Management problem

Discuss about the Research Proposal For Electrolux Company Australia.

Electrolux Company in Australia has been recognised as one of the biggest and most reputable companies in Australia and the world at large, when it comes to the manufacture home appliances and electronics professional use. According to the recent reports, the company sells over 40 million manufactured appliances to its clients both in Australia and other foreign based markets annually. According to the company’s Australian website, it has external linage to over 150 markets in the foreign-based market all over the globe. In reference to the company reports and statistics, Electrolux Company has an approximation of over 1200 employees who work in its Australian based firm, an inclusion of the manufacturing branch in Adelaide, SA and Orange

Drawing an insight of the market share in Australia, Electrolux Company has approximately 30 percentage of the total refrigerators and deep freezer markets. This implies that the company manufactures over 250,000 refrigerators and deep freezers in its Orange based plant, which are marketed by the Electrolux, Kelvinator, and Westinghouse. The type of refrigerators and deep freezers made by the company vary in sizes from the size of 100 litres up to over 700 litres. The design also include bottom freezers, top freezers, French doors, single doors and multi-switchable designs. Apart from refrigerators and deep freezers, the company also deals in a number of products such as ovens, washing machines, vacuum cleaners, and air conditioners among many others.

However, although the study is primarily emphasizing on the study Electrolux Company in Australia, it is important to note that Electrolux Company is a multi-national company with other branches in other parts of the world including Europe, Africa, Asia, North America and South America. This is an implication that the company is a well established and a fully independent corporation. .

Given the fact that the main goal of any business entity or firm is profit maximization, long-term survival, market reputation and sales maximization among others, it drives in an in-depth reason for the company to establish possible and cost saving strategies to widen on its sales and profit base among other business goals. However, this is hindered by the fact that there are always increasing entry of new firms into the industry. This is implied by the fact there are reduction in the profit base, sales, and market share all protruded by the increasing market competition.

Literature review

 From the preceding view/ finding, it highlights the company’s latest challenges in the industry. Electrolux Company in Australia has in recent years, faced a couple difficulties in an attempt to widen its profit base and sales maximization. It is highly probable that the problems are closely linked to customer satisfactions. The study is therefore intended to cite out best strategies in which the company can regain its market share as well as improving the performance. Improving on performance also engages the methods in which the company can integrate in the modern and competitive excellent technology to help it favourably compete in the market. Furthermore, one of the problems initially identified also included insufficiency in the information regarding the company to the potential customers. The study will therefore include market research and investigation in customer segmentation (Curtis et al. 2012)

As identified in the preceding section, the company is experiencing a decreasing return because of a reduction of sales made. The problem/ challenges has been anticipated that it is related to the increasing entry of new competitors in the industry. This therefore demands for the adjustment of the company to optimistically handle the structural adjustment. It is therefore in this regard that the management has to reach a decision of conducting a thorough research to make justification of the main problems resulting to decreasing sales. From the findings, the most appropriate solutions to the problems that will be looked into so as to cite the appropriate solution that will help the company regain and improve on its sales as well as expanding on the market share (Netland 2013).

In a bid to get a broader understanding and find the most appropriate solutions to the current problem/ challenge facing the company, different literatures were reviewed. This helped in creating an incite of the possible solutions resulting from specific problems. In the review of the reports piled by different researchers, an in-depth and detailed information is availed to give a forecast of how the problem can be undertaken. Additionally, some solutions can as well be drawn from the reports (Haegermarck, and Electrolux 2010, p.144).

Various literatures related to marketing have emphasized the analysis of external market environment at the earliest stages of entry and competition. The analysis of external and internal marketing potential are the basic factors that determine a firm’s success. These may include situational analysis, business review or environmental analysis. The external evaluation encompasses the analysis of the available threats and opportunities that the business is likely to incur (Venkatesh et al. 2013). Relating this to Electrolux, it is of high relevance that the company conducts a critical analysis and evaluation of the available threats the company is undergoing. Additionally, figuring out the available competitive advantage is very important in securing the company’s success. On the other hand, the evaluation an analysis of the internal environment of the business will help in identifying the company strengths and weaknesses. These are points of adjustment to help in shaping the company into a more advantageous firm among others (Del et al. 2016, p.960).

The success of businesses in the 21^st century are solely anchored on the market orientation and customer focus. The improvement of market place success has been identified exceptional in ensuring the business sustenance

According to Netland (2013), there is a vigorously growing trend of industrialization and firms that were early entrants of the industries are currently facing a stiff competition from such new firms. It has been noted that the new firm firms that enter the market have well strategized competitive goals and objectives and this makes it really hard for the older firms to maintain their initial market. A case in point, there is strong adaptation of high technologies being integrated into firms that are producing electronic home appliances (Zentes et al. 2011, p.20).

Reports by Ford and Leonidou (2013) have indicated that one of the most important aspect in the industry is value proposition, which can be described as the process of creating and considering customer value. Customer value has typically been defined from the customer’s aspect as, the satisfaction a customer derives as a result of using a company’s product. On the other hand, a customer value may refer to the amount of benefit/ profit derived from a particular customer. Studies have combined these concepts to come up with a strategizing policy. In other words, the concepts are considered to be positively correlated, i.e., when a customer is able to derive a high level of satisfaction from a given company product, it is highly probable that they will keep their loyalty (Sekaran and Bougie 2016) In this way, the company is able to make more sales to the same client as well as referrals and recommendations from the same client. As a company is drawing particular plans of increasing sales, it important that the clients’ satisfactions are put at the forefront.  This is because; the consecutive satisfaction of the client is followed by the company’s sales increase.

Research reports by Craig and Douglas (2011) further identified three potential and interrelated changes that are likely to actively impact on the trend of the operations in the in the industry. These variables include the digitalization, globalization and uncertainty. As of current, some of these variables are already affecting the business operations. A case in point, it includes some of the challenges facing Electrolux industry in Australia. As identified earlier, the company is facing a problem of increased technology being adopted by the new entrants. The innovative technology by the new entrants are providing a competitive advantage to the to the market rivals of the company. In other words, the study findings provides an emphasis of firms integrating new technology into their daily operations as a strategy of gaining competitive advantage in the industry (Rowley 2012) Opening up markets in the global market is yet another important ant strategy that should be undertaken by firms. These variables have tendencies of concurrently lining to each other. For example, for a firm to establish itself in the global market, it should be able to integrate an advanced technology that competes internationally with other firms. Therefore, as Electrolux is taking globalization as one of the strategies to improve its’ sales, consequently, it should think of adopting the internal technology as well (Fink 2013).

It was further noticed in the reports that social factors and technology is crucial in understanding the market context. There has been simultaneous and fundamental changes in the social structures with the dynamic adjustments of technology. This factor brings in the emphasis that, much as the firm is to improve on the technology, it is important to first study the social structure of the expected market (Wynn et al. 2012)

In an attempt to collect the most reliable and dependable findings on how Electrolux can improve on its performance and increasing on its profit margin, the study will use the most appropriate research design that best fits the research study. Different designs have been recommended by different authors and researchers. However, it is important to note that the quality and reliability of a research design is solely dependent on the type of research study being conducted, the type of data to be collected and the objectivity/ subjectivity of the researcher. Therefore for this study, a mix of research design will be used to help in collecting a comprehensive data. This is all directed towards attaining reliability and dependability in the findings that will be made (Mittal 2012).

It is absolutely of no doubt that the type of sources used for the data collection has a direct effect/ influence on the type of data collected. In other words, the type of information source has a direct effect on the accuracy of the information obtained/ collected. Therefore for this reason, the research will take a critical emphasis in establishing most reliable sources. According to the current trend of research, management studies and marketing in particular is an integral part of economics adventure into understanding the daily operation and behaviors of variables in the business world and thus adopting a sociological method in qualitative research. In this essence, our intension is to establish the core variables that influence the Electrolux sales. In reference to the latest reports made by many researchers, qualitative research has been recommended as the most reliable more especially for the field of management.

As a result of the research setting, the research will involve an exploration research in a comparative basis of the findings from different sources to help in attaining a streamlined conclusion that can implanted in the Electrolux context to help in addressing the current problem being faced by the company as highlighted earlier. Exploratory and comparative research design imperatively means collection of data for analysis with an intension of getting a lead from it. In a precise and concise way, the research will typically make use of qualitative research method while incorporating an exploratory and comparative basics for the study

Basing on our research problem, the study will make use of both primary and secondary research study, and this will help in making correlations according to the dominant findings. The secondary data sources to be used will include peer reviewed articles, academic textbooks, business reports, company reports, government annual reports, and journals among others. In other words, the research will make use of comprehensive data sources from different aspects within the business context. In this case, peer reviewed articles are sources that have been critically analyzed by other experts. A report finding by a researcher (s) and then reviewed/ revised by other experts within the study. It is expected that peer reviewed articles will provide one of the most relevant information as it has been revised.

As highlighted earlier, the study typically intends to answer specific questions that will serve as the possible remedies for the current problem being faced by Electrolux company. Among the many problems cited, the study intends to answer questions like;

How can Electrolux Company increase/ expand its business operation to other localities?

What are the likely risks that are likely to arise as a result of extending/ expanding the company operations?

What are the core causes of reduction in the sales and profit of Electrolux Company?

In which way can the causes of the fall in revenue be addressed to help the company regain its market share?

The research study will be streamlined towards answering the preceding questions with high level of object.  It is therefore palatable that by the end of the research study, it is expected that all the questions should have been addressed and this will be reflected on the challenges being faced by the company

While creating a reference point to our research problems and research objectives, we intend to find the possible ways in which Electrolux Company can widen its coverage, improve on its profit base by increasing the revenues from sales, improving customer satisfaction, and forecasting the likely risks and how it can be mitigated. This typically provides the appropriate data collection methods that best suits the research objectives (Taylor Bogdan and DeVault, 2015).

From the preceding incite, the research will employ an interview method in which visionary managers from major companies will be interviewed how they have been able withhold and strategize the respective company operations throughout their reign of management. The interview will focus on digging deep into policy formulation and management criterion. This will encompass competitive and marketing techniques undertaken by such companies. Furthermore, an analysis of the client satisfactions and feedback will also be attained through interview (Smith 2015). In the data collection process, the researcher will aim at interviewing as many respondents as possible. This will be aiming at reducing possible errors that normally arise as a result of biasness of respondents. The sampling designed will also be designed in a such a way that the sampling plan will have different niches of the industry

As it is typical in qualitative research, the raw data collected from the field will be classified. And categorized according to their relationship. In other words, the analysis will be aim at correlating the findings between the dependent and the independent variables. This method will involve the traditional/ normal process of data analysis which includes; data deduction, tallying, drawing, correlating display and conclusion drawing after establishing the relationship. It is important to note that during this process, it is likely that subsidiary quantitative manipulation of data may be involved (Ford and Leonidou 2013, p.20).

For any study to meet the expected standards, the researcher should not be biased and therefore, the data analysis will engage in objectivity and minimal subjectivity to help in ethical adjustment (Craig and Douglas 2011, p.625).

As it is typical in any research study, it is expected that ethical issues will arise. However, it is important to plan the possible remedies in advance to help in minimizing the impact it may have in the study. Given the fact that the study will engage in participants to respond to the interviews, issues of confidentiality should be highly observed. In other words, if a participant is not assured of their privacy, it may definitely affect the answers they provide. Furthermore, the objectivity/ subjectivity of the researcher. In many circumstances, researchers have an expected (hypothetical answers) and therefore have a fixed mind of the answers they expect. This may also act as a constraint to the study affectivity (Venkatesh Brown and Bala 2013).

In this essence therefore, it is important for the researcher to be keen and have a direct interpretation of the data collected and not insisting on the hypothesis.

date	activity	Expected expenditure $
06/may/2018	Identification of the management problem	300
15/may/2018	Reviewing of available literature	200
29/may/2018	Selecting materials needed for empirical research	500
5/Jun/2018	Conducting empirical research	800
15/Jun/2018	Data analysis and drawing of conclusion	400
30/Jun/2018	Submitting of final research findings	–

References

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Bryman, A. and Bell, E., 2015. Business research methods. Oxford University Press, USA.

Connelly, B.L., Ketchen, D.J. and Slater, S.F., 2011. Toward a “theoretical toolbox” for sustainability research in marketing. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 39(1), pp.86-100.

Craig, C.S. and Douglas, S.P., 2011. Assessing cross-cultural marketing theory and research: A commentary essay. Journal of Business Research, 64(6), pp.625-627.

Curtis, B.A., Green, D.H., Baker, C.D. and Shrader, B.P., Electrolux Home Products Inc, 2012. Coffee maker. U.S. Patent Application 29/386,855. https://patents.google.com/patent/USD658423S1/en

Del Fabbro, E. and Santarossa, D., 2016. Ergonomic analysis in manufacturing process. A real time approach. Procedia CIRP, 41, pp.957-962. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S221282711501135X

Fink, A., 2013. Conducting research literature reviews: from the Internet to paper. Sage Publications.

Ford, D. and Leonidou, L.C., 2013. Research Developments in Interna-tional Marketing. New Perspectives on International Market-ing, edited by SJ Paliwoda, pp.3-32.

Haegermarck, A., Electrolux AB, 2010. Obstacle sensing system for an autonomous cleaning apparatus. U.S. Patent 7,647,144. https://patents.google.com/patent/US7647144B2/en

Mittal, P.A., Jain, V., Modani, N., Kothari, R. and Agrawal, A., International Business Machines Corp, 2012. Method and system for conducting online marketing research in a controlled manner. U.S. Patent 8,234,146.

Netland, T., 2013. Exploring the phenomenon of company-specific production systems: one-best-way or own-best-way?. International Journal of Production Research, 51(4), pp.1084-1097. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00207543.2012.676686

Rowley, J., 2012. Conducting research interviews. Management Research Review, 35(3/4), pp.260-271.

Sekaran, U. and Bougie, R., 2016. Research methods for business: A skill building approach. John Wiley & Sons.

Smith, J.A. ed., 2015. Qualitative psychology: A practical guide to research methods. Sage.

Taylor, S.J., Bogdan, R. and DeVault, M., 2015. Introduction to qualitative research methods: A guidebook and resource. John Wiley & Sons.

Venkatesh, V., Brown, S.A. and Bala, H., 2013. Bridging the qualitative-quantitative divide: Guidelines for conducting mixed methods research in information systems. MIS quarterly, 37(1).

Vissak, T., 2010. Recommendations for using the case study method in international business research. The Qualitative Report, 15(2), p.370.

Wynn Jr, D. and Williams, C.K., 2012. Principles for conducting critical realist case study research in information systems. MIS quarterly, pp.787-810.

Zentes, J., Swoboda, B. and Morschett, D., 2011. The Complexity and Dynamics of Electrolux’Internationalisation. In Fallstudien zum Internationalen Management (pp. 3-24). Gabler Verlag, Wiesbaden. https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/978-3-8349-6793-0_1.pdf