Gap
The Gap, Inc. usually known as Gap Inc. or Gap, is a leading American multinational clothing and accessories retailer. It was launched in the year 1969 by Donald Fisher and Doris F. Fisher and it has its headquarter in San Francisco, California. The company manages six primary divisions: the namesake banner, Banana Republic, Old Navy, Piperlime, Intermix, and Athleta. Gap Inc. is following Inditex Group and H&M in the whole sum of international locations, though it remains the biggest specialty retailer in the United States. By the September 2008, the company has around 135,000 employees and operates 3,076 stores globally, of which 2,551 are based in the U.S.
Facts about Gap
Donald and Doris Fisher introduced the first Gap store on Ocean Avenue in San Francisco on August 21, 1969; its merchandise was involved of Levi's and LP records. They had hoisted US$63,000 to begin the store, and they attained US$2 million in sales in the first year of operation. In the year 1970, Gap started its second store in San Jose, California and recognized its corporate headquarters in Burlingame, California with four employees. By the year 1973, the company had more than 25 locations and had extended into the East Coast
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Strengths for Duquesne University would be that it is nationally ranked number 115. This is a number that can beat many competitors and creates benefits for those that attend. Classes that have fewer than twenty students is 40.9% and classes that have fifty or more students is only at 9%.. (http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/duquesne-university-3258/rankings). Duquesne is located in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania and is known to be one of the top places to live in the country. Pittsburgh is considered the most livable and resilient. There is a young crowd that could be an interest for young adults, also this city is considered to be the third safest cities in the states (https://fitt.co/pittsburgh/pittsburgh-best-city/). Religious values are what many people look for to keep that connect they have with their beliefs, having these values instilled in the curriculum could be a benefit view for parents and students.
Abercrombie and Fitch was initially started in 1892 by David T. Abercrombie. An outdoorsman himself, Abercrombie wanted to create a clothing line that was suitable for outdoor activities such as hiking, camping and hunting. Ezra Fitch, a lover of the Abercrombie clothing line, decided to become a partner in the company, this making what we know today as Abercrombie & Fitch. This partnership began in 1900 and subsequently ended in 1907 when David Abercrombie resigned from the company due to personal differences. The company proved to be a success and had much interest in expanding their company in order to draw in more business. The first major executive decision came shortly after Abercrombie’s resignation. The A&F catalogue was a cross between a clothing magazine and a guide to the outdoors. It gave information and advice to campers, hunters and fishers and also simultaneously provided a wardrobe for these activities. This catalogue increased both sales and notoriety. It brought Abercrombie and Fitch to people all around the world. Unfortunately, success was not everlasting. The company endured very tough financial times during the early 1960’s and 70’s and eventually declared bankruptcy in 1977. In 1988, success came again when The Limited Inc. bought Abercrombie and Fitch. Abercrombie is now a 223.0 million dollar corporation.
Foot Locker is a leading global athletic footwear and apparel retailer with its headquarters located in New York City. Its stores offer the latest in athletic-inspired performance products, manufactured primarily by the leading athletic brands. Foot Locker offers products for a wide variety of activities including basketball, running, and training. Its 1,911 stores are located in 21 countries including 1,171 in the United States, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Guam, 129 in Canada, 518 in Europe, and a combined 93 in Australia and New Zealand. The domestic stores have an average of 2,400 selling square feet and the international stores have an average of 1,500 selling square feet. www.Footlocker-inc.com Foot Locker operates in two reportable segments athletic stores and direct to their customers. The athletic store is one of their biggest retailor stores in the U.S. These stores include Foot Locker, Lady Foot Locker, Kids Foot Locker, Champs, Foot action and CCS. Their direct to customers includes Foot Locker, Eastbay Inc and CCS which sell their product line through the internet. (Foot Locker Inc.com)
Meijer, Inc. was established in 1934 by founder Hendrik Meijer opened his first store in Greenville, Michigan, he opened his first grocery store in Michigan during the great depression. Meijer currently has 200 stores located in 6 Midwest states; with headquarters in Walker, Michigan. Starting as a simple grocery store, the company has grown into a big box superstore that combines grocery shopping with department store shopping in the same facility. Supercenters are becoming more popular, but Hendrik Meijer had the first of its kind. Transitioning from grocery to a supercenter was the ideal step, and the first in the industry to expand on the concept.
Industry Overview Some 400,000 specialty retail stores operate in the US with combined annual sales of $350 billion. CAGR 2002-06: 5%. Market is dominated by large players like Best Buy, Toys “R” Us, Gap, Sports Authority, etc. The market size of some major product categories.
As a citizen of America you have definitely seen a store owned by Gap Inc. such as stores like Old Navy, Gap, Banana Republic, Etc. These stores represent an ionic and proud American store since 1969 which has multiplied since they opened their first store in San Francisco. This marked the first of many stores that would open and take over America. Gap became an icon as it started to multiply as larger variety stores came about. Such stores as Old Navy taking over the lower budget gap clothing to Gap as a middle budget and on to Banana Republic which serves as a high profile high budget Gap Inc. store. Gap Inc. To the eyes of Don and Doris Fisher opening the first store was more than just selling jeans; it was to serve the people and to gain integrity. They also wanted to create a lasting impression to the consumers. This has become the mission statement for Gap Inc. and has stuck with them ever since they opened their first store. Gap has broadened their products from the jeans that Doris and Don could not fit and made to the countless of apparel items and accessories that they offer.
In strategic planning, strength, weakness, opportunity and threat (SWOT) analysis is a tool used to identify those issues most likely to have an impact on a planned change now and in the future (Laureate Education, 2013f; Marquis & Huston, 2015). A SWOT analysis helps an organization further its mission, vision, and values by ensuring the planned change remains true to these statements.
The company that I picked was Under Armour. According to reuters.com, a website that evaluates individual companies, “Under Armour is in the development, marketing, and distribution of apparel, footwear and accessories” (Reuters). The Under Armour headquarters is located in Baltimore, Maryland. Under Armour is a national corporation which sells their products mainly in North America. Under Armour also sells its products international in countries like Europe and Japan. The target customers for Under Armour are men, women, and children. This is the marketing plan for the company Under Armour.
Levi Strauss & Co. is a worldwide corporation organized into three geographic divisions: Levi Strauss, North Americas (LSNA), based in the San Francisco headquarters; Levi Strauss Europe (LSE), based in Brussels; and Asia Pacific Division (APD), based in Singapore. The company employs a staff of approximately 8,850 people worldwide, and owns and develops a few brands. Levi's, the main brand, was founded in 1873 in San Francisco, specializing in riveted denim jeans and different lines of casual and street fashion.
Grady improves the health of the community by providing quality, comprehensive healthcare in a compassionate, culturally competent, ethical and fiscally responsible manner. Grady maintains its commitment to the underserved of Fulton and DeKalb counties, while also providing care for residents of metro Atlanta and Georgia. Grady leads through its clinical excellence, innovative research and progressive medical education and training.
According to Smithson, Walmart can expand its markets to new and emerging markets especially in the third world countries, which can significantly increase its revenues. Secondly, the company can reform is employment practices and improve the quality standard and in doing so, attract more customers and improve its brand image. On the other hand, the company faces threats such as the rising healthy lifestyle trend I that the company in most cases does not provide customers with healthy goods. At the same time, the company can capitalize on this aspect and increase its revenues. Aggressive competition from other discount retailers such as Target creates a great threat to the company (Smithson, 2015).
The Silverman family first founded American Eagle Outfitters in 1977. They operated specialty clothing stores under the name Retail Ventures. In 1980 the Silverman’s encountered financial troubles when the Schottenstein family bought out 50% of the Retail Ventures. In 1991 the Schottenstein family bought the rest of Retail Ventures and opened 153 American Eagle Outfitters. By late 2000 the company had introduced 46 new stores in Canada. American Eagle had approximately $2 million in annual sales in 2003 and now operates over 800 stores in the United States and Canada (http://www.hoovers.com/american-eagle-outfitters/--ID__17231--/free-co-factsheet.xhtml).
The period success of GAP had taken a turn since 2002. Profits and revenue continued to decline. From 2008-2010, just in U.S, 6000 retail stores had been closed because of the financial recession; during this period, Gap closed more than fifty of its 3251 stores. The annual income of GAP had also been successively overpassed by ZARA in 2008 and H&M in 2009, which dropped down to the third in fashion industry (Liu, 2013). And continually, the company’s net income declined to $833 million in 2011, which is 17% less than it earned in 2010 (Exhibit 1) (Ciasullo, Blauvelt, & Lambert, 2012). In U.S, the largest market for GAP, the elder generation who bought Gap products in 1990s had gradually left Gap for different requirements with the increasing age, and Gap was unable to keep its success with the younger generation. In addition, although Chinese market currently has been the second largest market for GAP Inc., they still operate the GAP brand as a follower without any distinct positioning str...
Gap, although it was successful in the 1980 's and 90 's, it could not catch up the ground they lost in the 21st century. According to the figure 2.3 in chapter 2 of "Strategic Management In Action," the diagram shows that the critical success factors are the ability to embrace change, creativity and innovation capabilities, and being a world-class organization. The Gap in the 80 's and 90 's was the world-class organization when it came to the staple American fashion but they failed in creativity and innovation. As the trends of fashion changed in the 21st century the Gap could not adapt to the change. Instead, they lost their credibility and stores like H&M took over. When I think of the Gap, I think of over-priced boring clothes. There is
Whole Foods Market (WFM) was founded in 1980 as a single local grocery store by John Mackey for natural and health foods. By 1991, WFM had 10 up-and-running stores with revenues of about $92.5 million in United States Dollars (USD), and a net income of about $1.6 million in USD. In 1992 WFM became a publicly traded company with its stock trading on the NASDAQ. By 2006 Whole Foods Market had progressed into the world’s largest retail chain of natural and organic foods supermarket. As of September 2007 WFM has 276 stores up-and-running. 263 of the stores are located throughout 37 of the U.S. and the District of Columbia. 7 of the stores are in Canada and 6 in the U.K.