Introduction
Development strategies supported by modern corporations are largely based on the implementation of not only domestic but also international steps to strengthen the brand value and expand the sphere of influence. Using the example of Amazon that is one of the largest online shops, it is possible to assess how the practices promoted by the company’s management allow achieving long-term goals, sustainable monitoring, and evaluating productivity. As criteria for analysis, different aspects of the activity will be reviewed, including the role of innovations, government boards, legal limitations, and other criteria. The introduction of strategies, their evaluation, and control are important factors that enable the corporation to withstand high competition and extract stable profits.
Strategy Implementation
International Strategy
International expansion is one of the key strategies maintained by Amazon as part of its strategic development plan. According to Dyer, Godfrey, Jensen, and Bryce (2016), this direction of development implies several directions, including such aspects as risk management, responsibility to consumers, cultural distance, and other practices. In relation to Amazon, the corporation supplies products to most of the world’s major powers, thereby justifying its relevance as a sustainable member of the international trading market. The company’s client groups are expanded and diverse due to a wide range of products. Therefore, the principles of international development have a rather strong background and a clearly oriented focus.
Strategic Implementation
To achieve the productive introduction of all the goals set, Amazon specialists are striving to organize all the relevant aspects of work together. As Dyer et al. (2016) argue, “effective implementation requires forging alignment between the external environment, the strategy, and the internal elements of the firm” (p. 242). Thus, it is essential to establish a clear system of control over all crucial aspects of activities in order not to miss any factor that could affect productivity and customer interest. According to Garner (2018), Amazon’s services are distinguished by convenience and bilateral interaction. Therefore, such an aspect as a strategic implementation has a high-quality level of execution.
Influence of Governance and Ethics
The influence of governance and ethics maintained in Amazon is significant since control over the activities of all the corporation’s divisions is the essential indicator of a trade-oriented policy. Dyer et al. (2016) remark that care and respect for clients make it possible to retain a large percentage of consumers, thereby ensuring profit growth. Regarding the principles of governance, as Zhu and Liu (2018) note, the vertical system is optimal in the context of the services provided by Amazon. Accordingly, to maintain steady demand and competitiveness, the corporation needs to continue pursuing the policy of strengthening interaction with customers and improving the quality of services.
Company Social Value
The principle of customer focus is the result of oriented work in relation to client retention. The social value of Amazon is expressed in supporting the corporation’s principle of developing interaction with consumers by creating special networking sites where buyers can share feedbacks and receive competent responses (Zhu & Liu, 2018). This approach allows customers to be aware of all the changes that take place in order to improve interaction and expand the range of goods supplied. According to Dyer et al. (2016), “social value may be a source of strategic advantage” (p. 277). Therefore, this criterion has a high priority for Amazon due to an opportunity to implement an effective growth policy.
Innovation and Diversification
Since Amazon is the corporation that promotes commerce through the Internet, innovation plays an important role in achieving success and sales growth. Product diversification is one of the principles that are successfully implemented in the framework of competition. For instance, as Dyer et al. (2016) state, regarding digital content, Amazon offers customers a free subscription to older movies, which is a successful marketing ploy. Also, selling books online contributes to developing a special customer base and improved preferences control algorithms (Dyer et al., 2016). Delivering goods directly to customers, bypassing retail stores, allows Amazon to retain clients and remain one of the most sought-after market participants.
Legal Limitations
Despite the fact that Amazon is a global corporation, some legal restrictions may not allow the company to expand its activity in all directions. For instance, according to Dyer et al. (2016), trade in different countries provides for compliance with local laws. This means that in case certain products are subject to a ban for religious, political, or other reasons, the company cannot supply these goods. The violation of this responsibility is fraught with damaged reputation, which is unacceptable in the face of constant competition. Therefore, legal limitations are the inevitable nuances of the corporation’s international activities.
Evaluation and Control
Strategic Metrics
As strategic metrics that may contribute to evaluating the corporation’s performance and its success in the domestic and international market, specific indicators need to be taken into account. In particular, the volume of sales is an important variable that confirms the quantity demanded. As Zhu and Liu (2018) note, Amazon’s entry is a crucial factor that makes it possible to compare interest in the company and its products. Also, such indicators are essential as the effectiveness of involving innovations, the relevance of marketing strategies, the availability of products supplied, the quality of delivery and services, and some other aspects of the corporation’s activities.
Key Financial Ratios
In order to control the key financial ratios, it is possible to apply for a relevant evaluation algorithm that may contribute to monitoring all significant costs and the areas of investment. Dyer et al. (2016) suggest paying attention to special axes that help to calculate the most crucial indicators. According to the authors, multidomestic, global, and arbitrage axes may be utilized to determine financial costs related to advertising, research and development, and labor expenses (Dyer et al., 2016). Such a technique may allow the company to keep the budget without spending too much money on comprehensive inspections involving third parties as consultants.
Conclusion
Introducing appropriate development strategies along with the effective monitoring and assessment of the success of the plans allow Amazon to take a leading position in the online shopping market. The evaluation of the steps promoted by the management of the corporation confirms the relevance of the measures taken for growth both internally and externally. Productive control and assessment strategies may contribute to minimizing costs and strengthening the company’s financial base.
References
Dyer, J. H., Godfrey, P., Jensen, R., & Bryce, D. (2016). Strategic management: Concepts and cases. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.
Garner, B.A. (2018). Amazon in the global market. Journal of Marketing and Management, 9(2), 63-73.
Zhu, F., & Liu, Q. (2018). Competing with complementors: An empirical look at Amazon. com. Strategic Management Journal, 39(10), 2618-2642. Web.