Competitive Environment And Company Strategy Assessment Answer

The Manufacturing of Ben & Jerry’s frozen dessert products has occurred in the company’s three plants located in Vermont. The company sells ice cream, low-fat ice cream, freshest products such as frozen yogurt, sorbet and other products globally through supermarkets, departmental stores, ease/general stores, company’s franchise scoop shops, and through some hotels. Outside of Vermont, the products are distributed via Dreyer’s and other sovereign locally. (ROBERTS, 2010)

b.  Competitive Environment 
For way to demonstrate the similarities and difference between both the strategies and for determining whether an “Environmentally Conscious” company such as Ben & Jerry’s can be able to protract a competitive advantage, We would describe the probable impacts on the organization’s strategic vision with respect to the acquisitions and alliances made. The assessment will cover the focus on investigating the strengths and weaknesses in respect of both strategies in the beam of its internal resources and uncontrolled, external such as competitive and non-market forces.
 
2. The company religiously follows the following mentioned mission, which helps them to create innovative flavors and products. The company is known for its responsibility towards its employees and customers. Ben & Jerry’s adopted the three-part mission statement which is shown below:

The strategies which have been adopted by the organization are:
• Marketing strategy
• Socially-conscious company image 
• Small scale growth and franchising 
• Brand Loyalty
• Product differentiation
• Corporate environmental strategy 
• General corporate strategy (digitalsparkmarketing.com, 2014)

Description of the General Corporate Strategy
Ben & Jerry's corporate strategy endeavor for implementing the three integrated missions which have been discussed like Product, Social & Economic Mission. The key aim behind these missions are to produce and deliver the best quality product, attaining economic growth along with the profitability, and concentrating Corporating social activism. 

The general corporate strategy can be featured as a typical market niche strategy which is dependent majorly on some other strategies, such as Product Differentiation and Quality Production. Ben & Jerry’s general strategy combines several other key components, including fostering a company image of social activism, creating brand loyalty, franchising the company to aid economic growth, and developing creative advertising campaigns. 

The general corporate strategy can be featured as a typical market niche strategy which is dependent majorly on some other strategies, such as Product Differentiation and Quality Production. Though, the focused differentiation strategy aims to get a contracted buyer segment, 

This strategy may assist the company to attain a bold competitive advantage as this may be linked with the overall strategy of the organization inclined with the set mission and vision of the company.

3. There are many other strategies which help the company to attain the goodwill in the industry. The best strategy which can help the company to get sustainable and competitive advantage. (B Corporate Communication, n.d.)

Product Differentiation 
One means of achieving a cutthroat advantage is by the implication of a delineation strategy to facilitate an improved product which buyers may believe is worth of the premium value. While, the best quality ice cream usually costs further than the economy and normal kinds of ice cream, Ben and Jerry’s has integrated the product differentiation along with the general corporate strategy for commanding a higher price. The use of natural and the finest quality element leads to the pioneering and creative flavors of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream demonstrate the premeditated use of product differentiation for gaining a competitive pro in the ice cream market. The Quirky flavor like Chubby Hubby, Wavy Gravy, Phish Food, and Chunky Monkey also set the Ben & Jerry’s spaced out from the conventional named ice cream products of the competitors. Besides, the use of cast-off materials and non- bleached paper in the product packaging donate to the uniqueness of the company’s ice cream and assist to keep the costs down. 

4. The main aspect which helps the company for being philanthropic attained a “Sustain Advantage Image” is because of Corporate Environmental Strategy. In fact, in the year 1992, The company Ben & Jerry’s has befall as the first in public detained company for adopting the Coalition for Environmentally Responsible Economies, CERES principles as a part of the environmental strategy. CERES is the non-profit partnership of concentration groups operating in the partnership with the companies against the goal of corporate environmental responsibility internationally. This involvement with the CERES is substantiation of the company’s commitment to preserving the environment and indemnity. This has been done in consideration for making the environment while managing and operating the business. The CERES principles are as follows: 

Ben & Jerry’s believe that the businesses should be among one of the best leaders in the social change necessary for refurbishing and averting the damage by which the human race is competent of imposing upon the natural cycles by everyday corporate, domestic, global, and personal practices”. By integrating all the above mentioned values into the company’s overall goal, Ben & Jerry company has strived for developing an inclusive environmental strategy which actually conforms to the mission of creating an exemplary product, earning a fair return, and serving the community. (Butter ball, 2006)

Ben & Jerry’s environmental goals as an organization for minimizing the negative impacts on the environment, promoting the sustainable farming and implying the protected ways of food production, which may decrease the level of environmental deprivation, this would help the company to attain as a medium for environmental and social change. 

5. Ben & Jerry’s has realized the significance of community participation and accountability. In Consistent with the environmental strategy, Ben & Jerry’s uses its business as a means to promote the conservationism, small-scale cultivation, human being rights, and the economic justice. This has been attained by Corporate Giving to the organizations such as NRDC and the Vermont Land Trust, promoted by Ben & Jerry which assist the non-profit social and environmental organizations across the United States, and Community Actions Teams. (Ben & Jerry Corporate Communication, 2014)

STRATEGY ANALYSIS 
The analysis is the external and internal forces may shape the ice cream industry, which is necessary in order for determining the effectiveness of Ben & Jerry’s prospective corporate and environmental strategies. The company has used several analytical tools for characterizing the strengths and liabilities of the industry and ascertaining the effectiveness of the company’s strategy, especially by the implication of the Five Forces Model of Competition.
Five Forces Model of Competition 
In order for identifying and assess the potency of external competitive forces on the ice cream industry, the company applies an analytical tool which is shown below. 

The following is the details of Porter’s Five Forces Model of Competition, which shows and explains the five key factors: rivalry among competing sellers, bargaining power of buyers, bargaining power of suppliers of key inputs, substitute products and potential new entrants to the market.

 
Bibliography
• B Corporate Communication, n.d. How We’re Structured. [Online] 
Available at: http://www.benandjerry.com.au/about-us/how-were-structured
• Ben & Jerry Corporate Communication, 2014. Social & Environmental Assessment Report, s.l.: s.n.
• Butter ball, 2006. Strategic Analysis of Ben and Jerry's Homeade Inc, s.l.: s.n.
• digitalsparkmarketing.com, 2014. Ben and Jerrys marketing. [Online] 
Available at: http://digitalsparkmarketing.com/creative-marketing/marketing-strategy-creative-marketing/ben-and-jerrys-marketing/
• ROBERTS, G., 2010. Ben & Jerry's Builds on Its Social-Values Approach. [Online]