Business Strategy Case Study: Lululemon Athletica

Lululemon operates at wide range of market. It must look at regulations and law in each of countries that they operate in. Lululemon is fast growing company that open stores or franchise in market such as America, Japan, Australia and Europe. It is sensitive to business law regulation in different countries, and they tax regulation. Tax level set for businesses by government have direct effect for how profitable the Lululemon company is. Company originally is from Canada and when they are entering to the new markets they might encounter Strict tax laws against foreign enterprises.

Think about a time where you needed to return an item but did not have the receipt. You decide to return it anyway. The store associate tells you no, and is in no way recanting their answer. How did that make you feel? Now, imagine being able to return that item years later without the receipt. How would that make you feel? Well, that is the culture of Nordstrom. In 1901 John W. Nordstrom established the company’s philosophy “ offer the customer the best possible service, selection, quality, and value” (Nelson and Quick, 2015, p. 508). Nordstrom’s emphasis on customer service is what sets them apart from any other fashion specialty chain. Given their strict focused, one could consider how they handle conflict.

Based in Vancouver, Canada, lululemon athletica inc. is an upstart company that provides premium quality athletic apparel at a premium price. While the worldwide economy has been in decline, lululemon has been producing financial gains in every major measure of performance. Furnishing excellent examples of foundational strategic management concepts, this case illustrates the power of entrepreneurial thought, vision, and strategy to produce results in stark contrast to forces in the external environment.

In order to achieve and sustain competitive advantage, a business needs both resources and capabilities. Resources are assets that are owned or employed by an organization. The organization utilizes and uses these assets to carry out their business operations. Resources can be grouped either tangible assets or intangible assets. Capabilities are complex skills or ability that a firm develops with time to perform business operations competently and utilize their resource effectively.

There are many familiar organizations that have successfully used globalization to expand markets and profitability. One of such organization is Nike Inc. Established in 1964 with the name ‘Blue Ribbon Sports’ (BRS) by Phil Knight and Bill Bowerman, the organization began as a distributor and importer of Japanese running shoes before embarking on a project to design its brand, which has become a household name in sportswear industry (O 'Reilly, 2014).

Lululemon Athletica, Inc. is a leading designer as well as retailer of top-end yoga and sports apparel. The company was established by Chip Wilson in 1998 in Vancouver and has been operating mostly in New Zealand, Australia, and North America. Wilson created Lululemon Athletica, Inc. to address the unique preferences as well as needs of women, but later the management decided to increase its market target. As a result, the company started designing and retailing yoga and athletic apparel for the female youths and men. The company reaches out its potential customers through instructors and yoga studios. It is important to note that Lululemon Athletica, Inc. has continued to grow significantly since its establishment thanks to effective leadership. Nonetheless, in spite of its substantial growth, Lululemon Athletica is experiencing some pertinent issues, which the management have to address so as to prevent it from incurring losses. For this reason, the present paper analyzes these issues and recommends the courses of action that the company’s management ought to implement.

The triple bottom lines may serve as the foundation for green business, allowing firms like Patagonia to evaluate its business strategies in a more comprehensive manner, to take more stakeholders into account and can potentially contribute its sustainability. It also align with Patagonia’s business objectives including the followings:

What are the two types of core competencies that drive a firm’s competitive advantage? Which firms demonstrate a clear competitive advantage because of (a) major value-creating skills/core capabilities and/or (b) superior assets or resources? Which firms have demonstrated sustainable sources of competitive advantage?

They have achieved such a success based on the way they have organized their operations. Competencies are very important for an organization to build up on their own. Competencies can be of two aspects namely core competencies and threshold competencies. A core competence can be identified as a unique set of skills or production techniques that deliver a particular value to the customer. A threshold competence can be identified as a quality that need to maintain by the organization in order to remain competitive in the market (Rohwedder & Johnson,

Nike believes diversity and inclusion drives innovation that lead to a competitive advantage. Nike has a broad base of suppliers that actively and significantly support their business requirements. Nike’s Global Procurement team manages the procurement process, including selecting and contracting with the right suppliers for the right goods and services. They have also begun to reduce Nike 's footprint and lessen their impact. They’re committed to increasing the purchase of sustainable products.

A healthy lifestyle does not have to be an all-or-nothing, one-size-fits all approach. With Lululemon’s powerful, positive message and new, more affordable line of clothing people will feel good about the products that they buy and the message for which the brand stands.

These characteristics, a complicated supply chain and wide availability of data make the industry a suitable avenue for an efficient supply chain. Also the fashion industry has been in a transition during the last 20 years: significant consolidation in retail, with most of the apparel manufacturing operations moving overseas and, in more recent times, increasing use of e-commerce in retail and wholesale trade. Historically, retailers have tried to exploit relationships with suppliers. Bargaining power of buyers is moderate because of the size and concentration of major retailers. To reduce power and you gain customers, retailers seek to differentiate products and to create stronger brands. Individual private customers have a low bargaining power in front of large retail chains, however, their power is greater for small retailers, who are far less organized. Having a contract with large retailers such as Christian Dior can make or break a small supplier. In the fashion industry, suppliers tend to have minute power. For example the Jewelry section of the fashion industry: There is increasingly larger number of competitors in the market, which has meant a larger supply of diamonds in the market. In the past, De Beers solved oversupply problems by collecting and storing them to be sold when deemed acceptable by them. This meant the supplier had immense power over the industry. By altering the market structure and pressure by anti-cartel laws, this power has decreased somewhat. De Beers now works more on reestablishing itself as the supplier of choice, and not only the supplier. The company has dealt with bans on stockpiling by lowering mining and leaving diamonds inside mines. There is also more time spent creating

The four building blocks of competitive advantage can be used to help a company become more profitable and stay ahead of their competition. The four factors are superior efficiency, quality, innovation, customer responsiveness. All four building blocks are important to any company. However, I believe that customer responsiveness is the most important because having loyal and happy customers can make or break any company. The four building blocks can help companies grow and become the leader in their industry over their rivals.

Products of Lululemon Athletica Incorporation (LULU)[1,2] are oriented on educated men and women, which are health-oriented and have the high income. The company’s yoga pants and other products, lead in the sportswear industry. Despite high price for many of these goods, the brand popularity stable increases. The fashionable wear of the company, made from new, high-tech materials. This allows LULU to give premium prices to its customers. The company continues to have one of the highest sales in the retail industry. It has a leadership position in the growing athletic wear market.

Brand image is the variable which enforce a consumer for finding difference between brand and its competitors. Brand image consist of expectations, impressions and beliefs that a person holds about brand. The overall perception of consumer about quality and service can be created by brand image. Brand image is nothing but organization character. Brand image may create by good experience or sometime by observation. A positive brand image is created when a person is associated with a specific brand and recommend that brand to others. Brand image is one of the most powerful aspects that establish the reputation of a specific brand in the marketplace. Without a positive and strong Brand Image, companies cannot