INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL INFLUENCES

Internal and External Influences

Internal and External Influences

Introduction

This paper aims to present and analyse the performance of Marks and Spencer from the previous years and the competitive advantages of the retailing giant. Additionally, it provides an analysis of how the external and internal environment affects the planning, recruitment and selection processes of the organization. Over the recent years, one may have observed how organizations are realizing that their likelihood of sustained success is most dependent on learning to get the maximum out of their employees (2002). The management of human resources within an organization is an aspect of administration that is comparatively harder to imitate than such other aspects as technology, manufacturing processes, products, and strategy, therefore representing a unique competitive advantage on the part of the firm exercising it effectively. With the increasing amount of academic literature focusing on the subject of managing people within the organization, there is the need to take an existing organization, scrutinize how it carries out the management of their human resources and arrive at a conclusion whether such management practices are effective or not and how it contributes to the overall growth of the firm. In this paper, the organization in focus is Marks & Spencer, included in the Forbes list of top 40 largest United Kingdom companies.

Company Background

In 1894, Michael Marks formed a partnership with Tom Spencer to venture on the retailing business. The first shop opened in 1904 at Cross Arcade in Leeds, West Yorkshire. In 2004, the organization celebrates their 120th anniversary, appoints as the Chief Executive of Marks & Spencer and the head office staff started to move into their new registered office at Waterside House, Paddington, originally headquartered in Baker Street, London for many years. At present, they have over 600 stores worldwide, 450 of which are located in UK and the remaining 150 outlets operating in 30 countries around the globe, with sales amounting to U.S.$ 14.6 billion and a market value of U.S.$ 11.6 billion and profits posted at U.S.$ 1.1 billion and assets totalling to U.S.$ 8.1 billion.  is the current Chairman while  is the Director of Human Resources for the organization and is mainly responsible for personnel management. The executive directors compose of the Chief Executive, Group Finance Director and the Executive Director for marketing, e-commerce, store design and development . The non-executive team includes the Chairman, Senior Independent Director, Non-executive Directors and Group Secretary and Head of Corporate Governance . The various directors of the British retailer include Director of Womenswear & Girlswear, Director of Menswear & Boyswear (Andrew Skinner), Director of Lingerie (Matthew Hudson), Director of General Merchandise Planning, Director of Food, Director of Home and Beauty, Director of Retail, Director of Human Resources, Director of Property, Director, International and UK Outlets, Director, IT, Director of GM Supply Chain and Logistics, Director of Sourcing, Director of Far East Procurement and Director of Communications .

 

Competitive Advantage

Being in retailing for over a hundred years, one of Marks & Spencer's competitive advantages ...