LAURA ASHLEY

LIESEL GRASSMAN PE 2008-0020NORMAN T. KRIEL PE 2007-0155

JOHN-LOUIS VAN RENSBURG PE 2008-0023

GROUP 1

4 March 2010

Laura Ashley

Laura Ashley, a family-run niche retailer with a good culture. For the first half of its existence, Laura Ashley was the ultimate cottage industry made good.

From its humble beginning in 1953 Laura Ashley rose to the position of the world's best-loved and most successful fashion and furnishing companies through the 70's and 80's only to collapse towards the end of the millennium.

Question 1

Map Laura Ashley’s stakeholders using a power/interest matrix.

Power/interest matrix

“it describes the context within which a strategy might be pursued by classifying stakeholders in relation to the power they hold and the extent o which they are likely to show interest in supporting or opposing a particular strategy.”

(Johnson.G, .p156)

stakeholders indicated positions of power and interest will be discussed

the reasoning for their positions in the matrix.

Power/interest matrix for Laura Ashley.

Levels of Interest Low

High Low Pow er High

•Clothing customers •Clothing competitors

•Home furnishings competitors•Fashionnist’s

•Laura Ashley general share holders

•Finance director•Malayan United Industries (MUI)•Dr Khoo Kay Peng.•Home furnishings customers

Question 2

How would you characterise Laura Ashley’s ‘Core Values?

Laura Ashley has six Core Values: Inspirational

Individual

Heritage Based:

Contemporary

Of distinctive design

Trustworthy

Question 3

Recommend a new Mission Statement and/or Vision Statement for Laura Ashley.

Vision

Our vision is to deal in products that are designed to bring ethnicity with a vintage tinge of modernity. We believe in dealing products as per the market demand and customer's expectation.

Mission Our mission statement at Laura Ashley is to

provide female customers with the vintage, in-style trendy fashion

respect our customers offer value for money

satisfy customers with the necessary home furnishings across all age groups

Commitment to ensure good relations with suppliers, employees and the wider community.

 policy need to meet legislation as well as our own voluntary actions of best practice.

Question 4

To what extent was Laura Ashley’s strategy development ‘emergent’ or ‘deliberate’?

Laura Ashley had a Deliberate Strategy 30 flagship stores

Did not adapt to market

Implemented a long-term strategy for the chain.

When they moved this part of deliberate strategy Save money Make destination store

Conclusion

Reference List

Johnson.G.,Scholes.K.,Whittington.R., Exploring Corporate Strategy: Text & Cases. 8th Edition. 2008.p878

www.lauraashley.com [Web Accessed: 3 March 2010]