The Corporate Strategy of Mærsk

Strategy Exam

1. Describe in your own words how the corporate strategy of Mærsk has changed over the period 2003-2017, including the recently announced sale of Oil & Gas, and the recently announced restructuring.

Streamline strategi

In early 2000, the business was affected by the uncertainty after the terror attack on the World Trade Centre in New York.  When the Conglomerate A.P. Moller-Maersk was therefore facing challenge and in 2003 Maersk had adopted a new strategy because of the resently merged between Dampskibselskabet af 1912 and Dampskibselskabet Svendbord. An important element of the strategy was to exploit the leadership position of generating cost benefits. In addition, departments such as Maersk Sealand and Maersk Logistics had to work closer together to offer stronger and more complex logistic solutions. At the same time, the Internet was in rapid development and Maersk should therefore analyse who needs face-to-face sales who could handle the phone and who bought via the Internet in order to streamline sales.  (product development) Eventually, back office functions were outsourced to some Asian service centres, where the cost of wages was lower.

Marked development  with new rutes

The acquisition of P & O Nedlloyd In 2005 was also supported by the strategy, which also included organic growth, in order to consolidate the business. In the short term, the acquisition gave Maersk the size they wanted and which they could not achieve through organic growth. (Jepson et. al 420).

At the end of 2006, the implementation of a current strategy that Maersk calls Streamline will begin. The main elements were to restructure and simplify the organization. In addition, they wanted to ensure cost minimization and profitability.

2009 is a historic year in Maersk, as it is the first time they are facing a loss as a result of economic reassurance. In line with the financial crisis, Maersk Streamline aligns the strategy so that it now focuses not only on conversions but also on external focus. It is assumed that they will be the customer's first choice. It will be ensured that, the business is differentiated for the competitions in being reliable and environmentally friendly container freight and it should be easy to trade with Maersk. In line with the strategy, the so-called Triple-E ships are purchased. The three E' stands for the Economy of scale, Energy efficiency and Environmentally improved performance.

I skrivende stund har Maersk ombygget deres organisation fra at være en virksomhed med  division for sig selv, til at blive sammenlagt til to divisioner. En for shipping og logistics, hvor Maersk Line, Maersk Logistics, APM Terminal

Der er i dag brug for et skarpere fokus fra Maersk side, og det har ledt til den strategiske beslutning om at sælge energidelen fra. Maersk Oil har i sig selv været en økonomisk sikring for svingende oliepriser, så shipping- og cotanierforretningen ikke i samme omfang som andre, er blevet påvirket i den forbindelse.