The economy is chief among threats to 3M's growth and profitability, although its diversification and innovation strategies help to mitigate that threat somewhat. There is a significant threat in the optical film business. This product line, which was 16% of the firm's revenues in 2006 (Jayson, 2006) has suffered a slowdown since that point. The company is transitioning this division towards the LCD market. Competitors represent another significant threat, especially in fast-paced technology-driven markets like optical film (3M 2007 Annual Report). Another threat is increased costs of inputs. In 2007, raw materials costs increased significantly as global commodities prices increased significantly. This in turn squeezes 3M's margins.
Five Forces
It is difficult to analyze 3M's competitive environment, given that the firm is a diversified conglomerate. 3M has strong buyer power, a function of their size and purchasing capacity. 3M also has strong seller power, given the quality of their goods and 3M's size and distribution capacity. Availability of substitutes is generally high for 3M products, and they face strong competitors in many categories. The threat of new entrants is moderate. In any given category, new entrants are a possibility but 3M's businesses are often in segments where R&D expenses are high, keeping new entrants down. The intensity of rivalry is low to moderate, as for many segments there is moderate concentration, low exit barriers, moderate growth, and high diversity of rivals. Overall, the competitive environment faced by 3M is moderately favorable, made more so by the company's internal strength.
Recommendation
It is recommended that 3M continue to pursue its acquisition strategy during the next year or so. The company's financial situation is sufficiently strong that it can afford to make such purchases. Unlike other conglomerates, 3M easily absorbs new businesses into its fold, and the complexity of its matrix structure does not appear to be an impediment...
Lacking in an introductory part and in explanatory paragraphs that introduce the reader to the story, it can be perceived as "skimpy." On the other hand, the same features make it easy to read and follow through. In terms of the organization and its stand on innovation, it is important to notice the increased emphasis placed by the 3M leaders on the organizational culture. Innovation in itself represents a culture
Marketing Case Study Chapter 1 discusses the underlying factors for business market. 3M Canada has to consider the growth rates of its customer bases, and the drivers of those respective growth rates. The company also needs to consider the structure of those markets, for example the consolidation/creative destruction in MRO that sees waning companies combine and new companies emerge. Chapter 2 discusses organizational buying behavior. This relates to understanding the buying trends,
This would generically be achieved through the treatment of the distributors of organizational customers. They would be approached and an offer for product sale would be made. The company would generically strive to attract as many distributors as possible and it would even engage in promotional activities with this purpose. Examples in this sense include the promotion of the company within the specialized media, conventions and so on, but
Greptile Technology 3M currently operates in more than 60 countries with more than 70,000 employees worldwide. It mainly focuses on six markets; industrial, Transportation, Graphics and Safety; Health Care; Consumer and Office; Electronics and Communications; and Specialty Material Markets. Innovation and the creation of new products stem from 30 technology platforms such as adhesives, non-woven materials, micro-replication, drug-delivery systems, and medical-surgical supplies. Rapid growth and success of 3M is as a result
It is also a "what" problem, however, because the major issue Mr. McNerney, (and others at the company) need to address is "what needs to be changed." It is a "why" problem, moreover, because 3M executives need to endeavor to discover how 3M "lost its groove" (so-to-speak) in the first place, and how it might now go about getting it back. So the problem of #M's organizational leadership problem
The 3M model is also one that thrives on internal competition between ideas for further funding, the progression to the next stage of the innovation process, and the development of prototypes and finished products. What unifies all of these elements together is the strong focus on innovation that is predicated on team-based assignment and requirements (Allio, 1993). There is also a strong focus on minimizing variation in new products once
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