Surname 1

Student’s Name

Tutor’s Name

Institution

Course

Date of Submission

EZ-Pleeze Business Strategy

Task 1

Company Description

Organizational Culture of EZ-Pleeze

The company, EZ-Pleeze, is a company that its activities are engaged in the provision of

chicken and beef products in the Americas specifically in the United States. The company was

established in the early 2000s and its headquarters located at the Statestown, Illinois. The

company’s founder was a poultry and livestock farmer but he stepped down as the company’s

CEO in 2015 due to some health issues.

The mission statement of the company is to provide the highest level of quality products

and well established and sustainable customer care service. The business philosophy of the

company also reassures the customers of an investment in quality performance, safety, the

welfare of its employees and the provision of a consistent and sustainable profitability for the
 Surname 2

company’s stakeholders. This mission statement has been a significant drive for the company’s

business goals making it to lead in research and development in the chicken and beef products

industry. It has also made the company to be a successful business as it has been ranked as the

fifth largest chicken and beef products provision company in the United States. The pride of the

company to using innovation and creativity to build consistent profit margin for its shareholders

has encouraged many entrepreneurs to invest in the company as a profit return is always assured.

The vision of the EZ-Pleeze company is to be ranked and recognized as one of the top

best three chicken and beef producer companies in the United States and the whole world in

general. Formulation of such a vision contains a very realistic information that is credible and

attractive for the future of the business. Therefore, formulation of this vision determines and

guides the mission of the company thus, it is very vital for the future of the company.

The organizational culture of the company is a collaborative one. The company believes

that it greatest asset is its workers. It therefore provides its employees with tuition to create

development opportunities for them. Promotions are also emphasized by the company. The

employees of the company contribute to creative ideas to enhance best practices within the

business.

Strategic Decision-Making Structure

The structure of the strategic team of the company is a hierarchical one. The division

heads are obligated to report directly to the CEO. The company also has an active board of

directors that is involved in making critical decisions. The board of directors was formed as the

company is a publicly traded company. The company has a well structured set of compliance

regulations which are relevant to the business operations and manufacturing processes. During
 Surname 3

the strategic plan presentations, the senior executive leadership crew acts as the audience. This

audience is inclusive of the Chief of Operations, the Chief Financial Officer and the three

director-level leadership seats.

The company has a strong believe in its employees as the biggest asset. Therefore, the

company ensures provision of health and welfare programs to the employees to ensure that their

performance and productivity is top notch. The company also provides tuitions, promotions, and

employees credit unions so that the employees can get a chance to pursue professional

development and growth. The company aims at being a good corporate citizen with a sustaining

ethical business practice incorporating the community’s altruism and participation. The research

and development sector together with the lab provides an opportunity to the employees to

contribute creative and innovative ideas for the best ethical practices that may make the company

be a leader in the industry. The section is also responsible for ensuring that there is reduction of

genetically modified organisms in the company’s products. Therefore, EZ-Pleeze appreciates the

involvement of the executive leadership, the employees as well as the general community in the

decision making process of the company.

Internal Factors that Contribute to Decision Making Process

EZ-Pleeze just like any other company experience challenges that call for a strategic

decision making process. Such processes of decision-making are influenced by several factors,

which can be categorized as internal factors and external factors. The management of the

company thus approves and influences decisions so as to help the staff make better plans that

influences the performance of the company.

 Surname 4

One of the internal factors that influence the decision making of the company is the

return on investment. While making a decision, the decision making body considers the

influence of the decision on the profitability. Therefore, if a decision accounts for a return on

investment it is adopted and if it does not it will be overlooked. The company thus calculates the

return for each opportunity offered by a certain decision and determines the best option that

guarantees a better investment.

The other factor behind the company’s decision-making is the impact of the decision on

the brand. For instance, the company considers the impact a certain decision will have on its

image. The company thus makes decisions that will have a wide acceptance to the community to

gain a good reputation on the society. Although this might not have an immediate impact, it

contributes to an increased profit margin in the future. The idea behind this factor is to consider

what the company’s customers think when they see a product from the organization.

The other decision-making considerations include the effect on resources and opportunity

cost. On the effect of a decision on the resources of the business, the company does not qualify

decisions that may have a negative impact on its technologies, human resources, sales and its

finances. Therefore, while making decisions the management ensures that it does no place a

burden on its staff as this can demoralize them or even cause an eventual loss of key employees.

In addition, the decision-making team basis its decision on the impact of a decision to the

company’s opportunity cost. Therefore, the decision making body approves the most pressing

decisions that have the greatest positive impact on the company’s productivity.

External Factors that Contribute to Decision Making Process

 Surname 5

Various external factors contribute to the decision making by the EZ-Pleeze management.

Such factors include market and competition. The decisions of the company need to be up-to-

date with the recent market trend. Considering what the consumers what consumers want in the

company’s products contributes to a boost in the amount of sales made. In addition, competition

determines the decisions made within the company. For instance, when the business rivals of the

company such as Yellow Down Foods improve their services and product quality, the company

needs to make a quick decision of improving their product quality too so as to keep up with the

stiff competition levels.

The other pair of external factors influencing decision-making process is the economic

environment and social responsibility. For instance, the decision made by the company reflects

to the capabilities of the economic environment. That is, some decisions such as pricing of the

products reflect directly to the fiscal ability of the potential consumers. The company does not

charge high prices for their products which otherwise would contribute to low sales. In addition,

the company’s decision making is also determined by the general social responsibility. This

means that the decisions made by the company act for the general welfare and in the interest of

the public. Business decisions do not aim at exploiting the public.

Advantages of the Current Strategic Plan

The current strategic planning of EZ-Pleeze is a key factor in the increase of operations

efficiency. This has been realized especially due to the company’s great appreciation of its

employees. The provision of health care and other welfare programs to the workers has worked

in favor of the business. The employees feel motivated and have trust in the company’s

management that makes them work more efficiently. This has thus improved the overall
 Surname 6

performance of the company making it a major spotlight in the chicken and beef products

industry.

Another advantage of the company’s strategic plan is an ensured durability. For instance,

the company has been able to stay in the market from 2000 up-to-date. This has been an

advantage gained due to provision of quality products and a sustained customer care service.

Provision of quality products has made the business relevant on the market and ensured a

consistent profit margin. In addition, the involvement of the customers in the company’s

decision-making has developed a sense of belonging in them. This has contributed to a loyal

customer base that opts for the company’s products only. All this has therefore contributed to the

longevity of the company in the chicken and beef products market.

Disadvantages of the Current Strategic Plan

Despite of the strategic planning of EZ-Planning being successful and having several

advantages, it also has some disadvantages and challenges facing it. For instance, the whole

process of the strategic plan is very complex. This is in that every step is interconnected to the

other one creating a complicated bond between them. This even proves more challenging as the

market statistics are dynamic thus the plan calls for changes regularly. This process of making

changes to the strategic plan makes it an unfixed strategy.

Another disadvantage of the plan is that it is not fully successful. The complicated steps

contained in the strategy do not apply to the real world market. The complexity of the plan and

heavy commitment to the company’s goals also make the full implementation of the plan hard.

For example, the step of involving the public in the decision making process can be overlooked
 Surname 7

as the management may be in need of fulfilling some decisions influenced by the internal factors

of the company.
 Surname 8

Task 2

EZ-Pleeze SWOT Analysis

1. Creativity and Innovation.

Strengths

2. Investment in new technology for preparation of the meat products.

3. Employee strength.

4. They contact their Clients more frequently to guarantee their

requirements are satisfied

1. Greater labor costs.

Weaknesses

2. High cost of goods.

3. Reduced financial stability

1. The demand for prepared chicken is on an increase.

Opportunities

2. Product differentiation.

3. Some of the beef competitors are closing their operations.

Chicken has a price edge over other meat products

1. Increased government regulations.

Threats
2. Changing customer preferences
 Surname 9

3. Stiff competition from other food companies such as Yellow Down

Food and Beefchix Industries.

4. Technological changes

EZ-Pleeze aims to be among the top three companies in the United States’ chicken and

beef industry, which is one of its strengths. The company also has a research and development

team that plays a significant role in market transformation thus making the company’s brand

name to sell nationwide.

EZ-Pleeze has a stronghold in the market as it has collaborated with most of the fast food

hotels in the region. Some of these hotels have a good chance of selling out in the international

market, which may act in favor of the company as it may find an international market for its

product, which it currently lacks.EZ-Pleeze also has an impromptu business practice, which

enables the company to have a significant attention on the renovations and development of the

company. The products of the company are value-based and have a consistent benefit to the

stakeholders. The good corporate citizen of the company guarantees a positive image brand to

the public eye making its goods to be among the most opted for.

The company however, has faced and still faces some weaknesses. For instance, the

stepping down of the company’s founder together with various labor and government regulations

led to the need for the company to revise its strategic plan. This has contributed to a small but

consistent profit margin that cannot fully satisfy all its members. The company was established

in a downturn period making to spend aggressively on spending so as to market the business

making it almost bankrupt at some point. The current marketing budget of the company is in a

stagnant situation, which has been an influence to the slow unsustainable development. This has
 Surname 10

been one of the factors that has made the company not to gain recognition in the global market.

The company has two competitors who make the competitive market environment stiffer for the

company influencing a decreased profit margin for the company. The two companies that

compete with EZ-Pleeze are the Yellow Down Foods and the Beefchix Industries.

There exists several opportunities that the company can utilize towards the achievement

of its goals. Some of the opportunities include taking advantage of the closing competitors. In the

event of a company in the chicken and beef industry shutting down, EZ-Pleeze can have strong

marketing campaigns to persuade the customers of such a closing company to consume their

products. Such processes may create a competitive advantage EZ-Pleeze helping it to standout in

the market and even possibly enter the global market. The company’s research and development

division should also put more efforts in innovation and invention processes to come up with new

products that customer may like. This may contribute to attraction of new customers who may

prefer the taste of the newly introduced product. This may also open doors to the global market.

The current major threats to the company are the top two competitors; the Yellow Down

Foods and the Beefchix industries. In case of EZ-pleeze tripping on its activities the two

companies hold a great potential of outshining it. These companies thus put a lot of pressure to

the management of the company making it to press harder on the activity of the company so as to

increase performance and productivity. Such competition for the United States’ market also

poses as a threat for the company to join the international market. Another threat is a negative

publicity. Although the company’s brand has been receiving a considerable level of positive

review, there exist critics who view the company in a negative way. In the event of negative

review surpassing the positive, a falling profit will be experienced. This may even worsen

causing the company to eventually fall.

 Surname 11

Importance of SWOT Analysis in the Strategic Plan of EZ-Pleeze

SWOT refers to analysis made by a business to identify its strengths, weaknesses,

opportunities and threats. Therefore, a SWOT analysis is a vital requirement for the formulation

of a company’s strategic plan. In this case, a SWOT analysis is of great importance to the

strategic planning of EZ-Pleeze as it elaborates on ways of utilizing resources efficiently. The

analysis of the company reveals that one of the most important assets is the workers. Therefore,

the analysis provides a guideline on how to allocate human power with the highest efficiency

without exploiting it. The analysis also guides the efficient utilization of other resources such as

capital and technology.

The SWOT outlook on the weaknesses of the company rises up discussions for their

solutions. A realistic assessment of the weaknesses lead to development of critical solutions to

uplift the situations thus preventing a strategic mistake that may be contagious to the company. A

SWOT analysis also brings about the discovery of new opportunities that may account for the

success of the company. After performing the analysis, the management is able to spot the

emerging trends and opportunities in the market hence enabling their application to the business,

which may account for its future success.

The analysis also reveals occurrences outside the business that may have a negative

influence on it. Once the risks are spotted, effective solutions are prepared and applied making

the company well prepared for any future encounter. In addition, a SWOT incorporates research

on the major competitors of the company. Therefore, the analysis creates a perfect image on the

way in which the company should realign itself to face its competitors. The analysis reveals the

weaknesses of the competitors creating a good opportunity for the company to outshine them.
 Surname 12

Therefore, a SWOT analysis is very vital in the strategic planning of the company as it reveals all

the loopholes in the business environment and offers the possible solutions.

The Internal Strengths of EZ-Pleeze

The SWOT analysis lists the internal strengths of the company as being inclusive of

creativity, technology and a sustainable customer care service. The company’s key competencies

lie on its innovation and creativity as it always enhances new ideas on the improvement of its

products. The company enjoys this significant competitive strategy. The incorporation of

technology in the company’s day-to-day processes increases the performance and efficiency of

the company. The use of new technologies has accounted for the yielding of best quality chicken

and beef.

The customer care communication with the buyers ensures the needs of their needs are

met. The company embraces employees offering great customer service as inscribed in the

mission statement. This has had an influence in the provision of high quality products. The

appreciation of the employees as the company’s great asset has led to increased productivity.

Their contribution towards decision making of the company develops a sense of belonging.

These strengths create a competitive advantage for the company making it stand out in the

market.

The Internal Weaknesses of EZ-Pleeze

These factors work against the company’s efforts of production. They include high cost

of labor and fiscal stability. To begin with, extensive labor is required for the processing of

chicken and beef products, which makes the moderation of the prices difficult. Such costly labor

accounts for the high pricing of the company’s products dragging it behind companies like The
 Surname 13

Yellow Down Foods who offer cheaper products. There is always a trend for customers to opt

for cheaper commodities rather than quality ones

In addition, fiscal stability is another weakness that the business faces. The financial

stability of the company is staggering due to high spending in marketing, advertising, and

technology advancement. Such practices once led to the company firing some of its workers to

meet the losses made. Such instance drives away investors and customers and if not contained

may lead to the company’s bankruptcy.

The External Opportunities of EZ-Pleeze

These are the methods that the company can use to take advantage of the current market

situation. The closing up of some businesses in the industry will provide a chance to EZ-Pleeze

to manipulate the market that was being served by the previous companies. In doing so, EZ-

Pleeze would increase its clients consequently increasing their profits. The company should also

take advantage of its research and development team to introduce a new taste in the market. This

would be an act to attract more customers who consider quality when purchasing goods.

The External Threats of EZ-Pleeze

These are the factors outside the business’ internal environment that pose a challenge to

the success of the company. The main threats of the company are the two top chicken and beef

product companies; The Yellow Down Foods and the Beefchix Industries.These companies are a

threat to the success of the company as they create a very stiff competitive environment. In such,

they cause the market to be divided which limits the amount of return earned.

Recommendations for a Strategic Action

 Surname 14

The SWOT analysis together with a research in the strategic plan brings about various

recommendations for EZ-Pleeze. One is that the company should use their competitors as a

benchmark to improve on its functioning. Benchmarking with their competitors will enable the

company to have a concrete understanding of their competitors and determine the factors

influencing their success and spot their weaknesses. Exploiting such opportunities will enable the

company to stand out in the market at the long run.

In addition, EZ-Pleeze should also create a clear succession chain. This will prevent tha

company from toppling of due to mismanagement after a director steps down of the company’s

leadership. The last recommendation is that the company should focus on covering the national

market before aiming for the global market. Therefore, EZ-Pleeze should first harness its brand

in the United States to diversify its portfolio. Doing so will make the company to have a strong

presence in the national market thus preparing it to intervene the international market.
 Surname 15

Work Cited

“EZ-Pleeze Food Company: Company and Industry Profile”, (n.d.).

https://www.studypool.com/questions/885129