in existence. Their products are for men, women, and children of all ages. Nike has 20,000 plus retail accounts throughout the U. S. using independent distributors and has contracts with 140 other countries. The company also has agreements with Internet companies and subsidiaries. Nike, Inc. has many retail outlets around the world, including their famous outlet NIKETOWN located in major cities. Even with numbers like these for Nike to remain viable and the market leader, they have several issues to address. Immediate needs that Nike needs to address are continued cost controls, manufacturing facilities, and market studies. Long term needs to address include possible acquisitions to broaden market share or enter new ones, elimination of long term debt, reduction in payables, and re-thinking of market lines as products enter down cycle. External opportunities: • Increases in revenues in 75% of regions in which Nike operates • Increase in sales to women via Nike Goddess • Bulk of market is Generation X and Generation Y • Sales are predicated to continue to rise in Athletic Apparel market • Good locations for distribution and manufacturing worldwide External Threats • Market has 8-10 other athletic apparel producers • Other footwear and fashion wear designers are beginning selling athletic apparel • Locations of manufacturing facilities Internal Strengths • Bulk of workforce is younger that 40 • Vice Presidents tenures with Nike is less than five years • Strong Research and Development department • Strong Marketing Plan and budget • Employees actively involved with the implementation of new ideas • Strong programs in place showing good corporate neighbor image. Internal Weaknesses • Peoples beliefs of exploitation of employees at international sites • Does not manufacture own product • Closed minded upper management staff Possible Strategic Plan Ideas: In order to maintain the market share Nike currently has and further growth in shoe and apparel sales Nike must focus on the following issues. Nike must show its stock holders that their shoes and apparel is the one that has the most demand from the market. They can achieve this by addressing and implementing changes for the following issues. 1. Nikes product line: Nike should take a close look at their product line. Nike needs to decide if all the products that they are producing to sell are viable products. The problem that Nike runs into here is in their mission and vision statements. Nike feels that they need to be the leader and outfitter of every athlete in the world. What this causes for Nike is some redundant and / or unproductive product lines. To be competitive and the leader does not necessarily mean you have to make and sell products for every sport. Many Nikes products are versatile and can be used across a number of sports. Therefore, Nike needs to look at downsizing its product line. Nike needs to remove itself from the low producing sports and concentrate on the ones that have a high ROI and that they are the clear-cut leader. 2. In its current state of affairs, Nike does not need to look at any acquisitions in the immediate future. This does not mean they do not need to make acquisitions at all. Based on the competition that is arriving into the markets, which Nike is in Nike needs to concentrate on cost improvements and efficiencies to stay competiti

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