MODULE TITLE : GLOBAL BUSINESS STRATEGY
MD 3002

COUSEWORK 2

By ANAIS ARMENGAUD G 20496590

MODULE TUTOR : DAVID FORREST

Word count :3567

15th December 2010
TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION 3
I. GENERAL ELECTRIC : ITS HISTORY, ITS FUTURE 4 1. Its history 4 2. Its strategic challenges 5
II. GENERAL ELECTRIC : ITS ENVIRONMENT 6 1. The political environment 6 2. The economic environment 6 3. The socio-cultural environment 7 4. The ecological environment 8 5. The technological environment 8
III. GENERAL ELECTRIC : ITS POSITION & STRATEGY 9 1. Porter’s Five Forces 9  Power of buyers 9  Power of suppliers 9  The threat of new entrants 10  The threat of substitutes 10  Current competition 10 2. Competitive Strategy 11
IV. GENERAL ELECTRIC : ITS MOST URGENT ISSUES 13 1. Dependence on suppliers 13 2. Intensity of competition 13 3. High level of indebtedness 14
CONCLUSION 15
REFERENCES 16
APPENDIX 1 18

* INTRODUCTION
General Electric (GE) is a global technology, infrastructure, media and financial services company. GE has grown through five key business segments, namely capital finance, technology infrastructure, energy infrastructure, media and entertainment, and consumer and industrial. In 2009, the company's 'Capital Finance' segment, represented $49,601 millions, ie a decrease of 24.45% over 2008. Another main sector is Technology Infrastructure which contributed 27.1% of total GE's revenues, ie $42,298 millions, that represent a decrease of 8.1% as compared to 2008. The third key segment is Energy Infrastructure, generating 24.1% of total revenues and which has suffered a decrease of 2.4% since 2008. Finally the media segment and the consumer and industrial segment contributed respectively 10% and 6.1% of total revenue and decreased respectively by 9% and 17.5% between 2008 and 2009. GE is operating in more than 100 countries and it has 475 manufacturing plants located in 40