Assignment: Week 21

Emergent strategy, also known as Realized strategy is a pattern of action that keeps on developing and modifying over time in an organization in order to achieve a specific mission and goals.

1.       Was Honda’s entry strategy in the US more deliberate or emergent?

Honda’s entry strategy in the US at first was deliberate, and then later on it went for emergent. Honda at its initial market entry stage, deliberately started its sales from the west coast and moved eastward over a period of four- five years. They advertised their products toward young families giving slogans like “You meet the nicest People on Honda” to dissociate motorcycles from “rowdy”, “Hell’s Angels” types of group of People, who were trouble making kind of groups in US. Later on in order to compete with other companies, who were upgrading their products, Honda followed Emergent strategy which helped it a lot to win the market share.

2.       Which of the accounts seems more accurate and why? Why do you think the two accounts differ so much?

The interview account seems more accurate as it is the facts spoken by the executives of Honda. The two accounts differ so much because the first one may be a review or report published on some newspaper or magazines where as the second one was personally interviewed to the executives of Honda Company.

3.       Did Honda’s entry strategy demonstrate the characteristics of ‘logical instrumentalism’?

Yes, Honda’s entry strategy demonstrated the characteristics of ‘logical Instrumentalism’. According to Logical instrumentalism, strategies aren’t developed on a single time decision but are rather developed through making many small decisions that are made through logical experiments, learning and experiences. As the case study clearly conveys Honda’s strategy to this, Honda definitely demonstrates the characteristics of ‘logical instrumentalism’.

4.       Do you think Honda would have been more or less successful if they had adopted a more formalized strategic planning approach to the launch?

According to me, Honda would have been less successful if they had adopted a more formalized strategic planning approach to the launch. Companies should always have long terms goals and objectives, but they should always be flexible to the changes occurring around them and be able to adapt to changes. Only following formalized strategies can fatally hamper the targets of the organization due to its rigidness, so it’s much better if companies are flexible in their strategies.

References:

Andrew Mair. 1999. Learning from Japan? Interpretationof Honda Motors . [ONLINE] Available at:http://www.nissan.ox.ac.uk/sites/sias/files/documents/NOPS29_0.pdf. [Accessed 09 December 13]

Strategic Management. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.essay.uk.com/free-management-essays/strategic-management.php. [Accessed 09 December 13].