Essays on Mattel

Central Issue:

The question to be answered is how Mattel should respond from a strategic standpoint in light of a product recall that involved unsafe toys that were made in China. While the use of offshoring of labor is pervasive in the industry that Mattel works in, there are indeed other options and having “tainted” toys and other products that are used primarily, if not solely, by children is a huge problem for Mattel from a reputation and liability standpoint.

Recommended Course of Action:

Mattel is in a precarious position in that having the toys made in the United States or in other fully developed ...

Abstract

This paper presents the research study on a public relation campaign run for positive motivation and psychological perspective of the children with physical disabilities. The paper discusses the background of the campaign #ToyLikeMe and how public relation and other communication tools falling under the umbrella of public relation helped campaign reach to millions of people across the world. The paper utilizes the knowledge of internal and external markets, launch and openings, promotional materials, social media, visuals and images and other tools to understand the importance of communication as one of the most effective strategies for the success of a ...

Recommendations

In regards to the recalls as conducted by the Mattel Inc. in 2007, significant recommendations are necessary not only to once again boost the sales of the company but also for the reaffirmation of the good rapport that had initially been created between the firm and its clients both locally and abroad. The recommendations have been particularly chosen based on the mood and depreciating confidence of the United States consumers in regards to the Chinese goods. (Bapuji & Beamish, 2008, p. 3) The recommendations encompass:

Revaluation of the location of the production facility and the diversification of the manufacturers, as well as, the supplies.

Rebuilding and strengthening the brand image of Mattel. Researching and planning to conduct investments in ...

Management Strategy and Decision Making

According to the model, countries engage in international activities because of the advantages that arise from the relationships. Unlike firms, countries are not in competition with each other but rather engage in mutually benefiting relationships . The US provides a market for the toys while China provides manufacturing countries with cheap labor for the production of these toys. This is referred to as comparative advantage. The cost of manufacturing in the United States is relatively higher compared to the cost of manufacturing in China, a factor that has led many companies such as Mattel to outsource their manufacturing to vendors ...

Introduction

Mattel, Inc. is a United States-based international toy manufacturer. By the amount of products sold and revenue accrued, the company remains the largest global toy producer. Starting from the late 1980th, the company has been regularly ranked in the Fortune 500 list, receiving multiple global accolades for operational, strategic and human resources excellence. The brand portfolio of the company includes such internationally recognized products as the Barbie, Fisher-Price, Monster High, Winx Club and many others (Mattel, 2015). Having operational presence in forty countries in the Americas, Europe, and Asia and selling its products to almost 150 countries, one of ...

LEGO Group is a toy manufacturing company which dates back to 1916 when Ole Kirk Kristiansen started a wooden toy store in a rural Danish village of Billund. LEGO has a widespread market in Eastern and Western Europe, Asia, and in America and was ranked among the top ten Toy Industries in the world before it started to slump in the late 1990s. After a series of poor performance in the market, LEGO Group hired a thirty-six-year-old; Kudstorp in 2004 to fix the financial challenges the company was facing at the moment. This paper aims at looking at some ...

Abstract

Global firms such as Toy “R” Us Inc. have to content with several factors that shape their operations among them political, trade and economies, quality and safety as well as cultural factors that determine the uptake and performance of their brands in varied market segments. Each of the identified factors needs careful considerations if the multinationals are to make successful penetration into desired international markets. Understanding cultural values and norms is important since acceptance of any product is determined by the ability of the firm to understand consumption habits of foreign consumers. It is also appropriate to comply with ...

The Lego Company is said to have started by the Kristiansen family in 1932. Centered on the philosophy that in order to enrich children's lives, Lego is a brand that evokes expression of creativity while simultaneously stimulating the imagination at each and every possibility. According to Lego, the products "are based on this philosophy of learning and development through play" (1). The company is committed and dedicated to creating products that are of high quality and this aspect is something that has allowed them to remain viable in the eyes of consumers for more than 80 years. The idea ...

Situation Analysis

Started in California as a garage workshop in 1945, producing photo frames, Mattel transformed itself into a leader in the toy and marketing industry, recognized for many major innovative and unique products. This transformation was a result of a strategic vision and better understanding of the opportunities and external forces by its founders, Ruth and Elliot Handler and Matt Matson. By 1965, the company became a USD$ 100 million businesses with continuous and sustainable growth over the past decades. In spite of the success of the operations, the company went through a number of challenges over the years.The launch ...

Background of the Problem

It is important to notice that entrepreneurship is one of the most discussed phenomena in academic research literature. There is a great amount of studies proposing multiple theories and concepts that define entrepreneurship, yet there are still more questions than answers in this area. Designating the factors of success in this area is difficult, as each case of entrepreneurship is individual. Entrepreneurship is vital for the economy of the state. For instance, the survey conducted by Jean Yusuf among entrepreneurs determined that the entrepreneurs can alter the world by contributing to the world economy with their innovations that make ...

Background of the Problem

It is important to notice that entrepreneurship is one of the most discussed phenomena in the academic research literature. There is a great amount of studies proposing multiple theories and concepts that define entrepreneurship, yet there are still more questions than answers in this area. Designating the factors of success in this area is difficult, as each case of entrepreneurship is individual. It is claimed that entrepreneurship is vital for the economy of the state. For instance, Yusuf emphasized that the entrepreneurs can alter the world by contributing to the world economy with their innovations that make people’s ...

Business

Dear Mr. Xu Let me take a moment to congratulate you on ‘We make toys’ Co’s deal finalization with Mattel. We at Mattel are looking forward to working with your company. As our companies belong to different geographies and have worked within a different culture, we can both benefit from open communication. Thus main purpose of this mail is to re-emphasize the importance of maintaining quality control measures that we have already signed as a part of the deal. As you already know, the quality standards for North American companies as regards manufacturing are very strict. And the ...

Introduction

Product recalls by companies in China is a common phenomenon. In recent years, product recalls have affected Mattel toys, Pet foods, baby milk powder, Dell batteries, and baby bibs from Wal-Mart are some of the companies that have been hit by product recalls. In the case of Mattel, over 20 million toys were recalled in 2007. The recall of Mattel Toys came after safety issues emerged concerning products such as tires, toothpaste, and pet food. The recall of over 20 million toys made by Mattel generated several reactions. Blame is placed on the Chinese government, manufacturers, and even buyers. ...