Question: A company self-examination. What are we known for? Who do we want to become?
In this assignment, you will create a Situation Analysis for one (1) of the following companies / brands: Jeep Cherokee, Amazon.com, or Google.
Each of these three (3) companies (Jeep Cherokee, Amazon.com, and Google) has been through numerous changes in recent years. For this assignment, select only one (1) company / brand. Use the information listed, as well as your own knowledge and research, to complete the provided situation analysis template. Additional research should include the use of the company's Website, the course textbook, and other online sources.
*Remember to only select one (1) brand from the options below (click on Option A, Option B, or Option C to view each available brand).
OPTION A: Jeep Cherokee
History: "The formal creation of Jeep Cherokee Automobiles and its debut on the New York Stock Exchange is a historic moment. Today, building on the foundations and aspirations of Fiat S.p.A. and Chrysler Group LLC, we are beginning a completely new phase that will see our Group play a major role in the future of the global automotive industry."
- John Elkann, October 13, 2014
"FCA's listing today on Wall Street is the culmination of five-and-a-half years of work to achieve an extraordinary union. It marks the hard-won arrival at a destination. Yet, like so many milestones, it represents not just an ending, but also a new beginning - the beginning of our journey as one global automaker, one FCA."
- Sergio Marchionne, October 13, 2014
With the formal creation of Jeep Cherokee Automobiles (FCA) and its listing on the New York and Milan stock exchanges, a new group is born.
FCA carries on the tradition of two historic automakers: Fiat founded in 1899 and Chrysler founded in 1925.
OPTION B: Amazon
History: Amazon.com, (NASDAQ: AMZN) is an American e-commerce company based in Seattle, Washington. Founded in 1994 by Jeff Bezos, and launched in 1995, Amazon.com began as an online bookstore before diversifying its product lines by adding VHSs, DVDs, music CDs, MP3s, computer software, video games, electronics, apparel, furniture, food, toys, and more. Amazon has since established separate websites in Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany, Austria, France, China, and Japan.
Since starting out in his garage in Bellevue, Washington, Jeff Bezos has gone on to form one of the greatest ecommerce sites the internet has ever seen.
OPTION C: Google
Founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin met at Stanford University in 1995. By 1996, they had built a search engine (initially called BackRub) that used links to determine the importance of individual Webpages.
Larry and Sergey named the search engine they built "Google," a play on the word "googol," the mathematical term for a 1 followed by 100 zeros. Google Inc. was born in 1998, when Sun co-founder Andy Bechtolsheim wrote a check for $100,000 to that entity-which until then didn't exist.
In 2000, we introduced AdWords, a self-service program for creating online ad campaigns. Today our advertising solutions, which include display, mobile and video ads as well as the simple text ads we introduced more than a decade ago, help thousands of businesses grow and become successful.
On April Fools' Day in 2004, we launched Gmail. Our approach to email included features like speedy search, huge amounts of storage and threaded messages. Our Initial Public Offering of 19,605,052 shares of Class A common stock took place on Wall Street on August 18, 2004.
We acquired digital mapping company Keyhole in 2004, and launched Google Maps and Google Earth in 2005. Today Maps also features live traffic, transit directions and street-level imagery, and Earth lets you explore the ocean and the moon.
In 2006, we acquired online video sharing site YouTube. Today 60 hours of video are uploaded to the site every minute. Cat videos, citizen journalism, political candidacy and double rainbows have never been the same.
Amidst rumors of a "Gphone," we announced Android-an open platform for mobile devices-and the Open Handset Alliance, in 2007.
Tempalte: Based on what you've learned so far in this course, regarding the 5 Cs, 4Ps, and STP, complete the assessment questions below. Submit the completed template in the Week 10 assignment submission link.
Name:
Professor's Name:
Course Title:
Date:
Company/Brand Selected (Jeep Cherokee Automobiles, Amazon, or Google):
1. Customers
Who are the current customers/users? Include information related to demographics, psychographics and buying behavior, price sensitivity, customer satisfaction and loyalty.
What do the customers buy/use?
What changes can the company/brand expect in the future? How can the company/brand better serve its customers? Include information about potential opportunities and threats.
2. Company
[This is what the brand is currently.]
Identify strengths and weaknesses of the company/brand as it exists today. What does the company/brand do well and not so well at this very moment?
[This is what the company/brand needs to become.]
How can the company/brand improve its weaknesses and maintain or grow its strengths? Suggest how the company/brand can improve upon the things it does well and not so well.
3. Context
Define the current business environment. Include information about political, legal, economic technological and societal factors that may influence sales.
4. Collaborators
Define the business partnerships. Does the company/brand have any current partnerships? What other company/brand may be a good partner for them?
5. Competitors
Who are the main competitors?
6. Recommendations
Based upon the analysis you just completed in this worksheet, what are three (3) key recommendations that you could pass along to Management regarding the future direction of the company you selected?