The internal environment is a critical component of the market situation of Cotton Incorporated. It affects the organization’s chances to maximize its competitive advantage over key business rivals and increase teenage consumers’ awareness of cotton’s benefits over other fibers. Cotton, Inc. conducts extensive market research, including over 500 consumer interviews monthly, which implies the role of customer orientation and team coordination as high-priority corporate values that guide work organization processes (American Marketing Association, 2019). Cotton, Inc.’s internal situation can be assessed with reference to multiple factors, including the sources of funding, structure, workforce, openness to innovation, and business facilities.
Cotton, Inc.’s current internal environment presents a series of strengths that the organization can emphasize to achieve its consumer awareness goals. The organization has funding from cotton growers in the U.S. and entities that are concerned with importing cotton-containing products into the country (AMA, 2019). Thus, Cotton, Inc’s work is enabled by multiple streams of funding, which can benefit it in terms of security and opportunities for growth.
The organization’s access to well-equipped business facilities also supports the success of its internal operations dealing with research and marketing. Particularly, Cotton, Inc. operates a world-class facility allowing for research in all aspects of cotton production, which explains its success as a business partner (AMA, 2019). With offices in the U.S., Mexico, China, and Japan, Cotton, Inc. has an international infrastructure (AMA, 2019). This can result in extra advantages, including a diverse workforce with excellent language skills and opportunities for international partnerships or the incorporation of innovative international best practices in targeting teenage consumers.
Finally, the case does not cover the details of corporate culture or employee communication but points to external factors that could potentially entail internal weaknesses. Aside from growing competition, Cotton, Inc’s employees are in a disadvantaged position compared to rivals due to stricter scientific quality requirements for claims regarding the benefits of cotton (AMA, 2019). Potentially, this situation could result in relatively protracted marketing text approval processes and even place limitations on content developers’ creativity. However, its specific impact on teenage consumers’ informational needs is not perfectly clear.
Reference
American Marketing Association. (2019). Cotton Incorporated case. Author.