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Business Investigation: NAB //McCaskie Farm Supplies Ltd//
 * Advanced Higher Business Management**

**A report into the day to day operations and decision making of McCaskie Farm Supplies Ltd including an analysis of the competition and of the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of the organisation. **

 Alex McCaskie Farm Supplies was founded in 1957 by ? Rettie and operated out of the back of a local pharmacist, Alex McCaskie. It was from this original location that the company’s name was created and has remained for the last 50 years, changing briefly to an abbreviated version; MFS
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The main market of the company is the agricultural industry, more specifically owners of livestock. This is a wide and diverse market, paticualrly in Scotland with a number of farms growing crops to rearing cattle and sheep. These farms in addition to the large dairies run by companies such as Wiseman’s and Grahams along with the Scottish Agricultural College form the majority of the firm’s clientele although there are a large number of other customers, including the owners of pets and horses, who make up the varying and diverse customer base that the organisation serves.

The firms operates using a very flat organisational structure that can be seen in figure 1.1. The managing director, Andrew Rettie, who is the son of the founder sits at the top with a number of managers beneath him for every aspect of the business from

A recent rebranding was carried out in which a new corporate identity was created for the thriving business. This rebranding along with the launch of a sister company, PetSenseDirect, aimed at the owners of smaller pets and horses and operating using only a website has pulled the firm into the 21st Century.

McCaskie Farm Supplie’s now runs four branches across Scotland in Stirling, Ayr, Lanark and Fossoway as well as a team of Sales Representatives who visit existing customers as well as prospective customers personally. A fleet of four lorries and numerous vans deliver products free of charge as far south as the Scottish Borders. This way of operating helps the organisation to meet their objective of delivering a high quality and personal service their customers whilst continuing to move forward as a business.



Decision Making __** Decision making within McCaskie Farm Supplies is delegated to management although the Managing Director is involved at all levels of Decision Making due to the flat nature of the organisational structure.
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