Business Plan
Case Analysis
Herman Miller: The Invention and Renewal of an Iconic Manufacturer
GM 599 Strategic Management in Global Environment
Professor: Ernesto Escobedo
Shehzad Karedia
Herman Miller Inc started back in 1905, as a furniture company. The Star Furniture Company was a manufacturer of traditional-style bedroom suites in Zeeland, Michigan. It changed its name to Michigan Star Furniture Company, in 1909. Dirk Jan De Pree was hired as a clerk during that transition. D.J. De Pree became the president of the company 10 years later. He then renamed the company Herman Miller in honor of his father –in-law in recognition of his support for purchasing majority of share to save the company from failing (Shipper, Manz, Adams, Manz, 2010). Herman Miller Inc. became a leader in "modern" furniture in the 1930s and 1940s; developed lasting ties through the 1950s with legendary industrial designers who led us in new directions; transformed the office furniture industry with the first panel system in the 1960s; invented and refined ergonomic work seating in the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s; reinvented the geometry of systems furniture in 2000, and is today the second largest office furniture company with customers and locations around the world (Dowdell,2008).
Herman Miller Inc. is a global company with operations, sales offices, dealers, and licensees in more than 40 countries in North America, Asia/Pacific, Europe, Middle East, Africa, and Latin America. They serve customers virtually anywhere in the world. Their headquarters is in Zeeland, Michigan and have numerous manufacturing facilities located in the U.S., China, Italy, and the United Kingdom. They sell their products and services through substantial global dealer network of independent and company-owned businesses (www.hermanmiller.com, 2011).
Types of Paramount action for building an organization capable of good strategy execution are: staffing organization,
Herman Miller: The Invention and Renewal of an Iconic Manufacturer
GM 599 Strategic Management in Global Environment
Professor: Ernesto Escobedo
Shehzad Karedia
Herman Miller Inc started back in 1905, as a furniture company. The Star Furniture Company was a manufacturer of traditional-style bedroom suites in Zeeland, Michigan. It changed its name to Michigan Star Furniture Company, in 1909. Dirk Jan De Pree was hired as a clerk during that transition. D.J. De Pree became the president of the company 10 years later. He then renamed the company Herman Miller in honor of his father –in-law in recognition of his support for purchasing majority of share to save the company from failing (Shipper, Manz, Adams, Manz, 2010). Herman Miller Inc. became a leader in "modern" furniture in the 1930s and 1940s; developed lasting ties through the 1950s with legendary industrial designers who led us in new directions; transformed the office furniture industry with the first panel system in the 1960s; invented and refined ergonomic work seating in the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s; reinvented the geometry of systems furniture in 2000, and is today the second largest office furniture company with customers and locations around the world (Dowdell,2008).
Herman Miller Inc. is a global company with operations, sales offices, dealers, and licensees in more than 40 countries in North America, Asia/Pacific, Europe, Middle East, Africa, and Latin America. They serve customers virtually anywhere in the world. Their headquarters is in Zeeland, Michigan and have numerous manufacturing facilities located in the U.S., China, Italy, and the United Kingdom. They sell their products and services through substantial global dealer network of independent and company-owned businesses (www.hermanmiller.com, 2011).
Types of Paramount action for building an organization capable of good strategy execution are: staffing organization,
References: Dowdell, J. (2008, December 8). Herman miller 's auto-biography, from worldwide web, Retrieved, from http://www.marketingshift.com/people/entrepreneurs/herman-miller.cfm, Herman Miller, Inc.; American Furniture Company known for innovations in design and in organizational management (2011). In Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved from http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/1085390/Herman-Miller-Inc, Shipper, F., Manz, K., Adams, S., & Manz, C. (2010). Herman Miller Inc: the reinvention and renewal of an iconic manufacturer of office furniture. (18th ed.) McGraw Hill Thompson, A. A., Peteraf, M. A., Gamble, J. E., & Strickland III, A. J. (2012). Crafting & executing strategy: the quest for competitive advantage: concept and cases.(18ed.) McGraw Hill, What we believe 2011 Herman Miller, Inc. (2011). www.hermanmiller.com; Retrieved from http://www.hermanmiller.com/About-Us/What-We-Believe