Introduction
Procter and Gamble Company head office is based in Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S.A. it is a key international company that trades in following products: pet supplies, pharmaceuticals, personal care and cleaning supplies. The company started in 1837 as a small scale family-run soap and candle enterprise and grew with time as result of inventive marketing, novelty and partnership between James Gamble and William Procter. The two young and innovative individual, Gamble and Proctor signed a joint venture contract that led to establishment of Procter & Gamble Company with company asset standing at $7,192.24(Transnationale & Co., 2009).
This Company has grown for over 178 years and is listed on Paris and New York Stock Exchange and is owned by the public. Procter and Gamble is a home of world’s high quality and trusted brands of consumer goods namely pampers under the brand name Always, Bounty, Whisper, Tide, Downy, Pringes, Gain, Pantene, Dawn, Duracell, Olay, Charmin, and Wella among other products. The company has around 135,000 staffs in 80 nations and their products high quality consumer products are distributed approximately 180 nations majorly through grocery stores, drug stores and mass merchandiser. In almost all this 180 countries, Procter and Gamble products are the most trusted therefore the company turns out to be among the global leader in terms of consumer confidence. The company focal point is continued efforts on upgrading the products and winning consumers’ trust. It does this by maintaining the five strategies namely products, corporate social responsibility, employees, operations and stakeholders (Proctor &Gamble, 2010).
Company Strategies
In the year 2007, Proctor& Gamble developed 5 strategies and is focused to attaining them before 2012. These strategies are products, corporate social responsibility, employees, operations and stakeholders. The first strategy is product, where through continuous research and innovation, the company produces high quality new products and the same time improving on their already established products. For example in the year 2009, a new product called Arie Excel Gel was introduced and this very efficient laundry detergent is currently a proving to be delightful to consumers in Western Europe. This detergent plus other new products have boosted revenues and this has increased the company’s survival in the current dynamic market which calls for innovation and marketing creativity.
The second strategy is Operations, where the company goes beyond its key function of manufacturing products and being involved in distribution of products to consumer by collaborating with suppliers across the globe. Proctor & Gamble optimizes shipping effectiveness via wide-range approaches of multi-mode system and working hand-in-hand with supplies to ensure delivery on time to avoid disappointing the consumers. This is coordinated by Supplier Sustainability Committee which establishes guidelines on logistics with a view of minimizing losses, saving time and improves Proctor & Gamble own operations. The third strategy is Corporate Social Responsibility which is aimed at creative a positive image, brand awareness and improving company competiveness. In collaboration with other organizations such as UNICEF, it donates pampers to children and refugee camps thereby helping reduce neonatal and maternal tetanus (Proctor &Gamble, 2008). The famous brands such as Tampax and Always are given to students during periods. Strategy has helped market the company, attractive positive media coverage and easy recruitment of staff among other benefits (Yahoo, 2010).
Employee’s strategy is sustained by maintenance of individual accountability applicable both at home and workplace. They take accountability of next step of advancement of the company. They are made to have a sense of ownership of the company and are equipped and encouraged to maintain these practices at all times. The Sustainability Ambassador Network supports sustainable conducts between colleagues. Through this strategy, the company is in able to maintain staffs who are experienced and the same time attractive competent new staff thereby remaining world leader in terms of products innovation and experienced qualified staff. Finally stakeholders’ strategy is intended at working openly with concerned stakeholders to facilitate sustained liberty to innovate in a dependable or accountable way. Proctor & Gamble works carefully by not only committing internal sources but also by engaging external partners to handle water, solid waste, climatic change and product safety challenges (Proctor &Gamble, 2010).
Product Development
The company through its research and marketing departments collects feedbacks from consumers and improves on current products or invents new products to meet consumers need. There two types of consumers who affect innovation decisions namely “niche” customers who are ready let go value in favour of additional sustainable product and consumers who are only keen on giving fundamental living. On the other hand we have “niche” customers who are ready to forgo performance or value for supplementary sustainable goods. On the other hand, a small section is focused on giving only basic or fundamental living for their families and they do not buy goods with attention on Sustainability aspects. By the company satisfying consumer need or desires of largest proportion of customers, it is in a position to generate more revenue and impact consumers positive as a result of achieving individual consumers needs (Proctor &Gamble, 2009).
Another factor that affects product development is technology. Based on scientific advancement and consumer needs, a sustainable product is developed and this product formulation must in view of saving energy, less environmental impact and reduce overall wastage of materials. Example of newly developed product is Ariel, a laundry detergent with enzyme supplements that has emerged as a competitive brand (Yahoo, 2010).
Company Organization Structure
The current Proctor & Gamble organization structure unites local with global scale with an objective of attracting retail clients and end users in every nation where the company products are distributed. The structure is divided in 4 organs namely Global Business Units, Marketing Development Organizations, Lean Corporate Functions and Global Business Services. The Marketing Development Organizations responsible of interacting and knowing retailers and end users al over the world where the company products are sold. While on the other hand, Global Business Units center of attention is exclusively on brands, competitors and consumers around the globe. They are charged with novelty pipeline, stakeholder returns and profitability of the company (Proctor & Gamble, 2009).
Lean Corporate Functions make sure there is always constant purposeful novelty and ability upgrading. Finally we have Global Business Services as a branch of Proctor & Gamble structure and this department exploits talents of both staff and professional associates to deliver first class in-house services at very minimal costs. this helps manufacture high quality products and win consumer confidence at the same time boosting revenue returns for the company.
Conclusion
Proctor and Gamble is an international company with five sustainable strategies which has helped the company overcome economical challenges to stand out as a global leader. With devotions to company principles, values and purpose, the company does not face any major risk. This company is a socially responsible company and is known for giving back to the society by donating Tampex and Always to schools and refugee camps.
Reference List
Proctor &Gamble, 2008. How P&G is touching lives, at a glance: Sustainability Overview. Online] Champaign, Illinois: Project Gutenberg. Web.
Proctor &Gamble, 2009.Designed to Matter: Sustainability Overview. Online] Champaign, Illinois: Project Gutenberg. Web.
Proctor & Gamble, 2010. Where does P&G Innovation Lead? [Online] Champaign, Illinois: Project Gutenberg. Web.
Transnationale & Co., 2009. Company Profiles: Proctor & Gamble. Transnationale Organization. Web.
Yahoo, 2010. Finance: Proctor & Gamble Summary.[0nline]NYSE. Web.