7015MHR Strategy and International Business Assignment Sample

Module code and Title: 7015MHR Strategy and International Business Assignment Sample

Introduction

The current report will be focusing on Unilever, a multinational company dealing with consumer goods and services. The internal and external environment of the company will be analysed through different models along with the competitive environment of the company. Lastly, challenges faced by the company will be stated while evaluating certain recommendations to mitigate those challenges.

Task 1: Analysis of the internal and external environment of Unilever

1.1. International environment analysis of Unilever

Unilever was founded in 1929 and has been operating since then based on several products such as food and refreshments, baby care, beauty products, home essentials and others (Unilever, 2022). In order to manage its product range, internal capability is highly required which can be analysed through the models below.

1.1.1. VRIO analysis

VRIO analysis is considered to be a strategic tool that assists in evaluating and accessing an organisational resource further determining its competitive and strategic advantages (Maiyusril, 2018). This helps in evaluating valuable, rare, immutable and organised aspects of a company. However, the VRIO analysis of Unilever will assist in looking at organisational internal capabilities for accessing its potential to sustain itself within the market.

Figure 1: VRIO analysis of Unilever (Source: Lanzolla and Markides, 2021)

In consideration of the figure above, it can be stated that competitive parity, temporary comparative advantage (TCA), unused comparative advantage (UCA) and sustainable competitive advantage (SCA) are highly valuable within Unilever. It is because Unilever seems to be having a high brand image based on social responsibility and also consists of positive relationships with the suppliers (Unilever, 2022). Apart from that, propensity in terms of innovation and ability to raise capital is highly noticed within Unilever.

On the other hand, TCA along with UCA and SCA is rare within Unilever due to its international presence. Moreover, the company is also having high skills in problem-solving while it also takes risks to grow and expand within the market (Unilever, 2022). Apart from that, the adaptability characteristic is also very strong within Unilever, which helps the company to maintain a global presence. Besides that, UCA and SCA are highly imitable within the domain of Unilever.

From the reports of Unilever, it can be observed that the organisation offers high-quality products and services to customers that strengthen the appeal of the brand within the market (Lanzolla and Markides, 2021). Apart from that, Marketing Communication, locations of the stores and competitive pricing are also strong that provide proper customer experience within the domain. Lastly, SCA is highly organised within Unilever because the company seems to be having high financial strength.

As per Yong et al. (2020), financial strength is a key that helps the organisation to focus on product offering, innovation and maintaining consistency within the quality of services and products. Apart from that, technology and integration along with employee training, distribution channels, production capacity, human resources, organisational culture, marketing strategy and research and development aspects are highly strong that enable the company to gain a sustainable competitive advantage within the market. Henceforth, Unilever is having high internal capability to support sustainable development as per this model.

1.1.2. Value chain analysis

Porter’s value chain model is an effective framework that helps in evaluating internal capabilities of an organisation. According to Ros-Tonen et al. (2019), this model helps in defining primary activities along with supporting activities of a firm that further reflect internal structure within the organisation. In consideration to Porter’s value chain model, internal capabilities of Unilever will be accessed.

Figure 2: Porter’s Value chain model (Source: Ros-Tonen et al. 2019)

The firm’s infrastructure as per Porter’s value chain model reflects management, legal, planning and finance. In consideration of Unilever, quality management is highly focused on further designing strategic management of the company (Unilever, 2022). Moreover, effective infrastructure administration can also allow Unilever to optimise the value chain. Apart from that, Unilever can also manage human resources through the evolution of several aspects such as training, performance management, reward, recruiting and selecting along with other personal management activities.

Proper research and development help Unilever to reduce the pressure of competition through the development of the workforce’s skills, communication and motivation. According to Lee et al. (2018), technological development is highly important within the value chain as it implements value within distribution, marketing, production and other activities related to human resources. Concerning this, Unilever seems to be relying highly on technology that provides the organisation with a competitive edge. For instance, technology support, customer service, automation, software, data analytics and product design research reflect the notion of technology development within Unilever (Unilever, 2022).

Procurement is also important and effective, thus, Unilever consists of 160000 suppliers, 500 factory sites and 273 factors to manage inbound and outbound operations (Unilever, 2022). On the other hand, inbound logistics of Unilever are shaped by strong relationships with supplier’s further helping in retrieving desired raw materials and proper distribution of raw materials, thereby enhancing the level of production. Apart from that, outbound logistics of Unilever are managed by material handling, scheduling, warehousing, order processing, transporting and delivery.

It also helps the company in managing optimal costs and the process of delivery. Moreover, Unilever uses innovation and creativity through research and development to shape its operations (Unilever, 2022). Marketing and sales of Unilever are shaped by the sales force, promotional activities, channel selection, building relations with channel members, advertising and quoting. £7 billion is spent by Unilever in managing marketing and sales (Unilever, 2022). Lastly, its services of Unilever highly depend on Word of Mouth (WOM) and also work through close collaboration with customers for understanding them and analysing marketing trends. Henceforth, Unilever is having high internal capabilities that help in managing international operations.

1.2. External environment analysis of Unilever

External analysis assists in evaluating the market condition of a company that further highlights external factors related to the company. The models below will be effective in evaluating the external environment of Unilever.

1.2.1. PESTLE analysis

Factors	Impact
Political factors	● Stable condition is observed regarding the UK’s political environment ● Prevalence of Brexit implemented several restrictions in the areas of import and exports ● The UK seems to be having a positive relationship with neighbouring countries that is highly beneficial for Unilever (Overseas, 2021)
Economic factors	● UK’s GDP rate lies in the 6th position which in turn indicates effective economical condition ● 1% increase in GDP rate has been observed in 2021 (Trading Economics, 2022) ● Export rates in 2021 indicated a 4.9% increase followed by a 1.5% decrease in import rates (Department of International Trade, 2022) ● National Wage Living in 2021 increased by 2.2% (BishopFleming, 2022) ● 5.5% increase in the inflation rate has been observed in 2022 which is higher if compared with 4.2% of inflation rate in 2021 (Trading Economics, 2022)
Social factors	● The UK is having 68 million of the population in 2022 (Worldometer, 2022) ● 99% rate of literacy is observed within the country (UNA, 2022) ● Consumer markets within the UK are big that and influence in high demand and sales rate of Unilever
Technological factors	● The UK is highly facilitated by technological development ● The government seems to be investing a large amount in technological advancement ● £19.5 billion in 2022 have been invested by the government in this area (Department of International Trade, 2022)
Environmental factors	● Issues of the environment are high within the UK ● Several policies have been implemented by local bodies and the government for ensuring proper protection of the environment and balance the ecosystem
Legal factors	● UK promotes high equality among all the populations through the Equality Act 2010 which also benefits Unilever in maintaining the notion of equality within the business (The UK Government, 2022) ● Employment policy is also strict within the UK based on Employment Act 1996 which protects employees’ rights (The UK Government, 2022)

Table 1: PESTLE analysis of the UK

From the table above it can be analysed that the external environment of the UK is suitable for Unilever to operate its business. For instance, the political condition is highly stable and will provide benefits to Unilever in gaining support from the government in business growth and development. On the other hand, the economy is this strength within the UK as the GDP rate is in the 6th position, further depicting a 1% increase from the previous year. However, covid seems to be impacting the GDP rate of the nation in the current year as 2020 reflected 17.6% increase in the GDP rate (Trading Economics, 2022).

On the other hand, the rate of exports and imports also helps Unilever to export products to other countries, thereby indicating the high benefit of Unilever in this area. Apart from that, the rate of inflation in the UK further reflects high prices of goods and services while negatively impacting organisational operations [Refer to Appendix 1]. Other than that, high investment in technological development, proper environmental concern, and proper legal support are influencing the business of Unilever positively within the UK.

Figure 3: GDP rate of the UK (Source: Trading Economics, 2022)

1.2.2. Porter’s Five Force analysis

Forces	Impact
Rivalry of competition	Strong
Buyers’ power of bargaining	Strong
Suppliers’ power of bargaining	Moderate
Substitution threats	Weak
New entrants threats	Weak

Table 2: Porter’s Five Force analysis

Based on the table above it can be stated that Unilever is having a strong force of competitive rivalry as the UK consists of a high number of firms along with aggressive firms who are ready to switch to low costing for gaining a competitive edge within the market. Some famous competitors of Unilever reflect P&G, Nestle, Pepsico and others (Heart of Codes, 2022).

Apart from that, buyers’ power of bargaining is also strong because several companies are available within the market that produces the same kind of products and sales at low prices. This empowers the buyers to choose from any brand and thus the company needs to satisfy the buyers to increase its customer base. Other than that, suppliers’ power of bargaining is moderate because Unilever seems to be having large suppliers similar to foreign firms that supply high amounts of raw materials.

Apart from that, substitution threats are weak in the UK because of the low availability of substitutes. For example, close-up toothpaste available in Unilever is easy to access as compared to organic denitrified or homemade toothpaste. However, Unilever also seems to be having a low impact due to new entrants in the market. It is because 2.5 billion people are observed to be using products of Unilever daily.

Moreover, £5.3 billion is spent by Unilever on the areas of advertisement while £891 billion was spent on research and development facilities (Heart of Codes, 2022). As a result of this, consumers highly demand products of Unilever and are a tough margin for new entrances to reach. Henceforth, the external environment of Unilever is strong, further providing the company with a competitive edge.

Task 2: Evaluation of Unilever’s competitive strategy

Competitive strategy is highly essential for firms operating in the international scenario. It is because, Islami et al. (2020) opined that, a proper competitive strategy could help a firm to sustain its business globally and mark its footprint. As Unilever seems to be operating in the international scenario with consumer goods and services, therefore, competitive strategy is highly important for the company. In consideration of Unilever, the models below will be evaluating organisational competitive strategy.

2.1. Porter Generic strategies

Generic strategies adopted by Unilever help in building competitive advantage by creating high satisfaction among the customers by meeting their preferences and needs. Porter’s Generic strategies are observed to be used for ensuring competitiveness within an organisation that facilities business development and growth. According to Brege and Kindström (2020), Porter’s generic strategy focuses on three areas that are cost leadership, cost focus and differentiation. This model is effective in narrow alongside broad targets and provides a complete scope of gaining competitive advantages within the market [Refer to Appendix 2].

In consideration of Unilever’s current competitive strategy, approaches to product development are integrated for addressing the needs of the market. Other than that, the company has also been observed to be maintaining stable growth by combining intensive strategies (Unilever, 2022). Moreover, Unilever also seems to be prioritising intensive strategies of growth depending on consumer goods demand within the market and overall market condition. It is because condition of the market reflects current trends that help the company to shape its products and services for ensuring proper growth.

This indicates that a combination of intensive strategies of growth along with the generic strategy of competition ensures the proper success of Unilever within its global operations. In consideration of Porter’s generic strategy model, Unilever seems to be using the strategy of differentiation for gaining competitive age within the market (Unilever, 2022). This helps the company to implement the notion of differentiation that makes Unilever different from others as a Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) company.

According to Liu and Atuahene-Gima (2018), the strategy of differentiation highly focuses on the characteristics or features of a company’s products and services to stand out against its competitors. As a result of this, customers are also able to differentiate between the products of Unilever and other similar companies which create a high scope of brand recognition within the market. For instance, Unilever seems to be involved in introducing products of personal care such as Dove Cream Bars for satisfying the soft and moisturising soap demand of customers (Unilever, 2022).

Despite the high price of Dove, the product seems to be different from other soaps within the market and focuses on meeting the customer needs, thereby, indicating high demand and sales. This comparative strategy of Unilever also seems to be aligning with the mission and vision statement that aims at supporting global sustainability along with increasing vitality in the lives of consumers (Unilever, 2022). Moreover, the differentiation generic strategy of Unilever is also effective in product development, which also creates a competitive edge and attracts customers globally.

Most importantly, Danso et al. (2019) revealed that financial objectives that are linked with the differentiation strategy are also effective in generating high revenue in developing countries that provide high opportunities for growth. As a result of this, it can be stated that the strategic objectives of Unilever in consideration of porter’s differentiation strategy are providing Unilever with a strong product line and financial performance that creates the capability to sustain itself within the markets of FMCG companies globally.

2.2. Ansoff matrix

Unilever seems to be having a strong strategy of competition, which is designed by Porter’s generic strategy and is also shaped by the notion provided by the Ansoff matrix. As opined by Clarissia (2019), Ansoff matrix provides certain strategies that help in current and new markets as well. This includes the strategy of market penetration, product development, market development and diversification. This strategy of Ansoff matrix also helps a company to gain a competitive advantage, which is also followed by Unilever in the current scenario.

2.2.1. Market penetration

Unilever seems to be following market penetration as its primary strategy for intensive growth (Moolchandani, 2021). As a result of this, Unilever increases the volume of sales to improve the revenue of the company by focusing on business growth. For instance, in the markets of Canada and the United States, Unilever seems to be adopting an aggressive sales strategy to sell its home care products that is effective in increasing company’s ability to capture customers’ attention. Following the strategy of differentiation, the company is focused on market penetration strategy in the markets of FMCG.

Figure 4: Ansoff Matrix (Source: Clarissia, 2019)

2.2.2. Product development

Unilever also seems to be following the strategy of product development as its secondary strategy for growing its business. Intensive strategy of growth is applied by Unilever through the introduction of new products that address the needs of customers. For instance, the company seems to be applying the notion of differentiation to implement innovative concepts within its product for attracting customers’ attention. Specifically, Unilever’s products of personal care are modified and launched within the market over time for maintaining customers’ needs and increasing the market share (Unilever, 2022). Therefore, the strategy of product development is highly aligned with innovation, further helping the company in its intensive growth aspect.

2.2.3. Diversification

Unilever also uses the strategy of diversification as a supporting strategy for intensive growth. This strategy of the company is highly focused on the establishment of new businesses for growth. For instance, Unilever follows the notion of acquiring other businesses over time for diversifying its product range and satisfying the growing needs of customers. For instance, the company seems to be acquiring the personal care business of Sara Lee Corporation, covering Pacific Islands and others, which make the business diverse. Moreover, Unilever also promotes diverse suppliers for developing and expanding business opportunities (Unilever, 2022).

2.2.4. Market development

The strategy of market development is also followed by Unilever as a supporting strategy. Starting from London Unilever seems to be growing all over England and also created a presence in other countries of Europe. The continuous success within the European countries encouraged Unilever to move to Asia and America and now Unilever has its presence in more than 150 countries globally (Unilever, 2022). In consideration of launching its new product, Unilever seems to be expanding into new areas for gaining a competitive edge within the area of operations. Henceforth, Unilever’s competitive strategy is highly aligned with Porter’s generic strategy of differentiation and the notion of Ansoff matrix.

Task 3: Challenges and strategic recommendations

3.1. Challenges faced by Unilever

Challenges within a business are considered to be a common factor that prevents the business from executing its operational goals. According to Benzaghta et al. (2021), SWOT analysis is effective to analyse strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of a company that further can point to the challenges faced by Unilever.

SWOT Analysis

Strengths

● Operations in more than 150 countries with the developed Global footprint

● Developed brand portfolio and diversified product range

● High research and development initiative

● Different advantages of competition based on product pricing and distribution channels (Unilever, 2022)

● Satisfying customer’s needs through innovation

Weaknesses

● Easily availability of substitute or imitable products within the market

● Diversification of business is limited

● High dependency on merchants

Opportunities

● Opportunity for business diversification within markets is beneficial for Unilever

● The high development of health-related products

● Focusing on environment-friendly business development

● Initiative of market penetration and development

Threats

● Fierce competition available within the market

● Retailers are becoming popular as compared to FMCG companies in the current scenario

● Product imitation depicting low sales value is also a threat to the company (Unilever, 2022)

Table 3: SWOT analysis

Based on the SWOT analysis stated in the table above it can be seen that Unilever is facing the challenge of product imitation within the market. This is acting as the weakness alongside the threats to the company to sustain within the market for a long period. Apart from that, high competition within the market along with high dependency on merchants is also certain challenges faced by Unilever in the current scenario (Shih, 2020).

From the current report, it can be observed that Alan Jope, the current CEO of Unilever will be retiring in 2023, which creates a high challenge for Unilever to find the next CEO. Apart from that, the company also reported sales growth of 8.1%, which depicts a 9.8% price increase and a 1.6% decrease in the volume of sales. As a result of this, turnover of sales indicated £25.03 billion with a 4.1% increase in profit resulting in £4.23 billion (Carroll, 2022).

Figure 5: Revenue of Unilever (Source: Sabanoglu, 2022)

Challenges of declining and unstable revenue margins are also observed within Unilever from the figure above. 2020 experienced a sharp decline in revenue margin by 0.47% further reflecting £50724 million as compared to the previous year’s 3.31% increase with revenue of £51980 million (Sabanoglu, 2022). However, 2021 reported an increase in the revenue margin stating £52444 million thereby depicting an unstable revenue margin of the company.

Apart from that, high prices of the products and services have been a challenge for Unilever as new companies are entering the market with low prices and the customers are aligned towards them (Fleming, 2020). Moreover, the challenge of hiring top talents is also faced by the company. As Unilever is aligned with the notion of innovation, therefore, proper skills and knowledge of the employees are required to implement the proper notion of innovation with products and services. Henceforth, Unilever seems to act on its challenge to attain its business growth and development.

3.2. Recommendations for mitigating the challenges

In consideration of the challenges faced by Unilever, certain strategies are required to mitigate them. It will also help the company to maintain its operating notion and accomplish its business goals. Unilever can implement training and development programs within the organisation for developing the skills and knowledge of employees suited for its organisational development. This will help in shaping the innovative mindset of employees that further can help in implementing innovation and creativity within product development (Roberts et al. 2022).

On the other hand, high pricing is also a challenge for Unilever that is impacting its operating notion. Concerning this, the implementation of penetration pricing strategy can be beneficial for Unilever. As per De Giovanni and Zaccour (2019), penetration pricing strategy enables a firm to lower the price as compared to competitors’ prices. It will be beneficial for Unilever to gain more customer attention and increase its sales and revenue margin. Implementing diversification as a primary strategy can also help in gaining competitive edge within the market. Evaluation of the stated recommendations through SAFe framework has been stated below.

SAFe Model

Recommendations	Suitability	Acceptability	Feasibility
Implementation of training and development program	This recommendation is highly suitable, as it will help in developing the skills and knowledge of employers that will help Unilever to implement innovative notions within the products.	Innovative products and services are high acceptable and demanded largely by consumers further depicting the acceptability of this strategy.	Innovative services are highly effective to create customer engagement and it also increases the sales and demand rate of the company further solving the low revenue issue of Unilever.
Implementing penetration pricing strategy	This is suitable to offer low-price products and services to customers.	Customers are aligned towards low prices products with high quality thereby, depicting the acceptability of this strategy.	Low prices of products will help Unilever to attract customers as compared to its competitors and thus create a loyal base of customers within the market. It is feasible to increase revenue and sales margin as well.
High focus on diversification strategy	It is specific in implementing diversified products and services as per customers’ needs and demands.	Different customers are having different needs that can be met through diversification within product line of Unilever.	It is feasible in meeting the needs of the customers, which further will increase Unilever’s market position and gain competitive edge within the market.

Table 4: SAFe framework

Conclusion

From the current report, it can be concluded that Unilever is having a high internal capacity to support business growth and development and its value chain is also shaped by high values of meeting consumer demand. Moreover, the external environment of Unilever is having proper economic, political and social policies while technological development also benefits the company. However, competition rivalry is strong and Unilever also faces strong buyer bargaining.

Apart from that Unilever seems to be following a differentiation strategy along with product development, market penetration, market development and diversification for achieving a competitive edge within the market. However, challenges of high prices of products, dependency on merchants, imitable products, low skilled employees and others are faced by the company that can be mitigated through training and development programmes, implementation of penetration pricing strategy and high focus on diversification strategy.

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