Harley Davidson
Week 4 Individual Assignment: SWOT ANALYSIS
Bob Carter
MGT/521
10 December 2012
Ed Dempsey
SWOT Analysis
This type of analysis provides a summary of an organization’s Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats. SWOT is a planning report that only covers a specific time period but can be used in conjunction with other business documents to provide efficient and effective decision-making based on facts instead of intuition. The Strengths and Weaknesses sections of the analysis are those issues internal to the organization. Opportunities and Threats are issues that are external to the organization period (Nickels, McHugh, & McHugh, 2010).
I have chosen to conduct a SWOT analysis on Harley-Davidson, Inc. (Harley), number 458 on the 2012 Fortune 500 list (Fortune, 2012).
Company Overview
Harley is one of the leading organizations in the world for producing heavyweight (>650 cc) motorcycles. The company not only produces and sells motorcycles, but a wide range of associated products, including parts and accessories, clothing and apparel, and financial services. Harley-Davidson, Inc. is divided into two operating segments: Harley-Davidson Motorcycle Company (HDMC) and related products, and Harley-Davidson Financial Services (HDFS). Harley’s main headquarters is located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and employs approximately 6,600 people (HD, 2012).
SWOT Analysis Strengths | Weaknesses | Strong market position | Lapses in product quality impacts reputation | Wide distribution network | Dependence on independent dealers and distributors | Strong brand image | Mixed financial picture | Opportunities | Threats | Growing market demand | Compliance with government laws and regulations | Growing market for women | Reliance on 3rd party suppliers of raw materials |
Strengths
Strong market position. Harley has held the largest share of the U.S. market since 1986. Market percentages, as measured by registration of retailed,
Bob Carter
MGT/521
10 December 2012
Ed Dempsey
SWOT Analysis
This type of analysis provides a summary of an organization’s Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats. SWOT is a planning report that only covers a specific time period but can be used in conjunction with other business documents to provide efficient and effective decision-making based on facts instead of intuition. The Strengths and Weaknesses sections of the analysis are those issues internal to the organization. Opportunities and Threats are issues that are external to the organization period (Nickels, McHugh, & McHugh, 2010).
I have chosen to conduct a SWOT analysis on Harley-Davidson, Inc. (Harley), number 458 on the 2012 Fortune 500 list (Fortune, 2012).
Company Overview
Harley is one of the leading organizations in the world for producing heavyweight (>650 cc) motorcycles. The company not only produces and sells motorcycles, but a wide range of associated products, including parts and accessories, clothing and apparel, and financial services. Harley-Davidson, Inc. is divided into two operating segments: Harley-Davidson Motorcycle Company (HDMC) and related products, and Harley-Davidson Financial Services (HDFS). Harley’s main headquarters is located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and employs approximately 6,600 people (HD, 2012).
SWOT Analysis Strengths | Weaknesses | Strong market position | Lapses in product quality impacts reputation | Wide distribution network | Dependence on independent dealers and distributors | Strong brand image | Mixed financial picture | Opportunities | Threats | Growing market demand | Compliance with government laws and regulations | Growing market for women | Reliance on 3rd party suppliers of raw materials |
Strengths
Strong market position. Harley has held the largest share of the U.S. market since 1986. Market percentages, as measured by registration of retailed,
References: Annual Report. (2011). Harley-Davidson Annual Report. Retrieved from: http://media.corporate-ir.net/media_files/IROL/87/87981/HD.pdf California Comer, E. (2010). Lifestyle, Identity and Social Impacts of Branding a Group. Thesis for the School of Professional Studies, Gonzaga University. Retrieved from: http://web02.gonzaga.edu/comltheses/proquestftp/Comer_gonzaga_0736M_10075.pdf EPA Feder, B. (March 18, 1987). The New York Times. Business Day. HARLEY ASKS END TO TARIFF AID. Retrieved from: http://www.nytimes.com/1987/03/18/business/harley-asks-end-to-tariff-aid.htmlFinancial Financial Fortune 500. (2012). Annual Ranking of America’s Top Corporations. Retrieved from: http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune500/2012/full_list/ Global Data Goldglantz, H. F. (2012). Take a SWOT at yourself. Pest Management Professional, 80(1), 52. HD. (2012). Harley-Davidson website. Retrieved from: http://www.harley-davidson.com/en_US/Content/Pages/home.html Hoetler, T Jusko, J. (September 12, 2012). 2012 IndustryWeek’s Best Plants Finalists Named. http://www.industryweek.com/quality/2012-industryweeks-best-plants-finalists-named Motorcycles Industry Profile: Global Nickels, W. G., McHugh, J. M., & McHugh, S. M. (2010). Understanding business (9th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill/Irwin. Samaras, Z. (2009). Study on possible new measures concerning motorcycle emissions. Final report- Revised Version. Retrieved from: http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/sectors/automotive/files/projects/report_measures_motorcycle_emissions_en.pdf SWOT