Analytical Report - Acquisition as a Growth Strategy Essay

Analytical Report - Acquisition as a Growth Strategy - Essay Example Apart from continuous development of products and services, there are several strategies for organisations in order to achieve growth quickly. One such strategy is acquisition strategy which is often considered as the exclusive province of business for large organisations. Growth by using acquisition strategy is quicker and a less risky proposition compared to other strategies such as increasing the market or sales. Moreover, acquisition provides organisations with numerous benefits such as easier funding, complete managerial control and higher economies of scale (Mustafa & Horan, 2010). The advantages of expansion through acquisition is not merely restricted to marketing, but also expanded for attaining several other advantages such as easier finance, lower risk and increased product portfolio. The paper will analyse the acquisition strategy of Virgin Money by using techniques such as SWOT analysis, PESTEL analysis and Ansoff Matrix. Furthermore, the paper will also define the other alternatives which might be pursued by Virgin Money as a growth strategy. The paper will also recommend how Virgin Money can build a sustainable advantage by using the four cornerstones of â€Å"competence based strategic management†. Task1 Critical Analysis of Acquisition Strategy of Virgin Money In November, 2011, Virgin Money had acquired a British bank named Northern Rock which was critically affected by the mortgage crisis. This acquisition would help Virgin Money to expand its business reach in the UK banking market (Anderson, 2011). SWOT Analysis of Acquisition Strategy of Virgin Money Strengths The acquisition of Northern Rock by Virgin Money will provide easy integration of all facilities provided by Northern Rock and will have positive impact on the growth of Virgin Money. The acquisition strategy can ensure Virgin Money to make a strong presence in the banking industry of the UK. Virgin Money has the capability to incorporate acquisition with fewer disturbances an d it will provide great advantage not only to Virgin Money but also to the complete Virgin Group, because the acquisition will help to provide financial support to other Virgin Group businesses. In banking industry, it is significant for a company to constantly improve the distribution of their products. Through acquisition of Northern Rock, Virgin Money can definitely increase and improve services such as internet banking, retail banking and other facilities. Therefore, the acquisition can provide excellent growth prospects for Virgin Money in the banking business of the UK. The other advantage of Virgin Money due to the acquisition of Northern Rock is the increased source of income. Through acquisition, Virgin Money can inevitably acquire the client base of Northern Rock which can provide immediate income from them. Besides, the acquisition will also help to gain experienced employees from Northern Rock, which will make much easier for Virgin Money to implement new strategies whic h can be feasible for

Empires Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Empires - Assignment Example Without delving into the fact that the United States has a representative government, devoid of an emperor or empress, it should also be noticed that even though the United States has a few territorial holdings around the globe, these are negligible with regards to the overall population that they hold and/or the geographic importance that they denote. As such, it will be the express function of this brief analysis to present the rationale for why the United States, even though it oftentimes behaves as a traditional empire, does not fit this definition and must therefore be regarded as another entity entirely. Firstly, it must be understood that the United States within the current era and the United States over the past 120 years is quite a different issue entirely. One could easily argue that after the conclusion of the Spanish-American war, the United States was firmly in a position in which it could express a degree of Imperial control over the populations of distant places such as Cuba, the Philippines, Guam, and various other holdings throughout the Caribbean. Interestingly, the United States soon divested themselves of these territories and only held on to a few scant islands within the Pacific and Puerto Rico. Further, with successful engagement in victory within the first and second world wars, the United States once again was faced with an option of retaining the territory that it had gained or allowing for a type of â€Å"new empire† to be evidenced. It is at this juncture that it should be understood that even though the United States is not ascribe to a traditional und erstanding of what â€Å"empire† necessarily at first, it most certainly has redefined the power dynamic and created a situation in which economic empire is a reality through which the United States has come to control commerce on a global level. For instance, many scholars have viewed the situation within Japan as key evidence with regards to the way in which the