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Sonic Research

An external orientation recognizes the fallacy of the assumption that products, such as food and beer, will forever sell themselves; many companies or firms think that if they only could maintain their production and technological superiority. Looking outside, to the external environment, helps the company to the business environment results in major priority given to determining customer's needs and wants. How this may be changing as evidenced by shifts in buying patterns, and adapting products and services accordingly. The external focus also permits more responsiveness to other external forces that may factors, such as major competitive thrust, changing governmental laws, and regulations, economic conditions, trade union forces, and the like. ( Porter's five forces model) With such an external orientation, attention will more likely be directed to location new opportunities brought about by changing environmental conditions, rather than being engrossed with internal production. Such an orientation is more geared to meeting and even anticipating change, and like it or not the environment for doing business today is more and more dynamic today. Externally oriented firms usually have the advantage.
Sonic, which specializes in made to order fast food, is know for its specialty menus and personal carhop service. Sonic started as a hamburger and root beer stand in 1953 in Shawnee, Oklahoma, and has grown to more than 3000 drive --in 28 states, and northern Mexico, mostly located in the Sunbelt of the United States. Sonic is the largest chain of drive in restaurant, more than 750,000 people eat at sonic every day.

To study sonic the Porter's Five Forces Model is a great tool to understand Sonics success in a constantly changing fast food environment.
MICHEAL PORTER FIVE FORCES MODEL


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Someone once said that "change is constant" and being a consumer oriented company, Sonic could not agree more. Their customers are changing....