Performance, Problems & Goals of Nike
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The company was begun in 1964 as Blue Ribbon Sports; the name was changed to Nike in 1978. It began as a partnership between an MBA candidate and a former track coach who had manufactured running shoes in his spare time. The company built its reputation on its technological breakthroughs in athletic shoes, and helped to introduce specialized shoes for different sports. Prior to companies such as Nike bringing forth this concept, most athletes used general purpose athletic shoes regardless of the sport in which they were participating, or the strains it put on their feet.In addition to technology, Nike also brought comfort and fashion to the industry, although Reebok, a competitor, was more closely attuned initially to the effect that stylish shoes could have on fashion-conscious consumers. The company has a high profile in the international market, and ranked number one among American athletic shoe manufacturers in 1990. Annual rates of change for the five years ending 1994 were an impressive 26.5 percent for sales and 39 percent for profits; over the ten-year period ending in 1994, sales increased at an annual rate of 17 percent while earnings increased at 21.5 percent (Rindos 1672). Nike markets athletic shoes in distinctive and fashionable styles to adults. The shoes are well made and are designed for the various demands of different sports. Altogether, the company markets 300 models of shoes in 900 color combinations for 20 sports, including hiking, tennis, ge
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with Asia.
Organizational Perspectives
The company has built its markets to this point on technological breakthroughs. The pump shoe, for example, while considered a gimmick by some, has resulted in increased sales, and the marketing campaigns which surround the shoes have increased brand recognition.
Another of the company's strengths is its research and development efforts, which are focused on shoe design rather than on production (since the company does not manufacture its own shoes). The Nike Sport Research Laboratory (NSRL) is concerned with how the shoes perform and uses video technology and traction devices to test various shoe designs. The NSRL works in close conjunction with the Advanced Product Engineering Group, which is responsible for developing shoes for as far out in the future as five years. A testing lab also supports the Advanced Product Engineering Group.
It is within the marketing area that the company's strengths come into their own. The company targets its shoes as high performance shoes that incorporate high technology. Nike is not the only shoe that uses innovative technology, including the pump, but its reputation is based on positioning itself as being the premier innovator within the sports s
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Approximate Word count = 1325
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page)
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