Business Analysis Lab Report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Business Analysis - Lab Report Example The company operates more than 700 stores in the UK and has expanded their business especially in retail sector internationally. 49% of their business is based upon homeware and clothing and 51% of their business based upon on food. Marks & Spencer are known for their green credentials due to their focus upon eco plan. By the year 2012, the company has decided to provide no waste on land and to reduce overall operational waste. The company prepares their plans for each year, for the year 2010-2013 their plan is to improve business strategies in the UK. The development can be done by improving Marks & Spencer’s brand, stores and food business. The company’s next plan for the year 2013-2015 is to make more profit by increasing their business capabilities internationally. The largest store of M&S is situated at Marble Arch on London’s Oxford Street. They have built their shops at various locations like high streets, stations, retail parks and airports (Marks and Spe ncer plc, 2012). The objective of the paper is to prepare a business analysis of the company Marks & Spencer. The analysis will include assessment of the business environment and strategic capabilities of the company along with critical analysis of the performance of the business since the year 2008. The paper will also include potential future strategies for M&S for their local as well as global markets. Business Environment of Marks and Spencer Marks and Spencer has been operating in the UK for a long period of time. The changing political uncertainties in the UK certainly create varying challenges for the company to successfully operate in. The political structure affects the retail shopping centres in a number of ways. The political structure in the UK has a direct impact on the retail centres. The retail shopping centres face a lot of issues related to national debates in the UK which has evolved recently due to various political conditions. There is certainly a significant imp act in the UK of the political parties upon the various locations of land and the usage of lands for diverse purposes. Since 1990s there have been tight restrictions on use of land, and thus it has become difficult to obtain permission regarding the set up of retail sectors at various town centres. This restriction has evolved due to health issues at town centres and to develop the towns as a strong part of urban structure (Burt & Sparks, 2003). Pricing is the other important aspect on political grounds. Pricing is very much complex towards consumers as the consumers react differently to diverse prices given to the products. The retailers also position themselves accordingly to different prices at various market locations. The issue of price directly relates to market power as many of the organisations’ mergers were blocked a decade ago. The government desires to enhance the price competition among the retailers (Burt & Sparks, 2003). The economic impact on the UK’s re tail sector is very much based upon the demand of the retail based products in the UK. As the demand of the products of retailers is quite steady in the UK, thus it has enabled the retailers to operate with quite a sustainable operational growth. Local market knowledge is significantly required to know the needs of the consumers but large retailers have incorporated computer knowledge to analyse