The vice president of strategy and operations (VP) has confided to you that strategic planning has been a challenge for the company over the past year, specifically crafting new strategies and aligning them to the company’s mission and goals. You have now been tasked with creating a new strategic planning proposal to help the company explore at least one new growth opportunity to increase its revenue or market share in the industry.
To create your proposal, you first need to analyze the company’s business environment and identify possible opportunities for growth. In this assignment, you will analyze your company’s internal business environment and explain its influence on revenue or market share.
Prompt
Perform an internal environment analysis of your company to understand the company’s current business environment and future goals. Use resources such as the company website, which will have pertinent information including its most recent sustainability report, and other relevant sources to help complete this presentation. You can also use the resources in the MBA Library Research Guide to conduct further research about your company.
Create a Microsoft PowerPoint presentation to show the results of your analysis. Use both on- slide text and narration or speaker notes in your PowerPoint slides to convey your information effectively. If narration is not possible, precise and extensive speaker notes should be used, while addressing all of the rubric elements in the presentation. For example, you can use brief, bulleted lists summarizing the highlights of your analysis on the slide and include more detailed explanations in your narration or speaker notes.
Specifically, you must address the following rubric criteria:
Overview (slide 1): Provide a brief overview of the company's products, services, and customer base.
Existing Entities (slides 2–3): Identify at least two existing partnerships, mergers, or acquisitions. Explain how these entities contribute to the company’s revenue or market share.
Five-Year Goals (slide 4): Speculate on what the company wants to achieve in the next five years by considering its mission statement, its values and goals, and relevant sections of its sustainability report.
Full Answer Section
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- Services: Primarily product development, manufacturing, distribution, and marketing. Increasingly focusing on direct-to-consumer (DTC) channels and digital engagement.
- Customer Base: Broad global consumer base, catering to diverse demographics and income levels across developed and emerging markets.
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Speaker Notes:
- Unilever is a multinational consumer goods company with a vast portfolio of well-known brands across various categories. Their strength lies in their diverse product offerings that meet everyday consumer needs.
- Their business model is largely centered around creating, manufacturing, and distributing these branded products through retail channels worldwide. However, they are strategically expanding their service offerings through digital platforms and direct engagement with consumers.
- Unilever's customer base is truly global, reflecting their presence in numerous markets. They aim to cater to a wide spectrum of consumers, adapting their products and marketing strategies to local preferences and needs. This broad reach is a significant factor in their revenue generation.
Slide 2: Existing Entities - Partnerships
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On-Slide Text:
- Partnership 1: Strategic Alliance with Google
- Focus: Leveraging Google's data analytics, AI, and advertising platforms to enhance consumer insights, personalize marketing campaigns, and improve supply chain efficiency.
- Example Initiatives: AI-powered product recommendations, targeted advertising based on consumer behavior, optimizing logistics for reduced environmental impact.
- Partnership 2: Collaboration with NGOs (e.g., WWF, UNICEF)
- Focus: Advancing sustainability goals and addressing social issues aligned with Unilever's commitments.
- Example Initiatives: Sustainable sourcing of raw materials (palm oil, tea), water conservation programs, hygiene education campaigns.
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Speaker Notes:
- Unilever strategically engages in partnerships to bolster its capabilities and achieve its objectives. Their alliance with Google is a prime example of leveraging technology to drive revenue and market share. By utilizing Google's advanced analytics and AI, Unilever can gain deeper insights into consumer preferences, enabling more effective product development and highly targeted marketing campaigns. This leads to increased sales and a stronger brand presence in the digital landscape. Furthermore, optimizing their supply chain through data-driven logistics can reduce costs and improve efficiency, indirectly contributing to revenue.
- Unilever's collaborations with Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) like the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and UNICEF, while primarily focused on sustainability and social impact, also contribute to their revenue and market share. Consumers are increasingly conscious of environmental and social issues, and Unilever's commitment to these areas, validated through partnerships with reputable organizations, enhances their brand image and builds trust. This can lead to increased consumer loyalty and attract environmentally and socially conscious consumers, ultimately driving sales and market share, particularly among demographics that prioritize these values.
Slide 3: Existing Entities - Mergers and Acquisitions
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On-Slide Text:
- Acquisition 1: The Vegetarian Butcher (Acquired 2018)
- Focus: Expanding Unilever's presence in the rapidly growing plant-based food market.
- Contribution: Diversifies product portfolio, taps into health-conscious and environmentally aware consumer segments, increases market share in the alternative protein sector.
- Acquisition 2: Paula's Choice (Acquired 2021)
- Focus: Strengthening Unilever's position in the high-growth premium skincare market and direct-to-consumer (DTC) channel.
- Contribution: Adds a digitally-native, science-backed skincare brand to the portfolio, expands DTC capabilities, reaches a dedicated and engaged customer base, boosts revenue in the Beauty & Wellbeing category.
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Speaker Notes:
- Mergers and acquisitions are key strategic tools for Unilever to enter new markets, acquire innovative technologies, and expand its brand portfolio. The acquisition of The Vegetarian Butcher in 2018 demonstrates Unilever's proactive approach to capitalizing on the burgeoning plant-based food trend. This acquisition allowed them to quickly gain a significant foothold in the alternative protein market, attracting consumers seeking healthier and more sustainable food options. By diversifying their offerings beyond traditional meat products, Unilever has been able to increase its revenue and market share within the broader food industry.
- The 2021 acquisition of Paula's Choice, a premium skincare brand with a strong online presence and direct-to-consumer model, exemplifies Unilever's strategy to strengthen its position in high-growth categories and enhance its digital capabilities. Paula's Choice brought a loyal customer base and a reputation for science-backed formulations, boosting Unilever's revenue within the Beauty & Wellbeing segment. Furthermore, this acquisition provided valuable expertise and infrastructure for expanding Unilever's direct-to-consumer channels, which are becoming increasingly important for reaching and engaging consumers directly and capturing a larger share of the value chain.
Slide 4: Five-Year Goals - Speculation Based on Mission, Values, Goals, and Sustainability Report
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On-Slide Text:
- Mission: "To make sustainable living commonplace."
- Core Values: Integrity, Respect, Responsibility, Pioneering.
- Overarching Goals (Inferred):
- Accelerated growth in key strategic areas (e.g., plant-based foods, premium beauty, DTC).
- Significant progress towards ambitious sustainability targets (e.g., net-zero emissions, sustainable sourcing, reduced plastic waste).
- Enhanced digital capabilities and stronger direct-to-consumer relationships.
- Increased market share in high-growth emerging markets.
- Continued innovation in product formulation and packaging for both performance and sustainability.
- Speculated Five-Year Achievements:
- Becoming a leading player in the global plant-based food market.
- Achieving significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions across their value chain.
- Generating a substantial portion of revenue through direct-to-consumer channels.
- Expanding their presence and market share in key emerging economies in Asia and Africa.
- Developing and scaling breakthrough sustainable packaging solutions.
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Speaker Notes:
- To speculate on Unilever's five-year goals, we need to consider their publicly stated mission, core values, overarching business objectives, and the commitments outlined in their sustainability reports. Their mission, "to make sustainable living commonplace," is central to their long-term strategy and influences all aspects of their business. Their core values provide a guiding framework for their actions and decision-making.
- Based on these elements, it's reasonable to infer several key goals for the next five years. We can expect Unilever to aggressively pursue growth in strategic areas identified as having high potential, such as the plant-based food market, the premium beauty sector, and direct-to-consumer sales channels. Sustainability will undoubtedly remain a top priority, with ambitious targets for reducing their environmental footprint. Enhancing their digital capabilities and building stronger, more direct relationships with consumers through online platforms will also be crucial. Furthermore, expanding their market share in rapidly growing emerging economies will likely be a key focus for revenue generation. Finally, continuous innovation, both in terms of product performance and sustainable packaging, will be essential for maintaining a competitive edge.
- Therefore, in the next five years, we might see Unilever achieving a leading position in the global plant-based food market, making significant strides towards their net-zero emissions targets, generating a considerable portion of their revenue through their own online platforms, significantly increasing their market share in key emerging markets, and launching innovative and scalable sustainable packaging solutions across their product portfolio. These speculated achievements align with their stated mission and strategic priorities for long-term sustainable growth.