Where to play: Playing Field & your organization

Where To Play: Playing Field & Your Organization Student’s Name Institution Course Instructor Date Where To Play: Playing Field & Your Organization Introduction and Playing Field Nike is the world leader in athletic footwear, and running shoes have always been part of its business. Within the last few years, there has been a high registration of the performance running category, particularly the high-end performance technology-based racing and training footwear, as consumers are seeking fitness and performance benefits. In fact, Nike leaders observe that running shoes have become very popular, and the company has been losing some market to competitors who are more agile (Rajesh & Tabassum, 2024; Masters & Rajesh, 2024). Our target market is therefore the high-end running footwear market segment, which includes carbon-plated road racing and high-cushion training shoes that innovation and brand can fetch high margins. Even in the global running shoe market, the market is projected to record a further growth of mid-single digits in 2023, with U.S. revenues of approximately 10B and a CAGR of 4% in 2032, as more individuals will run as a sport and for health. In this sector, new brands On and HOKA have been doing better at integrating innovative design with robust social interactions, threatening established rivals. Competitive Analysis On Holding AG (On Running) On is a Swiss sportswear business that concentrates on high-end running shoes. The company has noted worldwide net sales of CHF 2.318 billion in 2024, an addition of 29 percent as compared to the preceding year (On, 2025). A high rate of innovation and a great brand image is one of the strengths of On. Its running shoes are also made to provide performance and daily lifestyle, which makes the brand appeal to younger customers. Visibility on social media, and collaboration with prominent social icons like Roger Federer and Zendaya has helped to reinforce this appeal. On Holding AG has also enjoyed a powerful direct-to-consumer strategy. By the end of the fourth quarter of 2024, direct channels effectively supported its sales which contributed to an increase in profit margins (On, 2025). New foam technologies, the extension of sale locations to approximately 50 retail stores across the world and an increase in the sales of apparel have contributed to the recent growth. Nonetheless, On is still only a smaller company compared to Nike, and its expensive cost might restrict its usage. Nonetheless, On still continues to grow its market share in running footwear (Masters and Rajesh, 2024). HOKA (Deckers Outdoor Corp) HOKA is an established brand of Deckers, and its most famous product is the highly cushioned running shoes. During fiscal year 2025, HOKA registered brand sales of 2.233 billion dollars, which is an increase of 23.6 percent over the previous year, and Deckers reported record earnings and general growth (Deckers, 2026). HOKA has a key strength that has made it successful in the market, and that is the proprietary shoe design, especially the thick Meta Rocker soles, which are designed to increase comfort and running efficiency. The brand targets a broad target audience which consists of road runners, trail runners and consumers who want comfort oriented lifestyle footwear. With the support of the excellent financial foundation a...