Swot Analysis - Levi Strauss

SWOT Analysis – Levi Strauss

Strengths. Levis' are the original, authentic jean. They were a hit with baby boomers decades ago when they were in their teenager years. Another is that they stood for something beyond profit. The family took pride in providing quality products, personal service, and fair treatment. The family name and tradition was associated with respect for people—customers, employees, and the community.

Weaknesses. The company began to rapidly lose market share to newer, trendier, more aggressive brands and designer labels. The Levi brand lost luster and relevance to the younger generation. Levi's jeans are perceived to be their “parent's jeans.” For that reason they will wear anything else but a pair of Levi's. This perception is an ongoing marketing problem and the company is struggling to find a way to reverse the brand's fortunes. Their tradition of promoting within may have started their dark side. Long-term managers became used to doing things a certain way, and kept new ideas and new blood at a distance. Since the company was so committed to its employees, it kept the younger recruits with new ideas from finding a place. They were so inwardly focused, that they missed the great changes occurring in the fashion world. Their main flaw was that they did not have a clear developmental strategic plan, did not pay attention and learn new technologies, and did not keep track of the competition, market and consumer tastes.