Dick’s Sporting Goods is one of the best performing firms in the sportswear and sports equipment industry. The firm has a well-diversified portfolio that has enabled them to succeed in the global market. Dick’s Sporting Goods can attribute its success to an effective SWOT analysis of the market, which enables them to determine their areas of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities in the markets, and the threats they are exposed to while operating in different markets.
Some of the areas of strength that have brought about success to Dick’s Sporting Goods are ensuring proper distribution and reach channels. Strong financial position due to high profits, productive relationships with their dealers, highly skilled laborers, and interactive online platforms for their products also make up the firms’ areas of strengths (Rascher & Goldman, 2017). Dick’s Sporting Goods also have some weaknesses that had a negative impact on their operations and profitability. The firm majorly depends on the rented property, which results in high operating costs. They also have an increased number of employees compared to other firms in the market, which is expensive to maintain. Most employees hired by Dick’s Sporting Goods are not qualified professionals as compared to other firms in the industry that have ensured highly qualified human resources within different departments to enhance efficiency in functionality (Lee, n.d.).
Some of the major opportunities that can be utilized by Dick’s Sporting Goods to increase profitability include the use of the internet and online platforms to make it convenient for customers to have access to their products easily. They should also embrace technological advancements to help in producing high-quality goods. The government also supports the industry for producing environmentally friendly products by giving tax reliefs and subsidies (Rascher & Goldman, 2017). Some of the threats that affect the operation of Dick’s Sporting Goods include the decreasing number of suppliers in the supply chain, which leads to high bargaining power, an increase in substitute products in the market, and political instability.
References
Lee, A. (n.d.). Factors that influence sporting equipment purchases factors that influence sporting equipment purchases. Web.
Rascher, D. A., & Goldman, M. M. (2017). Determining fair market value for Duke’s Sporting Goods Store. Case Studies in Sport Management, 6(1), 95–99. Web.