The effective and competitive performance of a business in any industry is driven by the ability to use analytics to benefit the company.
According to Davenport (2006), analytics is one of the key driving forces that contribute to businesses’ compatibility. Through analytics, companies are capable of understanding the current situation in their sector. Moreover, they can foresee possible shifts in customer preferences, industry trend changes, and other important factors, the knowledge of which might help align an organization’s business strategy to obtain competitive advantages. The apparel industry and the overall clothing sector are highly competitive due to the availability of multiple brands competing over customers throughout the world under globalization. The present case study essay is aimed to apply the concepts introduced by Davenport (2006) to the business operations of a Hong Kong Kong-based firm Cosmos Studio.
Cosmos Studio is a fashion brand that was founded in Hong Kong and has occupied a significant niche in the local and international clothing industry. It is famous for its sustainability policy that appeals to many customers and creates a unique organizational culture and business image. Overall, analytics competitors invest much into predictive statistics and experimentation to identify the potential areas for profitmaking in the future (Davenport, 2006). The first criterion that allows for achieving successful results in business is the selection of the right focus. For Cosmos Studio, the right focus is on the utilization of environment-friendly materials and manufacturing methods to ensure that customers obtain a high-quality, sustainable product.
The right culture is the second criterion that predetermines the analytics compatibility of a business. It implies that within the organization, a particular pattern of decision-making should be developed based on metrics measurement that would drive competitive advantage (Davenport, 2006). At Cosmos Studio, the organizational culture is built around the concept of high quality, standardization, and sustainability. For example, the company engages in collaboration only with manufacturers that “ensure safety and fair treatment of their employees” (Cosmos Studio, 2018, para. 3). In such a manner, the company cultivates high standards in performance and foresees customers’ perception of their brand image as a demanding company that prioritizes environmental issues. It ultimately contributes to the profitability and compatibility of the brand’s products.
The right people concept implies that companies competing for analytics hire professionals in analytics to ensure high-quality work in this field. As the overview of Cosmos Studio’s performance shows, the company does not invest much in hiring analytics professionals or competing over talents in this area. However, the organization’s CEOs implement analytical methods to identify sustainability trends and environmental ethics in the fashion industry (Cosmos Studio, 2018). In such a manner, the qualified individuals allow the firm to obtain valuable data on profitable and competitive strategies in the business.
The right technology involves the choice of advanced technological data analysis software that allows businesses to collect, process, and interpret a large amount of valuable data for sector analysis. In Cosmos Studio’s case, the company does not prioritize advanced technology for analytics but invests in necessary technologies to ensure the right decision-making of the business strategies and process alignment with the most recent trends, profitable target market, and product placement.
In conclusion, the application of Davenport’s (2006) concepts of the right focus, the right culture, the right people, and the right technology to the operations of Cosmos Studio allows for summarizing that the company is a strong analytics competitor. Although the company does not invest much in hiring analytics professionals and advanced technologies, the culture and focus on sustainability and environmental issues allow the company to obtain a competitive advantage in the fashion industry.
References
Davenport, T. H. (2006). Competing on analytics. Harvard Business Review, 84(1), 98–107.
Cosmos Studio. (2018). Cosmos [Data set]. Web.