Flevy Management Insights Case Study
Global Market Penetration Strategy for Sports Apparel Brand
     David Tang    |    Shareholder Value Analysis


Fortune 500 companies typically bring on global consulting firms, like McKinsey, BCG, Bain, Deloitte, and Accenture, or boutique consulting firms specializing in Shareholder Value Analysis to thoroughly analyze their unique business challenges and competitive situations. These firms provide strategic recommendations based on consulting frameworks, subject matter expertise, benchmark data, KPIs, best practices, and other tools developed from past client work. We followed this management consulting approach for this case study.

TLDR A leading sports apparel brand faced stagnation in shareholder value due to declining sales and market share amid fierce competition and an outdated product lineup. By implementing strategic initiatives in Digital Transformation and Agile Supply Chain practices, the company successfully reduced time-to-market for new products, increased online sales, and improved customer satisfaction, while also highlighting areas for further operational improvement.

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Consider this scenario: A leading sports apparel brand is facing stagnation in shareholder value analysis amidst a highly competitive and rapidly evolving retail landscape.

The company has experienced a 5% decline in year-over-year sales and a significant erosion of market share, attributed to aggressive competition, changing consumer preferences, and an outdated product lineup. Externally, the brand is challenged by the emergence of tech-driven athletic wear competitors and a shift towards online shopping. Internally, it is hindered by a slow product innovation cycle and inefficiencies in supply chain management. The primary strategic objective of the organization is to penetrate new global markets while revitalizing its product portfolio to meet current consumer demands, thereby increasing market share and shareholder value.



Understanding that the stagnant growth and shareholder value decline are symptoms of deeper strategic misalignments, the brand must address its outdated product strategy and identify inefficiencies within its supply chain. The rapid success of competitors highlights a gap in adopting digital innovations and tailoring product offerings to changing consumer preferences. Addressing these concerns is pivotal for reversing the current downturn and positioning the brand for sustainable growth.

Competitive Market Analysis

The sports apparel industry is characterized by high competitiveness, driven by constant innovation and brand loyalty. Shifts towards sustainable and technologically enhanced products are redefining consumer expectations and industry standards.

We begin by evaluating the structural forces shaping the competitive landscape:

  • Internal Rivalry: High, with numerous established brands and emerging players introducing innovative products.
  • Supplier Power: Moderate, due to the availability of alternative suppliers globally but increased by specialized material providers.
  • Buyer Power: High, attributed to the vast choices available to consumers and ease of switching between brands.
  • Threat of New Entrants: Moderate, as entry barriers include brand loyalty and significant marketing and R&D investments.
  • Threat of Substitutes: Low to moderate, with the main substitutes being unbranded or generic athletic wear.

Emergent trends include a shift towards eco-friendly materials and smart wearable technologies. The resulting changes in industry dynamics present both opportunities and risks:

  • Increased demand for sustainable products: This offers an opportunity to lead in green innovation but requires investments in R&D and supply chain adjustments.
  • Growth of e-commerce: This trend necessitates a robust online presence and digital marketing strategy, posing the risk of further decline for those unable to adapt.
  • Rise of smart wearable technology in sports apparel: An opportunity for differentiation and premium product offerings, demanding significant technology investment and potential partnerships.

Conducting a STEER analysis, we identify socio-cultural trends favoring health and sustainability, technological advancements in production and e-commerce, economic shifts towards online shopping, environmental pressures for sustainable practices, and regulatory trends focusing on consumer data protection and environmental standards. These factors collectively influence strategic decisions in product development, market approach, and operational adjustments.

For effective implementation, take a look at these Shareholder Value Analysis best practices:

Digital Transformation: Value Creation & Analysis (21-slide PowerPoint deck)
Complete Guide to Value Creation (101-slide PowerPoint deck)
Value-Driven Boards - Frameworks, Models and Tools (53-slide PowerPoint deck and supporting Excel workbook)
Market Entry Strategy (86-slide PowerPoint deck)
Value Creation: Impact of Customer Experience (CX) (22-slide PowerPoint deck)
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Internal Assessment

The brand boasts a strong global recognition and a loyal customer base but struggles with product innovation speed and supply chain agility.

Through Benchmarking Analysis, we find that competitors have shorter product development cycles and more efficient supply chain management, primarily due to their adoption of digital tools and agile methodologies.

In the Distinctive Capabilities Analysis, the brand's strengths in marketing and global brand recognition stand out. However, there is a need to enhance capabilities in digital innovation and supply chain management to maintain competitiveness.

The McKinsey 7-S Analysis reveals misalignments between strategy, structure, and systems, particularly in areas of innovation management and global market penetration strategies, highlighting the need for strategic realignment and process optimization.

Strategic Initiatives

  • Revamp Product Innovation Cycle: Accelerate product development to introduce technologically advanced and sustainable products. This initiative aims to respond rapidly to changing consumer preferences, thereby increasing market competitiveness and customer satisfaction. The value creation lies in differentiating the brand and capturing a larger market share. Resource requirements include investments in R&D and partnerships with technology firms.
  • Enhance Digital Presence and E-commerce Strategy: Expand online sales channels and leverage digital marketing to engage a broader audience. This initiative intends to capitalize on the growing trend of online shopping, generating increased sales and customer reach. The source of value creation comes from accessing new markets and improving consumer engagement. Significant resources will be allocated to digital platform development and marketing.
  • Implement Agile Supply Chain Management: Adopt agile practices in supply chain operations to improve efficiency and responsiveness. This will enable faster market responsiveness and cost reductions, directly impacting shareholder value. Streamlining operations and adopting advanced logistics solutions will require investments in technology and training.

Shareholder Value Analysis Implementation KPIs

KPIS are crucial throughout the implementation process. They provide quantifiable checkpoints to validate the alignment of operational activities with our strategic goals, ensuring that execution is not just activity-driven, but results-oriented. Further, these KPIs act as early indicators of progress or deviation, enabling agile decision-making and course correction if needed.


If you cannot measure it, you cannot improve it.
     – Lord Kelvin

  • Time-to-Market for New Products: Measures the efficiency of the product innovation cycle.
  • Online Sales Growth: Tracks the success of the e-commerce strategy.
  • Supply Chain Cost Reduction: Indicates improvements in supply chain management efficiency.

These KPIs offer insights into the effectiveness of strategic initiatives, highlighting areas of success and opportunities for further improvement. Monitoring these metrics closely will enable agile adjustments to strategy execution, ensuring alignment with overall business objectives.

For more KPIs, take a look at the Flevy KPI Library, one of the most comprehensive databases of KPIs available. Having a centralized library of KPIs saves you significant time and effort in researching and developing metrics, allowing you to focus more on analysis, implementation of strategies, and other more value-added activities.

Learn more about Flevy KPI Library KPI Management Performance Management Balanced Scorecard

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Shareholder Value Analysis Deliverables

These are a selection of deliverables across all the strategic initiatives.

  • Product Innovation Roadmap (PPT)
  • Digital Marketing Strategy Plan (PPT)
  • Agile Supply Chain Framework (PPT)
  • E-commerce Expansion Financial Model (Excel)

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Revamp Product Innovation Cycle

The organization adopted the Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) framework to streamline its product innovation cycle. PLM is a comprehensive approach to managing the entire lifecycle of a product from inception, through engineering design and manufacture, to service and disposal. It proved invaluable in accelerating product development by ensuring that all relevant information was accessible and actionable across departments. The framework facilitated better decision-making and collaboration, significantly reducing the time-to-market for new products.

Following the adoption of the PLM framework, the organization implemented several key steps:

  • Integrated PLM software with existing ERP systems to ensure seamless information flow across all stages of product development.
  • Conducted cross-functional training sessions to familiarize product development, marketing, and supply chain teams with the new system and processes.
  • Established a centralized database for all product information, enabling real-time updates and collaboration among teams.

Additionally, the organization utilized the Design Thinking framework to foster innovation and creativity in its product development process. Design Thinking, with its emphasis on user-centric problem solving, was instrumental in identifying and addressing consumer needs more effectively. It encouraged teams to think outside the box and experiment with new ideas, leading to the development of groundbreaking and sustainable products.

The process involved:

  • Organizing workshops that brought together cross-functional teams to empathize with target consumers and define their most pressing needs.
  • Prototyping new product ideas in iterative cycles, allowing for rapid feedback and adjustments.
  • Testing prototypes with actual users to validate assumptions and refine the final product designs.

The combined implementation of the PLM and Design Thinking frameworks significantly reduced the product innovation cycle, enabling the organization to introduce new and innovative products at a faster pace. This strategic initiative not only enhanced the brand's competitive edge but also led to a noticeable increase in market share and customer satisfaction.

Enhance Digital Presence and E-commerce Strategy

To enhance its digital presence and e-commerce strategy, the organization adopted the Digital Maturity Model (DMM). DMM provided a structured approach to assess and improve digital capabilities across various dimensions, including strategy, culture, organization, and capabilities. It was particularly useful for identifying areas where the organization lagged in digital adoption and for prioritizing investments in technology and skills development.

The organization implemented the DMM framework through the following steps:

  • Conducted a comprehensive digital maturity assessment to benchmark current digital capabilities against industry standards.
  • Identified gaps and developed a targeted action plan focusing on enhancing e-commerce platforms, digital marketing, and customer engagement tools.
  • Launched pilot projects to test new digital initiatives and gather feedback for continuous improvement.

Simultaneously, the organization leveraged the Customer Journey Mapping framework to gain insights into the online shopping experience. This framework helped in visualizing the end-to-end customer journey and identifying touchpoints where the digital experience could be enhanced to drive engagement and sales.

The process involved:

  • Mapping out the entire customer journey from awareness to purchase and post-purchase support, using data from website analytics, customer surveys, and feedback.
  • Identifying pain points and opportunities for improvement at each stage of the journey.
  • Implementing targeted interventions to optimize the digital experience, such as website redesign, personalized marketing campaigns, and enhanced online customer support.

The strategic application of the Digital Maturity Model and Customer Journey Mapping frameworks led to a significant enhancement of the organization's digital presence and e-commerce capabilities. The initiative resulted in increased online sales, improved customer engagement, and a stronger digital brand identity.

Implement Agile Supply Chain Management

The organization embraced the Agile Supply Chain framework to transform its supply chain operations. This framework focuses on flexibility, responsiveness, and adaptability in supply chain management, enabling organizations to quickly adjust to market changes and customer demands. It was crucial in addressing the inefficiencies and rigidities in the existing supply chain, thereby reducing costs and improving service levels.

The Agile Supply Chain framework was implemented through the following actions:

  • Adopted cloud-based supply chain management solutions to enhance visibility and collaboration across the supply chain network.
  • Implemented cross-functional teams to improve coordination and decision-making between procurement, production, and distribution.
  • Introduced flexible manufacturing systems and lean inventory practices to reduce lead times and adapt more quickly to market demands.

In conjunction with the Agile Supply Chain framework, the organization also applied the Theory of Constraints (TOC) to systematically identify and address bottlenecks in the supply chain. TOC provided a powerful methodology for focusing improvement efforts on the most critical areas, ensuring that resources were optimally allocated to maximize overall throughput.

The process involved:

  • Conducting a comprehensive analysis of the supply chain to identify constraints that limited performance.
  • Reengineering processes and reallocating resources to alleviate these constraints.
  • Monitoring performance improvements and adjusting strategies as necessary to sustain gains.

The successful implementation of the Agile Supply Chain and Theory of Constraints frameworks led to a more responsive and efficient supply chain. The strategic initiative not only reduced operational costs but also enhanced the organization's ability to meet customer needs in a timely and cost-effective manner.

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Key Findings and Results

Here is a summary of the key results of this case study:

  • Reduced time-to-market for new products by 30% through the integration of the PLM framework and Design Thinking approach.
  • Increased online sales by 25% following the implementation of the Digital Maturity Model and Customer Journey Mapping.
  • Achieved a 15% reduction in supply chain costs by adopting Agile Supply Chain practices and applying the Theory of Constraints.
  • Enhanced customer satisfaction and engagement, as evidenced by a 20% increase in customer feedback scores.
  • Introduced five groundbreaking sustainable products within a year, capturing a 10% increase in market share in the eco-friendly segment.

The strategic initiatives undertaken by the organization have yielded significant positive outcomes, notably in reducing the product innovation cycle, boosting online sales, and streamlining supply chain operations. The integration of the PLM framework and Design Thinking has not only accelerated product development but also ensured that new offerings are closely aligned with consumer needs, contributing to increased market share and customer satisfaction. The adoption of digital transformation strategies, including the Digital Maturity Model and Customer Journey Mapping, has effectively enhanced the brand's online presence and e-commerce capabilities, resulting in substantial sales growth. However, while these results are commendable, the 15% reduction in supply chain costs, although significant, suggests there might be further inefficiencies to address, indicating that the full potential of Agile Supply Chain practices and the Theory of Constraints has not been realized. Additionally, the focus on rapid innovation and digital transformation may have overshadowed the importance of in-store customer experiences, which remain crucial in the retail sector.

Given the successes and areas for improvement identified, the next steps should focus on deepening the integration of digital and physical retail strategies to provide a seamless omni-channel customer experience. Further investment in advanced analytics and AI could enhance demand forecasting and inventory management, optimizing supply chain efficiency beyond the current achievements. Additionally, expanding the sustainable product line and exploring circular economy models could further differentiate the brand in a competitive market. Continuous monitoring of KPIs related to customer engagement and satisfaction across all channels will be crucial to ensuring these strategies align with evolving consumer expectations.


 
David Tang, New York

Strategy & Operations, Digital Transformation, Management Consulting

The development of this case study was overseen by David Tang. David is the CEO and Founder of Flevy. Prior to Flevy, David worked as a management consultant for 8 years, where he served clients in North America, EMEA, and APAC. He graduated from Cornell with a BS in Electrical Engineering and MEng in Management.

To cite this article, please use:

Source: Strategic Shareholder Value Advancement for Building Materials Firm in Asia-Pacific, Flevy Management Insights, David Tang, 2024


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