Question: From the reading above, describe what a vision statement requires plus what will be a good vision statement for the new brand?

Understanding Business
12th Edition
ISBN:9781259929434
Author:William Nickels
Publisher:William Nickels
Chapter1: Taking Risks And Making Profits Within The Dynamic Business Environment
Section: Chapter Questions
Problem 1CE
icon
Related questions
Question

SMITHFIELD'S CUSTOM FURNITURE

It is 1901. Alicia Smithfield, daughter of the founder of Smithfield Custom Furniture, just inherited the company. She is the only surviving heir to the furniture empire her father built. Headquartered in upstate New York, the company has grown significantly over the past 60 years. Began in a shed built next to his log cabin, Jonas Smithfield's quality furniture developed a huge following among New York City's wealthiest residents. After being educated in the best business schools in Europe and America, Alicia has run the business side-by-side with her father for the past 15 years. When there were many issues confronting the business, a tree being felled took an unexpected route and brought Jonas' life to a surprising end.

The company had just moved to a facility large enough to house its workers: 10 carpenters; 5 furniture designers; 5 wood finishers (varnish and dye experts); 10 machine operators to assist with the various equipment needed to cut the wood into various designs, polish and sand the wood; 5 mechanics to keep the vehicles (5 trucks) and boats (7) that transported wood from upstate New York and Canada to the work area in good repair; 15 lumberjacks who cut wood in nearby areas and moved it downriver by boat or over the rugged highway by truck; and 5 office personnel who assisted with filing, invoicing, drafting and responding to correspondence, handling customer inquiries, and performing other necessary office functions. More than half of these employees were hired in the past 5 years.

As a result of its consultants' wonderful guidance in 1901, Smithfield Custom Furniture has continued to do extremely well financially. It is now 1987, and the company has been headed by the founder's grandson, Jonas Smithfield III. He has run the company for the past twenty years.

The company now has 247 retail stores. 220 stores are spread throughout the 50 states, and 27 stores are located in England, France, and Germany. Each country has 9 stores. In total, the company employs 13,000 people. Approximately 40% are manufacturing, distribution, quality control, design, delivery, administrative, and back-office work. Approximately 60% of the employees are in retail stores.

It has been Smithfield Custom Furniture's mission to target the wealthiest segments of the market. The company does all its manufacturing in the United States at six facilities, recently modernized with the latest equipment. They use the finest and most exotic woods to make distinctive furniture for their clientele. Much of their work is limited edition, and they try to ensure demand is slightly higher than supply for each product they make.

For the past 20 years, Jonas Smithfield III has been aware of the financial growth in a large segment of the workforce, primarily due to more women in the workforce holding full-time and professional occupations. He knows too that families are moving more often and may not need or desire the exclusivity of his furniture. His last concern is that his plants may not be working as efficiently as they could. In other words, he realizes his plants could produce less of the high-end furniture if the company developed a line of products that was still upscale aimed at mid-career professional households.

Question: From the reading above, describe what a vision statement requires plus what will be a good vision statement for the new brand?

Expert Solution
Step 1

Vision Statement:-

The organization's objectives for the present and the future are described in a business document known as a vision statement. A company's vision must be consistent with its mission, strategic strategy, culture, and core values. Governmental and nonprofit organisations typically use vision statements to establish strategic goals.

Vision statements are not always final. However, changes should be made sparingly because a vision statement acts as a road map for a company's strategic goal.

Businesses' long-term goals may change as they adapt to their environment and any external factors that can make it harder for them to achieve their goals.

steps

Step by step

Solved in 2 steps

Blurred answer
Similar questions
Recommended textbooks for you
Understanding Business
Understanding Business
Management
ISBN:
9781259929434
Author:
William Nickels
Publisher:
McGraw-Hill Education
Management (14th Edition)
Management (14th Edition)
Management
ISBN:
9780134527604
Author:
Stephen P. Robbins, Mary A. Coulter
Publisher:
PEARSON
Spreadsheet Modeling & Decision Analysis: A Pract…
Spreadsheet Modeling & Decision Analysis: A Pract…
Management
ISBN:
9781305947412
Author:
Cliff Ragsdale
Publisher:
Cengage Learning
Management Information Systems: Managing The Digi…
Management Information Systems: Managing The Digi…
Management
ISBN:
9780135191798
Author:
Kenneth C. Laudon, Jane P. Laudon
Publisher:
PEARSON
Business Essentials (12th Edition) (What's New in…
Business Essentials (12th Edition) (What's New in…
Management
ISBN:
9780134728391
Author:
Ronald J. Ebert, Ricky W. Griffin
Publisher:
PEARSON
Fundamentals of Management (10th Edition)
Fundamentals of Management (10th Edition)
Management
ISBN:
9780134237473
Author:
Stephen P. Robbins, Mary A. Coulter, David A. De Cenzo
Publisher:
PEARSON