Dell Business Risk Evaluation
Dell Inc., with fiscal 2005 net revenue of $49.2 billion, is a premier provider of products and services worldwide that enable customers to build their information-technology and Internet infrastructures. Dell offers a broad range of enterprise systems (servers, storage, workstations, and networking products), client systems (notebook and desktop computer systems), printing and imaging systems, software and peripherals, and global services. During calendar 2004, Dell was the number one supplier of personal computer systems worldwide as well as in the United States. Dell's global market leadership is the result of a persistent focus on delivering the best possible customer experience by selling products and services directly to customers.
Dell, a Delaware corporation, was founded in 1984 by Michael Dell on a simple concept: by selling computer systems directly to customers, Dell could best understand their needs and efficiently provide the most effective computing solutions to meet those needs. Dell is based in Round Rock, Texas, and conducts operations worldwide through its subsidiaries. Unless otherwise specified, references to Dell include its consolidated subsidiaries. Dell operates principally in one industry and is managed in three geographic segments: the Americas, Europe, and Asia Pacific-Japan regions.
Dell recorded these numbers selected numbers on 2006 10-k.
Sales- $55,908 million for fiscal year ended 2/03/2006
Net income $3,572 million for fiscal year ended 2/03/2006
Cash flow from operating activities- $4,839 million for fiscal year ended 2/03/2006
Total assets $23,109 million for fiscal year ended 2/03/2006
Number of employees- As of 02/03/2006 Dell had approximately 65,200 regular employees
Success started at a young age for Michael Dell, he was only 12 years old when his first product catalog called “Dell’s Stamps” advertised in the local trade journal. He learned early in life to develop a direct relationship with the customer which later would provide the key to his success (Krames, p. 58). Andy Grove had teamed up with Bob Noyce, and Gordon Moore in 1968 after discovering they could create chips with massive memory. Grove used a metaphor to describe his foundation of success – a three-legged stool; execution and strategy (Krames, p. 137). When one leg is off, it throws off the whole system. Dell’s major accomplishment came when he planned and sold personal computers out of his dormitory room which lead to the creation of Dell Computers Corporation. At the age of 27, Dell was the Top CEO of a Fortune 500 company. He had clear ideas about how-to-do business.
Dell’s main strength lies in their perfection of the Direct Model, which boasts a production process that lasts only a day and a half so the company is able to serve customers quickly and has the capacity to withstand very large orders. Dell built held no finished goods inventory on hand, which helps to reduce idle assets and risk. The company maintained excellent relations and communication with suppliers who were able to adhere to Dell’s just-in-time inventory management and allowed suppliers to send shipments direct to customers, reducing inefficiency. Dell encouraged suppliers to locate their facilities in close proximity to assembly operations. Additionally, Dell had very high customer service and support satisfaction and maintained some of the best performance metrics in the industry. Finally, their main source of revenue came from businesses and large government institutions and no single customer represented more than 2% of their sales, which lowers their risk of buyer power.
Dell inc. is mostly known for personal computers, storage devices and computer peripherals. The company is highly innovative and has been known for its excellent direct-sales and build-to-order model that have contributed highly to the growth and profitability of the company. Dell is known for best organizational practices and organizational culture. It promotes a positive culture that encourages team spirit and good relationship between all the stakeholders. Technology industry or sector is among the toughest industries which demand much effort, innovation and effective marketing and promotional strategy in order to compete favorably.
Dell Computer Company is known for its meteoric rise to industry dominance based on founder Michael Dell’s ability to transition a part-time business of building and upgrading personal computers into a multi-billion dollar enterprise (O’Rourke, 2010). Dell’s business model was producing low cost, high quality PC’s that were built-to-order called “Dell Direct”. The strategy of shipping direct to customers eliminated the need for middlemen and gave Dell a competitive advantage (O’Rourke, 2010). Company growth surged in the 1990’s with over 38,000 employees and a global platform. Dell and Chief Operating Officer, Kevin Rollins, created a fast-past, win-at-all-cost, highly competitive organizational culture whereby compensation and promotions were based on exceptional performance (O’Rourke, 2010). Finally, in 2000, Elizabeth Allen joined the company as vice president of corporate communications.
Dell corporation is a well known computer company incorporated in 1984. Dell Computer Company is the pioneer of the highly publicized business model called "Direct Model" in the personal computer industry. It had launched a method which attracted millions of customers across the world starting from personal use to small and medium size corporation use. Dell customized its computers to the individual need.
Dell began as the vision of Michael Dell. The company began in 1984 with a simple business concept to build computers to order and to sell directly to customers. Dell has a history of achieving double-digit increases in annual sales. To maintain this growth, Dell is faced with many challenges in maintaining it’s distinctive capabilities and using objective analysis to ascertain it’s strength’s, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.
Dell is one of the renowned companies in the world. If someone is asked to name the companies, which sell computers, he/she will definitely include the name of Dell (Martin 2002). In fact, it is widely accepted brand in the world. However, with the arrival of rival companies, post 2007, for Dell, it was testing to stay alive in the race in the computer industry. Dell in effect is acknowledged by some experts as one of the vulnerable brands. Hence, it would be preemptive for the corporation to continue to exist in the contest, where big companies, such as Apple and Acer have dominated the market by this
Dell was established in 1984 by Michael Dell, a college student pursuing a degree in medicine who also happened to have a hobby of building computers. He decided to sell the product of his hobby, and began the business in his dorm room. Business quickly took off, and today ranks among the world's largest computer systems companies. As the CEO of Dell Computer Corp. he started the company with a mere 1000 and has turned it into a multi-billion dollar computer giant. Dell Computer was first known as PCs Limited in 1984, selling PC components and PCs under the brand name PCs Limited. Dell's strategy was to sell direct...
Dell Inc, was founded as “PC’s Limited” in 1984 by Michael Dell, while still a student at the University of Texas at Austin, with just $1000. From Michael Dell's off-campus dorm room at Dobie Center, the startup aimed to sell IBM-compatible computers built from stock components. Michael Dell started trading in the belief that by selling personal computer systems directly to customers, PC's Limited could better understand customers' needs and provide the most effective computing solutions to meet those needs. In that year, the company became the first in the industry to sell custom-built computers directly to end-users, bypassing the dominant system of using computer resellers to sell mass-produced computers.
Michael Dell founded the company Dell to offer network servers, workstations, storage systems, Ethernet switches, desktops, and notebook PCs after successfully selling his computers to customers directly in Texas. Over the course of three years his sales volume warranted the opening of an international sales office in 1987. In 1988 he began selling to large customers including several government agencies and Dell became a publicly traded company.
Why has Dell been so successful despite the low average profitability in the PC industry?
Dell Computer Company was established by Michael Dell in 1984, and it has grown to be the industry leader in the personal computer industry through aggressive risk taking and cost lowering strategies. The strategic idea that Michael Dell had while starting his company when he was 19 years old has not changed as the company has transformed into a billion dollar corporation. This strategic plan encompasses the aspects of individualized products and direct sales to the end customer, lowering retail costs. (Dell Case Analysis, 2004)
Findings: Many companies start out as very aggressive but get crashed either by its competitor or by poor strategic management. Dell Computer's entered the market with strong strategic vision and stronger strategic management. One of the biggest strengths that Dell has is its simple business concept which is building personal computers built to order and selling it directly to its customers. This simple notion gives Dell several competitive advantages over its competitor. One it is bypassing distributors and retail dealers which eliminated the markups of resellers, and two building or order greatly reduced the costs and risks associated with carry large stocks of unneeded inventory. For management to have a vision and enforcing it through the business plays a key factor in the company's success. One of the many attributes of Michael Dell to his company was noticing what customers want and broadening his product diversity. Since Dell's operating costs ran only about ten percent of revenues, compared to twenty one percent for HP, Dell was able to use his low-cost provider status to generate more profit for the company in other areas. Dell was very conglomerate in its industry, being the number one domestic seller of servers and workstations in 2002 Dell also created products that could potentially bring him more loyal customers. Such as, low-cost routing switches, handheld PCs, retail-store systems, electronic cash registers, specialized software, laptops, printers, scanners, monitors, digital cameras, modems, memory cards, zip drivers and speakers.
In 1984, Michael Dell invested $1,000 in start-up capital to register his business as Dell Computer Corporation, which was known as PC's Limited. The company becomes the first in the industry to sell directly to end-users by passing the dominant system of using computers resellers to sell mass-produced computers. Dell Computer also pioneers the industry first thirty-day money back guarantee. It became the cornerstone of Dell's commitment to expand its service offerings, superior customer satisfaction, and the industries first on site service program. It also established its first international subsidiary in the United Kingdom, and raised $30 million in its initial public offering.
Dell’s initial competitive strategy, when it was founded in 1984 by Michael Dell, was to focus mainly on differentiation. Its strategy was to sell customised personal computer systems directly to customers, which was a rapidly emerging market at that time (1). This was done by targeting second-time customers, those that already understand computers and know what they wanted. Meanwhile other companies at the time was selling “’plain brown wrapper’ computers” (2). By offering customisations, Dell gained a better understanding of customers’ needs and wants. This helped the organisation position itself differently against the more popular brands, such as Compaq and IBM.