Environmental Scan Paper

Environmental Scan Paper

Upper management in some companies are always looking and worrying about what the competition is doing. They are trying to figure out how to offset any moves the competition makes. Management from other companies are only concerned with how things are going in their own company. How can they worry about someone else when their own house is not in order? Successful companies have a good strategic management plan that includes an internal and external environmental scan.

An environmental scan is the monitoring, evaluating, and disseminating of information from the external and internal environments to the key people within the corporation. (Wheelen, 2010). The best decisions are made if more information is available. Each organization must know what their weaknesses are as well as their strengths. They must also know about any threats or opportunities that are present outside of the organization. A good strategic management plan will be pro-active in dealing with all of these. If an organization decides to be reactive, then opportunities may be lost, a threat may become too large to deal with, a weakness may become more profound, and a strength may become a weakness.

Coca-Cola's biggest asset is its brand name. That name has been carefully cultivated since 1886. The brand has spread throughout the world due to the impact of different ideas within the organization. John Pemberton created the famous caramel colored syrup and took it to a nearby pharmacy and it was combined with carbonated water to produce the drink we all know today, minus the cocaine extract. His bookkeeper, Frank Robinson, gave the drink its name and it is his distinct script writing that adorns every beverage container.

Due to increased copycat beverages, Coca-Cola decided that it needed to protect its brand. The company organized a contest for a new bottle design. The company wanted a design that would be easily recognized, even in the dark, by anyone. The Root Glass company won the contest and gave Coca-Cola its distinct bottle shape that hasn't changed since it was first produced in 1916. The shape has accomplished exactly what the company envisioned and is easily recognized the world over.

Robert Woodruff became the company president in 1923 and aggressively marketed Coca-Cola to the world. It was first seen overseas when the US Olympic team carried it with them to the 1928 Olympics in Amsterdam. Woodruff also oversaw the development and distribution of the six-pack carrier to allow more people to enjoy the drink in a variety of places.

International appeal of Coca-Cola sky-rocketed because of a 1971 commercial that had a large group of people from many different countries gather on a hilltop in Italy and sing "I'd Like to Buy the World a Coke." In 1978, Coca-Cola became the only company allowed to sell packaged cold drinks in the People's Republic of China.

There is a growing sentiment by some that sugary drinks are harmful to our society and are working towards legislation to ban them from certain segments such as schools and restaurants. Coca-Cola decided to introduce new drinks to the market after World War II, such as Fanta in the 1950's, Sprite 1961, Tab 1963, and Fresca in 1963. The company also branched out in 1960 by purchasing the Minute Maid Company and their line of juices. The organization has introduced other lines, but they would be too numerous to list here. The only bad decision Coca-Cola