Assess General Mills Mgt 599 Module 2 Discussion
Two responses. 100 word count each. Minimum 2 references each for a total of four. Ensure you separate each response in its own document.
Original discussion request does not require a submission:
In Module 2, we focus on SWOT. In order to complete a SWOT, we are required to identify and analyze the key opportunities and threats in the external environment. Then, we need to identify and analyze the company’s key strengths and weaknesses (internal analysis).
WEEK 1:
During Week 1, you are asked to address the following:
a) Evaluate the operating industry of General Mills using a minimum of two forces included within Porter’s Five Forces model.
b) Using PEST, assess General Mills’ remote environment using a minimum of two PEST forces.
c) Conclude your assessment about the overall environment. Is it more or less favorable for General Mills? Give your ranking from 1-10 (in which 1 = vast gloom and doom for this company; 10 = huge bonus this year!). Where do you think General Mills fits on this 1-10 scale?
First discussion post requiring response
1) When we look at the degree of rivalry amongst competitors, General Mills is a player in an industry in which there are multiple competitors on a level playing field in terms of profits and success. Where rivalry is intense, companies can attract customers with aggressive price cuts and high-impact marketing campaigns (Porter’s Five Forces, n.d). Those competitors include, Kellogg, Kraft Heinz, Nestle, and PepsiCo. All four of these competitors provide quality products and services that rival that of the General Mills and have a global presence that resembles that of General Mills. Even in an industry with multiple rivals, the company possesses a considerate amount of power over its customers because General Mills offers such an array of products that increases their consumer base.
The mere fact that General Mills operates on a global scale makes the company susceptible to changing economic factors including prices, taxes, and performance of the economy on both a macro and micro level. The company is doing relatively well against its contemporaries but as a whole, the industry is affected by changes to the consumer population as far as changes to nutrition, daily lifestyle, and age.
Overall, my assessment of the environment of General Mills is a 7. Such a spread of products in the food and beverage department allows the company to be versatile in the sales department so it maintains a certain level of power over consumers. However, there exists many other options in their industry environment as they continue to compete with other companies who present other options that offer convenient choices that appeal to customers.
References
Porter’s Five Forces – Understanding Competitive Forces to Maximize Profitability. (n.d.). Retrieved March 21, 2019, from https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newTMC_08.htm
Second discussion post requiring response
2) The overall environment for General Mills is strong, mainly due to the size and strength of the company, but is not perfect because there is high levels of rivalry and substitutes.
The biggest advantage for the General Mills is the lack of threat from new entrants. While there are lots of profits to be had in this very large industry there are characteristics that protect these profits (Porter’s Five Forces). The major barrier to entry for new companies would be the huge savings that General Mills can realize from economies of scales. General Mills is such a large company that their cost per unit is smaller than any new company can compete with.
A detractor to the overall environment is the availability of substitutes. The products that they sell, such as cereal, oatmeal, snack, ect, are not unique and can be replaced by similar products. These products constrain General Mills ability to raise prices and increase profits (Porter’s Five Forces).
The external environment for General Mills is relatively known, stable, and unchanging which benefits the company in the long run. Even though General Mills is a global country, macro-economic factors differ per country (PEST analysis), so this will focus on the United States.
Technology in this market is relatively low impact. New developments and technological advances occur, but not at a rapid rate. This allows General Mills to significantly invest in new technology to advance its efficiencies without the fear of rapid obsolescence.
Political factors are also strength for General Mills because of their relative stability. The political stability in the United States is very high with relatively fair regulations, laws, and tax policies. This allows General Mills to act in relative freedom with their business decisions.
I would rank the overall environment a 7 for General Mills. The Macro environment is very stable and amenable to the market. This is a mostly a benefit as it allows General Mills freedom, but can hurt as it allows General Mill’s competitors the same advantages. Additionally the micro-environment has a mix of strengths and weaknesses for the company.