Coca-Cola acquired its bottlers and created a national vertically integrated business operation in 2010. After spending 12.3 billion USD to acquire Coca-Cola Enterprises, its largest bottling partner, it reversed course in 2015 and sold off all its bottling operations. This is an example of a failed diversification effort.
Explanation:
Diversification efforts are taken by the organizations to achieve desired outcomes but sometimes they fail in it. The following are the reason for failure of diversification effort:
- failing to integrate acquisitions
- unable to understand how the acquired organization’s assets would fit with their own lines of business
- paying high premium for the target's common stock
- not acting in best interest of shareholders
The diversification strategy is adopted by many organizations to develop its business. In the above scenario, Coca-Cola Enterprises adopted diversification effort but failed in it.
