‘Shomei Cards’ was established by a young couple back in 1980, and enjoys the third position of greeting card companies in the USA. Since the past two years, the company’s position has been shrinking, and its major competitors, Hercules and Atlas Cards are ranking highest with the top two positions of the card manufacturing industry. The current dilemma being faced is that Shomei Cards has not produced sufficient profits this year, which has risen the possibility of a downfall for the famous company.
The distinctive feature of Shomei Cards is that the company incorporated artists in their corporation, to come up with new and distinguishable designs. The Shomei Artists Program enabled artists from all over the United States to come and join the card outlet, with a diversification of ideas. The Shomei Impressions Line and Shomei Fine Artist Line are both working for the company to maintain its top position, which is currently at stake. Initially, the cards were made on a special kind of paper called ‘washi’, which was imported from Japan. Later on, when the demand for the cards increased, the company started using non-washi paper, although it has the sole propriety right to produce washi paper in the United States. With offices in numerous communities, and employment of several artists with the help of the SAP program, Shomei Cards boasts of having the most unique and creative of designs.
A strategy needs to be made, that will enable the company to regain the profits it was attaining earlier, and make progress at the same rates as before. There has to be a set pattern of rules that need to be followed religiously, which would in turn produce effective results, and promising outcomes. The aim of Shomei Cards at present is to devise methodologies to attain customer attraction, in order to maintain its third position on the list of card manufacturers.
Long term Goals
The long term goals of Shomei Cards include the upholding of its position on the top of the list of card manufacturers and dealers, maintenance of the standards that are presently set, which make their designs unique and the strive to attain the first position instead of the third, in a short while.
Scope
The scope of Shomei Cards is its production of cards that contain objects taken from nature, to produce a bona fide feeling on the touch of the card. The cards are produced with the help of artists, and in turn, their talent is properly utilized. The cards are completely manufactured by the company itself, without any need of outside sources.
Competitive Advantages
Shomei Cards has unique designing capabilities, with the positive aspect of using the natural elements such as flowers and leaves, dried through a special process, on ‘washi’ paper that is unique and not used by other card makers. A special adhesion process is also undergone. The highest resolution scanner is used during production, and environmentally friendly sprays are used for finishing. The cost of the cards is not high as compared to others, giving good value for money to the customers and consumers. The high technology used in card production is also an advantage, which assures optimum quality for the money expended.
Logic
The use of the most unique paper and highest possible technology for card production will combine with the efforts of the artists, to produce outstanding results always, because whatever input is made manually is most highly valued and cherished.
Reference
Ellis College of New York Institute of Technology: Management Strategy 2008.