BMW Group - Individual company profile

Business activity: We are BMW Group (Bavarian Motor Works), a German

multinational company which currently produces automobiles and motorcycles, and also
provides premium financial and innovative mobility services. A key factor in our economic
success is based on long-term thinking and responsible action, as well as ecological and
social sustainability throughout the value chain - at local, national and international level.

Location: We're based in Germany. Our Head Office is in Munich, Bavaria. As a

global company, the BMW Group operates 30 production and assembly facilities in 14
countries.

Size/Markets: We’re the market leader. With our three brands BMW, MINI and Rolls-
Royce, the BMW Group is the world's leading premium manufacturer of automobiles and
motorcycles. Automobiles are marketed under the brands BMW (with sub-brands BMW M
for performance models and BMW i for plug-in electric cars), Mini and Rolls-Royce.
Motorcycles are marketed under the brand BMW Motorrad. Along with Audi and Mercedes-
Benz, the BMW is part of the ‘German Big-3’ luxury automakers, which are the three best-
selling automakers in the world. We have a global sales network in more than 140 countries,
but our company’s main markets are China, the U.S., Germany, Great Britain and France. In
China alone, BMW has sold over 464,000 cars and motorcycles. The survey from 2018
shows that we have a workforce of almost 130,000 employees, most of them working in
automotive segment.

History: Our company was founded in March 1916 by Franz Josef Popp, Karl Rapp
and Camillo Castiglioni. BMW Group was first established as an business entity, following a
restructuring of the Rapp Motorenwerke aircraft manufacturing firm in 1917. In 1918,
aftermath of the World War I, the company was forced to stop aircraft-engine production as a
result of German loss during the World War. Facing the disability of producing aircraft-
engine, the company shifted the production of motorcycle in 1923, followed up by
automobile production later in the 1928.

Type of company : We are an AG (Aktiengesellschaft). This is a German word for a

corporation limited by share ownership whose shares may be traded on a stock market. In the
United Kingdom and the United States, the equivalent terms are "limited" and "incorporated".
 Company’s logo and Slogan: BMW logo consists of 4 blue and white quadrants
which are enclosed within a circle. Those panels represents the movement of an airplane
propeller. White and blue colors used for every quadrant symbolize Bavarian Free State.
Letter BMW are located at the top of the circle. The slogan 'The Ultimate Driving Machine'
was first used in North America in 1974. In 2010, this long-lived campaign was mostly
supplanted by a campaign intended to make the brand more approachable and to better appeal
to women, 'Joy'. By 2012 BMW had returned to 'The Ultimate Driving Machine'.

Style to lead: It has a democratic management. BMW‟s individual and teams are given
responsibility to make decisions. BMW team is held accountable for the decisions they make.
The management is comfortable allowing others to make decisions and as a good overall
understanding of the decisions that are being made, and gets a regular feedback on the team
or individual. But still the management is confident that the responsibilities given to the
respective teams will be done wisely

BMW’s objectives: To provide the best relaxing place for their worker to help them
get motivated. To provide best service to the customers and hope to do business again. To
work with the Educationalist (The BMW education program) to support and help raising the
quality of learning. To provide special training for its workers, encourage its people to
develop their professional and personal skills. It enable them to reach their goals. To improve
fuel economy of their cars through its research and development. It will respond to political
development for programme of environment improvement. To recycle their products that has
failed.

BMW Group SWOT analysis : STRENGTHS: One of the most valuable automotive
brands in the world, Geographically diversified revenue streams, Perfect engineering and
excellent driving experience, Competence in hybrid and electric cars, Clear strategy to meet
the future challenges and trends. WEAKNESSES: Poor automotive brand portfolio with
little product differentiation, Increasing debt levels. OPPORTUNITIES: Fuel prices are
expected to rise in the near future, Demand for autonomous vehicles, Weakening euro
exchange rate, Timing and frequency of new model releases. THREATS: Increasing
competition in the worldwide automotive market, Increasing government regulations may
raise the costs, U.S. automotive market is poised to slow down or even decline.
 Future: We’re planning to expand into South-East Asia and we’re going to develop
fully automated driving systems by 2021.