首页
外语
计算机
考研
公务员
职业资格
财经
工程
司法
医学
专升本
自考
实用职业技能
登录
外语
The merger was expected to help the combined company to The Chairman recently blamed the group’s poor performance on
The merger was expected to help the combined company to The Chairman recently blamed the group’s poor performance on
admin
2010-01-24
28
问题
The merger was expected to help the combined company to
The Chairman recently blamed the group’s poor performance on
Today’s case study concerns a merger between two supermarket chains, and subsequent problems. Before I hand out the’ documentation, here’s a quick overview.
Five years ago, Kelway Supermarkets merged with ’its low-cost rival Duncan, to form a company called KD. Although the new business was still far smaller than the chief players in the retail food sector, analysts believed its increased size would allow KD to put pressure on its suppliers to keep their prices down. However, Duncan and Kelway both had strong, rather different images, and doubts were expressed about how well they fitted together
The merger wasn’t Successful. The company maintained both chains, while converting some of the low-cost Duncan stores to the Kelway format, which meant these rebranded stores took on Kelway’s name, product range and higher prices, The conversion was possible once the supply chains of the two brands had been unified. But this policy seriously underestimated the difference between the customers of the two chains, and the rebranded stores lost customers. However, fears of competition from foreign supermarkets moving into the country failed to materialise.
Another problem resulted from the new structure introduced after the merger With two sets Of senior managers competing for positions, there was a risk of allocating them equally to the two chains, rather than on merit. The negotiations led to a satisfactory outcome, however, which included Kelway’s former chief executive becoming responsible for stores, and Duncan’s taking charge of systems, supply chain and logistics. Both worked conscientiously for the good of both chains. However, certain problems slipped between the two of them and failed to be resolved.
After two years of poor results, increasing KD ’S debt burden, the company decided to sell off a number of stores, particularly on out-of-town sites, which were too large to fit its new concept. The sale was intended to fund the transformation of both chains into convenience retailers, operating particularly in town centres, on petrol forecourts and within department stores. Unfortunately, though, few companies were interested in purchasing the sites which were for sale.
KD believes its appeal to customers is the fact that it’s a discounter, and hopes that the resulting high sales volume will compensate for its thin profit margins. This is a strong feature of its advertising, which even makes direct comparisons with its competitors, and the company has never felt the need to follow other supermarkets in setting up loyalty schemes to encourage repeat custom.
Despite its efforts, though, sales are still falling. Last month the Chairman admitted that this wasn’t caused by the general market slowdown, as KD is underperforming most other supermarket chains. While rejecting claims that the company is still suffering from internal stresses, he acknowledged the chief cause by launching a change of philosophy: for the first time the company will find out what purchasers actually want in its supermarkets.
The Chairman also announced several further moves to turn round the company’s performance. One is to examine new ways of promoting .the brands, in order to spend the advertising budget as effectively as possible, Secondly, the company will take a close look at all its suppliers, to ensure that they are the best ones to use: And thirdly, the range of goods on offer will be significantly broadened, to attract a wider spectrum of customers.
OK; that briefly is the recent history of KD. Your first task is to identify all the factors which have contributed to the company’s troubles since the merger, and assess how it dealt with each of them. Take the merger itself as given. Alter that we’ll look at where the company goes from here. So could , you pass round these papers, and then start work.
选项
A、lack of customer consultation.
B、the country’s economic situation.
C、continuing internal problems.
答案
A
解析
转载请注明原文地址:https://kaotiyun.com/show/JLzO777K
本试题收录于:
BEC中级听力题库BEC商务英语分类
0
BEC中级听力
BEC商务英语
相关试题推荐
PROBLEMSFACINGPOTENTIALEXPORTERS1Inordertobesuccessful,afirmmustclearly______,objectivesandpotentialproble
YouwillheararadiointerviewwithMarthaFlowers,theManagingDirectoroftheMAXchainofsandwichbars.Foreachquestion
YouwillhearpartofaninterviewbetweenaHumanResourceManagerofacompanyandacandidate.Foreachquestion(23-30),mar
TaskOne—TypesofbusinessesForquestions13-17,matchtheextractswiththetypesofbusinessesdescribed,listedA-H.Foreac
Forquestions18-22,matchtheextractswiththereasons,listedA-H.Foreachextract,decidewhichthereasoneachspeakerde
Youwillhearpartofaconversationbetweentwocompanyemployees,awomancalledRoseandamancalledSteve.Foreachquestio
Youwillhearadiscussionbetweentwomanagers,KathyandDuncan,whoworkintheHumanResourcesdepartmentofacompany.For
Youwillhearadiscussionbetweentwomanagers,KathyandDuncan,whoworkintheHumanResourcesdepartmentofacompany.For
•writeananswertooneofthequestions2-4inthispart.•Write200-250wordsontheanswerpaper.•Writethequestionnumber
•writeananswertooneofthequestions2-4inthispart.•Write200-250wordsontheanswerpaper.•Writethequestionnumber
随机试题
在Word中,要打开一个已经存在的文档时,必须在“查找范围’’对话框中输入文件名。
支气管哮喘的本质是
P波振幅在肢体导联应该
A.无菌创口B.污染创口C.感染创口D.一期愈合创口E.延期愈合创口细菌已侵入、繁殖并引起急性炎症、坏死、化脓的创口属于
参苓白术散适用于
金融衍生产品对经济和金融的促进作用表现为()。
下列说法错误的是()。
某企业为了进行决策,首先选定咨询专家,然后通过多次函询,根据专家趋向一致的意见做出决策,该企业使用的决策方法是()。
下列股票交易行为中,属于国家有关证券法律、法规禁止的有()。
用国际音标给“欢呼党的十六大”注上严式音标,请对头三个音节的元、辅音进行描写然后分析其中的元音是儿个音位,并列举每个元音音位的变体。(北京师范大学考研试题)
最新回复
(
0
)