Introduction
Strategic audits of a company are conducted with the aim of looking into a company’s strategies. It is a systematic way to approach what the company is doing so as to meet its goal. It also works to provide a solution to some of the issues that may limit the attainment of these goals. Nintendo has a long and illustrious tradition in the entertainment industry (Srinivasan, 2009). According to the company’s website, it was established in 1985 and has had success with nearly every piece of gaming hardware and software it has published. The company has been able to differentiate itself and gain a huge following in the gaming industry (Chang, 2010).
Strategic Audit
The business focuses on creating games that are simple to understand yet also being enjoyable. In comparison to its rivals, the firm provides a unique perspective on the gaming industry. The business focuses on making gaming enjoyable and easy for both children and adults. In addition, an attempt has been made to include both male and female gamers in the game experience.
The accessibility of Nintendo games is their biggest selling point. The product’s versatility can be seen from two perspectives. In the one side, there are gadgets that only have a few keys for control, such as the Wii console. Given this, they are able to provide consumers with a gaming experience unlike any other. Second, the games that they give to their consumers are easy to enjoy. These are usually simple to play. The business has continued to stand out from the market trend of just catering to a limited group of passionate gamers. It has been able to achieve so by launching consoles such as the newly launched Wii, which has outperformed competitors in the game console segment (Torres, 2013)
The organization has made an attempt to sell and distribute its goods in a manner that decreases both prices and distribution times for the products it sells. As a result, it has chosen to work with already existing retailers to get the goods to market in various parts of the world. Partnerships with businesses like Amazon, for example, mean that the business maintains a national footprint in the United States. As a result, their web marketplace would only be able to have spare parts for their items.
The group has put a lot of effort into making sure that the input they get from customers is put to good use. On the one side, the organisation has made a significant investment in ensuring that this knowledge is circulated within the organization in order for it to be useful. This sharing allows the different departments in the company to make use of this information to provide the right amount of adjustment in the products. The company has invested heavily in communication channels that have allowed for this to happen
The company’s main revenue stream is achieved from the sale of its gaming consoles. The company’s products in this area may be divided into two broad categories. There is the handheld category that includes devices such as the latest Nintendo 3DS. Then there is the home entertainment segment that includes consoles such as the Wii. Some part of the company’s revenue is also gained from licensing fees due to the use of some of the more famed company characters and logos.
At this point the company’s major asset may be thought to be the employees. Nintendo maintains a huge network of developers both in the company while others are outsourced. These developers have been able to bring to market console after console that has ensured the leadership of Nintendo. There are also the collaborations that the company has maintained with developers around the world for the games that run on these consoles.
The main partnerships that the company has are with the numerous suppliers of its gaming consoles. The company has no manufacturing plants and largely rely on outsourcing the manufacturing process. There is also the partnership that it maintains with the sales representatives that it has around the world. A third partnership that has worked well for the company is that between it and the myriad of retailers around the world responsible for delivering their products to the larger consumer base.
The company mains activity may be summarized as console creation. The space that they occupy is one where the competitors are not strictly gaming companies. Nintendo on the other hand has prided itself in giving its customers consoles that are easy to use and operate. There is also the simplicity that they have been able to offer clients in the games that come with these consoles. These are games that are aimed at both the young and the old, male and female gamers. Their main aim is to bring more and more people into gaming.
The company has prided itself in providing a service that few companies in the gaming sphere have been able to. One advantage of this is that they have a stronghold on their pricing structure. The products that the company offers are one that should create value to the client. Making most of their products conservatively priced (KAGEYAMA, 2013).
Recommendations
Two recommendations that may go towards aiding Nintendo is that they should try and move into the high end gaming market. This will add to their revenue streams while ensuring that they stay relevant for the long run. The other thing is that they should try and aim for more adaptability of their consoles to the markets. This will give them a larger sphere of developers.
References
- Chang, P. (2010). Strategic audits: A necessity for transforming businesses. S.l.: P. Chang.
- Kageyama, Y. (2013). Nintendo Wii U price will not be getting cut anytime soon. Huffington Post. Web.
- Srinivasan, R. (2009). Strategic management: The Indian context. New Delhi: PHI Learning.
- Torres, E. (2013, January 30). Nintendo Wii U topped by Wii sales. Examiner. Web.
