Finance Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Finance - Research Paper Example 1. Distribution analysis American Eagle Outfitters (AEO) has got outlets in USA as well as in Canada. All total there are more than 900 stores in and around USA and Canada. There are more than 150 stand alone stores in USA. The compnay has presence in more than 76 different international countries. AEO produces its own products and also sells them under the same brand name. Although the products itself may have different brand name but it comes from the same fashion house. The supply chain of AEO is a two level process only. Thus, the number of intermeidaries are comparatively low. The raw matrials are sourced from 15 different suppliers and the 5 different manufacturers produce the final products. The products are shipped to the warehouses (Bethel 24). They remain in the warehouse till new order for delivery are received. The products are then shifted to the distribution centre and from the distribution centre to the airports and ports. Most of the time the products are shifted thro ugh the ports. This is because of the reason that the waterway offers the most efficient and cost effective way to transport the goods. Once the goods reach the ports, then the goods are trasported from the ports to the distribution centre (Alchain 780). The manufacturing centres are present in Pittsburgh, in USA. The goods are sent using both railway and roadway. The outlets are spread all across the States. As mentioned there are about 150 stand alone shops. The stand alone shops deal with American Eagle Outfitters products only (Betty 602). These outlets have large holding capacity of apparel products. So the products are stored on season basis. The small shops or the multi brand shops are supplied with products on a monthly basis. The stand alone shops sometime also act distribution centres for the smaller outlets or the multi brand shops. Fig 1: Distribution system Source: (Betty 607) The following diagram gives a schematic view of the supply and distribution system of AEO. The orders are processed and then sorted in order of the importance and delivery date. Then the inventory is assesed to find out how much additional orders need to be put with the manufacturers to suffice the demands (Modigliani 262). The products are then packed and kept ready to be shifted to the distribution centres in case of inland distribution (Boyd 20). If overseas distribution is involved then the products get shifted directly from the warehouses to the airports and the ports, for airlifting and transportation through waterways. Fig 2: Value chain Source: (Boyd 24) 2. Market analysis USA has one of the largest apparel market in the world. USA alone constitutes 28% of the total global market. The market value of the USA apparel is USD 331 B. The apparel industry employes about 105, 457 people on an average basis. Although the percentage share of people employed by the USA apparel market is quite small in comparison to the rest of the world (Boyd 30). This is because of the reaso n that the the percentage share denoted by USA in terms of employment size is significantly small in comparison to the huge percentage share (28%) in terms of market value. The market share is analysed by denoting the total value of all the apparels sold in each quarter as well as by