Newell Company Corporate Strategy 
1. In assessing Newell Company’s corporate-level strategy and whether the company adds value to the businesses within its portfolio, it is necessary to identify its overarching strategy and then explain it with context to how it affects the various businesses within the larger corporate body.
Newell Company’s main corporate-level strategy as defined by Dan Fergurson was “build on what we do best”. The company focused on growth through strategic acquisitions of firms that sold low cost and high volume products to large retailers, but that were underperforming due to high operating cost. After an acquisition, Newell would then change the existing operational systems of the firm to align it with its corporate structure. The aim was to increase operational efficiency and profitability and to focus it on a key product. In 1990, Newell also recognized the importance of internal growth and included it in its corporate-level strategy.
Newell’s corporate-level strategy had a high level of positive impact because it was internally consistent. The corporate office maintained control over legal, administrative and financial functions while allowing individual divisions to control marketing, manufacturing and sales. It also retained strict control over each division’s product lines as it disallowed any deviation from the key product focus defined by Newell. This ensured that the decisions made by various divisions remained in line with the Newell corporate office strategies. Overarching company goals were also aligned with its business strategies and acquisitions, and this was beneficial for the various companies it acquired over time. One of Newell’s corporate strategies was selling products across different price points. This remained in accordance with its goal of being a provider of low cost and high volume goods to large retailers and helped to keep the company competitive against new entrants to the different price categories. This was advantageous to businesses under
Newell Company’s main corporate-level strategy as defined by Dan Fergurson was “build on what we do best”. The company focused on growth through strategic acquisitions of firms that sold low cost and high volume products to large retailers, but that were underperforming due to high operating cost. After an acquisition, Newell would then change the existing operational systems of the firm to align it with its corporate structure. The aim was to increase operational efficiency and profitability and to focus it on a key product. In 1990, Newell also recognized the importance of internal growth and included it in its corporate-level strategy.
Newell’s corporate-level strategy had a high level of positive impact because it was internally consistent. The corporate office maintained control over legal, administrative and financial functions while allowing individual divisions to control marketing, manufacturing and sales. It also retained strict control over each division’s product lines as it disallowed any deviation from the key product focus defined by Newell. This ensured that the decisions made by various divisions remained in line with the Newell corporate office strategies. Overarching company goals were also aligned with its business strategies and acquisitions, and this was beneficial for the various companies it acquired over time. One of Newell’s corporate strategies was selling products across different price points. This remained in accordance with its goal of being a provider of low cost and high volume goods to large retailers and helped to keep the company competitive against new entrants to the different price categories. This was advantageous to businesses under