This document provides a research paper on the strategic planning of Coca Cola Enterprises Inc. It includes an introduction outlining Coca Cola's products and markets. It then presents a SWOT and PEST analysis of the company. The SWOT analysis finds that competent managers, product quality, and geographical expansion have supported strategic planning, while a large workforce and resistance to change pose challenges. The PEST analysis examines factors like support from stakeholders, managers, organizational interests, and product value that favor strategic planning. However, an undiversified product portfolio is also noted.

1. Marwan Abdulla AlShehhi
6/26/2015
Foundation of planning
Research Paper

2. Table of Contents
Table of Contents........................................................................................................................................2
Introduction.................................................................................................................................................3
Project statement........................................................................................................................................3
Preview statement......................................................................................................................................3
Introduction.................................................................................................................................................4
Background History .....................................................................................................................................4
Research .....................................................................................................................................................5
Findings/Results ..........................................................................................................................................6
Conclusion ..................................................................................................................................................9
References.................................................................................................................................................11

3. Introduction
Coca Cola Enterprises Inc. produces, distribute and market non-alcoholic beverages. It
provides still and sparkling water, flavored waters, juices and juice drinks, sports, drink, energy
drink, teas and coffees (Anders, 2011). The company various products it offers to its clients.
However, it’s primarily under Coca-Cola, Coca-Cola zero, minute maid and several other
product which have capture majority of non-alcoholic beverage market. It distributes its product
through retailers, wholesalers and other customer and though licensed territory agreement in
Belgium, continental, France, Great Britain, Luxembourg, Monaco, Sweden. Coca Cola
Enterprise Inc. was founded in 1986 and is based in Atlanta, Georgia. Due to the exemplary
performance of the company over the years, this paper will discuss both the SWOT and PEST
analysis of the company in relevance to foundation of planning.
Project statement
Planning is very important in any organization. With proper planning the company will be able
to make profit and finish all the projects on the specified time.
Preview statement
This paper will recognize and characterize the elements that persuade an association to
utilize planning procedures acquired from generous and significant scholastic writing, giving
important methodological and viable data. In every business or hierarchical conduct, each
planning procedure will be confronting diverse phases of vulnerabilities or issues identified with
it. This research paper will be investigating the dangers connected with an over-dependence of
the planning procedures confronted by numerous organizations or associations which can
influence the adequacy and took after by giving technique to be actualized by administrators in
addressing the concerned issues.

4. Introduction
Planning can be characterized as the essential administration work as it builds up the
premise for the various things administrators do. As expressed by Koontz and O’Donnell, the
crucial motivation behind planning is to "encourage the achievement of big business and targets"
(Koontz & O’Donnell, 2008). This includes characterizing the authoritative objectives, setting up
a general method for accomplishing those objectives and adding to a thorough arrangement of
arrangements to coordinate and direction hierarchical work. At the end of the day, planning is a
generally acknowledged methodology in regards to the outline and execution of a compelling
formal framework for an organization's long haul and fleeting objectives and the framework
configuration ought to be dependent upon the particular situational setting of every specific firm.
A given formal planning framework ought to therefore be "customized" to the particular
corporate technique, the hierarchical structure of the firm, the behavioural styles and inclinations
of administration within reach, and different elements (Gilbert and Lorange, 1974).
Background History
The vision of the company is to ensure that it is able to meet the current needs and
demands as well as the preference of its clients around the world. Despite the fact that the
company has extensive vision of quality and strategic planning, it is also there to ensure that it
meets the current trends in the industry (Anders, 2011). The beverage and soft drink industry is
expanding very fast hence the company is also moving fast to meet the current needs of the
customers as compared to those that the competitors are also employing.
The company has very clear mission. At most, the mission of the company is there to
ensure that it meets it goals as well as the expectations of the customers. The mission of the
company are as follows:

5. i. To ensure that they are able to refresh the entire world
ii. To make sure that the inspire the moments of happiness and optimism to the clients as
well as to other stakeholders
iii. To be able to create and difference and value from their products and services
Research
The company over the past decades has been able to use the following strategies in order
to meet its goals and objectives (Brown, 2010). The company has been undertaking the analysis
or assessment of the current external and internal environment as developed by the organization.
Secondly, the company has been there to ensure that it is able to formulate strategies, considered
as high level strategies in order to meet their demands as well as that of their customers. This has
enabled the company to be able to meet its strategic planning aims and functions over the years.
The ability to be able to initiate a program and also be able to pursue the function towards
meeting standards has always been the aim of the company over the years. The third strategy has
been strategy execution (Helms & Nixon, 2010). The ability of implementation a planning
strategy has always been a step that the organization has been doing to ensure that it is able to set
standards not only to the customers but also to other stakeholders. The strategy that the company
has always been using to meet the needs in the wide market is evaluation of the strategies using
customer feedback and assessment. Over the years the company has been there to make sure that
it is able to squeeze through the market to meet it needs and wants. For this reason, this study
will undertake a SWOT and PEST analysis to determining factors that favor the company
internal and external environment towards meeting its planning needs.

6. Findings/Results
The company has received significant support from other stakeholders over the years.
With this the company strategic planning has always obtained easy access of information
towards its implementation (Helms & Nixon, 2010). The ideals is that the company has made
sure that it is able to execute the planning process with ease.
Proper and adequate Managers. The company since its start has had competent managers.
The competence noted by the managers has made it possible for the company to be able to meet
its strategic planning functions and objectives. Nothing less that accepting change, the managers
have always directed the employee to be able to support change in the organization when it
comes to strategic planning implementation. On the other hand, the managers are always creative
hence able to keep up with other employee decision when it comes to company strategic
planning (Mubarak Al-Mubaraki & Busler, 2010).
Positive organization Interest and Achievement. Coca-Cola is known as one of the
companies that has had positive interest and achievement. It has been able in the past as well as
today to be able to keep its interest first hand. With this, the company strategic planning has been
on the fore front. This has steered the company towards its success and achievements in today
and in the past.
High value of the Product. Since the company has been able to keep up with product
standard, it has also been able to meet its clients’ needs and demands. This has been an added
advantage to the company over the years. As a result, the company has fostered strategic
planning (Mubarak Al-Mubaraki & Busler, 2010).
Expansion to Varied Geographical Scope. Coca-Cola has expanded to more than 100
countries in the world. As a result, it has been able to diversify its strategic plan. As compared to

7. other companies, the company has unique plans with respect to the country in which it operates
in. This is one of the tools that has made the company a success.
Huge Number of Employees. Due to the increased expansion rate of the company, the
number of employees has also increased dramatically, as a result, the company is not able to
manage it employee. This is a challenge to the company’s strategic planning efforts (Pommer,
2014).
Rejection to Change. Some of the company managers and employee have never accepted
change. For this reason, they are not able to keep up with current needs and demands from the
clients. The value of the clients has always been dependent on the positivity of change and the
change process. To an extent some of them have rejected strategic planning changes hence hinder
the company from planning successes.
Undiversified product portfolio. Unlike most company’s competitors, Coca Cola is still
focusing only on selling beverage, which puts the firm at disadvantage. The overall consumption
of soft drinks is stagnating and Coca Cola Company will find it hard to penetrate to other
markets (selling food or snacks) when it will have to sustain current level of growth. The
company has not been able to keep up with the needs and demands of the customers due to low
quality of products (Pommer, 2014).
Low Budget Allocations. Some of the company projects had a poor budget and deadline
planning this has greatly affected the company since the planning and definition were not done
ahead of time. Coca cola mangers did not consider starting their projects with adequate time and
resource, they often realize that they have inadequate time and resource when the project is half
way through this has a great effect to the planning and restructuring of the project. Many of their
recent projects are not successful because they overshot their deadlines and budget. This is a

8. challenge to the company strategic planning but can be solved if the managers are committed to
the project and they should also consider up-front planning.
Competition from Other Companies. The companies has been on increased needs and
demands. This has made it impossible to be able to make proper planning in its roles and duties
to meet the needs of the customers as well as the stakeholders (Pommer, 2014). One of the result
of such weakness that the company has shown over the years is poor planning. As the company
moves along to ensure that it remains profitable, it forgets to handle it planning obligation. This
is why Coca-Cola has failed to keep up with it products in Africa, Currently Pepsi has infiltrated
the market and made it hard for the company to prosper as before in the region (Mubarak Al-
Mubaraki & Busler, 2010).
Based on the above SWOT analysis, it is clear that the company not only has favourable
working conditions internally. The ability of company to be able to keep up with the threats and
weaknesses depends on the ability to be able to keep up with better planning process. In addition,
the analysis indicates that there are various ways that should be considered in the current
planning process in order to absorb the needs and demands of the customers. Strategic planning
should be made based on the above strategic plans (Mubarak Al-Mubaraki & Busler, 2010).
Since the company operates in various countries, it has challenges caused by the
government regulatory measures. Some of the companies have laws that are not in favour of the
production and activities of Toyota (Mubarak Al-Mubaraki & Busler, 2010). This has been
caused as a result of changes in law as compared to other previous ones. For this reason, the
company is not able to work any longer in other countries or locations. This strains the ability of
the company to keep up with changes in its strategic plans (Helms & Nixon, 2010). However,

9. other countries especially in United States and Europe have favourable laws hence why the
company blossoms on the regions.
The company has been able to work in the past to work without problems, however,
current it is not performing to its fullest. The challenges is that the world is currently faced with
financial or economic crisis. Hence the cost of raw materials among other necessities have been a
problem for the company (Helms & Nixon, 2010). Thus, such changes has also strained
foundations of planning for the company.
Most people in the world have started to show interest in health product as well as
fostered health leaving. Due to this the company is yet or should plan in order to meet the
expected demands of Coca-Cola products since they offer healthy products
Over the years the company has always fostered changes in technology in its marketing
and production process. The company has been able to meet its customer base via social media
marketing. This has been a challenges to most company (Helms & Nixon, 2010).
Conclusion
In conclusion, it is ideal to note that despite the fact that the company is facing various
challenges, it evident that diversification into the health industry is a better chance for the
company to open its doors for success. This is possible of the company is able to keep up with
current trends it its strategic planning process.
Developing nations: The Company has all it can to invest in other nations around the
world. Specifically, the organization is able to plan and invest in developing nations such as
Ethiopia and Brazil. This will not only offer the company increased customer base but also open
it planning strategies in better ways. For example, since the company is planning to close it

10. brands in other countries in the world due to competition or culture of the country such as heavy
taxation, it can strategically plan its undertaking for a better good of the company.
Supply chain Improvement: due to changes in technology, the company has been in the
recent past able to integrate its supply chain with latest technology (Mubarak Al-Mubaraki &
Busler, 2010). Its supply chain is one of the best in the world hence able to keep up with the
competition it faces from other companies. In addition, technology has also been able to help the
company ease its strategic planning process.
Indirect Competitors: The Company faces various threats in terms of competition from
indirect competitors such as Starbucks among others. This poses changes to the company’s long
terms planning goals as well as the short term strategic plans.
Raw Material Sourcing: The world is faced with decreased availability of raw materials. Thus,
the company should be able to plan in order to cushion such challenges or threats.
It is wise to note that the company is faced with both internal and external issues that
affects in planning process. As indicated from the SWOT and PEST analysis, it is evident that
the factors not only affects the planning needs of the company but also the planning concerns of
the customers.

11. References
Anders, J. (2011). Coca-Cola’s Marketing Strategy: An Analysis of Price, Product and
Communication.
Brown, S. (2010). Where the wild brands are: Some thoughts on anthropomorphic marketing.
The Marketing Review, 10(3), 209-224.
Helms, M. M., & Nixon, J. (2010). Exploring SWOT analysis-where are we now? A review of
academic research from the last decade. Journal of Strategy and Management, 3(3), 215-
251.
Mubarak Al-Mubaraki, H., & Busler, M. (2010). Business incubators models of the USA and
UK: A SWOT analysis. World Journal of Entrepreneurship, Management and
Sustainable Development, 6(4), 335-354.
Pommer, B. (2014). Market definition and analysis of Pepsi-Cola.