Free report on competitive strategies

The diet industry is one of the fastest growing companies not only in the United States but also in the global market. This has subsequently resulted to emergence of nutrition oriented companies offering closely similar products and services hence resulting to a fierce competition in the industry. Nutri system and Jenny Craig are the two leading companies in provision of dietary solutions aimed at losing weight and they are highly recommended by most customers who have used their products. Despite gaining popularity and a biggest market share, the companies have to put various competitive strategies in practice so as to counter the current level of competition faced in the industry (Bates, 2012). The level of competition has further worsened as a result of the rising concerns in health issues associated with obesity and overweight among the Americans as well as other parts of the world. The most common competitive strategy that is used by these companies to create awareness of their products as well as attract a wide customer base is establishment of a concrete corporate culture that is aimed at enhancing uniqueness of their products and services (Flamholtz & Randle, 2011). This paper therefore analyzes some of differences that exist between nutria system and Jenny Craig corporations’ corporate culture and how these distinct differences have benefited the companies in achieving a competitive advantage in provision of losing weight solutions.
Both Jenny Craig Inc. and Nutri System weight Loss Corporation are known to offer prepackaged dietary food to their clients as well as offer training services and psychological counseling resulting from weight issues to their subscribers. They target both men and women who wish to cut their weight and recently, both companies included healthy and dietary meals for the people with diabetic issues in their products. Both companies have also applied a similar marketing strategy that involves the use of top celebrities as the company’s spokesperson and this is a corporate culture that incorporates reaching out to as many consumers as possible as part of their expansion strategy. However, NutriSystem and Jenny Craig Inc. have distinct ways of doing things within and outside the organization, a factor that has enabled the companies have distinct corporate culture. Jenny Craig’s has a risk taking culture that incorporates business expansion of the company through investing in places where ‘ marketing has never gone before’ and involves customers in the products and services creation as emphasized in the company’s mission, values and practices (Bate, 2012). This culture has enabled the company to conquer a wide market both in the United States, Australia, Canada and some European countries. Nutri System on the other hand believes in quality products that guarantees immediate results. The company therefore believes in a culture of getting things done through innovativeness, provision of few but quality products and market concentration in particular niches while catering for the needs of various consumers. The organization has therefore adopted a program that provides dietary solutions to men and women as well as the diabetic patients. This has enabled both companies acquire a stable market in different techniques with loyal customers who have enabled them to achieve their distinct strategic goals.
Risk taking corporate culture is an effective marketing strategy that enables the organizations to increase their sales as well as gain customer loyalty before their competitors invest in these new places (Ashby, 2012). This culture has enabled Jenny Craig Inc. to reach new markets as well as come up with a variety of products and services for the consumers to choose from. This has enabled the company to counter the competition which is concentrated in the US by venturing in other countries where their competitors have not ventured into. Secondly, the culture is an effective tool in promoting the company’s brand image awareness which is an essential tool for promoting a business success. This culture has also promoted sales through an affiliate sub culture that focuses on establishing a close relationship that the company establishes with their client by encouraging them to engage in one on one consultation with the company’s trainers and medical specialists. Ashby (2012) notes that this is an appropriate way of helping the clients open up and connect through face to face interaction as well as appreciate the program. This means that the company believes that in order to embrace the company values, engaging the people who in this case are the consumers is the most vital practice that will enable the company achieve their mission and goals. This as a result has made the company have a competitive advantage over their competitors as the program ensures customers’ satisfaction as they are able o get answers face to face from the company’s specialists hence promoting customer loyalty.
The culture of getting things done on the other hand has enabled Nutri System conquer the fitness competition in the United States whereby the company has adopted a product specialization that meets the needs of men and women differently. The product differentiation to fit male and female clients differently enables the company to attract clients with different needs hence promoting sales, a service that competitors have failed to provide. According to Flamholtz &Randle (2011), a competitive culture is the one that strives to provide what people need and not what they feel the people want need. Secondly, the culture has promoted more customer awareness through encouraging a culture where openness on the products and services is encouraged. Nutri System ensures all the information concerning the products’ ingredients as well as the price is available to the customers by displaying them on the company’s website. this attribute particularly where they inform the customers on the nutritional contents of their food makes the clients have more confidence on the products as compared to the competitors who withhold such vital. information.
The most significant speculative change that Jenny Craig could adopt in line with the organization’s mission is the adoption of technology in delivering their products and services. This as a result could affect eh one on one consultation and in order to strive amidst these changes, the company needs to adopt adhocracy culture that integrates the use of innovations to meet the customer needs. The organization could strive by reducing their outlets and instead focus more on online deliveries as well as the use of social audio and video chats for consultations. Nutri System on the other hand might opt to adopt the entrepreneurial culture that not only focus on the product development but also strives to attract a wider market for their products. This is because the company has concentrated more on the US market and it could increase its sales if they expanded to other regions as the issue of overweight is now becoming a global concern.
Corporate culture is an essential marketing tool that has enabled most companies to thrive amidst fierce competition in the market. This incorporate the application of a company’s goals, believes, practices and assets to ensure a unique way of doing things within the organization (Campbell &Faulkner, 2009). Embracing corporate culture as a marketing tool is therefore a key tool that has enabled Jenny Craig and Nutri System emerge the top in the weight fitness industry in the US despite the existence of several competitors. This could even be more successful by incorporating the employees in the process of observing the organizational culture as they are the key players of the success or a failure of the company’s beliefs and practices towards achieving a competitive advantage in the market.

References

– Ashby, S. Et al. (2012). Risk culture in Financial Organizations. The London School of Economics and Political Science. Retrieved from http://www. lse. ac. uk/researchAndExpertise/units/CARR/pdf/Risk-culture-interim-report. pdf
– Bate, P. (2012). Strategies for Cultural Change. NY: Routledge.
– Campbell, A. & Faulkner, D. (Eds.) (2009). The Oxford Handbook of Strategy: A Strategy Overview and Competitive Strategy. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
– Dee Liose, M. (2008). An Integration of Corporate Culture and Strategy: The Interrelationships and Impact on Firm Performance. NY: ProQuest.
– Flamholtz, E. & Randle, Y. (2011). Corporate Culture: The Ultimate Strategic Asset Stanford: Stanford University Press.