STR 581
Target Stores Strategic Choice and Evaluation The first Target Store was opened in 1962 by the Dayton Company. Though there were other discount chains in the US at that point of time, many of them do not exist today. Target was able to adapt itself to the changing environment and by 2002; it was the second largest discount retailer in the US (Target.com, 2012) http://www.icmrindia.org/casestudies/catalogue/Business%20Strategy/BSTR164.htm] In June 2002, Target Corporation (Target) had 1,330 retail stores in 47 states of the United States. Even though it only had a fifth of the sales and profits of Wal-Mart, it had a loyal customer base that was looking for a trendy, yet, affordable range of merchandise (Hays, 2002 pg. 2). Target's customers, whom it referred to as 'Guests', were younger and more affluent than that of its rival Wal-Mart | | An early strategic choice to build a brand around the Target name fostered the company's steady growth. From the very beginning, George Dayton's strategy was to position Target as an upscale discount chain at which the prices would be just above the lowest prices. To achieve this upscale image, it offered trendy and stylish goods in an environment that was bright and attractive, unlike other discount stores of the time (HBS Working Knowledge, 2004 para 2). Once a generic strategy is selected Target will also need to consider how to implement its grand strategy to ensure it correlates with its long term goals. In the following paragraphs it describes how Target has identified its best value, and how it has selected a strategy to ensure the company can achieve its long term goals. Identify the Best Value Discipline Successful companies anchor on to one of the three value disciplines to pursue; operational excellence, product leadership, and customer intimacy (Horwath,