Whirlpool Case Study

Whirlpool is the world’s largest producer and marketer of small and large home appliances such as mixers, food processors, washing machines, refrigerators, air conditioners, etc. Whirlpool also has a long standing relationship with Sears, which sells Whirlpool products under the brand name Kenmore. In addition to its North American presence (both manufacturing and sales), Whirlpool also has a strong presence in Mexico, and Europe. Being the largest producer in the world has helped Whirlpool to compete on lower costs through economies of scale and through its Global Procurement Organization (GPO). In addition, its large networks also help in

Walmart Stores, Inc. (NYSE: WMT) branded as Walmart since 2008 and Walmart before then, is an American multinational retailer corporation that runs chains of large discount department stores and warehouse stores. It is the biggest private employer in the world with over 2 million employees, and is the largest retailer in the world. Walmart operates retail stores in various formats around the world and is committed to saving people money so they can live better and more comfortable. Walmart earns the trust of their customers every day by providing a broad assortment of quality merchandise and services at everyday low prices, while fostering a culture that rewards and embraces mutual respect, integrity, and diversity. The company is

“First, I would like to start off with a brief introduction of the company that you will be helping increase sales for during this promotional time. Whirlpool Corporation was founded in 1911 in St. Joseph, Michigan. So with over 100 years of experience Whirlpool is the world’s leading global manufacturer of home appliances. Focusing on consumer needs fuels our growth and keeps us relevant in homes around the world. We exist to create purposeful innovation that keeps homes running smoothly so personal and family lives can flourish.”

Walmart is a multinational corporation with 11,000 retail locations located in 27 countries and is the largest retailer in the world. With over 2.2 million employees, Walmart is the also largest employer in United States the world. The history of Walmart dates back to 1962 when founder Sam Walton opened the first Walmart store in Rogers, Arkansas. By the late 1960s, total sales were over $12 million with 24 Walmart stores spread across Arkansas (Riffel, 2014). “By the end of the 1970s, Wal-Mart had expanded into a number of different services in its stores—selling pharmaceuticals, adding auto service centers, and introducing jewelry divisions.

The most dominant problem addressed in the case that Haier is facing is that it lacks of brand popularity in the global market, comparing to its direct competitors such as Whirlpool, GE appliances, and Electrolux. Even though Haier made its effort to amplify its brand image and popularity globally by making a bid to acquire Maytag Corporation yet did not succeed, it is still difficult for Haier to enter the high-end segment of the US white goods market. According to statistics from Euromonitor, Haier’s 2013 market shares in consumer appliances segment in the North American and Western European markets were 0.9% and 0.5% respectively, which are significantly lower than Whirlpool’s, one of Haier’s major competitors in the U.S. and Europe,

Whirlpool Corporation is the largest global manufacturer of home appliances (Innovation at the Pace of Life, 2016). Although, Whirlpool is globally the largest manufacturer, they do not dominate all markets as they do in North America. In North America, Whirlpool’s strength lies in a strong and vast brand portfolio, consisting of seven brands (Fettig, 2016). In 2006, the United States Department of Justice approved the acquisition of Maytag Corporation by Whirlpool (Henriques, 2006). The acquisition served a two-fold purpose, seating Whirlpool in the number one market share position in North America and adding strong brands such as Maytag, Jenn-Air, and Amana to the portfolio. A series of acquisitions is accelerating growth for Whirlpool and ensuring global market leadership. Whirlpool acquired Italian manufacturer,

Well-Known Brands: Every store carries a good selection of nation brand names such as, John Deere, Whirlpool, Kohler, and Troy-Built, to name a few. These particular brands cover numerous categories like appliances, plumbing, and machinery. Other brands are exclusive, such as Kobalt, Mohawk, and Perfect Flame can only be found at Lowes. This shows nice diversity.

This was not only a business decision, but it carried social and ethical responsibilities with it because the company was thinking for the benefit of its shareholders and consumers by making more energy-efficient products while keeping consumer prices fair. By moving the operation to Mexico this allowed the company to do so. But their ethical and social responsibilities to the community and to their employees were not held up due to lay-offs and relocation. Whirlpool did not

The Whirlpool Europe case provides an opportunity to look at different ways to evaluate a major IT investment the company is considering. To undertake this analysis we have to make a few assumptions because the case does not have all the details needed to estimate benefits and investment cost. However, if you were in a company faced with this situation, these numbers would be available.

Weighted average cost of capital (WACC) is a calculation of a firm’s cost of capital which each type of capital is proportionately weighted. WACC is used as a discount rate for investment appraisal. Hence, calculating WACC of a firm is important.

Sears Holding Corporation is the fourth largest retailer in the United States and Canada. Its subsidiaries include Sears, Roebuck and Co. as well as K-Mart. The closing of the merger between Sears and K-Mart took place on March 24, 2005. Sears has more than 4,000 retail stores across the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico, and Guam. Sears offers products and services through over 2,700 branded and affiliated stores. Sears operates 894 broad-line stores and 1,354 specialty stores. Sears’ broad-line stores are mall-based locations. The specialty stores include Sears Hometown Stores that are mostly independently owned, Sears Home Appliance Showrooms, Sears Hardware Stores, Sears Auto Centers,

Centralized Pricing – no wonder it takes 110 days to reprice its entire product line, when you are trying to manage an 180,000 line report. The centralized pricing will make Whirlpool more competitive in its 170 countries worldwide. Very smart move.

Black and Decker (B&D) was founded in 1910 by Duncan Black and Alonzo Decker. By 1917, B&D had world’s first patent in portable power drills. Since then, B&D has been the world’s largest producer of power tools and power tools accessories. The power tools market in 1990 in the US mainly comprised of three segments-Professional Industrial Tools (PI), Professional-Tradesmen (PT) Tools and Consumer tools. B&D was a market leader in America power tools industry worth $1.5 Billion, with a share of 30%. It was number one in PI and consumer segments with a share of 20% and 45% respectively. However, its share in the fastest growing market segment of Professional-Tradesmen Tools was only

Wal-Mart is the highest revenue generating organisation in the world (Forbes, 2014). According to WalMart’s annual report (2014), the company owns 6,100 stores in 27 countries. It employees 2.2 million

In light of the above findings, since there are obvious problems found in Whirlpool¡¦s international business strategy, it is recommended that Whirlpool should refine its strategy as follow: