Case Study: Footwear International
Footwear International: Bangladesh - History, Development, and Growth
In order to investigate how a company’s can maneuver though present situations it is important to map critical incidents in its past. Historically, the country in which Footwear International resides, Bangladesh, has seen major political upheaval in a short period of time. In the 1940s the government transitioned to British-ruled to that of a providence of Pakistan called East Pakistan. Due to political unrest, in the early 1970s power transferred again, thanks to the help of India, where they gained independence and became known as the country of Bangladesh (Lane, Distaefano, & Maznevski, 2006).
Despite their independence, Bangladesh continued to be fragmented with many political groups vying for power to overthrow the self-appointed leadership, President H.M. Ershad. Many of the parties sought to influence their people by employing “so-called opposition newspapers, which promote their political positions” (Lane, Distaefano, & Maznevski, 2006 p.144). This cooperation often resulted in strikes and demonstrations from student groups, unions, and supporters from the opposition.
The correlation of expansion in Footwear International fell within the same time constraints as Bangladesh’s political history. As power transferred in 1971, the Manager Director of the company was recognized as being an integral part of the independence movement of Bangladesh. Two years following President Ershad gaining office, Footwear Bangladesh seen as the number one growth potential within Footwear International’s strategic plan. Sales were in excess of 10,000,000 pairs of footwear and gave the company 15% of the national market (Lane, Distaefano, & Maznev ...