Assignment Overview
Harley-Davidson: A Unique, Loyal Stakeholder Base
In this course we will look at Harley-Davidson Motor Company from a strategic management perspective. This organization is quite unique in that it has worked very hard through the years to build its brand and has acquired a loyal following. This loyal customer following has actually been quite a phenomonen and many have even identified it as “cultlike.” That is to say, H-D is unique, particularly from a stakeholder perspective.
The corporation is now reaching to other countries in an attempt to expand its niche across borders and overseas. There is a lot of competition in the motorcycle market, including Kawasaki, Yamaha, Suzuki, Indian, Victory, BMW, and Triumph motorcycles.
Although H-D dominated the heavy-weight motorcycle market in America for several years, in recent decades many of the above-mentioned competitors have developed cruisers and touring bikes of their own, emulating H-D’s bikes to include a V-twin engine design.
Case Assignment:
For this assignment, read the information in the background material, spend some time getting a feel for H-D’s history, strategy and key stakeholders, and then write a report for your professor and the executives of Harley-Davidson by addressing the following assignment requirements:
Discuss to what degree you believe Harley-Davidson is currently proceeding towards its mission, vision, and values.
Identify two or three of H-D’s most important stakeholders and discuss whether Harley-Davidson’s current strategic direction is aligned with the needs of the corporation’s stakeholders. Explain your reasoning.
Based on your analysis and findings, what would you recommend to the executives of Harley-Davidson? Why? Explain your reasoning.
**PLEASE USE THE FOLLOWING BACKGROUND INFORMATION**
Case Assignment Reading
Here is a copy of H-D’s Annual Report for 2011:
Harley-Davidson. (2012) Annual Report 2011. Retrieved from: https://media.corporate-ir.net/media_files/IROL/87/87981/HD.pdf
You will find H-D’s mission, vision, and value statements in the following document:
Harley-Davidson. (2012). Everyday Values: The Harley-Davidson Code of Business Conduct. Retrieved from:
https://media.corporate-ir.net/media_files/IROL/87/87981/Code_of_Conduct%20-%20English.pdf
The following Web page will provide you with many links to H-D’s operations that are important from a strategic management perspective.
Harley-Davidson. (2012). Quick Links (Investor Relations page). Retrieved from:
https://investor.harley-davidson.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=87981&p=irol-govhighlights&locale=en_US&bmLocale=en_US
Here are some articles that will provide you with some history about H-D, as well as ideas as to efforts undertaken by the company in moving forward as an organization.
Fred, (2008). A case study of Harley-Davidson’s business practice. Infotechdesign. Retrieved from:
https://infotechdesign.net/itd/a-case-study-of-harley-davidsons-business-practices.html
Here is a press release from 2012 that provides some good overview information on what was going on at H-D in August of 2012:
Harley-Davidson, (2012). Harley-Davidson shows continued improvement. Retrieved from: https://www.harley-davidson.com/en_US/Content/Pages/HD_News/Company/news.html?article=en_US/News/1483_press_release.hdnews