Corporate strategies in Clarks and Dune-Free-Samples for Students

Question: Discuss about the Corporate strategies in Clarks and Dune. Answer: Introduction Competition has made many enterprises to develop strategies to meet the needs of the market and survive the ever-changing market environment. Dune is one of most influential players in the footwear industry with over 20 years experience in the industry. The location of the company is strategic with its business being located in London. The growth of the retailer is attributed to passion and dedication to excellence in product development and in-house design that meets customer needs. From one outlet, the retailer has expanded to 40 standalone stores and 175 concessions. To meet the changing customer needs, it offers both online shopping and in store shopping for customers. Dune specializes in a sophisticated style that fits the younger generation with its wide range of designs that meet several needs of the consumer. However, the footwear environment is competitive with other existing giant retailers who specialize in offering different shoe types. SWOT analysis of the retailer reveals both opportunities and threats that the company can work on to improve its business operations. One opportunity that is noted is an increasingly growing brand and opportunity to venture into online shopping. These two opportunities can be utilized to create a framework that improves business processes and meets the needs of the company. On the other hand, threats are indicated in easy entry into the market due to low limitations and diversification by existing retailers. Since most organizations are diversifying their business operations, then clothing retailers can easily diversify into footwear thus creating a challenge for the market. The company is also struggling wi th low market share as a weakness compared to other retailers like Clarks who have a larger market share and dominance. This presents weaker returns due to intense competition. Weaker market share means, low brand identity which is a threat to business. However, an analysis of the footwear industry reveals that the companies have been forced to reconsider their options due to competition and pressure from the market(Kent, 2017). The two retailers have been chosen since they are not market leaders in the field but are doing well in meeting retail needs. This report analyses how corporate communication strategies can be used to improve business processes thus developing competitive advantage. Corporate strategies Corporate communications are a set of activities that are involved in managing internal and external communications of the organization. Most corporate communication strategies focus on stakeholders who are mainly customers as a way of ensuring that they meet the needs of the market. Dune as a retailer has been communicating with its customers through different corporate strategies that have been boosting business for quite some time. The major corporate communication areas are corporate personality, corporate identity, corporate image, corporate reputation and public relations. Corporate imaging describes the manner in which the products of a company are perceived in the public eye. Organizations seek to develop a positive image through branding strategies that communicate positively to customers (Sacconi 2004, p. 79). This strategy leads to development of a positive halo effect on the consumer which leads to an impression about what the company sales. The benefits of such processes is a changed perception on the eyes of the consumer when there is a perceived risk about the quality of the product (Aaker Myers 1999, p. 12). Dune is established on a continuous brand that seeks to offer premium customer service through a combination of quality and unique fashion. The products feature the needs of both men and women capturing the ever-changing needs of the society where brands have been evolving since 1895. The brand title for its products is find your dancing feet which means that they have a brand value that meets the needs of every consumer within the busin ess environment (Dune 2017, pp. 5). The companys brand is loved because it is a key fashion setter with a distinctively British aesthetic style with a 120-year-old heritage that has made the brand a global household. However, Clarks has established itself on a distinctive ankle height boot with crepe rubber sole made of suede leather that was officially launched in 1950(Clarks, 2017). The heart of the rand is the belief in craft, innovation and comfort that are combined together to give the best customer experience which is defined as the force of nature. Therefore, each of the two companies has a unique brand identity that is identified by the customer. Corporate identity is a set of mental and functional associations that customers develop with it. This does not always lead to buying but rather familiarity and differentiation with others. Businesses seek to identify themselves in the eye of the consumer so that they can be striking to the user (Sweeney Brandon 2006, p. 642). Through noticeable elements like trademark, color, name and symbol, an organization develops an identify that differentiates its products from the rest of the designs in the market. Therefore the process involves a set of strategies that reveal what the business offers the consumer and how the consumer can use such defined elements to single out the product from the rest. Dune footwear brand identity is based on a Dune style for both men and ladies with a variety of footwear that are used for different functions. The designs are identified by color, name and shape which defines the occasion that they are fit for. For example, the Dune London style for ladies i s designed with its own handbag to make the user appear the Dune way. On the other hand, Clarks identity is known from the design of its shoes which is based on the study of biomechanics of the human foot, the way it moves at work, rest and play to design a shoe that meets all these conditions (Clarks 2017, p. 8). The company is known for its iconic footwear which undergoes improvement to meet the needs of the customer through 22,000 styles that are defined by generational evolutions to meet different user needs. Corporate reputation is the overall assessment of the organization by stakeholders. This method is achieved through perceptions of stakeholders on the ability of the business to meet their expectations. These stakeholders may have different interests in the company like buying products, shares or even beneficiaries of business processes (Keller 2003, P. 11). Organizations need to have the capacity to diagnose how others view them and configure a strategy for managing their reputation. Through identifying areas of potential risk, types of stakeholders in the business and establishing system for achieving the intended business reputation, the company can achieve these competitiveness by ensuring that the best mechanisms are put in place. Image repair theorists suggest that strategies can be used to restore the image after undergoing a crisis that threatens business. Dune has established itself as high-street footwear designer where you can find any shoe type. With a range of styles and color the companys products are established as a reputation for the best products in the market. On the other hand, Clarks has a business reputation that is recognized in the shoe industry through its operations and employee recruitment mechanisms. Through an extensive network and identifying quality staffs, the reputation of the company is known for the best employee practices that translate to improved operations. Dune manages its stakeholders through prioritizing their needs and ensuring that they are achieved at times. Suppliers needs are managed through ensuring that there is coordination with the system processes to achieve adequate delivery on time payment. Customers needs are met through delivery of quality products for individuals of all ages thus offering variety. The community is satisfied through corporate social responsibility initiatives that seek to empower and support different community engagements. On the other hand, the company adheres to all relevant policies like the green economy where the government has passed policies to limit global warming. Public relations is a practice of spreading and managing information through expoing it to different audiences. This process creates coverage for consumers for free to ensure that they undersntad things that happen around them (Lantos 2001, p. 599). Dune uses marketimg campaigns to increase public relations with the public through a varity of media like televisons, magazines, website and social media (Dune 2017, PP. 6). Emerging technology is used to meet consumer needs through user frindl platforms that allow interaction with the the public. However, Clarks does better through a clear PR plan that seesk to create goodwill (Clarks 2017, pp. 3). The company combines digital outreach with real world relationships through secure press placements across all media platforms. This strategy is where Clarks beats Dune since it has a clear aggressive public relations plan. Recommendations To improve its corporate communication strategies, the Dune needs to benchmark its practices with giant designers like Clark that have a history in the footwear industry. (Mahdi, et al. 2015, p. 170). For example, Clarks is investing heavily in technologies that meet the modern requirements like reduction of global warming and also ensuring that all their partners meet these needs (Parker 2016, p. 12). (Nike responsibility 2016, p. 11). The best way to improve brand image is through consistent visual identity, advertising and competitive pricing. Visual identity can be improved through developing a logo that reflects what the company exists for. Dune has not revised its logo for quite some time despite the fact that they understand the consumer segment is changing slowly (Goldman Papson 1998, p. 11). Further, there is need to develop strategies in their advertising to elicit brand emotions in the consumer. Clarks does well in this area through constant innovation of its brands and at the same time using the story of heroism as a brand strategy. The companys brand focus so much on the hero archetype to inspire customer loyalty (Sanusi, et al. 2014, pp. 7). Through clear branding strategies like the ones mentioned, the Dune can improve their brand and create a different view from the customer. Brand identity can be improved through clear positioning strategies. Since there are many competitors in the market, then Dune has to position itself with a strong brand identity that can stand out in the market. When compared with other brands that have positioned themselves as global leaders through creating shoes that increase athlete performance, then the company needs to address key brand areas. The brand is based on an inspirational value for every customer. This method is achieved through sharing the passion of clients and developing products that meet them. Bedbury Fenichell (2003, p. 12) suggests that through a well-established brand and logo, brand association is used to position the products as meeting the needs of the user rather than the fun part of it. Performance has been used together with heroism which describes the benefits that consumers get from the shoes (Willigan 1992, p. 5). Therefore, the company needs to carry out a thorough brand audit to ensure that they u nderstand the market they are dealing with and the changes being witnessed in the market. Thus there is need to develop a brand persona that can be used to messages to the consumer. Clear communication strategies like public relations, nature of content and the media to be used need to be developed to ensure that the companies create an improved brand image. High-performance marketing can be used to improve brand identity and increase customer reputation for the organization. Corporate reputation is an area that needs to be guarded through ensuring that all business processes meet the needs of stakeholder. Many companies like Nike have suffered business reputations but used them to achieve improved business processes that make them leaders of today. From the sweatshop issue, to child labor and later supply chain crisis Nike has undergone different business reputations that may have caused profits and brand image (Parker 2016, p. 11). The company endured that any challenges met were treated according to the required standards like cleaning up the system and implementing relevant regulations that are needed (Beder 2002, p. 25). Therefore, Dune can guard its business reputation by ensuring subscription to every required policy and develop sustainable business principles to meet the needs of the organization. Dune can work on its public relations strategies to ensure that there is a clear developed plan to reach out to its customers. This process can be achieved through utilizing all media sources like press releases, media kits, newsletters, reputation management, community relations, media relations and strategic communications. Further, participating in high end events can also create a better reputation for the company. Conclusion Corporate communication strategies seek to ensure that organizations develop strategies that protect their business image, meet the needs of stakeholders and at the same time satisfy the needs of the organization. Dune is doing well in the footwear industry but the business processes in the company cannot be compared to global leaders like Nike. Through proper benchmarking, business processes can be improved to ensure that the organizations achieve better business strategies. References Aaker, D. Myers, J., 1999. Advertising Management. New York: Prentice-Hall. Bedbury, S. Fenichell, S., 2003. A New Brand World: Eight Principles for Achieving Brand Leadership in the 21st Century. New York: Penguin Books.. Beder, S., 2002. Putting the Boot In. The Ecologist, 32(3), pp. 24-28. Clarks, 2017. Corporate Social Responsibility. [Online] Available at: https://apply.clarksjobs.com/headquarters/where_you_could_be_working/corporate_social_responsibility/ [Accessed 13 Decemer 2017]. 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