Organizational Description of The Gap

This research presents and organizational description of the Gap, Inc., and an analysis of the firmÆs marketing function. The description of the firm is covered briefly, and is followed by an in depth marketing analysis.

The Gap stores were founded in San Francisco as teenage, jeans clothing stores, with cluttered aisles and loud rock music. For years, the entire organization functioned in this style. Under the leadership of Millard Drexler, a new image has been developed for The Gap, Inc., and a new environment has been established in all of the firmÆs retail outlets (Caminiti, 1991, p. 106). The quality and value conscious image, and the orderly, colorful, and relatively refined store environment have also transformed the firmÆs corporate culture, wherein individuals are required to approach their tasks in a different manner.

The Gap, Inc. is an apparel retailer, which operates 1,181 specialty stores (Schiffman, 1992, p. 1688). These stores are located in the United States, the United Kingdom, Puerto Rico, and Hong Kong (Standard, & PoorÆs, 1991, p. 1468). Retailing operations are carried out through two store groupsùThe Gap, with 968 stores, and GapKids, with 213 stores (Schiffman, 1992, p. 1668). In the late-1980s, the firm operated two additional store groupsùBanana Republic, with 111 stores, and Hemisphere, with nine stores (Schiffman, 1992, p. 1688). The death of the jun

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o a very much hands-on person; however, since he brought Drexler into the company, he has allowed Drexler free rein in merchandising and general operations, while retaining a relatively tight control for himself with respect to dealings with shareholders and capital sources (Rudnitsky, 1987, pp. 89-90). Exhibit 1 Organization Chart: The Gap, Inc. ________________________________________________________________ Chairman | President | Executive Vice-President | | | | The Gap Group | Merchandising | | Gap-Kids Group | Buying | | | (Seven Additional Departments Finance ________________________________________________________________ The key executives responsible for the development and implementation of strategy at The Gap, Inc. are Donald Fisher, Chairman, Millard Drexler, President, and J. V. OÆDonnell, Executive Vice-President and Chief Financial Officer. The work environment and task demands are not primary determinants for Donald Fisher, whereas group pressures (primarily from stockholders and capital sources) and personal needs (the Fisher family retains a 42 percent equi
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Gap Inc, Shao Zinn, Job Preference, Standard PoorÆs, Donald Fisher, Situations Avoid, Social Settings, Millard Drexler, Personal Dislikes, Drexler Exhibit, 2 1, 8 4, 8 2, 4 8, 4 2, 4 2 1, gap inc, 8 4 2, 4 1, 2 4, 4 8 2, 8 2 1, 8 1, 2 8, 4 8 1,
Approximate Word count = 1672
Approximate Pages = 7 (250 words per page)

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