Case Study Analysis, Harley-Davidson

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I attached four files to help understand the assignment

1- The case I need to analyze

2- The case analysis method

3- Grading Rubric

4- Sample case report


"Paper must be typed with double-spaced lines and 12-point font (Arial, Times New Roman or equivalent). Written communication must be clear, concise, logical, and consistent with the rules of Standard English ( grammar, punctuation, spelling and syntax)"

Minimum 8 pages for the Assignment

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THE CASE METHOD The objective of the case method is to introduce a measure of realism to business education. The case method forces you to deal with problems as they actually occur in a business environment. Each case is a written description of the facts surrounding a particular business situation. Benefits and Limitations The case method becomes an effective learning device when you are encouraged to analyze the data presented and to formulate your own set of recommendations. Since each case is different, the solution you develop for one case cannot be randomly applied to other problems. This raises a question of what you actually learn by working with business cases. One obvious benefit is that the preparation and discussion of case studies helps you improve your skills in oral and written expression. In addition, the case method provides an easy way for you to learn about current business practices and methods. Perhaps the most important advantage of the case method is the experience it provides in thinking logically about different sets of data. The development of your analytical ability and judgment is the most valuable and lasting benefit derived from the case method. Most cases are drawn from the experience of real firms. Typically, the names and locations are disguised to protect the interests of the companies involved. In addition, final decisions are usually omitted to enhance the problem-solving orientation of the cases, thus permitting you to reach your own conclusions without being forced to criticize the actions taken by others. The case approach departs from the typical business situation in that the business executive normally does not have the facts presented as clearly and neatly as they are in casebooks. Problem solving in business usually involves extensive data collection, something that has been essentially completed for you when you work with the cases. A Framework for Analysis There are many ways for you to approach the analysis of business cases. Each instructor has his or her own ideas on the number and nature of the steps that are involved. We believe that the following six-step procedure is a logical and practical way to begin. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Define the problem. Formulate the alternatives. Analyze the alternatives. Recommend a solution. Specify a plan of action. 6. Prepare contingency plans. The Problem Once you are familiar with the facts of the case, it is important to isolate the central problem. Until this is done, it is usually impossible to proceed with an effective analysis. Normally you can get an idea of the central problem in a case by looking at where the case falls on the course outline. Instructors usually discuss a topic first and then assign a case to see if you understand the concepts that have been presented. Your instructor might provide questions to help you start your analysis. You should look at the questions as guides for action rather than as specific issues to be resolved. In no way are the questions designed to limit the scope or breadth of the discussion. 1 The Alternatives The second step is the definition of possible alternatives to resolve the problem around which the case is organized. Some of these are obvious from the materials supplied in the case and from the statement of the main issue. Others you may have to supply. Three or four alternatives are usually enough for most case problems. Only a foolish student would try to analyze 10 different alternatives in a six-page report. One alternative that you should always consider is the maintenance of the status quo. Sometimes doing nothing is the best course of action to follow. The Analysis The most crucial aspect of the case method is the analysis of alternatives. This section is usually where the student=s grade is determined. To analyze is to separate into parts to find out the nature, proportion, function, and underlying relationships in a set of variables. Thus, to analyze is to dig into and work with the facts to uncover associations that may be used to evaluate possible courses of action. Your analysis should begin with a careful evaluation of the facts presented in the case. Be sensitive to the problem of sorting relevant material from that which is peripheral or irrelevant. Some cases include information designed to distract and confuse the careless reader. In reviewing a case, you must be very careful to distinguish between fact and opinion. Also you have a responsibility to make sure that the facts are consistent and reliable. Sometimes cases contain errors (either by accident or by design), and your instructor may prefer to remain silent. Sometimes the most important facts in a case are obscurely buried in some chance remark or seemingly minor statistical exhibit. You must be careful to sift through the data to uncover all the relationships that apply to the alternatives being considered. This usually means that the quantitative information must be examined using a variety of ratios, graphs, tables, or other forms of analysis. Rarely are the data presented in the form most appropriate to finding a solution, and your instructor will expect you to work out the number. Frequently, you will find gaps in the data provided in the cases. This means you must make assumptions if the analysis is to continue. You should be aware of and able to defend the assumptions you make. Also, a complete analysis is not one-sided. A review of a business situation is not sound unless both sides of important issues are examined. This does not mean that you must mention every point, but you should refute major opposing arguments where possible. You are expected to base your analysis on the evidence presented in the case, but this does not mean that other information cannot be used. You should utilize facts that are available to the trade, and information that is general or public knowledge. You can also use relevant concepts from other disciplines, such as accounting, statistics, economics, psychology, and sociology. The criterion in using Aoutside@ material is that it must be appropriate to the particular situation. For example, you should not use data published in 1996 to make decisions in a case dated 1992. Recommendations After you have carefully analyzed the data and alternatives, you are in a position to make recommendations. Sometimes more than one course of action will look attractive. This is not an unusual situation, since most cases do not have a single right solution. Still, you must come up with a set of specific recommendations. To arrive at a solution, you must judge the relative risks and opportunities offered by the various alternatives. The optimum choice is the one that provides the 2 best balance between profit opportunities and the risks and costs of failure. You should make a clearcut decision and avoid qualifications and other obvious hedges. Instructors are much more concerned with the way a particular decision was reached than they are with the individual alternative selected. Specifying a Plan of Action Having made your decision, how are you going to implement it? You should suggest, in as much detail as the case allows, what actions you would take, when they would be taken, and how much they would cost. You may want to provide pro forma income statements, and other relevant supporting material. Once you have proposed your actions, you would do well to reflect on the potential market reactions to them, especially competitive reactions. These possible reactions might lead you to modify your actions. If you feel that the collection of additional information is the only feasible solution to a case, you must provide support for this decision. First, you should state exactly what the research will show and how this information will be used. In addition, you should indicate the research methodology to be followed and the anticipated cost of the study. After you have completed these tasks, you will be in a position to decide whether additional research is needed. Preparing Contingency Plans When you make a decision, it is based on the facts at hand, as well as on your expectations about the future that you hold at that point in time. Since the future does not always unfold as we expect or wish, we must be prepared for any significant alternative future scenario. You must ask yourself what you will do if the market does not respond to your marketing actions as you anticipate, if competitors take actions that deviate from their usual behavior, if the economy is different than economists have forecasted, and so on. Writing the Report When instructors read reports, they look to see whether students fully understand the situation and whether their interpretation of the facts is reasonable. They also like to see papers that are objective, balanced, consistent, and decisive. Perhaps the most common error made by students writing case reports is to repeat the facts that have been provided. Instead of analyzing the data in light of the alternatives, students frequently repeat statements that appear in the case, with no clear object in mind. Nothing upsets an instructor more than reading a paper that devotes several pages to telling what he or she already knows about the case. Another deficiency often observed in written reports is a lack of adequate organization. Students who have this fault will begin with the first thought that comes into their heads and continue, in almost random fashion, until they run out of ideas. The end result is a paper with no beginning and no end and often consists of one long paragraph. One system of organization that has proved effective divides the report into six sections. The sections are designated by Roman numerals and are arranged in the following order: I. II. II. IV. Problem/Issue Statement Alternatives Analysis: list subheadings Recommendations V. VI. Plan of Action Contingency Plans The problem or issue statement is brief--rarely running more than one or two sentences. Students 3 should take the time to construct a good lead sentence because first impressions are important. Lead sentences that combine several disjointed phrases connected by commas are not likely to impress your instructor or help you get an A. The alternatives section should be limited to three or four workable approaches to the problem. Students who consider all possible solutions will just confuse the grader. The analysis section makes up the bulk of the report and should include evaluations of the data or discussions of the influence of the data on the alternatives. A good analysis is more than just a list of advantages and disadvantages of each alternative. The recommendations section should be relatively short and concise. A list is quite appropriate. This is not the place to evaluate the facts or to hedge your position. Recommendations should be quite specific and they can be given priorities such as first do this and then do that. A common error of students is to let their report die at the end. They do a good job of stating the problem and analyzing the facts, but they fail to come up with a hard-hitting set of recommendations. Reports that end with a vague group of suggestions about what the firm should do are likely to receive low grades. There is no optimum length for a written case analysis. The report should be long enough to cover the subject adequately but not so long that it bores the instructor and [if presented] the class. Obviously, written reports must be neat, legible, and free of errors in grammar and spelling. Remember to run Spell-Check before you print your report. Business professors are not hired to teach English composition, but they do expect certain minimum standards of performance in written expression. Their standards for written work are reflections of what the business community expects from college graduates. Summary Case analysis is designed to give students an opportunity to develop a productive and meaningful way of thinking and expressing themselves about business problems. Remember, however, that solutions to problems are worthless unless they can be sold to those in a position to act on the recommendations. The case approach provides students with practical experience in convincing others of the soundness of their reasoning. Source: Douglas J. Dalrymple, William L. Cron, and Thomas E. DeCarlo, Sales Managagement, 7th Edition, 2001, John Wiley & Sons, Inc. New York 4 EVALUATION OF WRITTEN CASE ANALYSIS Course #: _________________ Date: __________________ Title of Case: _______________________________________________________________ Student’s Name: ____________________________________________________________ I. Problem/Issue Statement [10 points Max]: _______ 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. II. Correctly identified the central problem/issue and minor issues? (9.3-10 pts) Correctly identified the central problem/issue and some minor issues? (9-9.2 pts.) Correctly identified just the central problem/issue? (8–8.9 pts.) Correctly identified minor issues? (7–7.9 pts) Failed to identify the central problem/issue and minor issues. (0-6 pts) Alternative Solutions (not more than four alternatives) [10 points Max]: _______ 1. Listed three (and not more than four) plausible solutions for resolving the problem/issue identified (9-10 pts) 2. Listed less than three or more than four plausible alternative courses of action (8 pts) 3. Failed to list any plausible alternative course of action (0-7 pts) III. Analysis of Alternatives [30 points Max]: ______ 1. Excellent evaluation of each alternative, using information presented in the case together with appropriate international business concepts, theories and principles (such as the ones covered in class lectures and the course textbook). Clearly identified the strengths and weaknesses of each alternative (28-30 pts) 2. Less than excellent evaluation of each alternative (24-27 pts) 3. Weak evaluation of alternatives (19-23 pts) 4. Poor or no analysis of alternatives (0-18 pts) IV. Recommendation [10 points Max]: _______ 1. Recommended only one of the evaluated alternatives and avoided qualifications and obvious hedges. Explained why the selected alternative is superior to the other alternatives (10 pts) 2. Recommended only one of the evaluated alternatives without explaining why it is superior (9 pts) 3. Recommended more than one alternative from the evaluated alternatives (8 pts) 4. Recommended an alternative inferior to any of the other evaluated alternatives (7 pts) 5. Failed to make a recommendation or recommended an alternative not evaluated (0-6 pts) V. Plan of Action [20 points Max]: _______ 1. Excellent plan of action--one which specified how you would implement your recommendation; provided pro forma income statement (where applicable) and other relevant supporting materials; addressed the weakness(es) of the recommended alternative; reflected on the potential negative reactions to your proposed actions; and explained how you would modify your actions if those reactions materialized (18-20 pts) 2. Less than excellent plan of action as explained in #1 above (15-17 pts) 3. Poor or no plan of action (0-14 pts) VI. Contingency Plans [5 points Max]: _______ 1. Explained what you would do if the response to your solution is not what you anticipated; for example, if competitors take actions that deviate from their usual behavior, if the economy is different from your forecast, etc.(4-5 pts) 2. Poor or no contingency plan (0-3 pts) VII. Writing skills [10 points Max]: _______ 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. VIII. Good writing style and excellent grammar (10 pts) Acceptable writing style, but few grammatical errors (9 pts) Acceptable writing style, but several grammatical errors (8 pts) Poor writing style and few grammatical errors (7 pts) Poor writing style and several grammatical errors (0-6 pts) Organization of the report [5 points Max]: _______ 1. 2. 3. 4. Excellent organization of the report (5 pts) Less than excellent organization of the report (4 pts) Organized well enough for the report to be understood (3 pts) Poorly organized report (0-2 pts) Total Points [100 points Max]: _______ Instructor’s signature: ___________________________________ Palliser Furniture Ltd. (Case No. 1) I. Problem statement: Arthur DeFehr is confronted with a situation where he along with the board must decide how to expand the company; if so, when and where this expansion should take place. This can be either in Mexico and/or China. II. Alternatives: 1. Status Quo. Do not do anything different from what the company is doing now. 2. Build a factory in Mexico. 3. Establish a joint venture with the Chinese company. III. Analysis: 1. Status Quo. Do not do anything different from what the company is doing now. According to the company's condensed income statement as of December 31, 1997 Palliser Furniture Ltd. did very well financially. The net income for the year grew at an astonishing rate of 92.6% from last year’s net income of CDN$5.96 million to CDN$11.478 million. The sales volume increased 16.9% from CDN$277.21 million to CDN$324.061 million. Yet, the cost of sales increased by only 14.5% from CDN$ 182.091 million to CDN$208.532 million. This difference in the increase rate of sales volume and the cost of sales has generated greater profit margin. Even though, the company has done very well throughout the years, can Palliser afford to stop being innovative—in its product as well as its market strategy—and still maintain its market share? Most analysts would say yes, if they limit themselves to only Palliser's income statement. However, the international market is a dynamic environment. It's constantly changing rather than remaining the same. These changes are brought about by the social, technological, economic, and political (STEP) differences in each of the countries. When an international trade is engaged, the STEP environment for both countries will change over time which can cause a great barrier to one country's export compare to 1 the others. This is precisely what happened in 1975. The CDN$:US$ currency ratio increased to the point where exporting became increasingly difficult, therefore, Palliser withdrew entirely from the export market. However, Palliser did not limit its sales to Canada only, instead, it decided to purchase a plant in the US when the opportunity came. This plant would not be affected by the currency rate change. This small Fargo plant was eventually shut down due to redundancy and inefficiency when Palliser purchased an idled 400,000 square foot furniture production facility in Troutman, North Carolina in 1991. Unable to achieve acceptable quality of output or productivity per worker at this plant, Palliser converted this plant from manufacturing wooden furniture to leather furniture. Since the demand for leather furniture outpaced the demand for others, it was indeed a good idea to move towards that direction. This innovative thinking enabled the company to survive in the US and capture a portion of the market share in this lucrative market. Palliser also made changes in the Canadian market. Because of the FTA and the NAFTA, the competition in Canadian market became very fierce. In anticipation of this, Palliser knew that the company couldn't compete head-to-head with U.S. producers. This caused Palliser to become protective of its Canadian market by narrowing its selection of furniture. This meant only bedroom and living room furniture markets would be targeted rather than all different types of furniture, since these two were the retailers' top two choices, Palliser also reduced the number of distributors overall to strengthen relationships with its top distributors. This eliminated almost half of its 800 distributors and wiped out 10% to 12% of its Canadian sales. In response to increased competition from overseas, such as Taiwan, with their cheap labor market, Palliser established a trading company in Taipei in 1986. This had two purposes, first to help the management think internationally and second to establish a foothold in the foreign market. All these changes that Palliser made due to the environment strengthened the company's finances. However, more changes are coming. Since Palliser had become one of the largest furniture manufactures 2 in Canada with almost 2,900 employees in Winnipeg, the firm offers great opportunity for union recruitment drives. If unionization occurs, the cost of the furniture would most likely increase due to employees wanting higher labor wages. This will make Palliser's market vulnerable to the competition from U.S. manufacturers as well as the Asian manufacturers. Though the Asian manufacturers made gains in the North American market in the low-cost furniture, most firms did not considered the Chinese companies to be serious competitors. However, STEP environment has changed to put Asian companies in better advantage. Better technology combined with cheaper labor force and lower tariff by Canada as well as U.S. made their product very competitive—it's no longer a "cheap" product, rather it's a "quality" product for its price—and their company a formidable competitor against Palliser. What concerns Palliser is the willingness by some retailers to buy directly from the Chinese without the assistance of Palliser World Trade. The best Chinese producers were able to market without intermediaries. All these changes mean Palliser would lose its influence, revenue, and ultimately even its market. Due to this dynamic environment caused by different STEP associated with their respective countries, a company cannot lie still and assume everything will be back to normal later on. These changes are not temporary changes, but permanent, therefore, the company must plan to meet these challenges or face extinction. Therefore, maintaining status quo is unwise at this time. 2. Build a factory in Mexico. The NAFTA has created an environment where many manufacturing plants in the U.S. moved their plants to Mexico because of the cheaper labor force. In 1996, the wage rates in the industry in Canada were CDN$10.66/hour whereas in Mexico in 1997, the workers were paid US$1.00-1.50/hour. Taking the currency exchange rate into account, there is still a huge wage difference. Besides the wage difference, the weak performances by the Mexican upholstered furniture producers created an opportunity for competitors to move in and attack the local manufacturers. This 3 opportunity was created, even though the retailers prefer to purchase products from Mexican plants, because of lack of supplies and too many delivery delays. The retailers were looking for alternatives. Another opportunity for competitors was in the "Rustic" furniture segment. Total production in Mexico for this type of furniture was over US$100 million in 1997 and 60% was exported to the U.S. with sales increasing at 15% annually. Though inefficient, the leader of the Rustic furniture segment was Segusino S.A. This company in 1997 generated a revenue exceeding US$35 million. The Mexican furniture manufacturers' production amounted to US$2.9 billion at wholesale prices in 1997 an increase of 17% over previous year's levels. Around 13% of the firms produced upholstered furniture and only 7% produced kitchen furniture with an annual value of US$226 million and US$122 million, respectively. With an expected increase in wooden furniture by 17%, a competitor should be able to meet this increase in demand without encountering any retaliation by local companies. The Mexican market also consumed US$3.35 billion worth of home furniture in 1997. Bedroom and living room retail sales accounted for US$2.51 billion. However, the domestic demand was still only 80% of what it had been a decade earlier. Household furniture made up 74% of the import with the total by 1996 being US$250 million. As for export, which was worth US$1.7 billion, residential furniture accounts for 70% of which 18% was upholstered and 2% kitchen furniture. All these opportunities encourage a firm not to export its product to Mexico, but to actually build a manufacturing plant in Mexico and sell domestically as well as exporting into the U.S. Assuming that the junior-level team did an excellent job of estimating the costs and revenues of establishing a plant in northern Mexico, when will Palliser recover its investment and how fast will it grow? These are some of these questions that must be addressed. If the company cannot recover its investment, there is no point of building a plant. If the recovery process is too long, the company might undergo financial trouble that can only be resolved through liquidation. Looking at the worst case scenario with the report generated by the junior-level team, the company should 4 be able to recoup any initial investment by the end of the second year (Appendix 1). And if the growth rate continues, the company should be able to become a market leader in Mexico in no time. Once the decision to build the plant has been made, the next question is where? The criteria for determining the location of the plant are: excellent infrastructure; large labor market; close proximity to suppliers; stable government; and others. Saltillo meets these criteria. Another benefit to Saltillo is large pool of female workers that are willing to work for US$1.001.25/hour. Furthermore, the location is close to the U.S. border enabling the delivery tune to be low. 3. Establish a joint venture or some form of alliance with the Chinese company. Ignoring the marketing strategy by the Chinese companies would be a huge mistake. They have gained grounds in producing a quality product. Because of shipping and handling charges, these companies, by using the principle of economies of scale and cheaper labor force, are able to mass-produce their products. As stated before, some of these companies are able to directly deal with the retailers rather than dealing with Palliser. However, they are still 70 companies willing to work with Palliser as an intermediary. But this could change depending on the aggressiveness of the retailers willing to make deals with the Chinese companies directly. Palliser must address this threat by the Chinese companies. Already Lacquer Craft's President indicated that he is interested in making a deal with Palliser. Palliser should consider this and pursue any other options that are in the horizon. Due to lack of information, the juniorlevel team should do more research before recommending any decision. IV. AS Recommendation: a consultant of this firm, my recommendation is for Palliser to expand into the Mexican market by building a manufacturing plant in the city of Saltillo (alternative number 2). [Explain why this is a superior alternative to those analyzed] V. Plan of Action: As Arthur acknowledges that "the Mexican leather furniture industry is made up of small manufacturers 5 with low sales volumes who do not have the capability of Palliser given our experience and financial strength. If we act now, Palliser could be the controlling force in the Mexican leather industry hi 10 years, precluding our competition from making a similar move." Because Palliser has the financial strength it must be willing to build this plant before other competitors move in. The paperwork of filing requests for government approval and obtaining the place to manufacture, and the logistics of hiring the people to work and establishing the layout of the plant must be done. Once the plant is in operation, the company should proceed with building leather furniture for exporting hi the U.S. This market grew at a rate of 15% to 18% between 1994 and 1997. Now with cheaper labor while maintaining the same Palliser quality, the company should be able to gain even greater grounds in this lucrative market. Afterwards, the company should turn to "Rustic" furniture that is doing exceptionally well especially upholstered furniture for both U.S. as well as Mexico. This product is very popular with those individuals with Mexican background, which includes many from southwest region of the U.S. Furthermore, this move should help Palliser form losing its market share to the Chinese companies. By speeding the process of manufacturing and delivery, without sacrificing any of the quality that Palliser is known for, the retailers in Mexico would be more than willing to make deals with Palliser. By establishing a strong presence in Mexico, other foreign competitors should shy away from direct competition. Using computer-aided design and computer-numeric-controlled machinery and JIT can create a high entry barrier for most companies. Later on the company might consider marketing then* products more aggressively into South America after doing extensive research to the demand for the products that Palliser manufacturers. As for Palliser World Trade, the company needs to gather more information before making any decision about what to do with the foreign competition from China. VI. Contingency Plans: There are many assumptions that have been made in making this recommendation. First assumption is 6 that the report generated by consultants working for Palliser and the junior-level team is accurate. The second assumption is that the positive trend in the upholstered furniture, the leather furniture, and the "Rustic" furniture will continue to hold. Third assumption is that Palliser would be the first furniture manufacturer company to be built in Mexico and others will back away from establishing a manufacturing plant of their own in Mexico. The last assumption is that the retailers in Mexico will purchase products from Palliser, even though it is Canadian owned. If the first assumption is not true, then this whole decision must be reevaluated in light of what is accurate. As consultants, we guarantee the accuracy of our report. As for the report generated by the junior-level team, this must be carefully examined. Inaccuracy can lead to either a benefit or a detriment. Benefit if the cost of establishing a plant is less than what was forecasted. This means less time is needed to recover all the investments. Detriment if the cost is more than what the company originally planned. If the cost is huge, it can force the company to rethink its willingness to build a plant there or it will take longer time to recover its initial investment in the plant. If the company cannot build a plant in Mexico, it must be willing to go elsewhere to produce quality products for less cost. If they cannot find a reasonable place, a joint venture or strategic alliance might be needed. If the second assumption proves to be misleading, instead of growth there is either a decline or stagnation, the company must not expand beyond the demand. If there is no growth, Palliser should still build a plant in Mexico, for Palliser is able to remove some market shares from other competitors. However, if the demand decreases to the point that Palliser has excess amount of supplies, it should not build a plant in Mexico. Instead the company should strengthen its distribution channels and be willing to make deals with retailers to keep its products out in the market. When the economy picks up again, many of the competitors have either consolidated into a different company or have filed for bankruptcy. This means fewer competitors, but those remaining behind are in better shape than before. 7 Likewise those are some of the options that Palliser can pursue as well, but not recommended if Palliser wants to maintain its current management. If the third assumption is wrong, and other manufacturers do move in, Palliser must be able to "brand" its product through promotion to the retailers as well as to the consumers. Not only establishing a brand name, but also increasing the efficiency of the plant becomes very important. This will lower the cost of manufacturing, and the money saved can either be used to increase marketing or to lower the price of the product. Either case, Palliser must act quickly before some other company establishes its presence before Palliser does. If the last assumption is unfounded, then there is nothing Palliser can do until the Mexican retailers change their attitude. Providing them with offers and deals that they can't refuse can ease their unwillingness to distribute non-Mexican owned furniture. Meanwhile the plant should be built for exporting purposes. 8 Appendix 1 Taking the worst case scenario Revenue: Annual Expenses: Travel & Entertainment Factory Operation (i.e. power) Inventory Accounts receivable Key Personnel Annual Wages: General Manager Sales Manager Financial Manager Plant Supervisor Sales Representative Clerical & Hourly Employees Projected number of workers: Net Income before tax and initial cost Initial Cost in Production Facility Refurbished Factory Space & Land Machinery & Equipment Office Equipment & Computers Accumulated profit before tax Year 1 $10,800,000 Year 2 Year 3 $18,700,000 $31,400,000 $ 23,000 $ 1,620,000 $ 1,080,000 $ 1,620,000 $ $ $ $ 23,000 2,805,000 1,870,000 2,805,000 $ $ $ $ 23,000 4,710,000 3,140,000 4,710,000 $ 67,500 $ 367,500 $ 367,500 $ $ $ $ $ 74,250 60,750 33,750 21,500 676,000 104 $ $ $ $ $ 89,250 66,750 36,750 208,500 1,253,000 179 $ $ $ $ $ 89,250 66,750 36,750 335,500 2,100,000 300 9,175,250 $ 15,821,250 $ 5,523,250 $ $ 9,000,000 $ $ 5,000,000 300,000 $(8,776,750) $ 398,500 $16,219,750 9
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Running head: HARLEY- DAVIDSON (CASE STUDY ANALYSIS)

Harley- Davidson. (Case Study Analysis)
Student Name
Institution

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HARLEY- DAVIDSON (CASE STUDY ANALYSIS)

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Harley- Davidson. (Case Study Analysis)
Problem statement
After a clear analysis of the case, it is clear that the company is experiencing a challenge on
the aging generation who are its major customers. The baby boomers have recorded the
highest sales, and there are chances that the generation is likely to shift its priorities as time
passes. The baby boomers generation tends to move much towards the retirement homes
rather than what we can refer to as the outdoor sport the "cultural value" of the company. It is
confronted with the question on whether the incoming generation Y will also have the same
interest for the heavy and noisy motorbike.
II. Alternatives
I.
II.

Expand to foreign market
Product development

III.

Concentric diversification

IV.

Strategic alliances

V.
VI.

Increasing diversity programming
Increase advertising activities
Expansion to Foreign Market
Harley-Davidson (HD) has so far been able to market its brand over more than 100

years as a heavyweight and highly powered motorbike through manufacturing,
transformation management, and marketing. Being founded in the year 1903, the company
has been able to gain the lifestyle brand. HD was able to establish a good market niche after
the World War II in the United States after selling the high powered and prestigious bikes to
the US Military. The company has have been able to operate in more than 67 countries
including the Latin American region, Asian Pacific region, European and the American

HARLEY- DAVIDSON (CASE STUDY ANALYSIS)

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region. It has a good capacity for research and development which has made it develop
innovative marketing strategies.
Through the use of these strategies, the company is in a position to enhance more
brand loyalty, sustain its authenticity while increasing its international development. The
company can maintain its essence of "made in America" while expanding its foreign market.
This essence can be much appealing in the international market and can give the company
further competitive mileage. HD must, however, take into consideration the cultural diversity
which exists in different nations as this may determine the level of sales made. HD can
survive and succeed in other foreign markets as it has been able to do it before. Operation in
67 different countries successfully is an indication that the company has what it takes to
explore other international markets. Through the use of the Harley owners group, the
company will be able to enhance more customer inclusion. The group members from
different countries can be able to access monthly magazines which include the services and
the new products that the company has on offer.
Through the use of movie technology, the company HD can also stimulate enthusiasm
for the product in other countries which the company has not yet explored. Currently, the
large percentage of HD sales come from those customers in the professional sector including
the school teachers, lawyers, and doctors. In summary, HD can explore other markets such as
China and others for two major reasons. One is that the company has succeeded in other
foreign markets and therefore, it has the right tools, technology, human resources and overall
capacity to succeed in other foreign markets. Secondly, the baby boom problem can be solved
through diversified markets which can target different categories of customers. The foreign
markets can solve the problem easier through offering greater opportunities. While making a
further expansion, HD must also factor in two main factors. One of the factor includes the

HARLEY- DAVIDSON (CASE STUDY ANALYSIS)

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culture of the targeted market and secondly, the demographic factors such as age and income
distribution of the target audience.
Product Development
Harley- Davidson has been able to flourish in the United States as motorcycle
manufacturer due to its commitment to product development. Its initiative is focused on
implementing its mission statement. There are some initiatives which the company has taken
so far in developing the products. One good example is the creation of the Harley Owners
Group (HOG). The group was created with the aim of making Harley owners remain active,
maintain the brand and most significantly make the customers more closely to the company.
The current membership is beyond I million people and 1157 local chapters. The company
can use the group to showcase new products, enhance customer's relations through holding
annual rallies. HD uses this group as a promotional tool, and this helps the company
understand the needs of its customers better. This enhances a good customer relationship and
provides a platform to showcase new products to the customers. HD also does the same to
enhance closeness to the other stakeholders. It uses a web portal to manager its suppliers. The
web portal helps in lowering the cost of transactions and improves the delivery of
information. HD is, therefore, able to enhance the efficiency of supply chain management and
create much ease in its work.
While HD has made visible and successful efforts in developing its products, there is
more that still need to be done especially in trying to solve the baby boom problem. HD
ought to expand the motorcycle line for the young people. Most members of the baby boom
generation are retiring and are likely to change their priorities and pending behavior. One of
the most important strategies that the company ought to undertake is trying to bridge the gap
between the baby boomers generation and generation X and Y. HD, therefore, needs to
develop more products which target the younger market. There is a high need to brand the

HARLEY- DAVIDSON (CASE STUDY ANALYSIS)

5

products to entice the members of generation Y. Every generation seeks to purchase products
which identify them with their characteristics. The new generation is highly stimulus. Many
youths are brought up in an environment where advertising influence people to spend on
products they would otherwise not spend in.
They tend to trust people more than minding of the content. They rely much on
friends' opinion to make purchase decisions. The brands which appeal to this g...


Anonymous
Nice! Really impressed with the quality.

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