Sony Corporation and Its SWOT and PESTLE Analyses

Introduction Sony Corporation is an organisation that primarily deals in the manufacture and distribution of electronic appliances. The corporation is the parent organisation of Sony Group, which was founded in 1946; the corporation manages all the business activities of the entire group.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Sony Corporation and Its SWOT and PESTLE Analyses specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More For instance, the corporation designs, plans, strategizes and manages the manufacture of Sony electronics (Flugge 2008, p. 4). This paper discusses the major achievements of Sony Corporation and presents SWOT and PESTLE analyses of the company. Major Achievements of Sony Corporation Sony was the first company to produce the first portable music player in the globe. The company invented the portable music device, the Walkman, in 1979. The 1979 invention of the music device and lightweight headphones brought a signifi cant change to the entertainment industry as people were able to listen freely to their favourite songs wherever they were. This invention has made and continues to make the advertisements of Sony audio and video players much easier (Flugge 2008, p. 5). Sony also manufactures digital cameras; it was the first company to produce point and shoot models, which were both turning points in the field of photography. Sony digital cameras use the single-lens reflex technology, which makes it easy to point and shoot as well as to produce clear pictures (Daft 2010, p. 177). Sony was among the first companies to invent televisions and computers that use video audio integrated operations (VAIO). This kind of technology allows TVs and computers to show images that are of high quality. Sony Corporation applies the technique in the production of most of its electronics, for example front projectors. The technology has also seen other rival companies recognise Sony’s products and try to ente r into mutual agreements with it (Gaspar 2006, p. 188). A SWOT Analysis of Sony Corporation Strengths Sony Corporation has a number of strongholds that assist it to prosper in the electronics’ business. Firstly, Sony owns quality music and pictures, which can help it to promote most of its electronic products to consumers. Secondly, the company has built a name through its consistent and good performance. One of the 2011 studies, which ranked Sony as the most valued brand in Asia, has also assisted the company to prosper. Lastly, Sony has an efficient team that consists of innovative and technological experts who ensure that the company’s products are of high quality; this helps the company to stay ahead of its competitors (Chang 2011, p. 7).Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Weaknesses The main weakness of Sony is as a result of the company’s attempts to venture in a wide range of products; this compromises the aspect of specialisation within the company. The move to venture into several lines of business negatively affects the company’s brand as the consumers are unable to associate it with any of its many products. The high cost of doing business in the electronics’ industry is also another weakness that the company faces at the moment. The high costs in the industry affect how the company sets prices for its products (Henry 2008, p. 117). Opportunities Sony has a great opportunity to expand its businesses through the joint venture it has with Ericson. The joint venture gives Sony a chance to exploit the tablet market and the smart-phones’ business. The company also has a chance to expand its operations globally through its music and movie business. The company can easily use the music and movie business to develop and support its products (Hill Jones 2013, p. 502). Threats The main threat that Sony faces is competition from companies that deal in similar electronic products. The main competitors of Sony are LG and Samsung, which offer their products at relatively lower prices. The online network hackers, who hack into Sony’s site and leak the customers’ information to unauthorised individuals, are also another threat to the company (Flugge 2008, p. 4). PESTEL Analysis of Sony Corporation Political Factors Sony is an international company and its businesses in a particular country are affected by government policies. Such policies mainly determine how the government controls business in the country. For instance, Sony has not been doing well in countries such as Syria due to the poor government policies, which put unfavourable restrictions to international companies (Saleem 2010, p. 21). Economic Factors The factors that are considered as economic and which influence the business of Sony Corporation in most countries include economic growth, exchange rates, and variable ta x policies. The company has done very well in countries such as Japan and USA where exchange and interest rates are favourable (Saleem 2010, p. 23). Social Factors Sony is also affected by the changes in social trends that occur in the countries where it operates. Such changes greatly influence the demand of Sony’s products; for instance, the company does well in the United Kingdom since the lifestyles of citizens in this country are greatly influenced by fashion and stylish preferences (Karami 2007, p. 174). Technological Factors Sony depends on technological advances to innovate its products; the company has been able to manufacture most of its products as a result of the technological know-how and innovative ability of its engineers. For instance, Sony was the first company to produce a portable music player owing to the advanced technology of its experts (Karami 2007, p. 174).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Sony Corporation and Its SWOT and PESTLE Analyses specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Environmental Factors Weather and climatic conditions are also other factors that affect the operations of Sony in most countries. They affect activities such as tourism, insurance and farming, which in turn affect the demand for Sony’s products. For instance, Sony cameras have a high demand during winter in Syria as a result of the high number of tourists that visit the country (Bowhill 2008, p. 331). Legal Factors The operations of Sony are also influenced greatly by the laws in the countries it carries out its business activities. Every country sets its own legal restraints for which any company willing to do business in it must adhere to. For instance, in the UK, Sony must adhere to the age discrimination law that was passed recently (Havaldar 2005, p. 273). Conclusion Sony Corporation is an organisation that primarily deals in the manufacture of electronic appliances and is positio n two globally among the electronics manufacturing companies. The company has a team of experts, who are innovative and highly knowledgeable. The company’s prosperity mainly depends on the services of these experts. The operations of Sony are affected by environmental, social, political, and legal factors among others. Recommendation The management of Sony Corporation should consider specialising in only one line of products. The company should withdraw from producing the other products it deals in and stick to electronic appliances. This may enable the company to reap the full benefits of specialisation and labour division. This move may also make it easy for the company to achieve its main goal, which is to dominate the electronics’ manufacturing industry. References Bowhill, B 2008, Business planning and control: integrating accounting, strategy, and people, Wiley, Hoboken, NJ. Chang, S 2011, Sony vs. Samsung: the inside story of the electronic giant’s battle for global supremacy, John Wiley Sons, Hoboken, NJ. Daft, R 2010, Organisation theory and design, South-Western Cengage Learning, Mason, OH.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Flugge, J 2008, Sony-a Japanese company going global standard 2002, GRIN Verlag, Norderstedt. Gaspar, JE 2006, Introduction to business, Houghton Mifflin Company, New York, NY. Havaldar, KK 2005, Industrial marketing: text and cases, Tata McGraw-Hill, New Delhi. Henry, A 2008, Understanding strategic management, Oxford University Press, Oxford. Hill, CWL Jones, GR 2013, Strategic management theory, Cengage Learning, Mason, OH. Karami, A 2007, Strategy formulation in entrepreneurial firms, Ashgate, Aldershot. Saleem, S 2010, Business environment, Pearson, New Delhi. This essay on Sony Corporation and Its SWOT and PESTLE Analyses was written and submitted by user Ezra Burch to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Robber Baron

Robber Baron Julia YimMr. LovedayUS History30 September 2014Review Questions Robber Barons ActivityDocument AIdentify the large figure in the cartoon. Who is he and what is his significance to this time period?John D. Rockefeller, shown in the cartoon, was the famous oil magnate who created a powerful monopoly on the US oil industry in less than 20 years. By 1899, the Standard Oil Trust had already been formed, which allowed Rockefeller to control his monopoly completely with this, so to speak, "corporation of corporations": the heads of each oil refinery corporation within the country, including Rockefeller himself, formed the Board of Trustees, which set equal prices, as well as production levels, for each "branch" of the board.What criticism is this cartoonist making of this individual and of the overall situation? (Pay attention to the title of the cartoon in answering this question)Rockefeller is examining the White House and Treasury in his hand; in the background, the State Capitol buildin g is portrayed as a giant oil refinery.Standard Oil Trust Certificate 1896The cartoon's main motif is that big business (specifically big oil) had become extremely prevalent in late 19th century America, and it had grown so large that the government was unable to control it. Rockefeller is portrayed as a man that has become so powerful that he has dwarfed the power of the federal government. Rockefellers' oil is seen as extremely pervasive in the illustration. The dark color choices in the cartoon give the situation an air of darkness and negativity; the smoke coming from the smokestacks almost looks like smoke from a fire, which could be a representation that big business was destroying America.Document BWho or what does the octopus in the center of the image represents?The rise of Rockefeller's Standard Oil Trust...