CAREER RESEARCH REPORT
Career Research Report
Junjian Yang
LLD-100WB
7/11/2020
Dr. Modirzadeh
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Table of Contents
1.0 Introduction ............................................................................................................................... 4
2.0 Wegmans Food Markets, Inc. ................................................................................................... 4
2.1 Background ............................................................................................................................... 4
2.2 SWOT Analysis ........................................................................................................................ 5
2.2.1 Strengths ................................................................................................................................ 5
2.2.2 Weaknesses ............................................................................................................................ 6
2.2.3 Opportunities.......................................................................................................................... 6
2.2.4 Threats.................................................................................................................................... 7
3.0 Workday, Inc............................................................................................................................. 7
3.1Background ................................................................................................................................ 7
3.2 SWOT Analysis ........................................................................................................................ 8
3.2.1 Strengths ................................................................................................................................ 8
3.2.2 Weaknesses ............................................................................................................................ 9
3.2.3 Opportunities.......................................................................................................................... 9
3.2.4 Threats.................................................................................................................................. 10
4.0 Conclusion .............................................................................................................................. 10
4.1 Wegmans Food Markets, Inc. ................................................................................................. 10
4.2 Workday, Inc........................................................................................................................... 11
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5.0 Next Steps ............................................................................................................................... 12
6.0 References ............................................................................................................................... 13
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1.0 Introduction
Wegmans Food Markets, Inc. and Workday, Inc. are two private companies that I desire
to work for after acquiring my business administration degree. I understand that Wegmans
operates within the global grocery market, while Workday operates within the global technology
market. Notably, the two companies operate in different industries. I have done a SWOT
analysis of both companies that will enhance my understanding of their strengths, opportunities,
weaknesses, and threats. The SWOT analysis will enable me to understand the employees’
experience in their workplace with regard to safety and welfare. The analysis will enable me to
confirm whether their workplaces matches my workplace practice dreams.
2.0 Wegmans Food Markets, Inc.
2.1 Background
Walter and John Wegman established Wegmans Food Markets, Inc. in 1916 with the
purpose of profiting from the food business. Currently, the Company operates over 90
supermarket stores in the U.S., which are located in North Carolina (1), New Jersey (9),
Massachusetts (6), New York (47), Maryland (8), Virginia (12), and Pennsylvania (18). Based in
Rochester, New York, Wegmans Food Markets, Inc. employs approximately 51,069 and makes
sales revenue of $8.3 billion annually(Wegmans, 2020). The Company provides a variety of
products, including wines, baked food products, deli, seafood, meat, pharmacy products, herbal
remedies, and health supplements. Furthermore, the Company has gained its reputation from its
ability to satisfy its employees and customers simultaneously.
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2.2 SWOT Analysis
2.2.1 Strengths
The long brand history exists as a strength for the Wegmans Food Markets, Inc. The
Company’s brand was ranked second out of 100 best brands in a Reputation Quotient Ranking
conducted by Harris Poll in 2018. Wegmans’ brand derives its strength from high-quality
standards and consumer safety. The food varieties available for customers in the stores include
classic American, Italian, Mexican, and sushi. Wegmans has also launched an organic product
line named “six dollar meals”, healthy food product line named “Food You Feel Good About”,
and canned food products. The Company offers its customers healthy and organic products to
maximize their satisfaction level. The Company also derives its strength from its customer
service strategy (Ezzedeen, Hyde, &Laurin, 2006). Wegmans, for example, uses the display
strategy like fish and meat counters to engage its customers in the selection process. Notably,
prepared food take a central position in the consumer’s experience, whereby they are allowed to
select their meals from a variety of choices. Furthermore, Wegmans has joined other grocers
offering home delivery and online shopping services for convenience purposes. The unique
customer service strategy, in this case, is crafted to facilitate customer attraction and retention as
a strategy of broadening the loyal customer base (Danzige, 2018). Finally, a customer-focus
strategy occurs as a strength for Wegmans Food Markets, Inc. The Company supports its
employees through a professional development program. The Company, for example, spends $5
million on employees’ scholarships as a part of the professional development program (Fortune,
2020). The professional development process is designed to maximize employee motivation,
satisfaction, and welfare.
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2.2.2 Weaknesses
Although Wegmans Food Markets, Inc. enjoys numerous strengths in its operation in the
grocery industry, it has weaknesses like a limited product range, high prices, family ownership,
and low brand awareness. First, the limited product range evidence Wegmans’ inability to
integrate a product diversification strategy. Notably, the Company has a narrower product range
compared to its competitors. The narrow product range reduces the alternatives available to the
customers hence forcing them to purchase from competitors. Wegmans also risks losing its loyal
customers by maintaining a narrow product range. Offering products at high prices to customers
is also another weakness for the Company (Marketline, 2018). In most cases, basic products
offered in the grocery industry have low prices. Wegmans’ fails to offer cheap food products due
to the high operating costs associated with food production. The high-cost products also expose
the Company to a risk of losing loyal customers to its competitors. Moreover, the high prices for
the products also inhibit the Company’s capacity to attract new customers, which limits its
competitiveness and profitability. The ownership of the Company by a single-family limited its
expansion and globalization of operations. The expansion challenges are depicted by low market
share and brand awareness.
2.2.3 Opportunities
Wegmans Food Markets, Inc. still has opportunities to exploit in increasing its
competitiveness and profitability. First, the preference for ready and frozen food products has
increased tremendously among young people. Today, young people prefer ready food products
because of busy work schedules or jobs that limit their access to kitchens (Marketline, 2018).
The increase in this group of individuals has increased loyal customer-base for Wegmans.
Second, the increased demand for organic food products in the 21st Century offers Wegmans an
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opportunity for maximizing its revenues and profit margin. The preference for organic food
products has resulted from the increasing public concern about disorders like obesity and
diabetes (Fortune, 2020). Third, globalization trend can support Wegmans in expanding to other
nations around the globe. Globalization of operations can increase profitability for the Company.
2.2.4 Threats
Wegmans Food Markets, Inc. faces threats in the grocery industry like intense
competitive pressure, economic recessions, and increasing production costs. The Company has to
deal with the intensely competitive and complex grocery industry. The U.S. grocery industry, for
instance, military commissaries, specialty supermarkets, comprises warehouse grocery stores,
supercenters, natural food stores, home delivery, farmers’ markets, online retailers, and
restaurants. Wegmans experiences competitive pressure from established companies like
Safeway, Brookshire Grocery Company, Whole Foods Market, Publix Super Markets, and Giant
Eagle. Economic recessions in the 21st Century has also reduced purchasing power among
Wegmans’ customers hence reducing its profit margins and revenues. The profit margins for the
Company are further reduced by the rising cost of producing or processing food products.
3.0 Workday, Inc.
3.1Background
AneelBhusri and David Duffield established Workday, Inc. in 2005 with the objective of
generating profits from the cloud computing business. Today, the Company offers cloud
computing platforms for procurement, time tracking, grants management, financial management,
employee expense management, and human resource management (Steve, 2010). Currently
based in Pleasanton, California, the Company offers its clients highly reliable, accessible, and
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flexible applications for business management purposes. The applications support the
optimization of human and financial resources in the company hence increasing their
competitiveness and profit margins (Harvard Business Review). Additionally, Workday designs
applications that support globalized organizations in managing dynamic and complex business
environments. The Company serves non-profit organizations, government agencies, education
institutions, hospitality industry, retail industry, healthcare institutions, financial institutions, and
manufacturing companies.
3.2 SWOT Analysis
3.2.1 Strengths
Workday’s ability to create high quality applications for its clients occurs as one of its
strengths. Generation of high quality products maximizes the Company’s brand loyalty and
increases its competitiveness in the global technology market. The brand loyalty is supported
further by the social media advertisement strategy and proper relationship with its clients. The
wide product range also occurs as the Company’s strength since it offsets losses and increase the
loyal customer base (Steve, 2010). The committed and competent human capital is the third
source of strength for Workday’s Company. The company invests on skilled, experienced and
educated workforce to increase the level of innovation and productivity. Notably, the company
integrate the element of diversity with its workplace to motivate its clients. Furthermore,
employees gain motivation from the human resource development program, which targets to
increase the level of their workplace skills. The Company uses the workplace diversity strategy
in supporting its operation within the international technology market. Finally, Workday’s has
growth tremendously since its inception because of its strong financial position. The Company,
for example, uses machine learning algorithms in making predictions regarding financial market
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conditions (Chakraborty, 2019). The algorithms enables the Company to make accurate financial
market predictions hence reducing investment risks.
3.2.2 Weaknesses
Workday, Inc. has some weaknesses including a weak customer-focus strategy,
management problems, and weak employee motivation programs. First, the Company’s
weakness in its customer-focus is associated with its inability to invest sufficient money and time
in market research programs. The inability to understand customer expectations and needs leads
to the ineffectiveness of decision-making processes. Furthermore, the Company is unable to
improve its customer service strategies. The weakness means that the Company is unable to
maximize satisfaction and welfare of its clients. Second, the Company still experiences
management challenges hence weakening its problem solving and decision making strategies.
The management problems has also inhibited the Company’s capacity for globalization, which
limits its competitiveness and profitability. Finally, the company experiences challenges in
motivating and satisfying its employees because of the weaknesses in its human resource
management processes (Marketline, 2019). The Company experiences challenges in maintaining
a proper work-life balance for its employees. Workday’s employees, for example, have reported
low motivation and high job stress hence reducing their productivity.
3.2.3 Opportunities
The rapid growth of technology in the 21st Century offers Workday an opportunity for
more loyal customers and high profit margins in the future. The Company, therefore, should
exploit new technologies to lower operation costs, boost efficiency, and enhance product quality.
The emergence of social media marketing and e-commerce, for example, is an excellent
opportunity for increasing the Company’s online presence (Marketline, 2019). The company
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should also use the innovative technologies to deal will the changes in consumer tastes,
preferences, and needs in the modern market. Furthermore, the globalization trend also offers the
Company an opportunity for expanding its customer-base and profit margins.
3.2.4 Threats
Workday experiences threats in its operation within the globalized business environment
like huge competitive pressure, environmental sustainability issues, and deterioration in market
conditions. First, the Company experiences intense competitive pressure from other Companies
in the cloud computing business including Paycom, Paycor, SAP SuccessFactors, Paylocity,
Ultimate Software, and Cornerstone Demand. The competitive pressure affect’s the Company’s
agenda of increasing customer-base and profitability (Marketline, 2019). Second, the Company
is affected by environment sustainability of the modern society. Failure to integrate
environmental sustainability strategies with its operations could ruin its brand image in the
future. The deterioration in market conditions in the world today has reduced the customer’s
purchasing power and spending patterns. Furthermore, deterioration in market conditions has
increase inflation rates hence increasing production cost for the Company. Increased production
costs implies lower profit margins for the Company.
4.0 Conclusion
4.1 Wegmans Food Markets, Inc.
The corporate social responsibility (CSR) for Wegmans Food Markets, Inc. revolves
around caring for its employees and the general community. The Company, for example, creates
conducive working environment for its employees by embracing diversity. The management of
Wegmans consider that a diverse workforce enable a company to serve a diverse customer-base.
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The management also believes that establishing a diverse workforce creates different
perspectives in problem solving and decision making processes. Additionally, embracing
diversity also supports innovation and new thinking perspectives. The Company, therefore,
discourages discrimination of employees based on gender, religion, age, nationality, ethnic, race,
and sexual orientation. Specifically, Wegmans focuses on hiring employees with diversity
competence and further trains them to optimize the effectiveness in their assigned duties. The
Company also engages employees in its CSR program that offers philanthropic services to
communities. The Company, for example, donated $7.4 million to charity in 2016 through its
community outreach program. I believe that innovation and diversity make Wegmans Food
Markets a good employer considering that it creates a safe and satisfactory experience for its
employees.
4.2 Workday, Inc.
Workday, Inc. supports its international operation using the workplace diversity strategy.
The company focuses on establishing a diverse workplace to meet the globalized workplace
standard. Working for Workday, therefore, implies that an individual gains protection from
discrimination on the basis of age, gender, sex, ethnicity, religion, and sexual orientation. The
Company’s human resource management (HRM) team operates a talent management program
for professional development process. The HRM team views employee training process as an
effective strategy for talent attraction and retention process. The management of the Company
views the talent attraction and retention as an effective strategy of increasing competitiveness in
the international business market. I believe that a diverse workplace and employee development
opportunity makes Workdays an excellent employers. Working for the Company, for example,
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will enable me to gain globalized workplace skills including flexibility, innovativeness,
interpersonal skills, effective communication, and diversity competence.
5.0 Next Steps
The analysis indicates that Wegmans and Workday have established proper workplace
environments for their employees based on their embrace for diversity. Working for both
companies would offer me an opportunity for acquiring diversity and innovative skills. However,
I feel that Wegmans has a more advanced employee-focus strategy than Workday. I am
specifically interested in working for Wegmans as a business administrator after my graduation.
Wegmans training program will offer me an opportunity for boosting my workplace skills
including diversity competence, collaboration, innovation, and flexibility. I also feel that
Wegmans’ diverse workplace will protect me from any form of discrimination hence increasing
my welfare and satisfaction.
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6.0 References
Chakraborty, S. (2019). Machine Learning Across Workday Products: Delivering Business
Value to Customers. Retrieved from https://blog.workday.com/en-us/2019/machinelearning-across-workday-products-delivering-business-value-to-customers.html
Danzige, P.N. (2018). Why Wegmans Food Markets Gets The Love Of Customers. Retrieved
fromhttps://www.forbes.com/sites/pamdanziger/2018/03/03/why-wegmans-foodmarkets-gets-the-love-of-customers/#490f910b4ce5
Ezzedeen, S. R., Hyde, C. M., and Laurin, K. R. (2006). Is Strategic Human Resource
Management Socially Responsible? The Case of Wegmans Food Markets, Inc.
Employee Responsibilities and Rights Journal 18(4):295-307 • DOI: 10.1007/s10672006-9026-7 Retrieved from
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/226296030_Is_Strategic_Human_Resource_Ma
nagement_Socially_Responsible_The_Case_of_Wegmans_Food_Markets_Inc
Fortune (2020). 100 Best Companies to Work For Wegmans Food Markets, Retrieved from
https://fortune.com/best-companies/2020/wegmans-food-markets/
Fortune (2020). 100 Best Companies to Work ForWorkday, Retrieved from
https://fortune.com/best-companies/2020/workday/
Harvard Business Review (n.d).Providing IT and HR Solutions to Drive Your Business Forward,
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Brought to you by Workday. Retrieved from
https://hbr.org/web/comm/workday/sponsored-archive/workday
Marketline (2018). Wegmans Food Markets, Inc. – Strategy, SWOT, and Corporate Finance
Report. Retrieved from https://store.marketline.com/report/ml2731031sa--wegmansfood-markets-inc-strategy-swot-and-corporate-finance-report
Marketline (2019). Workday Inc – Strategy, SWOT, and Corporate Finance Report. Retrieved
fromhttps://store.marketline.com/report/ml1420986sa--workday-inc-strategy-swot-andcorporate-finance-report-2/
Steve (2010). Workday 12 - Working for you. Retrieved from
http://steveboese.squarespace.com/journal/2010/11/22/workday-12-working-for-you.html
Wegmans (2020) About Us, Retrieved from https://www.wegmans.com/about-us/
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