Under Armour Strategic Audit Executive Summary

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Under Armour should relook at their recruitment and staffing resources and procedures. Employees that have a creative background and experience should be focused on to join the team as they would provide more insight and creativity. The personnel in this department should be well-versed in their field and properly trained. It is imperative that all employees be trained. The candidates they select for hire are the future of the company. It is the responsibility of the Human Resources Department to enforce this. We recommend that the HR staff be reorganized and trained as appropriate.

One of Under Armour’s weaknesses is that its apparel and shoes are male-dominated focusing on sports such as football and Basketball. To enhance their marketing strategy, they will launch a women’s campaign called “I will what I want.” To promote the enhanced line, they will feature pro tennis player Sloane Stephens, ballet star Misty Copeland, skier Lindsey Vonn, and model Gisele Bündchen, among others” (Soni, 2015). The campaign is focused on making the women’s clothing line versatile and attractive enough to be worn “on and off the court.” Its emphasis is for women, not just athletes, to feel that they can be or do anything when wearing Under Armour’s clothing and not fear being judged. The company’s Code of Ethics must be taken into consideration when hiring employees as well.

Under Armour is reporting to double revenue by 2018. “The Baltimore-based company said it is setting a target of $7.5 billion in revenue that year. Under Armour reported $3.08 billion in revenue in 2014 and expects about $3.84 billion in 2015” (htt8). The recommendations in this implementation plan are in the right direction to help Under Armour achieve this goal. If well executed, it should have the highest positive effect on Under Armour’s future. Based on all the analysis, the staff is confident that with the implementation with these recommendations, Under Armour will continue to achieve success and push ahead of its competitors. Under Armour will maintain a competitive advantage on the industry’s performance apparel and will provide growth and success for the company.

Evaluation and Control

Throughout the evaluation and control process, it’s important for Under Armour to ensure the recommendations and strategy is in line with its objectives. All areas of this analysis are to be taken into consideration, including a review of the external environment, internal capabilities, and any potential challenges that will hinder the implementation. An example would be an analysis of competition internationally, if Under Armour decides to pursue global expansion.

As with any company, in order to measure the success of any initiatives, they must be measured. Goals should be determined and monitored on a regular basis. If is determined that goals aren’t being met, re-evaluation of goals may be necessary, or a change in methods.

In addition, Under Armour must consider what the results of a successful expansion and marketing towards females could do to volume. An increase in staff may be necessary, as well as more training so the staff is knowledgeable enough to service customers. The company will also need to build deeper relationships with vendors, advertising agencies and distributors.

Finally, Under Armour should review its current purchasing channels to make sure they are convenient for consumers. Many customers are shopping online, using their computers or mobile devices. It’s critical the company have a strong online presence to increase sales and successful expansion efforts.

Works Cited

(n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.inc.com/associated-press/under-armour-double-revenue-2018.html

Soni, P. (2015, Sep 29). Market Realist. Retrieved from Why Under Armour Broadened Its Market and Sports Category Focus: http://marketrealist.com/2015/09/armour-broadens-market-sports-category-focus/?utm_source=yahoo&utm_medium=feed&utm_content=toc-3&utm_campaign=armour-anticipates-higher-growth-future-top-line-results

Wheelan, T. L. (2015). Strategic Management and Business Policy. Pearson Learning Solutions.

Wheelen, Thomas, Hunger David, Hoffman Alan, Bamford Charles, Strategic Management and Business Policy 14th edition

http://businessinsider.com/under-armours-underdog-stragtegy

http://www.forbes.com/sites/greatspeculations/2014/05/30/under-armours-bid-for-international-growth/

http://www.uabiz.com/