsh, 2009). A company without an HR department would be reducing its operations and could collapse within a short amount of time.

Target Corporation offers its customers a vast variety of products, well also providing a service. The corporation owns or has exclusive rights to many different brands ranging from groceries to clothing. For example, some brands that can only be found at Target are Archer Farms which provides food merchandise, Merona which supplies clothing and Room Essentials which provides home goods (Target, 2015, para.2). The shopping experience that Target provides can be defined as a service. The stores shopping experience is a service, since it cannot be patented, interaction with the customer occurs, it is heterogeneous, along with perishable and time dependent and contains the package of features (Chase & Jacobs, 2013, p.9). Target is a popular consumer destination because it provides both a service and goods making it ideal for one

Headquartered in Minneapolis Minnesota, Target Corporation is one of the largest chains of retail stores in United States and Canada (Stone, 1995). Founded in 1902, the chain now has more than 360,000 employees worldwide. The company operates nearly 1925 stores out of which 1795 stores are in the US and 130 stores are in Canada (NASDAQ, 2014). The business prides itself in a diverse portfolio of merchandise that their outlets houses, ranging from dry groceries to electronics, furniture, apparel and much more. Its distribution networks make use of third party vendors, direct shipping as well as distribution centers. It also operates a successful e-store target.com which offers customers a virtual one-stop shop for their needs.

In today’s world, especially in Canada, consumers generally want to satisfy all of their needs in a way that saves them the most time and energy. In order to meet this need, Target offers their customers the chance to buy different products that they would normally have to go to two or three different stores

Target sells a wide variety of general merchandise and food through the store and with the use modern technology. Target’s broad-spectrum

Target achieved its differentiation in the marketplace by positioning its products and store experience as higher quality than its main discount competitors Wal-Mart, with lower prices than department stores. Target’s main focus is QUALITY product and at a LOW PRICE. It all began with the idea of, “fashionable, smart design…delivered at a competitive discount prices.” Target strives to deliver to customers a unique shopping experience. Target grabs customer’s attention by their big red bulls eye and customers keep going to target. But at the same time Target need to make sure that their shelves are stocked, they gave good customer service,

Target Corporation is a retail chain specializing in household goods, clothing, food, and accessories at discounted prices. The retail chain’s history started back in 1902 as Goodfellows and in 1910 as The Dayton Company. Initially, the chain specialized in “furnishings, fabrics and decorations for business and other public institutions” (“Target Corporation,” 2016, p. 5). Eventually, Target went public in 1967 and on to acquire Mervyn’s in the 1970s where they became the seventh largest retailer in the United States. Target operates in the United States, where it is headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota and as of January 31, 2015 Target employs over 300,000 people. “The company recorded revenues of $72,618 million in the financial year ended January 2015, the operating profit of the company was $4,535 million, [and] the net profit was $2,449 million” (“Target

In order to be successful, a company’s core values must work cohesively with its vision and mission statements. Together, they provide direction for the company, motivate and inspire employees, aligns and guides actions throughout the organization, and communicates to stakeholders management’s aspirations for the company’s future (Thompson, 2016). Targets mission statement created in 1994, is to fulfill the needs and fuel the potential of their guests by making target their preferred shopping destination in all channels by delivering outstanding value, continuous innovation

Target Corporation is a retail company that provides a wide variety of products, such as clothing, housewares, groceries, entertainment, as well as a large selection of other products. Target aims for a wide customer base, providing customers with everyday products. It seeks to attract a younger, more educated, and affluent clientele. Their suppliers include many name brands for all products, including 3-M, General Mills, Massimo, and Apple. Target has also created their own brands, such as Up and Up and Archer Farms. In July 2014, Brian Cornell was named the company’s next Chairman of the Board of Directors and CEO, and his transition was effective on August 12, 2014. He has over 30 years of retail and consumer products experience in various roles at Pepsi Co, Michaels, Wal-Mart, and Safeway. Cornell said, “I will focus on our current business performance in both the U.S. and Canada and on how we accelerate our omnichannel transformation.” (Target, 2014.)

This report examines Target Corporation’s performance in a detailed strategic audit. The audit includes an external, internal and strategic analysis as well as a recommended course of action. The findings of the audit recommend a robust on-line/mobile presence to complement in-store sales, and to increase future earnings to remain competitive by building upon physical assets, brand value and logistical capabilities.

Target Corporation has recognized itself as one of the top retailers in the United States market on the basis of excellent service quality, customer experiences, operational excellence, strong financial position, and a wide array of product offerings. Through its high degree of service orientation at physical outlets and adoption of fair business practices, Target Corporation has become the most distinctive retailer in the eyes of its potential customers. Being one of the top-notch retailers in the United States, Target Corporation has to carefully strategize on its business operations and marketing tactics so as to keep itself in the row of competitive brands of the industry.

Target is known for their approach to the public as a retailer that offers “design and innovation” and “value as more for less”. Since more consumers are stretching their dollar by purchasing store brands these days, Target has use an excellent marketing strategy by being one of the pioneer in its field developing, launching and integrating more than a dozen store brands. One of its most well-known store brand is “Up & Up” which replaced the general “Target” brand couple of years back. The company’s massive success in recent years has been attributed to their diverse store brands, expanding from three different food brands which include “Archer Farms”