Business growth

Why some businesses grow?



 Benefits

o   The possibility of higher profits for the owners.

o   More status and prestige for the mangers and the owners – high salaries are often paid for managers and owners who are in a bigger firm.

o   Can achieve economies of scale.

o   Growth of a business often means that it controls a larger market share of its market- can dominate the market.

o   Protection from the risk of takeover- the larger the business, the more difficult and expensive it is for this to happen because a greater number of shares must be bought.

 

Drawbacks

o   Diseconomies of scale.

o   Cultural clash due to takeover- differences in objectives and difference in management style may fail the business.

o   Integration of firms may lead to lose control of the business for the original owner.

o   Loss of jobs due to merger and takeover could damage reputation.

 

Types of growth

Internal growth: when a business expands its existing operations.

For example, a shop owner could open a new shop in another island.

There are many ways of internal growth:

-        producing more output using larger machineries.

-        introducing new products.

-        opening new branches.

-        selling to new markets.

 

External growth: When a business takeover or merges with another business.

 

 

Types of external growth

· Merger – it is when owners of two businesses agree to join their firms together to make one business.

· Takeover – it is when one business buys another business, which then becomes part of the ‘predator” business.

 

Mergers or integration

Horizontal mergers

It is when one firm merges with or takeover another firm in the same industry at the same stage of production.

Example- a chocolate manufacture merges with another chocolate manufacture.

Vertical mergers

It is when one firm mergers with or takeover another firm in the same industry but in different stage of production.

-        Vertical forward integration: it is when a firm integrates with another firm, which is at later stage of production, closer to consumer. Example – a chocolate manufacture merges with a chocolate retail shop.

-        Vertical backward Integration: it is when a firm integrates with another firm at an earlier stage of production, closer to the raw material supply. Example – a chocolate manufacture merges with a cocoa firm.

Conglomerate

It is when one firm mergers with or takeover a firm in a completely different industry. It is also known as diversification.

Example – a business making chocolate merges with a business in construction industry.

 

Advantages of integration

Horizontal integration

o   It Reduces the number of competitors in the industry.

o   Opportunities economies of scale.

o   Combined business will have a bigger share of the total market.

Forward vertical integration

o   Can guarantee outlet for their product.

o   Can prevent from selling competitors’ products.

o   It will help to obtain information about needs and preference of the consumer directly by the manufacture.

Backward vertical integration

o   Can guarantee supply of important components.

o   Can prevent from supplying other manufacturers.

o   Can control costs of components and supplies for the manufacturer.

 

Conglomerate

o   Help to spread the risks of the business.

o   Transfer of ideas between the sections of the business.


Quiz

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