Superdry and Agile Project Management

by TheKnowledgeAcademy LTD Lead Training Provider

Agile project management is different to any other project management methodology. For example, there is no one project manager, rather there are a team of people who all work together to perform a role successfully.

This methodology would work perfectly for Supergroup; the owners of Superdry, the clothing brand we are forever spending our wages on!

Superdry as a company is going through a bit of a rough time at the moment as they have blamed poor accounting and management for a massive 15% drop in their annual profit. They’re pre-tax profit fell 14.7% to £42.8 million in a year, despite revenue rising 31.9% to £313.8 million. Moreover, in the past year the company has warned that they have suffered stock shortages and a lack of profit.

However whilst the economy is not helping the company, a spokesman argued that the company takes the responsibility themselves, commenting that the situation has been self-inflicted. The truth is that the managerial team have cracked under the pressure of the ever growing business. This happened because the company was expanding at a fast rate but failed to keep its staff up to the pace it was travelling. For example; last year alone they opened a great deal more stored in the UK, going from an average 42 to a larger 79. Whilst outside the UK, the company; Superdry has expanded enormously going from a modest 20 stores to a whopping 101 stores across the globe.

Don’t get me wrong; anyone would crack under this pressure.

The costs the company have had to pay out for an accountancy mistake has also hit them hard. This payment cost the firm £9 million in lost sales and revenue; quite a knock in the teeth if you ask me!

This corporation went into the stock exchange market in 2010 where they were flying high at a 1,820p per share however, in 2011 these shares dropped sharply, bringing the company crashing to the ground…head first.

Therefore, because this company is so famous and loved across the globe it is important they get their management up to scratch and change their technique. This is important if they want to continue to prosper in the 21^st century and beyond. This is where agile project management comes into play; and changes the professional life of this company forever. Without a strong management team no project will succeed. It is important to have the right amount of skills and the right mix of personalities in a team for it to work effectively. Those who have passed the agile training course are able to ensure this happens. It is important for many companies, especially today to keep on top of their business. The economy is threatening enough to businesses without employers ruining their chance by their lack of knowledge.

So, in short what Supergroup needs is an agile certified manager to take control of the latest project; to get back to the top again and allow Superdry to take over the world…Like they had planned.