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GCSE: Case Studies

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What is SWOT analysis?

  1. 1 This is one of the commonest ways in which a business analyses its position. It will use a SWOT analysis as a basis for deciding on new strategies. It can also be used by business students to analyse a business as it methodically goes through the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats faced by a business.
  2. 2 Strengths relate to internal factors that make the business better than the competition. It might be a wider product range, lower costs, better established brand name or any other factor that the business thinks it is strong in. Once identified it will look for ways it can build on its strengths.
  3. 3 Weaknesses relate to internal factors that the business feels it is worse in than its competitors e.g. less well known, less well developed in certain products or markets, lack of expertise etc. It is important for a business to be honest in assessing the weaknesses. It will look to minimising the effects of weaknesses or developing them.
  4. 4 Opportunities are external factors which the business could develop. They might relate to a market the business could move in to, a weak competitor, a new product area with strong possibilities of growth or a change in the law which presents business opportunities.
  5. 5 Threats are external factors that threaten the success of the business. It usually relates to a competitor’s action e.g. a competitor that is ruthlessly cutting prices or a new piece of legislation that is threatening to reduce the market. A business will look for ways to reduce the threats once it is aware of it.

How can I find out more about a business?

  1. 1 A company web site is a good place to start but bear in mind that this is written by the company itself and should be treated with some suspicion as a business will use its web site to sell itself.
  2. 2 For more detailed financial analysis, the annual report is a good source. Public Limited Companies must publish details of their finances e.g. profit and loss account and balance sheet. These can be accessed through the web site. Try going to investor relations if you are struggling to find it. The pay of all directors must be stated.
  3. 3 Newspaper articles will give useful information. Go to the web site of a quality paper or the BBC and search on the name of the company.
  4. 4 Try putting the name of the company onto a search engine. You will find that there often there are web sites giving a different perspective e.g. criticising their customer service, ethical policy or products. Do not put too many words into a search engine.
  5. 5 Develop the important skill of skim reading so that you can quickly see if a page is likely to have useful information. Follow links and skim them quickly as well.

How to analyse the external factors that affect a business

  1. 1 PEST analysis is a systematic tool which can be used to analyse the external factors affecting a business. Businesses use it on themselves when doing this and it is effective to use it as a student as it categorises the broad areas of external factors affecting a business. The word PEST comes from the initials of Political, Economic, Social and Technological.
  2. 2 Political factors can have a big influence on the laws affecting business, the purchasing power of consumers and the attitude of government to businesses. A business should analyse how politically stable a country is and any laws that will affect its operation.
  3. 3 Economic factors can have a big effect on the success of a business. It needs to analyse the economic state of countries it is in and the influence this will have on the business. If a country is in recession, this will affect the products and the best approach to marketing.
  4. 4 Social factors can have a big effect on business. Is the population ageing or predominantly young, what do the population think about 'green' issues, what is their attitude towards women?
  5. 5 Technological factors can have a big impact on business. Is a break through in manufacture likely, is there an advance in design and function that affects demand for a product, do customers increasingly want to buy this on the internet in some markets?

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  1. Business Plan - Honkers Car rental

    Improving the range of cars available as this will give the customers more choice of cars, hopefully making their rental even more enjoyable. We hope to partner with Ford to complete this aim. Ensuring customer satisfaction as our business is was chosen so we could give the best service possible for the lowest possible cost. This will be achieved by receiving, reading and acting upon customer feedback. Becoming an international company, as aforementioned, will make our services available to many more customers.

    • Word count: 1163
  2. Describe the products & services provided by the London eye and Wookey Hole Caves.

    This is a primary product because it is one of the foremost reasons of going on the river cruise. Capsule sightsee London Eye - EDF energy operates the London eye, they provide epic views of London from a high altitude. A standard ticket on the London Eye lasts for approximately 45 minutes; the time is takes for the London eye to orbit completely. Secondary Products - Souvenir Shop The London eye gift shop is right next to the observation wheel opposite the ticket office entrance.

    • Word count: 674
  3. Tourist destinations - Drayton Manor and Salisbury Cathedral

    * Train service You can take bus from where ever you are located and go to trains station when you reach your train station you take the train with the London midland- towards Crewe and then you get down at the 1st stop which is Tamworth. Range products The have places for children's like Thomas land and at Thomas land there are varieties of things to do like: 1. Thomas land parties: the birthday child goes in the park for free, commemorative photo for the birthday child with their party in Thomas land and also with friends.

    • Word count: 1019
  4. Essay on Economic Impact of China

    Unemployment was low, inflation was low, but standards of living were at an all time low. The second phase of Chinese economic development began in 1977. The first policy was the decollectivisation of the agricultural industry. Individuals were allowed to retain surplus production of goods and services despite still servicing a commune system. This move rapidly increased incentive for work, encouraging entrepreneurship, productivity and economic growth. This policy was vital in helping 200 million Chinese escape absolute poverty. The second policy adopted was the formation of Special Economic Zones.

    • Word count: 1591
  5. Business Communication - Starbucks case study.

    * Telephone Call - This is a quick way of organising a meeting within Starbucks. Written A written document can have lots of things on it such as links to sites also it might be notes from a meeting. An advantage to using written information is that it can be used as evidence for something like a profit and loss account or a bank slip. Another advantage is that someone can look back at the information and see if they have improved. A disadvantage to a written is that a document might be accidentally lost at some point and that it takes a while to do.

    • Word count: 1235
  6. Strengths & weaknesses of a business idea. Research for a new electronics shop.

    * This could be a major store the town your business is going to be in needs so it will bring in customers The weaknesses of this idea are * The start up costs will be expensive. * Products can easily be stolen by having a big store because you can't watch everywhere. * Competition could be fierce if you set up in town with huge competitors like Tesco and Sainsbury's Competition for this type of business would be the large supermarkets such as Asda, Lidl, Morrison's etc.

    • Word count: 6961
  7. Mc Donalds Homework

    4.What are the three main requirements that you need to have to be a McDonalds franchisee? Franchisees must undertake an extensive training programme of approximately nine months before they are proposed a restaurant franchise. This training is unpaid. McDonald's do not charge for the training. The training programme is very much the bedrock approach to franchising and helps ensure the consistency and high standards for which the McDonald's brand is so well known. The majority of the training takes place in a restaurant within commuting distance of your home address. In addition to restaurant based training there are a number of classroom-based courses to attend.

    • Word count: 1124
  8. Would the opening of a fast food restaurant on Riddy lane (Luton) represent a sound business proposition?

    Objective- 1. Competitors- I need to know who the competitors will be of a new fast food restaurant in Riddy lane and what products they provide. This is important from a business point of view because knowing what the rival fast food business does, what pricing they set there product at, how they promote the business will benefit the business as you can see if the other business is successful and what you can do to make your business more successful then your rivals.

    • Word count: 13502
  9. Red Bull Case Study

    The country of Austria mandated that the performance benefits were not applicable to the laws of the country. Although this new product contained three characteristics from both food and drug categories it coincided with all traditional, dietary, and pharmaceutical but under this circumstance did not fit in any category this. However the Red Bull Company proceeded in offering an alternative to this restriction by advising the Austria government to create a new classification. In the aftermath of this event the a new classification was created called "functional foods." (Case 13, pg 378) The core element that is established in this case study is that the Red Bull Company specializes in energy drinks.

    • Word count: 1090
  10. South Delaware Coors Case Study

    (Marketing Management, 2007 pg 250) I think the most convenient course of action that Larry Brownlow should take is follow suit with the information given in study (B). The information in study B suggests that Larry should start up a distribution hub in Kent and Sussex County. (Marketing Management, 2007 pg 252) This would help Larry test the waters before distributing more regionally than eventually nationally.

    • Word count: 485
  11. Aims and Objectives of Woburn Safari Park and Thomas Cook.

    after having a tour around the foot safari the families can sit and have what they desire. Selling tickets is another way to make profit, every customer who comes in to the safari has to buy a ticket. The prices of the tickets vary from children to adults. Discounts are also given to groups and disabled people. To maximise sales revenue Woburn Safari Park can develop a variety of products e.g. when we went to visit them, we got a picture taken which cost us �20. After taking the photos we had to wait a week before it got processed on to their website which we can then access it by entering the code provided.

    • Word count: 3486
  12. I will be focusing on 4 different organizations and explaining their purpose, ownership, size and scale in full detail.

    and good customer service and a try hard for excellence. ASDA takes corporate responsibility (management on a company's impact on society and the environment) very seriously, ASDA believes that supporting corporate responsibility can make their products more affordable for customers. Ownership: ASDA is a Public Limited Company PLC (A PLC is a type of limited company which is permitted to offer shares to the public) an American retailing company called Wal-Mart owns ASDA. Its shareholders own the company and this causes the ownership to constantly change, as the share are constantly bought and sold.

    • Word count: 1192
  13. In this task I will focus on the main roles of Richer Sounds and Tower Hamlets Councils departments, I will then look at the importance of each department and how each department help each other.

    Therefore the colleague support department is important because to be successful in the automotive market, Richer Sounds needs a highly skilled, flexible and committed work force. Therefore for Richer Sounds to achieve these goals, the company needs talented HR department and hiring the right people to manage and perform specific jobs. Importance of Marketing Department: businesses are always searching for better ways to produce goods and services, for example richer sounds HR department need feedback from customers so they can find out what is wrong with their product and how they can improve their product.

    • Word count: 555
  14. The Secret Recipe of The Body Shop

    Body Shop also likes to recycled things and made it into accessories. So, aside from being useful and unique, it's highly eco-friendly. The entrepreneurs of Body Shop, Anita Roddick, succeeded not because of a capitalist goal which is profit, but she thought of ways to survive in the market. The body shop always born with new ideas and innovations, and they keep improving customer services. Here, we are going to describe more about The Body Shop and its secret recipe to succeed in franchising world. 1. Franchising Anita Roddick appointing a head franchisee in each major national market to be able to concentrate on the development on new product lines and the company's global vision, rather than the complexities of administration or personnel management.

    • Word count: 1610
  15. T-Mobile data analysis

    T-Mobile could use this data by offering cheaper/better text and talk packages. Gender analysis We can divide the questionnaire results by gender, this will allow for more effective and useful data. We can extract some key information from analysing the data by gender. Question six shows that it is twice as likely for males to use Email & Internet as their main phone function (10% to 5%). Question 11 shows that 39% of males are completely unaware of T-mobiles current product and prices, this is down to bad advertising. By looking at question 8 we can see that the most effective form of advertising for males is TV.

    • Word count: 533
  16. T-Mobile Marketing Strategy

    This means the G1 and G2 will undoubtedly be a step ahead of the iPhone in terms of functionality. The news of these phones has meant that T-Mobile are trying to obtain an exclusivity deal with Google to try and emulate the success of O2 and the iPhone although whether T-Mobile will be able to market them as successfully as the iPhone remains to be seen. There are two main forms in a market; a monopoly and an oligopoly. Monopoly is when a single company or person has control over a product or service.

    • Word count: 1607
  17. Assignment a4

    I'm also going to investigate what the packaging factors where and what the insurance of the transportation are. I also have to describe the import duties and the V.A.T. besides that I had to investigate what the exchange rates were of Norway, the buying and selling rate. I had to apply those rates to the company. I had to describe the monetary systems, what they are and what the differences are between them, besides that I also have to describe the trading barriers that has been changes by these two monetary systems. Transport documents, packing and transport insurance 1. Which transport document(s), issued by a carrier as evidence of a transport contract, will accompany the goods during transport?

    • Word count: 7618
  18. I am going to talk about characteristic of the local business environment in the Leicester. My chosen business is eastern European restaurant.

    People pay more money for ready goods and services than they do for raw materials. At the moment many people haven't got a job which helps to me to chose more options of quality staff and wages. Tertiary sector is growing fast and took over most of the industry. Primary and Secondary sectors not growing and not expanding as need of it isn't big. Legal Frame Work I have researched about the types of health and safety that I would need in a restaurant and have found out that for my business

    • Word count: 584
  19. I am going to write aim and objectives for my two chosen businesses and those are ASDA and Leicester City Council and I am going to write definition of aim and objectives.

    They sets aim and objective but they not clear about how they gone achieve it. They set aim but they just follow them when they feel like it. In that case they may fail to fulfil their aims. They can achieve their aim and objective by setting SMART objectives which are: Specific: clear definition how they gone achieved their aims and Specific about their aims Measurable: This means achievement can be checked in every month or year. Achievable: This means you achieve your target during that period you have set. Realistic: This means your aim is sensible so that you have chance to achieving it.

    • Word count: 1294
  20. Report on types of business information at Mark and Spencer

    This is use to express the impression that the manager could have against the staffs within Mark and Spencer such as the financial income of the business, the stocks and things that need to be done in order to improve their sales income. The purpose of this information is to give the staff the knowledge of the business development. And this information originates from the sales and finance department because they are the departments that give information about the profit they are making from the sales and other sources and how the company could increase in their sales.

    • Word count: 1386
  21. Online Businesses. Comparing Which, the BBC and Firebox.

    This is their scoring system. They have stars out of 5 and percentages next to them, with a filtering system which allows you to filter by brand, price range, score and specific features. You can also filter by specific qualities , e.g., the suctioning power of each machine. The BBC website This is the British Broadcasting Corporation's website which is run by the Government and owned by the British public, who pay the licence fee. They have so many different services and pages, it would be impossible to mention them all.

    • Word count: 2048
  22. Four Day school week

    Converting to a four day school week is a simple and easy solution to many schools financial problems. Converting to a four day school week is a beneficial and money saving change. Many schools have been affected by all of the radical price changes in gas, staff payment, and utilities. An excerpt from the principal's page blog states, (2008) "school districts are going to have to begin looking at alternatives to keep their finances under control.

    • Word count: 492
  23. Objectives, ownership and organisation of Perrys Motor Sales Ltd

    Therefore, their ability to increase money may be very limited. The main advantage to be a private limited company is the shareholder, therefore who have larger shares can take full control on the business. The disadvantage is the decision making might slow because the shareholders might come out with different ideas. Functional area Human resources department The human resource department is responsible of all aspects of managing the people in the business. The department fulfils an important function because it supplies and looks after all the people in san organisation.

    • Word count: 670
  24. Free essay

    Laurie and Joe want to open up a hairdressing salon. Write a report discussing the key personal features needed, suitable establishment options for Laurie and Joe and finance options they should take into account.

    There are several reasons for why people start up their own business but it is usually due to: - Having independence and being your own boss - Choosing the location and fellow employees - Gaining more control over own destiny and increasing personal wealth - Having something to leave to family - Accepting a challenge - Security Experience: An experienced person would have: - Knowledge of the product and service being entered - Skills in management such as communication, ER, accounting and finance, marketing and operations - Organizational and customer service skills.

    • Word count: 1522
  25. Evaluating Selected Human Resource Related Practices In Beijing YanJing Brewery Co.,Ltd

    YJB is one of the top 500 lucrative industrial enterprises of China, one of the top 100 breweries. The Corporate Culture is dedication, creation, collaboration and master spirits. At present, it boasts of 29 affiliated companies, including 21 breweries and 8 relevant or attached enterprises ( Li 2007). 1.1.1The Structure of Management It Sets up Shareholders Meeting, Board of Directors and Board of supervisors Meeting. Shareholders Meeting is the company's highest authority; The Board is the main decision-making Agency; The Board of Supervisors Meeting are directing the above managers. The organization structure is broken down further as follows: * Members of Board: There is one Chairman (Li Fucheng), two Vice Chairman(Zhao Fang and Li Hua)

    • Word count: 3174

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