Pest analysis of toyota free essay sample

INTRODUCTION: Toyota Motor Corporation is a famous Japanese multinational corporation, and is considered the world’s second largest automaker of automobiles, trucks, buses, robots, and providing financial services. Its founder is Kiichiro Toyoda, born in 1894, and the son of Sakichi Toyoda, who became popular as the inventor of the automatic loom. Kiichiro inherited the spirit of research and creation from his father, and devoted his entire life to the manufacture of cars. After many years of hard work, Kiichiro finally succeeded in his completion of the A1 prototype vehicle in 1935, which marked the beginning of the history of the Toyota Motor Corporation. The first Type A Engine produced in 1934 was used in the first Model A1 passenger car in May 1935 and the G1 truck in August 1935, and led to the production of the Model AA passenger car in 1936. Toyota was established as an independent company in 1937. Kiichiro Toyoda A1 Prototype†¦ 1935 G1 Truck†¦ August 1935 Origin of the Name: Earlier it was Toyoda just because of his Father’s name. We will write a custom essay sample on Pest analysis of toyota or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page In September 1936, the company ran a public competition to design a new name. The newly formed word registered as Toyota. Origin of the Logo: There are three ovals in Toyota logo. Two perpendicular ovals represent a relationship of mutual trust between customer and the company. The bigger oval implies global expansion of Toyota’s technology and unlimited potential for future. Vision: â€Å"Toyota aims to achieve long term, stable growth in harmony with the environment, the global economy, the local communities it serves, and its stakeholder. † Mission: â€Å"Toyota seeks to create more prosperous society through automotive manufacturing. † Situational Analysis: SWOT Analysis The Toyota Motors SWOT analysis is as follows: STRENGTH: New investment by Toyota in factories in the US and China saw 2005 profits rise, against the worldwide motor industry trend. Net profits rose 0. 8% to 1. 17 trillion yen ($11bn; ? 5. 85bn), while sales were 7. 3% higher at 18. 55 trillion yen. Commentators argue that this is because the company has the right mix of products for the markets that it serves. This is an example of much focused segmentation, targeting and positioning in a number of countries. In 2003 Toyota knocked its rivals Ford into third spot, to become the Worlds second largest carmaker with 6. 78 million units. The company is still behind rivals General Motors with 8. 59 million units in the same period. Its strong industry position is based upon a number of factors including a diversified product range, highly targeted marketing and a commitment to lean manufacturing and quality. The company makes a large range of vehicles for both private customers and commercial organizations, from the small Yaris to large trucks. The company uses marketing techniques to identify and satisfy customer needs. Its brand is a household name. The company also maximizes profit through efficient manufacturing approaches (e. g. Total Quality Management). WEAKNESSES Being big has its own problems. The World market for cars is in a condition of oversupply and so car manufacturers need to make sure that it is their models that consumers want. Toyota markets most of its products in the US and in Japan. Therefore it is exposed to fluctuating economic and political conditions those markets. Perhaps that is why the company is beginning to shift its attentions to the emerging Chinese market. Movements in exchange rates could see the already narrow margins in the car market being reduced. The company needs to keep producing cars in order to retain its operational efficiency. Car plants represent a huge investment in expensive fixed costs, as well as the high costs of training and retaining labor. So if the car market experiences a down turn, the company could see over capacity. If on the other hand the car market experiences an upturn, then the company may miss out on potential sales due to under capacity i. e. it takes time to accommodate. This is a typical problem with high volume car manufacturing. OPPORTUNITIES Lexus and Toyota now have a reputation for manufacturing environmentally friendly vehicles. Lexus has RX 400h hybrid, and Toyota has it Prius. Both are based upon advance technologies developed by the organization. Rocketing oil prices have seen sales of the new hybrid vehicles increase. Toyota has also sold on its technology to other motor manufacturers, for example Ford has bought into the technology for its new Explorer SUV Hybrid. Such moves can only firm up Toyotas interest and investment in hybrid RD. Toyota is to target the urban youth market. The company has launched its new Aygo, which is targeted at the streetwise youth market and captures (or attempts to) the nature of dance and DJ culture in a very competitive segment. The vehicle itself is a unique convertible, with models extending at their rear! The narrow segment is notorious for its narrow margins and difficulties for branding. THREATS Product recalls are always a problem for vehicle manufacturers. In 2005 the company had to recall 88,000 sports utility vehicles and pickup trucks due to faulty front suspension systems. Toyota did not give details of how much the recall would cost. The majority of affected vehicles were sold in the US, while the rest were sold in Japan, Europe and Australia. As with any car manufacturer, Toyota faces tremendous competitive rivalry in the car market. Competition is increasing almost daily, with new entrants coming into the market from China, South Korea and new plants in Eastern Europe. The company is also exposed to any movement in the price of raw materials such as rubber, steel and fuel. The key economies in the Pacific, the US and Europe also experience slowdowns. These economic factors are potential threats for Toyota.