Initially, the Home Depot strove to turn its flagging profits and image around through product innovation, although it has never been as rigorous in its self-examination as Toyota. Still, after expanding to the point that industry analysts worried that it had overextended itself, and after the more female-friendly Lowes stores with their superior store layout threatened its dominance, the Home Depot "sanded down its rougher product edges a little to make itself much more appealing to a broader consumer demographic," including women (Casey, 2004, p.1). However, the Home Depot's success over competitors like Lowes has not been nearly as complete as Toyota's dominance over Detroit and while Toyota enjoys status as the most successful and respected car company in America, the Home Depot's ability to survive at the top is far more uncertain. Initially, the Home Depot focused more on product reform, rather than changing its company structure. To keep...
[ View Full Essay]