Suchergebnisse

Hog growing and meat retailing are two of the many swine-based businesses in Batangas, one of the provinces in CALABARZON. One of the firms that is into this two businesses is Antonio?s. The study generally presented the status and assessed the overall performance of Antonio?s Swine-Based Business with the end view of recommending strategies for strengthening the competitive position of Antonio?s. Specifically, the study aimed to: 1) analyze the macro- and micro-environment of the business 2) evaluate the company in terms of the four business functions, namely: marketing, production, personnel, and finance 3) identify noteworthy business issues and problem relevant to Antonio?s Swine-based Business 4) generate and evaluate alternatives to the identified major problem, and identify the best alternative using an appropriate set of criteria and 5) design an implementation plan for the solution that will be used by the entrepreneur to rejuvenate the business. The study used the descriptive and action study research designs, case study research design in particular. The data used were both primary and secondary. However, primary data were used mainly by the author to serve the purpose of the study. Primary data were gathered through survey, observations, and interviews. Secondary data were sourced from undergraduate special problems of University of the Philippines Los Baños, published books and manuals, city and provincial records, journals, and other references from credible internet sources. Records on marketing (sales), production, personnel (lists), and finance (financial statements) were directly obtained from the firm?s owners/managers. Analytical tools used were: 1) personal entrepreneurial competencies self-rating tool (PEC) in the assessment of the characteristics of the owners/managers in relation to the management of the business 2) firm?s financial performance as evaluated by the following financial tools: trend analysis, vertical analysis and financial ratio analysis as reflected by the adjusted financial statements 3) Michael Porter?s Five Forces Model for Antonio?s Swine-Based Business used in the assessment of the Antonio?s Swine-Based Business? competitiveness relative to the industry 4) SWOT matrix analysis was used in the formulation of alternatives 5) IFE matrix was used in auditing and evaluating the firm?s strengths and weaknesses in relation to the functional areas of the business and the EFE Matrix was used in the assessment of the current business conditions in visualizing the opportunities and threats that the business is facing 6) perceived weights evaluation of alternatives was used in the determination of the solution for the problem through using the following criterion: 50% profitability as reflected by the cost-return analysis which yielded the net present value of each alternative, 25% ease of implementation and 25% perceived effectiveness and lastly, the GANTT Chart was used in coming up with the schedule and activities to be implemented for the chosen decision and its accompanying course of actions. Results of the study showed that the strengths of Antonio?s include: 1) ability to perform different business operations based on swine-related business activities 2) owners are hands on and passionate about the business 3) wide network of customers and suppliers 4) good location related to piggery facility 5) strong relationship with customers and suppliers 6) good and accessible location 7) improving activity ratios and 8) proximity to customers and suppliers. On the other hand, the weaknesses of Antonio?s include: 1) lack of formal accounting and record keeping 2) low technology on hog slaughtering and cutting different meat cuts 3) poor waste disposal system 4) decreasing profitability ratios 5) irregular production schedule and inability to cope with the seasonality of hogs as inputs to production 6) lack of capital and risk-averse current mindset of owners and (7) poor production layout and composition of layout materials. The identified opportunities in the industry were: 1) Filipinos are generally pork eaters 2) Batangas is popular being swine-disease free, Tanauan City in particular 3) general increase in liveweight and retail prices of hogs and meat 4) increasing demand for food that are protein source 5) low intensity of rivalry among raisers 6) opportunity to enter into lechon baboy and related pork-based food businesses 7) technological help and support from the government and other institutions 8) increasing trend for organic and more nutritious food source and 9) support programs for small business registrations. On the other hand, the identified threats were: 1) inequitable regulating policies imposed on the determination of illegal pork retailers and the implementation of the sanctions for them as dictated by the moratorium 2) presence of large competitors in the market 3) increasing cost of raw materials 4) increasing price of fuel 5) low price of competitors (other protein source) and 6) high threat of substitution for protein-source food. The case problem of the study was on how the firm will be able to take advantage of the opportunities in the market and consequently maximize the firm?s productivity and potential earnings. The problem statement was posed to address the problem on how to grab the opportunities in the market, as desired by Mrs. Margarita Antonio, and consequently overcome the low growth trend of the net income of the firm. There were three alternatives/solutions/strategies formulated, namely: 1) extend firm?s operation into hog growership 2) extend firm?s operation into an integrating piggery farm with pork-based food businesses such as operating a pork cuisine and establishing a native pork lechon facility 3) enter into a hog contract growing arrangement and 4) capture an even larger scope of the market through meat retailing, piglet vending coupled with vegetable vending. There were several inclusions made common to all alternatives that address several business issues or hindrances. The different alternatives were evaluated using the following criteria: 1) net cash flow generated 2) ease of implementation and 3) perceived effectiveness. The recommended alternative is to capture an even larger scope of the market through meat retailing, piglet vending coupled with vegetable vending. An implementation plan for the recommended alternative was prepared. It included the schedule of resource requirements and activities and the contingency plan. With proper implementation, Antonio?s Swine-Based Business will be able to realize a significant impact on its marketing, production, personnel, and financial aspects.