Valuable
To carry out the efficiency and business growth, Ralph Lauren Corp has established a network of distribution center for inspection, sorting, packing and shipment to retail customers. This distribution network is not only responsible for full price retail store but also factory store and Club Monaco which was acquired by Ralph Lauren in 1999. The company also utilized the technology such as bar code to improve the accuracy and efficiency of inventory management and controls and automated replenishment system, Logility to facilitate the tracking of movement of products and collection information for future merchandise planning. The efficiency of the distribution center of Ralph Lauren Corp is clearly a valuable resource to the organization.
Rare
Ralph Lauren Corp has a highly recognizable brand name and logo among several market segments. Their customers normally maintain a high customer loyalty to the brand due to their product’s classic design and guaranteed quality. This gives the organization a competitive advantage and allows it to expand the product width to more than just clothing such as scents and home furnishing. Although there are couple competitor possessed as valuable brand equity but since its not widely possessed in the market, so Ralph Lauren Corp still enjoy some competitive advantage from its brand equity.
Inimitable
Ralph Lauren Corp gains efficiency by utilizing technology extensively among the organization. The management information systems greatly improved the marketing, manufacturing, importing and distribution for feeding them the relevant information also the automated replenishment system as I mentioned with the distribution network. However they are not inimitable and non-substitutable resource as other firms can simply acquire them by purchasing the system and training staff using it. However Ralph Lauren has an inimitable corporation culture. To every employee among the organization, Ralph Lauren is not