Preview

Case Study of Zara: Fast Fashion from Savvy Systems

Powerful Essays
Open Document
Open Document
8982 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Case Study of Zara: Fast Fashion from Savvy Systems
MN3027 – STRATEGY IN ACTION

ASSIGNMENT 2 – 3,000 words

ZARA: FAST, FASHION from SAVVY SYSTEMS

Contents Contents 2 1.0 Introduction and Key Issues: 4 2.0 Present Vision, Mission, and Corporate Objectives: 5 3.0 Situational Analysis: 6 3.1 Environmental Analysis: 7 3.1.1 PESTLE: 7 3.1.2 Market Structures: 9 3.2 Industrial Analysis: 9 3.2.1 Competitive Forces: 9 3.2.2 Strategic Groups: 11 3.2.3 Key Factors for Success: 12 3.2.3 Competitor Profiles: 13 3.3 Internal Analysis: 14 3.3.1 7s Framework: 14 3.3.2 Cultural Web: 16 3.3.3 Competitive Advantage, Core Competences and Capabilities, Sustainable Competitive Advantage: 17 3.3.4 Resource Audits: 17 3.3.5 Financial Ratios: 18 3.3.6 Value Chains and Value Systems: 20 3.4 Brief Summary of Current Situational Analysis: 23 3.4.1 SWOT Analysis: 23 4.0 Strategic Options and Choice: 24 4.1 Porter’s Generic Strategies: 24 4.2 Ansoff Matrix: 26 5.0 Implementation Issues: 29 5.1 Product: 29 5.2 Price: 29 5.3 Promotion: 29 5.4 Place: 29 5.5 Process: 29 6.0 Conclusion: 31 Bibliography 32 APPENDICIES 36

1.0 Introduction and Key Issues:
Zara is one of the largest flourishing fashion retail outlets in the industry offering clothing lines for women, men, and children. They are currently operating in 68 countries, globally, and have entered in new markets, due to the development of international enterprises, a consequence of reduced barriers for trading due to developments in information technology.
Zara is a Spanish firm founded by Mr.Amancio Ortega. At first, Zara is a subsidy company that falls under the parent company of Inditex Industrias de DisenoTextil, which is a futuristic central command of game – changing clothes and also holds eight different brands.
Zara’s business strategy is quite different than their competitors, for example, their expenditure on marketing is very little as compared to their



Bibliography: Psychologyface, 2011. McKinsey 7S Framework. [Online] Available at: http://psychologyface.com/2011/12/mckinsey-7s-framework/ Baidu, 2012. Zara. [Online] Available at: http://baike.baidu.com/view/522422.htm BBC NEWS, 2010. Zara 's profits jump on strong global sales. [Online] Available at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10273021 Christopher, M., Lowson, R. & Peck, H., 2009. Creating Agile Supply Chains In The Fashion Industry. [Online] Available at: martin-christopher.info/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/CREATING-AGILE-UPPLY-CHAINS-IN-THE-INDUSTRY.pdf CNN, 2001. Zara, a Spanish success story. [Online] Available at: http://edition.cnn.com/BUSINESS/programs/yourbusiness/stories2001/zara/ College of Textiels NC State University, 2006. Zara Fast Forward Workshop. [Online] Available at: http://www.tx.ncsu.edu/jtatm/volume5issue1/Zara_fashion.htm CQDR, 2008 . Using Ansoff Matrix analyze Zara. [Online] Available at: http://cqdr.blogspot.com/2008/08/using-ansoff-matrix-analyze-zara.html Economists, 2005. The future Of Fast Fashion: Spain 's Inditex, he owner of the Zara chain of fashion stores, has bold but worying expansion plans. [Online] Available at: http://www.economists.com/node/4086117 Fashion United, 2011. The Zara aura Spreads In India. [Online] Available at: http://www.fashionunited.in/news/fashion/the-zara-aura-spreads-in-india-110520112005 Garcia, J. M., 2010. Benetton and Zara information systems:a comparative analysis, Spain: Organisation de Empresas. Ghemawat, P. & Nueno, J. L., 2006. Zara: Fast Fashion, Boston: Harvard Business School. Guddal & Saurabh, 2010. Zara Case Ass. [Online] Available at: www.scribd.com/doc/38701912/Zara-Case-Ass Inditex, 2010. Annual report 2010, Spain: Inditex. Join Fashion: Inditex, 2011. Join Us. [Online] Available at: http://www.joinfashioninditex.com/joinfashion/en/join-us Key Note, 2011. Clothing Retailers, London: Key Note. Kotler, P., Armstrong, G., Saunders, J. & Wong, V., 2006. Principles Of Marketing. 4th ed. New Jersy: Prentice Hall. London Metropolitan University, 2011. Zara: Fast Fashion from Savvy Systems. London(London): Weblearn. Lopez, C. & Fan, Y., 2009. Internationalisation of the Spaninsh Fashion Brand Zara. Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management, 13(2), pp. 279-296. Marcouse, I. et al., 2003. Business Studies. 2 ed. London: Hodder Arnold. McEachern, W. A., 2009. Economics: A Contemporary Introduction. 9th ed. Natorp Boulevard: Cengage Learning. Morris, S., 2011. Euro woes to slow Zarar maker Inditex 's growth. [Online] Available at: www.guardian.co.uk/business/feedarticle/9994086 Oxford Dictionary of Business and Mangement, 2006. Oxford dictionary of Business and Management. 6th ed. New York: Oxford University Press. Porter, M. E., 1980. Competitive strategy: techniques for analyzing industries and competitors. 1 ed. New York: Free Press. Reid, G. C., Jacobsen, L. R. & Anderson, M. E., 1993. Profiles in small business: A competitive strategy approach. 1st ed. London: Routledge. shiva5717, 2011. Zara: Marketing Plan. [Online] Available at: www.slideshare.net/shiva 5717/zara-mareting-plan-8154233 Stylemeister, 2010. ZARA – fashion invader extraordinaire.. [Online] Available at: http://www.menstylepower.com/2010/09/zara/ Thinking Made Easy, 2010. Strategic Management of Zara. [Online] Available at: http://ivythesis.typepad.com/term_paper_topics/2010/10/strategic-management-of-zara.html Thompson, J., 2011. Zara owner targets China after profits soar in 2010. [Online] Available at: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/zara-owner-targets-china-after-profits-soar-in-2010-2251156.html Thompson, J. & Martin, F., 2005. Strategic Management: Awareness & Change. 6 ed. Hampshire: Cengage Learning. Tokatli, N., 2007. Global sourcing: insigts from the global clothing industry - the case of Zara, a fast fashion retailer.. Journal of Economic and Geography, pp. 21-38. Tutor2u, 2011. Ansoff 's Product / market matrix. [Online] Available at: http://tutor2u.net/business/strategy/ansoff_matrix.htm Wikiwealth, 2011. Zara SWOT Analysis. [Online] Available at: http://www.wikiwealth.com/swot-analysis:zara Zara, 2010. Company. [Online] Available at: http://www.zara.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/category/uk/en/zara-W2011-r/11112/Company Zara, 2010. Environment Policy. [Online] Available at: www.zara.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/category/uk/en/zara-W2011-r/18001/Our%2BMission%2BStatement Zara, 2010. Work With Us. [Online] Available at: http://www.joinfashioninditex.com/joinfashion/?idEmpresa=1 Source: (shiva5717, 2011) However, as Zara is in high fashion industry, where they offer textiles / clothing of the latest fashion with a shelf life of maximum of two weeks, hence the new product life cycle will appear in the next diagram beneath. Source: (shiva5717, 2011) By analysing the Product Life Cycle of Zara; this proves that Zara does not need to spend a lot of money into advertising, as the sales of the new (birth) products are a lot higher compare to a typical Product Life Cycle

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    Zara Case Write-Up

    • 1277 Words
    • 6 Pages

    The business idea of Zara is to link customer demand to manufacturing, and to link manufacturing to distribution. And based on this general idea, Zara has several essential elements for its business model. First, speed and decision making, which means that in the external level, Zara need to respond very quickly to demands of target customers, and always keep in style. While for the inside, Zara treasure intelligence and judgment of common employees who enjoy a great deal of autonomy. Second, its marketing, merchandising and advertising strategy. Zara does not spend on virtually advertising, while it spends heavily on stores, and no selling online because of the nature of its DCs and complication of online selling. Also, Zara has clear positioning that its clothes are always in style and not for durable use. Third, Zara has lots of stores and large scales, which has promising financial achievements as well as potential growth point. In general, Zara has a business model of preferences for speed and decentralized decision making.…

    • 1277 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    zara case study

    • 670 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Zara has a highly flexible tool for producing close to its customers and an efficient and quick chain information system. Zara designers are constantly listening to advice and comments from store managers. During their regular contact, the store managers give suggestions, advice and criticisms on products and on the choice that should be taken thanks to the retail experiences with customers. .It allows to Zara to be the first company to offer the new fashion garments, Zara create a sort of rareness. To control his production, Zara produces a lot in Spain with exclusive suppliers, it give to Zara a great reactivity and a good control.…

    • 670 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Zara Swop

    • 474 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Zara has established itself successfully over the course of five years since the opening of its first retail store in Spain in 1975. We must now consider further opportunities of growth with a sole purpose of gaining further international recognition in order to maintain our mark as a top leader in the retail industry amidst the competition of the fashion industry.…

    • 474 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    Zara International was a retail shop originated in La Coruna, Spain in 1975. It was clothing and accessories shop and imitated the latest fashion trends and sold them at a lower cost. It became Zara International after entering Portugal in 1988 and then the United States and France in the 1990s. The distributor for this brand is Inditex and is considered the most successful retail chain in the world. Zara has a business strategy that is very different from the retailers nowadays. If a customer orders a product Zara’s distribution centers can have the items in the store within 24 to 48 hours of receiving the order, depending upon the country. The business plan that Zara’s executives made was very innovative and played a great part in the success of this retail chain. Not only has it been successful and profitable in the past, they are successful in the present and have been expanding their brand all over the world…

    • 992 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Best Essays

    Zara It Analysis

    • 1817 Words
    • 8 Pages

    References: Mcafee, A. Dessain, V. Sjoman, A. (2007). Zara: IT for fast Fashion. Harvard business school, Boston Massachusetts., 2-23.…

    • 1817 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Best Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    ZARA IT for Fast Fashion

    • 1545 Words
    • 7 Pages

    After reading and analyzing the Zara case we came several conclusions when it comes to Zara’s competitive advantage over its competitors. We understood that Zara is using totally distinctive business model compared to other more traditional fashion retailers. In our opinion there are three most important advantages that Zara has over its competitors. These are : IT Software/internal information flow, Factory locations/Geographic placement, Just in Time approach. We believe that these three factor are the main determinants when it comes to Zara’s strong current position on the market. Below I will go more in detail and explain every single factor individually.…

    • 1545 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    Within this report I will begin by carrying out an analysis on the External Environment and the Internal Environment, followed by an analysis of the firm’s corporate and business level strategies of the firm. I will then attempt to offer some recommendations that could benefit Zara and Inditex and its long term success.…

    • 947 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Zara Case Study

    • 973 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Zara is the flagship brand of the Spanish retail group, Inditex SA, one of the super-heated performers in a soft retail market in recent years. When Indtiex offered a 23 percent stake to the public in 2001, the issue was over-subscribed 26 times raising Euro2.1 billion for the company.…

    • 973 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Based in La Coruna, Spain, Zara is Inditex’s main brand, (Fashion Forward -The Economist, 2012).…

    • 5929 Words
    • 24 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Zara Customer Care

    • 3322 Words
    • 14 Pages

    This report is about ZARA which is a global brand of clothing owned by the Inditex Group. It is the world's third-clothing retailer, one of the world's four major fashion chain (the other three are the United States of casual fashion giant GAP, the Swedish fashion giant H & M, German parity giant clothing chain C & A), has more than 2,000 stores in 70 countries around the world. It was established in 1975 by Spanish fashion designer and tycoon Amancio Ortega. The first store opened in Galicia, Spain, where it is now headquartered. The company is very unusual in the fashion retail world and incorporates many pioneering concepts. The company takes just two weeks to get its products on its store shelves after designing them, compared with six months for its competitors. It does not advertise, preferring instead to use money on opening new stores. Zara also owns and controls every stage of production from design, manufacture, supply and sales. A Louis Vuitton spokesperson described it as “possibly the most innovative and devastating retailer in the world”. (Baidu.com 22, June, 2012)…

    • 3322 Words
    • 14 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Zara Oepration Management

    • 3472 Words
    • 14 Pages

    2 - Introduction Zara is the flagship brand of the Spanish retail group, Inditex SA, one of the super-heated performers in a soft retail market in recent years. The first Zara shop opened its doors in 1975 in La Coruña, GaliciaSpain, the city that saw the Group's early beginnings and which is now home of its central offices. Its stores can now be found in the most important shopping districts of more than 400 cities in Europe, the Americas, Asia and Africa. With year-on-year sales increasing at around 25% over the last 5 years, it has become one of the world¶s fastest growing…

    • 3472 Words
    • 14 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Zara Case Study

    • 1982 Words
    • 8 Pages

    One global retailer is expanding at a dizzying pace. It is on track for what appears to be world domination of its industry. Having built its own state-of-the-art distribution network, the company is leaving the competition in the dust in terms of sales and profits, not to mention speed of inventory management and turnover. Wal-Mart, you might think? No! Tesco, possibly? No! The company is Zara, the flagship specialty chain of Spain based clothing conglomerate, Inditex. Forget football stars, the Costa del Sol and Real Madrid, they are nothing compared with Zara as Spain’s most successful international export. And it has other retailers reeling as Zara’s low-cost, fast fashion takes global markets by storm. This dynamic retailer is known for selling stylish designs that resemble those of big-name fashion houses but at moderate prices. ‘We sell the latest trends at low prices, but our clients value our design, quality and constant innovation,’ a company spokesman said. ‘That gives us the advantage even in highly competitive, developed markets, including Britain.’ More interesting is the way that Zara achieves its mission.…

    • 1982 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Zara Case

    • 1883 Words
    • 8 Pages

    on the type of garment. As a result Zara can be responsive to fashion items that…

    • 1883 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    Zara Case Study

    • 1834 Words
    • 8 Pages

    The purpose of this paper is to discuss issues and alternatives of Zara’s operating system. The three key success factors in Zara’s business are:…

    • 1834 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    Zara for Fast Fashion

    • 2110 Words
    • 9 Pages

    A.) The most important issue in the Zara case is the absence of IT and Business integration. This is the most significant problem in the case because it is the catalyst for all other issues within Zara. In analyzing the case we find that Zara did not appoint a CIO; had no formal process for setting an IT budget; did not have policies in place to select specific technology investments; required no formal justification for IT efforts; and did not conduct cost/ benefit analysis for IT projects. All of these elements are critical components to the success of IT and business overall. These shortcomings advocate the fact that Zara completely belittled the role of IT within the organization and merely used IT as a support function for business. With a completely decentralized decision making strategy and lack of IT /business integration, Zara created the platform for eventual failure. Because all of the above mentioned are responsibilities of both positioned executives and IT leaders, I am inclined to assert that poor integration is in fact the central dilemma to the case. Because the lack of IT and business alignment sets the groundwork for the additional issues to cultivate, it is significantly more critical than all other noted issues…

    • 2110 Words
    • 9 Pages
    Better Essays