Target Express Expanding Strategy to Urban Markets, Customers Term Paper

Target Express Expanding Strategy to Urban Markets, Customers - Term Paper Example 10). Superior guest service is achieved through the combination of a variety of resources such as the use of guest call buttons, mobile apps-Target app and Cartwheel, strategic placement of items on shelves, increased speed at checkout. The involvement of almost all of the firm’s resources in improving guest service makes it difficult for the competitors to imitate because they may not have the exact similar resources as those available to Target Express. About the Target corporate culture, team members are used as the resources to achieve success. The corporate culture is different and distinct from any other companies. Since the corporate culture involves the employees of Target and their dedication specifically, it becomes very difficult for competitors to imitate the same (Goldberg et al. 41). Further, the corporate culture involves a bundle of resources which creates uniqueness and as such rendering it unsubstitutable. â€Å"The System† on the other hand is composed of a variety of resources such as enormous databases used to store the client’s needs and several computers. The bundles of resources employed by The System and the linkages between them are rare. The System is inimitable due to the vast amount of programming involved, the bundles of resources that are linked together, path dependence and the causal ambiguity created in The System (Goldberg et al. 41). In light of Target Express’s desire of expansion into the urban markets, it is necessary that core competencies are either improved or acquired/exploited where previously non-existent. Two of the core competencies that require improvement/acquisition are discussed as follows: There are plans to provide store employees with iPod Touches, which will help employees to keep track of inventory and thus enhance service delivery to the guests. The customers may also use the touches to