Assignment:
Provide a response and comments to the students discussion in detail based on the question below:
Determine the relative effectiveness of the General Mill strategic controls. Choose two implementation controls, and discuss whether or not you believe the controls you've selected effectively support the company's strategic choices.
General Mills has adjusted its structure as a strategic control to implement its overall product differentiation strategy. The company acquired Yoki Alimentos and Yoplait to improve the variety of products offered domestically and even acquired Hagen Daas for offerings in China (Thacker, 2014). This lateral growth and shift of the company's structure has allowed General Mills to grow despite reduced consumer purchases in some of its other lines (Thacker, 2014).
General Mills also uses market controls in the form of budget and market analysis to implement its differentiation strategy. Specifically, General Mills evaluates its sales revenue in domestic and foreign markets, then makes decisions to capitalize on those markets. For example, when General Mills noticed the sales for cereals declining in North America it leveraged innovation and developed Yoplait Greek blended yogurt, Greek yogurt protein bars, Fiber one lemon bars (Thacker, 2014). This allowed the company to maintain its previous year's revenues despite a decrease in demand for its cereal (Thacker, 2014). This analysis and implementation of strategic controls aligns perfectly with General Mills overall strategy of product differentiation. It also leverages the company's mission of leveraging innovation.