Globalization is an emerging force in business today. Read the case study about “Globalization and The Coca-Cola Company” located in the Reading Assignment
In Section 3.4, the text discusses the “Top 5 Challenge Trends” and “Top 5 Solution Trends.” Select one challenge and one solution trend which you believe is most applicable to Coke’s situation today. Describe how these trends apply to Coke. In Section 3.3, read about the five building blocks of a Learning Organization. Which one of the five building blocks should Coke focus on to capitalize on the trends you selected. Why?
Answers
Answer:
Globalization is an emerging force in business today. Read the case study about “Globalization and The Coca-Cola Company” located in the Reading Assignment
In Section 3.4, the text discusses the “Top 5 Challenge Trends” and “Top 5 Solution Trends.” Select one challenge and one solution trend which you believe is most applicable to Coke’s situation today. Describe how these trends apply to Coke. In Section 3.3, read about the five building blocks of a Learning Organization. Which one of the five building blocks should Coke focus on to capitalize on the trends you selected. Why?
Be sure that your Learning Journal entry is a minimum of 500 words.
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3.4
Top 5 Challenge Trends
1. Increasing Concern for the Environment
2. Greater Personalization and Customization
3. Faster Pace of Innovation
4. Increasing Complexity
5. Increasing Competition for Talent
Top 5 Solution Trends
1. Becoming More Connected
2. Becoming More Global
3. Becoming More Mobile
4. Rise of the Creative Class
5. Increasing Collaboration.
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Top 5 Challenge Trends Increasing Concern for the Environment
We all seem to believe that the weather has been getting weirder in recent decades, and analysis by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) suggests that there have been more catastrophic weather events in recent years than 10–20 years ago.Retrieved October 7, 2008, from http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/ oa/climate/severeweather/extremes.html. People are seeing the growing threat of global warming, which is leading to failing crops, rising sea levels, shortages of drinking water, and increasing death tolls from disease outbreaks such as malaria and dengue fever. Currently, 175 nations have signed the Kyoto Protocol on climate change and pledged to begin the long process of reducing greenhouse gas emissions. According to McKinsey’s Global Survey of Business Executives, executives across the world believe that business plays a wider role in society and has responsibility to address issues such as environmental concerns beyond just following the letter of the law to minimize pollution. More and more companies now watch the “triple bottom line”—the benchmark of how they benefit, not just (1) profits but also (2) employees and (3) the environment as a whole. Companies realize they have to take bold steps to minimize their carbon footprint, create environmentally friendly products, and manage the company for more than just the next quarter’s profits. Managers can’t simply “greenwash” (pretend to be green through tiny steps and heavy advertising).
Greater Personalization and Customization
We’re no longer happy with cookie-cutter products. Consumers are demanding more say in products and services. One size no longer fits all, and that means tailoring products and services to meet specific customer preferences. And as companies sell their products globally, that tailoring has to meet vastly different needs, cultural sensitivities, and income levels. Even something simple such as Tide laundry detergent can come in hundreds of potential variants in terms of formulations (powders, liquids, tablets), additives (whiteners, softeners, enzymes), fragrances (unscented, mountain fresh, floral), and package sizes (from single-load laundromat sizes to massive family/economy sizes). Customization and the growing numbers of products mean managing more services and more products. For example, for just $4.99 plus shipping, you can create your own Kleenex oval tissue box! Retrieved October 13, 2008