LEGO Company Analysis

This assignment study aims at providing a detailed and objective evaluation of LEGO Company in toys industry that generally target at children fewer than 14 not only in the Demark but also over the world. The research examines and analysis of the business environment and internal factors in which the company operates by PESTEL, SWOT, and 5 FORCES analysis. By these tools, we identify trends and future development of this industry combines with current strategic position and tactic of the firm to link to options. Then, it defines main problem, provide a summary of the key challenges facing the business bases on our analysis, which the company is coping with. They are both external and internal issues. And after that, we will put forward a great many ideas to improve the style of work in short term as well as long term plans. These strategies of reorganization are developed and evaluated, in which bring the company to be crowned with success in the future.

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This report is about identifying the issues facing the LEGO Company and suggesting some realistic strategic options for dealing with them. The report will help lecture and people know how we analyzing LEGO Company step by step thought both external and internal of the firm; and the solution that we deal with options of the firm. The report is our result of reading and researching in one month. We hope it gives you clearly view about our project.
Method of our report:
We used many methods in this research and all of them can be taken in the university and the lecturers’ lesson, which were quite popular. The most important thing that we used is analysis the market. It was very important to understand about business environment of the firm. Our tools include 5 FORCES, PESTEL, and SWOT. In addition, we used many books, journal articles and material from lectures Learning Resource of Bedfordshire University to gain more knowledge and theories of strategic management. Moreover, we also used some sources on the internet to find news about LEGO and information that relevant to case study. All of them will supply in reference part in this report.
LEGO company:
General information about LEGO group:
The company LEGO is one of the most famous corporations in the world when it engages towards children’s toys and has developed since 1932. The LEGO Group is headquartered in Billund, Denmark and it was owned by Kirk Kristiansen family. And it focuses on a key element in growth, development of children’s creativity via playing and learning by assembling LEGO brick. Nowadays, the company provides their products in more than 130 countries with approximately 10,000 employees worldwide. In 1949, their brick has taken an adventure. Over the years, the LEGO brick became more perfect and then it was adjusted a little bit in shape, design and color. Today’s brick has 2,400 different types and have multitude of ways to combine them together so it is not only attractive, creative and fun for children but also becoming a challenge for adults.
Current trends:
Over the last 70 years, LEGO have had an evolution process, keeping step with the market’s demands and the consumer’s desires. The traditional toys are the constructions brick, creative building by unlocking LEGO brick which were developed in 1958. In 1977, gears, gearbox and many kinds of stuffs were added for children to develop vehicles or other complex machines. After this era, LEGO had a big jump on developing their toys by combining between classic toys with robot technology, so children can able make for themselves an intelligent LEGO model.
And now, The LEGO group’s core activities are innovation, development, and marketing and sell play materials. According to Annual report of LEGO group (2011), the sales of traditional toys in USA have a little bit decrease. In Southern Europe, market sales decrease sharply while Asia and the rest of Europe also have higher growth rates. Generally, many people prefer modern products to traditional products. So the sales of traditional toys decreased in 2011 in total.
The latest product line of LEGO group is LEGO Ninjago. It is a combination of classic toys and so-called spinners were established at the beginning of 2011, beyond expectation s and become the biggest product in company history. Besides, other LEGO toys are also on the best-selling list such as: LEGO City, LEGO Star Wars and so son. In sum, “It is a highly satisfactory result reflecting a solid growth in profit. Growth in the North American market continued undiminished, and also in most European and Asian markets we were able to report double digit increases in sales,” (2011) says Jorgen Vig Knudstorp, LEGO Group CEO.
External analysis:
PEST analysis:
(P)olitical:
In order to enter the market easily and without any problems, Lego has to be awarded of the political situation and other issues related to the political sector. There will be many advantages if the political environment changes the rule that relate to the Lego Company’s operations.
(E)conomic:
The Toy educational industry is developing and can be seen to be economically stable in the past few years. The economy is improving well so the LEGO also improve their products to gain the best for their customers. The business not only improves economic of the domestic market but also the external market in all over the world. For example, the US market has big opportunities to LEGO and other toy companies.
(S)ocial:
LEGO Company is trying to develop and launch the products to the market and make sure that the community and public will accept their products. The company also wants their services are in good relationship with many kind of customers in some factors of the society.
(T)echnological:
This is one important force in the Toy industry. In order to have new innovations and good product, LEGO Company also has and improving new technologies, also this is the way to compete with many other strong competitors in the market. LEGO Company makes sure they are updated to what happening in case to adjust the changes.
(L)egal:
In order not to lose the customers welfare and the company name, LEGO Company doesn’t want to risk by breaking the laws in local or international markets. Then, all LEGO companies are making sure that they follow all the rules and laws of the market where their transactions are operating in.
(E)nvironmental:
Lego company is trying to make their products that they sell are proven to cause minimal problems to the environment. The company also introduced some strategies that aim to decline pollutants and create a good environment. The company also invested a huge amount of money in waste system to protect the environment near company’s factories.
SWOT analysis: ( Opportunity and Threat):
(O)pportunities:
Many new types of materials and factors such as: movies and films play an important role to improve Lego toys. For example: Toys can base on famous movies in the world such as Star War, the Avengers, Spiderman and so on.
LEGO main markets are Europe and USA, however the company has chance to open in many new market all over the world, for example Asia, South America and also some countries in Africa.
(T)hreats:
Nowadays, modern technologies are improving and developing very fast, some children are likely prefer watching TVs or playing computer games with colorful and imaginative scene rather than play traditional toys like LEGO bricks. The substitutes of modern technologies in toy industries are very strong and will affect the company business.
Some countries are very poor, and then almost people cannot handle and will not spend too much money to buy a toy. For example: some countries in Africa
5 FORCES analysis:
Threat of new entrants:
+ Strong and large distribution network required. If the company does not have a strong distribution networks enough, they will have to pay a lot of money to transport and move their product around, and in some cases their product will not get to the end customers or the stores.
+ High Capital: In order to enter the market, there are the requirements for substantial high level of investment. LEGO – The Company has to spend a lot of money in order to compete when they come to the market in the first time.
+ The Brand name of the LEGO Company is very important, this is one way to compete when the company is entering the market, then other competitors in the market will also have to improve the brand value in order to compete effectively.
+ Advanced technologies: This is one of the barriers that bring many difficulties to new entrants and competitors when they come into the market. All technologies have to be developed, and then the company will have opportunities to compete with others in the market.
+ Geographic factor: Existing competitors already have good place and location to allocate their factory and stores within the market. This is really a challenge for new comers and entrants, they will have a competitive disadvantage and they will have to compete with each other to have a really good place to have their store, department or factory in order to run the business and compete.
Threat of substitutes:
+ The pressures will very high, Substitutes come from the entire toy industry. Substitutes are everything, such as computer games or traditional toys, even outdoors sports. Children will get bored very fast, so they switch to substitute.
+ A lower quality product will be the reason why customers don’t like to switch from LEGO to another product.
Level of rivalry:
+ LEGO Company occupies a strong position in the large Toy industries with a few rivals. The company has a strong brand loyalty and brand name among customers; the company also provides high quality of product and charges it in premium price. Lego also has advantages with parents because parents will allow their children play with traditional toy instead of spend their children’s playtime with video games or watching TVs.
Power of buyers:
+ The pressure of the customers is very high, with switching cost between alternative traditional toys and other substitutes such as computer games or TVs.
+ The Toy products will be very important to customers, if it is in good quality and acceptable price such as LEGO toys, the customer will be loyal to the company and willing to spend money.
Power of suppliers:
+ Most of the LEGO products are making from plastic, then there will be a diverse distribution, the company will not have to base on one supplier.
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Internal analysis:
Lego have a quite large in toy market share in this industry. For example, in UK, it made up 6.2 per cent (2001) and making it’s the third largest toy organization in Britain. The company has enough strength to continue increase sale revenue in next period. Organization of LEGO has a long history and many different kinds of toy. Moreover, LEGO’ toys are suitable with children and bring education meaning. In addition, the business have good website which are colorful, clearly, attractive, and helpful for customers when they have arrived.
LEGO products are always new and popular material offers to improve their toys. Especially, the company is often focus on famous characters or superheroes in films and comic books such as Star War, Spider man, Pirate of the Caribbean, ninja, or Sorted activity programs by ages. This strategic becoming very successful to target children, it makes their products is more attractive with their customers. However, LEGO was focus on children, but they realized adults had created their big users who spent more money on their product than children. In fact, the price of LEGO is not cheap, therefore they need the satisfied of presents who pay money for their child’ toys. Then, they started connecting them; improve the relative with them and becoming successful by this plan. Following Jake McKee (formally Lego’s Global Community Relations Specialist) said about strong social media strategy what made the high successful of LEGO Company nowadays. He suggests three incredibly simple points in this strategy:
– Look beyond your target customers
– Support existing fans
– Find what works and replicate
LEGO’s strategic is trying to open their market in all over the work. The company wants to more increase number of sale in the United States because they realize there are potential growth opportunities in this market. In addition, Eastern Europe and Asia are also two places where the market growing very rapidly; so LEGO want to make more revenue from here.
Moreover, LEGO organization is want to open and expand more activities that direct to customer – kids and their presents, to help more close and understand what their litter customers want. They realize the important of understanding customers because their target customers are children with variable ages, who easy to attractive and persuade; but also easy to change their mind when they see other toys that new, beautiful or maybe colorful than their own toys. On the other hand, LEGO are improving online strategy. They built new website with attractive design, colorful for children; developing online stores, and online activities, for example children online games.
Company is facing:
LEGO Faces Increasing Competition
Although of the LEGO Company’s successes, analysts realized that the company’s environment would change, and in the past 15 years it has some challenges due to:
Increasing of the Digital World: growth in electronic games, digital toys and much software make competition harder
Faster Child Development: Nowadays children grow up faster, it make the global market for construction toys is restricted because of their changing play patterns.
Fashion Trends in the Toy Industry: fashions of toys go out and in more rapidly and sometime a few products can make or break annual turnover of the company.
Dependence on Famous Global Mega-Brands: In response to fashion trends, toy manufacturers design offerings based on a concept or story (e.g., Star Wars) and several companies offer all toys related to the similar concept (Harry Potter, Spiderman).
Downturns in country’s economies can lead to a reduction in sales of LEGO products.
The reaction of Lego Company to these changes is combining innovation with market adaptation. They released new digital toys (e.g., LEGO MINDSTORMSâ„¢, LEGO SPYBOTICSâ„¢). It created virtual communities to support users and cross-sell to them. They divide their business into each unit, including LEGO Interactive (computer-based play materials) and LEGO Direct (catalogue sales). They concentrated expanded into life-style products, opened new theme parks (in the U.S., UK, and Germany), and cooperated with other famous global brands such as Lucas Films, Disney, Microsoft, and Warner Brothers to develop new product concepts.
Compare and contrast with main competitor :
Using Porter’s strategies framework, we can see that Mega Bloks is a cost leader because they have increased profits through reducing cost by using different quality of materials to make their products, while Lego uses a much higher quality resources to make toys, This act is a reason why Lego cost of products much higher than Mega Bloks, It lead to Mega Bloks gains more market share and take many profits. By researching, Mega Bloks had found new segmentation, which now is number one seller in the preschool market. In the past, products of Lego are focused on narrow scope because the target customer mainly from 7 to 12 years old.
By changing, now Lego more focuses on differentiation on a broad scope by targeting more than one market. Lego needs to concentrate in long term innovative products, this way still take its competitive advantage in the market as being the creator of toys that help develop new skills and learning. Like the first edition, Lego bricks make children more creative thinking and imagination. It was critical for the management team to identify where to expand Lego’s product channels and business operations, in order to develop a competitive strategy to continue the organization’s financial success and dominance in the building toy market in the future
Solutions:
After face with many problems in market, we think Lego should have clear strategy:
Strategy with social communication online:
Having a strong community is very important for Lego company so Lego company should research more initiatives, both offline and online, to increase react with children and their parent. Children like Lego toys however their parent are person who will pay for all of this. While children can pay $70 a years for Lego, adults may spend more than $900 per years. So how to persuade and make them reliable our product also a task for Lego.
Use an online database for parents where they can react with other family and its make a community of parents who appreciate the value of creative, endless ideas, or how to learning fun and effective. In there (web, forum, site…) Lego can provide information, knowledge how to develop children’s creative, imagine through their game by professors and analyst. Passionate parents may be provided much useful content or lesson from this and it make Lego become regular topic in family.
Strategy with investment and capital:
To make different with another competitors and reliable for customer also demonstrate Lego’s reputation, Lego can open restaurant with the main theme is Lego world. In some countries, there are few opportunities for kids and their parent approach Lego game, so restaurant can be the way to introduce products also make more profits from other services, not only from sale toys. Restaurant provides new trend, innovation point for customers. Brands value, creative are sent to potential customer by a chain of systems connect with restaurant’s unique such as new concept theme, dining area, kids play area , rooms with decoration are toy’s style, small museum …All of those are new experience for customers who are fans or not.
To attractive more attention and reduce competitive, Lego can use cuckoo strategy. The strategy of the cuckoo allows developing its business by pressing it on that of an iconic leader. Many company used this strategy before. Lego should corporate with famous brands in game industry like Nintendo, EA to expand range of customer and market share and may be Lego can receive capital from this industry to also introduce their products in Lego’s markets.
Invest more in line of products. Always change style, concept to suitable with customer in each country. Find cheaper material to produce and avoid bad effect to environment. Research how to combine new technology and toys.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, the purpose of this report is showing and identifying problems and issues that LEGO Company is facing and recommending some strategic options in order to solve the problems and issues. Throughout this report, lecturers will see how we analyzing LEGO company by using many methods to research both internal and external environment of the company. It is very important to understand deeply about the market and its environments that the company is operating in. Tools and methods we used to analyze are FIVE FORCES of Porter, PEST and SWOT. We also learnt more about how to research and find out problem or difficulties that company have to face. Then research more about strategic of this industry to help the solve the problems and improve the business. Besides, we also used many references from articles, journals and materials from Learning Resource of Bedfordshire University to achieve more knowledge of Strategic Management. In addition, we also took some resources and materials on the Internet to have some more news around LEGO company and their operations all over the world, all of those information will be related and support our report.
Executive Summary:
Lego is one of the famous toys company with many years of history in the world. Over the last 70 years, LEGO have had an evolution process, keeping step with the market’s demands and the consumer’s desires. The traditional toys are the constructions brick, creative building by unlocking LEGO brick which were developed in 1958.
Based on research we can summary some analysis point below:
Lego Company need strong and large distribution network required to reduce a lot of money need to pay, beside that high capital and brand name of Lego also important to competitive in the market, advanced technologies and geographic factor are 2 keys element to successful in global market
The pressure will very high in threat of substitutes because of a lower quality product are increased very much. In addition development of many toys company, this act makes market more complex. However, Level of rivalry of Lego very high. Company occupies a strong position in the large Toy industries with strong brand loyalty and brand name among customers.
Most of the LEGO products are making from plastic, then there will be a diverse distribution, the company will not have to base on one supplier. Beside that many new types of materials are produce; this make Lego has more choices to reduce cost of productivity.
Nowadays, modern technologies are improving and developing very fast, some children are likely prefer watching TVs or playing computer games with colorful and imaginative scene rather than play traditional toys like LEGO bricks. Another threat is some countries are very poor, and then almost people cannot handle and will not spend too much money to buy a toy.
We also have some challenges for Lego such as:

Increasing of the Digital World
Faster Child Development
Fashion Trends in the Toy Industry
Dependence on Famous Global Mega-Brands
Downturns in country’s economies can lead to a reduction in sales of LEGO products.
Strong competitor like Mega Bloks

So how to deal with this problem, we have strategies for LEGO Company:
Strategy with social communication online :
Having a strong community is very important for Lego company so Lego company should research more initiatives, both offline and online, to increase react with children and their parent.
Use an online database for parents where they can react with other family and its make a community of parents who appreciate the value of creative, endless ideas, or how to learning fun and effective.
Strategy with investment and capital :
To make different with another competitors and reliable for customer also demonstrate Lego’s reputation, Lego can open restaurant with the main theme is Lego world.
Invest more in line of products. Always change style, concept to suitable with customer in each country. Find cheaper material to produce and avoid bad effect to environment. Research how to combine new technology and toys.
To attractive more attention and reduce competitive, Lego can use cuckoo strategy. The strategy of the cuckoo allows developing its business by pressing it on that of an iconic leader