Generic bench marking part 2 (Case Study Sample)

Generic Benchmarking NAME: INSTITUTION AFFLIATION: DEPARTMENT: DATE: GENERIC BENCHMARKING PART 2 INDICATORS COMPANY McDonald’s Apple Inc. Return on equity after tax income % 45.43 53.4 Return on working capital before tax% 16.8 31.32 Solidity 3.27 4.6 Capital turnover rate 3.84 5.4 Inventory 0.28 0.81 Balance sheet total Not revealed Not revealed Sales per employee $ 2,537,667 4,345, 789 R$&D costs % of sales 0.0(5yr avg) 0.69 (yr avg) Return on Investments 18.84 32.8 Net financial result% of sales 3.44 7.8 Warranty costs % - - Market share % 21.7 68 Goods returned % of deliveries 3.3 2.1 Characteristics Companies McDonalds Apple Inc Size Sales 5.4% 9.2% No of employees 1,800,000 72,800 Ownership Public companies 5 largest shareholders Tim cook, Arthur levinson, Craig Feferighi, Carl Icahn. Vanguard funds The vanguard Group Fidelity management and research, wellington management, Jennison associates and BlackRock Fund advisors Closely held companies: families Not revealed Not revealed Business mission "To be our customers' favorite place and way to eat and drink." McDonald's operates a global strategy called "the Plan to Win," which centers on the relationship between its people, products, locations, prices and marketing. Apple designs Macs, the best personal computers in the world, along with OS X, iLife, iWork and professional software. Apple leads the digital music revolution with its iPods and iTunes online store. Apple has reinvented the mobile phone with its revolutionary iPhone and App Store, and is defining the future of mobile media and computing devices with iPad.” Main products   hamburgers, desserts, soft drinks, chicken, breakfast items cheeseburgers, milk shakes chicken, French, breakfast items,  manufactures and markets mobile communication and media devices, personal computers and portable digital music players and sells a variety of related software, services, peripherals, networking solutions and third-party digital content and applications. Examples: Ipad, Apple phone, Apple store, itunes , ipod, mac Organization Functional Functional based grouping Function based groups Divisionalized Spoke-and-wheel hierarchy Global hierarchy Matrix BCG BCG Other Product based grouping Performance based divisions Cultural factors Formalism Yes,  laidback work culture  Not available Group control Yes, Available in dynamism Openness No openness allowed at all. Have culture secrecy Yes , very open and accessible Specific business skills Training Trains its employees in expertise and life skills Disposable employees After a burnt time Apple Inc. disposes its employees Maintains its employees for long Unauthorized sections Does not allow short-term/ contract employees to access production department Every employee is authorized to access every section of the company Strategy Production contracts  Hires other small companies to manufacture its products. Zero hour contracts employees Pricing Pricing products according to customer segments Sets and sell the foods at relatively cheaper prices according to demography around the area. Customers Listening to customers’ needs and expectations Keen is given to customers with a prompt feedback system though length of time on the line is hectic. Future Keeping eye on the future Not so keen especially on GMO foods. 1 What good examples of partners for the chosen process are available? Apple is the best example in benchmarking especially under the strategy sectors. Everything seems perfect and well strategized. Is a functional approach feasible? Yes the functional approach is much feasible 2 What are our won key indicators? Our own key indicators are the large market share and customer upsurge. Having a market share of 21.7% and operating in 119 countries globally is a key indicator of our success. In regard to our culture which fosters dynamic expansion and extensibility. We know how to standardize our products according to the old market and culture as well as learning new cultures and venturing mechanisms to leap the biggest. Are we prepared to disclose them? Yes, we are prepared. 3 How will the project be organized? Draw a timetable and activity chart, sketch in organization and manning. The benchmarking timetable Marketing strategies Production strategy Price 1-2 weeks Internal marketing 4-8 weeks. In line production and strategies 12-16.All line and factors of production expenses 2-4 weeks External marketing 8-12 Critical analysis of stage as well as phases production strategies. 16-18 weeks. Critical analysis of variable considered when setting prices 18-20th week Analysis of the whole benchmarking process and elements identified. Selecting the best applicable functional approach. 20-24th week Implementing the best selected items to be incorporated into our company. Information Sources Source Example Internal   Library data bases Lawrence Library Internal reviews Internal experts External   Customer and market statististics American Marketing Association Industry publications Electronic articles Advertisement By subject matter and from the website Newsletters Target group interest Original Research Target groups Customer feedback Target groups Telephone responses Specific design Service inquiry Project managers and support project managers 4 What preparations do we need to make for the initial meeting? Know the mission and goals of our and the benchmarked company. McDonald’s company has a mission statement of being our customers' and clients favorite destination and way to eat and drink. While operating on a global strategy called "the Plan to Win," which centers on the relationship between its people, products, locations, prices and marketing. While that of our partner is designing Macs, the best personal computers in the world, along with OS X, iLife, iWork and professional software. Apple leads the digital music revolution with its iPods and iTunes online store. Apple has reinvented the mobile phone with its revolutionary iPhone and App Store, and is defining the future of mobile media. The two are not closely related but the price, customary, marketing and production strategies must be related so as to acquire and retain the sales and market share power/stability. i).Purpose and goals of the project Generic benchmarking relies entirely on the identification, analysis and implementation of comparison of work processes at one organization to others who have truly innovative and exemplary performance (Camp, 1995).As well as seeking those companies with the best practices regardless of the activities they do (Rush,1995).This become our main purpose and goal of the project: to acquire the best practices in customer service, pricing, and marketing strategies in Apple Inc since its ranking as one of the best multinational company. ii). Type of information required The pricing and its variables, marketing, customary service and production strategies. iii). Degree of detail desired Not much integral and critical data or information required as the two are multinational companies and as a matter of fact doing well in software and fast foods industry. Much copying will not be of help rather small details of the few sectors which can boost business in McDonalds. iv). Information to be reported back to the partners. After the benchmark exercise is over recommendations and suggestions of strong and weak areas will be addressed through the suggestion box and feedback platforms. Benchmarking Implementation plan Company Our company(McDonal...