Case Studies

Kellogg’s and the marketing mix With annual sales of more than £4.5 billion, Kellogg’s is the world’s leading producer of cereal products and convenience foods,...

United Biscuits (UB) is an international foods business operating in 24 countries. The company manufactures, markets and distributes biscuits, savoury snacks and frozen and...

Voted ‘Luxury Retailer of the Year’ in 2013, Harrods is a department store with a difference. Its unique brand is recognised across the world....

Few markets remain in the same state for long. In some cases consumers needs change with some companies choosing to respond. Depending on the...

In a competitive market, the organisations most likely to meet their objectives are those that are capable of leading rather than following changes within...

When consumers decide to buy something, they not only want to know what they are buying, they also want to be confident of having...

What do the words ‘National Trust’ mean to you? Historic houses? Gardens? An organisation that older people join? All of these are accurate, but...

The use of technology in the retailing environment has created a massive change in expectations about how customers expect to shop in the future....

Branding of a product is important for both buyers and sellers. For buyers, branding reduces the random nature of product selection. It helps them...

The importance of recruitment For McDonald's, people are its most important asset. This is because customer satisfaction begins with the attitudes and abilities of employees...

A critical issue in the development of a successful working relationship is whether we believe we are treated differently from someone else, not because...

OPITO The Oil & Gas Academy is the focal point for skills, learning and workforce development for the oil and gas industry. Its role is...

UNISON is the UK’s biggest public service trade union. It represents 1.3 million members who deliver essential services to the public. These are services...

Effective Human Resource Development (HRD) involves matching an organisation's needs with the needs of its employees. For example, an organisation's corporate objectives may include...

Research shows that children benefit from eating a healthy breakfast prior to the start of the school day. However, too often children have no...

Syngenta is a world-leading plant science business. It is committed to promoting sustainable agriculture through innovative research and technology. Its purpose is 'bringing plant potential...

Enterprise Rent-A-Car (Enterprise) was founded by Jack Taylor in 1957 in the basement of a car dealership in St Louis in the USA. The...

Nuclear reactors for the production of energy (electricity) were first used in the mid-1950s. In 2005 the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) was set up...

Davis Service Group is a large public limited company employing around 17,000 people. Its shares are quoted on the London Stock Exchange. The business is...

Britannia is the third largest UK building society, with group assets exceeding £16 billion. Following the conversion to plc status of a number of...

This case study examines the importance of futures trading and focuses more specifically on commodity futures trading. The futures market plays a key role...

There is an element of risk in an activity when the outcome cannot be predicted with any certainty, or when the outcome is known...

PricewaterhouseCoopers was created in July 1998 by the merger of two firms - Price Waterhouse and Coopers & Lybrand - each with historical roots...

Investment decisions involve weighing up the risk and the likely rewards of various options. It is often the riskiest alternatives that yield the highest...

CIMA is the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants. Its members are trained and qualified in the vital area of management accountancy. Businesses can only...

How much is the business worth? Are sales growing or declining? What about cash flow? These and many other vital questions are regularly tackled...

Every morning millions of people in the UK have a bath or shower, make a cup of tea and wash the dishes before they...

Corus is part of the Tata Steel Group, the world's sixth largest steel producer. Within Europe, Corus is the second largest steel producer with...

With a proven track record in supplying the highest quality accommodation, Portakabin hires and sells permanent and relocatable buildings. Clients include hospitals and schools,...

The Kellogg's Cornflake Company began in 1906 with the Kellogg brothers who originally ran a sanatorium in Michigan, USA. They experimented with different ways...

With the changing expectations of customers, organisations constantly need to adapt to remain competitive. When faced with such pressures for change, managers may look...

Most of us love chocolate in one form or another and every week a typical UK citizen spends around £1.80 on it. Amazingly, UK...

Throughout the 20th century, the pace of technological advancement has increased dramatically. The digital revolution, now upon us, will see further massive steps forward....

Zurich Insurance Group provides insurance and other financial services to both individuals and businesses. The group has more than 130 years experience and is...

Most businesses operate in competitive markets: they have to 'take on' and 'see off' rivals. Each organisation must decide for itself how best to...

Since Bill Gates founded Microsoft Corporation in 1975, its mission has been to create software for the personal computer that empowers and enriches people...

Northern Rock is the eighth largest bank in the UK by market capitalisation. In other words the value of the shares in the business....

Building societies date back to the late eighteenth century. The first known building society was set up in 1775. This was to enable people...

Retailers simply cannot afford to ignore these developments. However, not all retailers are equally well placed to take advantage of this changing environment for...

which it manages its economic and social role. For example, it now owns very few manufacturing or service industries as many public corporations have...

In the late twentieth century, major corporations in modern industrialised economies have recognised the need to add value to their products. Adding value means...

One of the most interesting types of business ownership is that of a co-operative. This is because co-operatives are owned by their members, not...

Returning publicly owned enterprises to the private sector is a process known as privatisation. The effects of privatisation are highly significant as organisations, which...

OPITO The Oil & Gas Academy is the focal point for skills, learning and workforce development in the industry, delivering the right skills for the...

Dragline at Isibonelo colliery, South Africa. Mandatory credit: VisMedia +44 (0)20 7613 2555 The challenge facing business and society in the 21st century is how to use...

Primary industries include farming, forestry, fishing, mining, quarrying and oil supply. They are the starting point for nearly all production. Mined raw materials include...

Businesses help society to prosper. They do so by providing goods and services that consumers want. Businesses also contribute to the well-being of society....

We all make use of the services provided by transportation companies. For example, you will probably have caught the bus into town or travelled...

Ethics and business aims Vodafone has grown rapidly since it was originally formed in 1984. It has responsibilities to its 60,000 staff and 151 million...

DSGi is the leading European specialist retailer of consumer electronics. In the UK the Group includes the well known chains of Currys, Dixons, PC...

The purpose of competition policy Competition is an essential element in the efficient working of markets. It brings important benefits to the consumer by: encouraging enterprise,...

This case study focuses upon the findings of the Department of Trade and Industry which illustrate how the development of a knowledge-driven economy is...

The Overseas Trade Services (OTS) network is a partnership between the major Government departments involved in exporting and promoting British industry abroad. The key...

Experian operates the UK's largest Credit Reference Agency (CRA). There are three in the UK. Banks and credit card companies share information about their...