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Sustainability

Nike Considered: Getting Traction on Sustainability

Rebecca M. Henderson

Richard M. Locke

Christopher Lyddy

Jan 21, 2019

In 2008, Hannah Jones, Nike’s new VP of Corporate Responsibility, wanted the company to be a leader in creating sustainable footwear, and subsequently developed a strategy for working with the product units to do so. Questions remained about whether Nike was on the right track and if the company was doing enough in the sustainability arena.

Learning Objective

To explore the role of an index tool as a vehicle for making products more sustainable.

Appropriate for the Following Course(s)

sustainability, strategy

Nike Considered: Getting Traction on Sustainability 

THERE IS NO TEACHING NOTE FOR THIS CASE STUDY.

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High-Performance Marketing: An Interview with Nike’s Phil Knight

• Geraldine E. Willigan

Nike is a champion brand builder. Its advertising slogans—“Bo Knows,” “Just Do It,” “There Is No Finish Line”—have moved beyond advertising into popular expression. Its athletic footwear and clothing have become a piece of Americana. Its brand name is as well-known around the world as IBM and Coke. So it may come as a surprise […]

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Case Study | Inside Nike’s Radical Direct-to-Consumer Strategy

• Chantal Fernandez

In October 2020, in the middle of a global pandemic that had infected 188 countries, causing record sales damage across the retail sector, Nike’s share price hit an all-time high.

Like other retailers, Nike had been forced to close most of its network of more than 900 stores across the world, as had its key wholesale partners like Nordstrom and Foot Locker.

But the American sportswear giant’s performance during the pandemic, when its online sales spiked, signalled to many that Nike had the competency to prosper long term, in a future that will be increasingly defined by e-commerce and digital brand connections.

It was a validation of a strategy that Nike prioritised three years ago, dubbing it “Consumer Direct Offense,” but the seeds of the approach go back almost a decade.

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Above all, Nike is a marketing company. It doesn’t just sell sneakers; it sells the brand aspiration that imbues those sneakers with meaning. But to achieve the reach required to scale its business, Nike’s distribution strategy had long-relied on third-party retailers to sell its products, even if the consumer experience offered by those partners diluted its brand.

But in a future increasingly defined by e-commerce, fast-moving trends and, above all, the rising power of branding to drive consumer preference when competitors are just a click away, Nike realised that in order to thrive, it needed to take control of its distribution to better manage its brand and deepen its connection with consumers.

It was definitely architecting a new retail, and a bold, retail vision for Nike.

Such an evolution is easier said than done, especially for a business as large as Nike in a category as competitive as sportswear. But by radically cutting back on its wholesale distribution and raising the bar for brand experience with the third-party partners that remained; expanding its focus on content, community and customisation to keep customers close; investing in its data analytics and logistics capabilities; and rethinking the role of the store as a brand stage, Nike drove a veritable direct-to-consumer revolution.

When the pandemic hit, these shifts went into overdrive.

“It was definitely architecting a new retail, and a bold, retail vision for Nike,” said Heidi O’Neill, Nike’s president of consumer and marketplace, and one of the most prominent executives leading the brand’s new strategy in recent years. “But it started with our consumer, and we knew that consumers wanted a more direct relationship with us today.”

In this case study, BoF breaks down Nike’s pioneering direct-to consumer strategy and how it has worked to the brand’s advantage, propelling its share price to new heights during the global crisis of 2020.

Click below to read the case study now.

• Mark Parker
• John Donahoe
• direct to consumer
• athletic apparel

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Nike: Changing the Sneakers Game

• Format: Print
• | Language: English
• | Pages: 23

About The Author

Anita Elberse

Related work.

• January 2020
• Faculty Research

Nike: Changing the Sneakers Game (Video Playlist)

• Nike: Changing the Sneakers Game (Video Playlist)  By: Anita Elberse
• Nike: Changing the Sneakers Game  By: Anita Elberse, Bryce Aiken and Howard Johnson

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• September 23, 2023
• AI Case Studies

Case Study: How Nike is Leveraging AI Across its Operations

Nike, a global leader in sportswear and athletic footwear, has long been at the forefront of innovation and customer engagement. In recent years, the company has made substantial investments in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and other emerging technologies to transform not just its products but also its customer experience, supply chain, and IT operations. This drive towards tech-enabled solutions has been especially significant in the face of the global pandemic, which pushed consumers and businesses more towards digital platforms. Nike has collaborated with partners like Cognizant to modernize its IT infrastructure, offering both onsite and remote support across a wide range of hardware and applications. With a focus on sustainability, customer engagement, and operational efficiency, Nike’s AI journey represents a compelling case study in corporate innovation.

Key Takeaways

• Nike employs AI to enhance customer experience through hyper-accurate shoe fitting, personalized offers, and virtual assistants.
• Advanced analytics and AI-driven strategies have been adopted in Nike’s supply chain to improve speed, accuracy, and sustainability.
• Collaboration with IT major Cognizant to bring in hyperautomation and AI into Nike’s technology operations, aiming for improved service productivity and cost savings.
• Challenges include data privacy concerns, achieving 24/7 customer service accessibility, and ensuring the sustainable use of technology.

Deep Dive: How Nike is Leveraging AI Across its Operations

Nike’s approach to AI is holistic, covering a wide array of applications from customer experience to supply chain management. In customer engagement, Nike uses AI-powered apps that offer hyper-accurate shoe fitting and personalized recommendations. The company also employs AI for deep customer analytics, aided by its acquisition of Zodiac, a data analytics firm. On the supply chain side, Nike has integrated AI and machine learning to predict product demand and to forward-position popular products, reducing lead times and improving service quality.

Implementation

Nike has been pragmatic in its AI implementation. Customer-facing AI solutions include an app that employs augmented reality and a 13-point measuring system for shoe fitting. In its supply chain, the company has opened multiple regional distribution centers fueled by AI algorithms to meet localized demand more effectively. Furthermore, through a five-year agreement with Cognizant, Nike is enhancing its global technology operations. This includes multilingual IT customer service, deskside and dispatch depot, as well as application and infrastructure support.

Nike’s AI initiatives have been quite successful. The AI-powered apps have not only improved customer relationships but have also provided valuable data for product design and inventory management. Nike has also tripled its digital order capacity in specific markets thanks to AI-enhanced supply chain operations. The collaboration with Cognizant is expected to bring new self-service capabilities, improve service productivity, and offer significant cost savings.

Challenges and Barriers

While Nike has seen significant gains from its AI investments, challenges do exist. Data privacy is a significant concern given the vast amount of customer data collected through various apps. The ambition for 24/7 customer service through AI tools like chatbots also poses its own set of challenges, including maintaining the quality of service. Additionally, the drive for sustainability requires Nike to continuously scrutinize its tech-enabled operations for environmental impact.

Future Outlook

As consumer behavior and technology continue to evolve, Nike is poised to further its AI capabilities. Plans likely include the expansion of AI in customer service applications, increased automation in the supply chain, and deeper collaborations with tech partners like Cognizant. Given its past performance and strategic focus, Nike’s AI initiatives will undoubtedly continue to play a significant role in shaping both the company and the broader retail industry.

Nike’s journey in AI represents a well-rounded strategy that touches multiple facets of the business, from customer experience to supply chain and IT operations. By focusing on delivering personalized experiences, optimizing operations, and tackling challenges head-on, Nike serves as a textbook example of how AI can be effectively implemented in a large, global enterprise. Its efforts in AI have not only improved its bottom line but have also set the stage for future innovations that will likely continue to redefine the retail landscape.

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Sources: Cognizant To Drive Nike’s Efforts In Hyper-Automation, AI In 5-Year Deal Nike and Cognizant expand their relationship into technology Nike building its global ‘digital first’ supply chain’ with 1,000 picking robots How Nike Leverages AI for an Exceptional Customer Experience

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How nike is using analytics to personalize their customer experience.

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When you think of sports apparel, the first brand that comes to mind is likely Nike. The company’s commitment to innovation and alignment with superstar athletes like Michael Jordan has made it an industry powerhouse for more than 30 years. That’s what makes it so interesting that a brand as well-known as Nike has shifted its business model in recent years.

For decades, Nike has operated with a retail-first model, where the vast majority of its revenue comes through wholesale. That hasn’t changed necessarily, as wholesale still represents the bulk of Nike’s sales, but Nike Direct — the company’s direct-to-consumer initiative —  contributed $10 billion in sales  during 2018. By 2020, that’s projected to increase to $16 billion.

Why is Nike having so much success going direct to the consumer, and how are they using analytics to deliver a better customer experience? What can other brands learn from Nike's approach? That’s what we’ll explore in this article.

Nike is hyper-focused on the customer.    

Nike is using an app to deepen its relationship with customers. The app provides access to the Nike Plus rewards program, which offers exclusives and early access to new products. The differentiation starts with access to Nike experts for whatever sport you play. Need a new baseball glove? Let the experts recommend one for you. Nike also offers personalized workouts through the app, as well as priority access to its events.

Another piece of Nike’s direct-to-consumer efforts is its 30-day wear test for shoes. Now customers don’t have to worry if their shoes will fit when ordering them online.

On top of the wear test, customers can use the  Nike Fit app to snap a picture of their feet using their phone and get the perfect shoe size for every style of Nike shoes. According to Nike , The app uses “computer vision, data science, machine learning, artificial intelligence, and recommendation algorithms” to measure “the full shape of both feet, offering the ability to know your truly perfect fit.” This sizing data is stored on your Nike Plus profile, so you know the right size wherever you’re shopping.

Nike is also  leveraging its supply chain  to get closer to personalization. Last month, Nike selected 28 designers in New York City to create new shoes. The “NYC By You” project leveraged Nike’s distribution channels to produce new designs in small quantities.

Nike has always been world-class at mass-producing each of its shoes. But once they master making one shoe one time, it’ll represent a new frontier for this industry-leading innovator.

Acquisitions have given Nike deeper insight.

Nike has been able to build out these capabilities in large part due to a key acquisition they made. Last year,  Nike acquired  a leading data analytics company called Zodiac. What Zodiac allows Nike to do is crunch together its data points from customers using the Nike app and other connected devices like Fitbits to know customer habits and predict purchasing decisions.

Using these analytical insights, Nike has improved its customer acquisition and retention by identifying which customers to target and knowing when to target them. If a customer usually buys shoes every six months and it’s been 12 months since the purchase, Nike will know to reach out and prompt that customer to resume their purchase cycle. Going on offense in this regard will help Nike reduce churn, cutting down a huge expense for the company.

As more startups disrupt various apparel industries, Nike is defending their turf by investing in data science to better understand the customer journey. Nike Direct is not just an app. It reflects the company’s mission to know its customers and offer them better products and services.

That’s where the idea originated to start a shoe subscription service for kids (once called EasyKicks, now called Nike Adventure Club). Everyone knows kids outgrow their shoes, but analytics show Nike how often kids need new shoes and when parents typically look to buy them. Kids tend to be brand agnostic, but by removing the headache of going out to buy new shoes, Nike has engendered serious customer loyalty amongst parents.

What can brands learn from Nike?

Nike never waits for competitors to come along and disrupt their business. They are constantly disrupting themselves, which is a great lesson for companies large and small. Innovation is happening too fast to sit still. You should always aim to reinvent certain parts of your business model. Nike is still looking to win with its product, but now it’s looking to differentiate its brand based on service and offer a superior customer experience than its competitors.

That’s not the only lesson we can take away from Nike’s efforts. Every company needs to be investing in not just data science, but the business-driven part that links the customer with the insights team. Customer preferences and tastes are always changing, which means you need data to stay on top of the changes. Be intentional about building a small, focused team that can foster that connectivity. That’s what Nike has done since launching Nike Direct in 2017: hiring hundreds of people to join its team and drive this initiative forward.

Investing in data science also means being unafraid to make acquisitions when necessary. Nike purchased Zodiac. Its competitor, Under Armour, purchased MyFitnessPal in 2015 and began a collaboration with IBM Watson in 2016. Both companies understand that buying businesses can help close the gap between them and their customers by leveraging customer data.

Finally, after you’ve invested in your team and built out the connective piece to them and your customers, use that data in every aspect of your decision making. Nike is a huge company with millions of moving pieces and they’re paving the way in this regard. Everything from using a smartphone camera to get people the perfect-sized shoe to timing the next shoe delivery for growing children of busy parents — Nike is leveraging customer data on all fronts.

Why? Because they know their future success depends on a strong connection between business and data.

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Case study: A review of how Nike’s ‘Just Do It’ campaign transformed their brand

• backlinkworks
• Writing Articles & Reviews
• October 19, 2023

The Nike ‘Just Do IT ‘ campaign is one of the most iconic and influential advertising campaigns in history. Launched in 1988, IT has transformed Nike from a struggling athletic footwear company into one of the most recognized brands globally. The campaign’s success lies in its ability to resonate with consumers, promote the brand’s values, and drive significant business growth.

The Birth of ‘Just Do IT ‘

In the late 1980s, Nike faced tough competition from Reebok, which had secured a dominant position in the market. Nike needed a game-changer – an advertising campaign that could revitalize the brand and ignite growth. Enter ‘Just Do IT .’ Created by Nike’s advertising agency, Wieden+Kennedy, the campaign aimed to inspire consumers to embrace their athletic potential and push past their limits.

The Emotion Behind the Slogan

‘Just Do IT ‘ tapped into the deepest emotions of individuals, encouraging them to go after their goals and dreams. The simple yet powerful slogan embodied the essence of Nike’s brand identity – a commitment to sports, competitiveness, and personal achievement. IT became a rallying cry for athletes and non-athletes alike, uniting them under a shared belief in the power of pursuing greatness.

Impact on Nike’s Brand Perception

The ‘Just Do IT ‘ campaign had an unprecedented impact on Nike’s brand perception. Prior to the campaign, Nike was seen primarily as a performance athletic footwear brand. However, by associating ‘Just Do IT ‘ with a broader message of empowerment and accomplishment, Nike successfully transformed its brand image.

The campaign positioned Nike as a brand that stood for more than just selling athletic shoes; IT embodied a lifestyle – one that encouraged people to push their limits, overcome obstacles, and embrace their true potential. This shift helped Nike appeal to a much wider audience, including both serious athletes and casual sports enthusiasts.

Sustained Success and Business Growth

Since the launch of ‘Just Do IT ,’ Nike’s success has skyrocketed. The campaign not only resonated with consumers but also resonated with Nike’s sales. Within just ten years, Nike’s sales tripled from $877 million to over $9.2 billion.

The ‘Just Do IT ‘ campaign assumed a life of its own, becoming a cultural phenomenon. Its impact extended far beyond advertising to influence various aspects of popular culture, including music, art, and film. IT propelled Nike to become a global leader in the athletic footwear and apparel industry, solidifying its position as an aspirational brand.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How did Nike come up with the ‘Just Do IT ‘ slogan?

A: The ‘Just Do IT ‘ slogan was created by the advertising agency Wieden+Kennedy, during a brainstorming session. The agency’s co-founder, Dan Wieden, was inspired by the final words of convicted murderer Gary Gilmore before his execution, “Let’s do IT .” The tagline was rephrased as ‘Just Do IT ‘ to make IT more grammatically appropriate and memorable.

Q: How did the ‘Just Do IT ‘ campaign change Nike’s brand identity?

A: The ‘Just Do IT ‘ campaign broadened Nike’s brand identity by shifting its focus from being solely a performance athletic footwear brand to one that also embraced a lifestyle of empowerment and achieving one’s goals. IT positioned Nike as a brand that stood for more than just products; IT stood for determination, ambition, and inspiring individuals to believe in themselves.

Q: Did the success of the campaign impact Nike’s competitors?

A: Absolutely. The overwhelming success of the ‘Just Do IT ‘ campaign forced Nike’s competitors to reevaluate their marketing strategies. The campaign’s emotional resonance and universal appeal challenged rival brands to connect with consumers on a deeper level. IT set a new standard for sports marketing and influenced the industry as a whole.

The Nike ‘Just Do IT ‘ campaign has left an indelible mark on both the advertising industry and popular culture. By embodying the core values of determination, empowerment, and personal achievement, IT transformed Nike’s brand identity, broadened its appeal, and fueled significant business growth. Three simple words became a mantra for athletes and dreamers alike, propelling Nike to the forefront of the athletic footwear market and forever cementing its place in marketing history.

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Sunday, October 16, 2022

• Labels: Case Studies , Project Failure , Project Success

Case Study 16: Nike’s 100 Million Dollar Supply Chain "Speed bump"

“This is what you get for 400 million, huh?” 

Nike President and CEO Phil Knight famously raised the question in a conference call days before announcing the company would miss its third-quarter earnings by at least 28% due to a glitch in the new supply chain management software. The announcement would then send Nike’s stock down 19.8%. In addition, Dallas-based supply-chain vendor i2 Technologies, which Nike assigned blame, would suffer a 22.4% drop in stock price.

The relationship would ultimately cost Nike an estimated $100 million. Each company blamed the other for the failure, but the damage could have been dramatically reduced if realistic expectations had been set early on and a proper software implementation plan had been put in place. Most companies wouldn’t overcome such a disastrous supply chain glitch or “speed bump,” as Knight would call it, but Nike would recover due to its dominant position in the retail footwear and apparel market.

In 1999, two years before Knight’s famous outburst, Nike paid i2 $10 million to centralize its supply, demand, and collaboration planning system with a total estimated implementation cost of $40 million. Initially, i2 was the first phase of The Nike Supply Chain (NSC) project. The plan was to implement i2 to replace the existing system and introduce enterprise resource planning (ERP) software from SAP and customer relationship management (CRM) software from Siebel Systems.  

The goal of the NSC project was to improve Nike’s existing 9-month product cycle and fractured supply chain. As the brand experienced rapid growth and market dominance in the 1990s, it accumulated 27 separate order management systems around the globe. Each is entirely different from the next and poorly linked to Nike’s headquarters in Beaverton, Oregon.

At the time, there wasn’t a model to follow at the scale Nike required. Competitors like Reebok struggled to find a functional supply chain solution specific to the retail footwear and apparel industry. In an effort to solidify its position as the leader in sportswear, Nike decided to move forward quickly with i2’s predictive demand application and its supply chain planner software.

"Once we got into this, we quickly realized that what we originally thought was going to be a two-to-three-year effort would be more like five to seven," - Roland Wolfram, Nike’s vice president of global operations and technology.

The NCS project would be a success, and Nike would eventually accomplish all its supply chain goals. However, the process took much longer than expected, cost the company an additional $100 million, and could have been avoided had the operators or both companies taken a different approach to implementation.

"I think it will, in the long run, be a competitive advantage." – Phil Knight

In the end, Knight was right, but there are many valuable lessons to learn from the Nike i2 failure.

If you want to make sure your business critical project is off to a great start instead of on its way on my list with project failures? Then a New Project Audit is what you are looking for. If you want to know where you are standing with that large, multi-year, strategic project? Or you think one of your key projects is in trouble? Then a Project Review is what you are looking for. If you just want to read more project failure case studies? Then have a look at the overview of all case studies I have written here .

So, before we get into the case study, let’s look at precisely what happened...

Timeline of Events

1996 - 1999

Nike experienced incredible growth during this period but was at a crossroads. Strategic endorsement deals and groundbreaking marketing campaigns gave the company a clear edge over Adidas and Reebok, its two most substantial competitors in the 80s and 90s. However, as Nike became a world-renowned athletics brand, its supply chain became more complex and challenging to manage.

Part of Nike’s strategy that separated itself from competitors was the centralized approach. Product design, factory contracting, and order fulfillment were coordinated from headquarters in Oregon. The process resulted in some of the most iconic designs and athlete partnerships in sports history. However, manufacturing was much more disoriented.

During the 1970s and 80s, Nike battled to develop and control the emerging Asian sneaker supply chain. Eventually, the brand won the market but struggled to expand because of the nine-month manufacturing cycle.

At the time, there wasn’t an established method to outsource manufacturing from Asia, making the ordering process disorganized and inefficient across the industry. In addition, Nike’s fractured order management system contained tens of millions of product numbers with different business rules and data formats. The brand needed a new way to measure consumer demand and manage purchasing orders, but the state of the legacy system would make implementing new software difficult.

At the beginning of 1999, Nike decided to implement the first stage of its NSC project with the existing system. i2 cost the company $10 million but estimated the entire project would cost upwards of $400 million. The project would be one of the most ambitious supply chain overhauls by a company of Nike’s size. 

i2 Technologies is a Dallas, Texas-based software company specializing in designing solutions that simplify supply and demand chain management while maximizing efficiency and minimizing cost. Before the Nike relationship, i2 was an emerging player in logistics software with year-over-year growth. Involvement in the Nike project would position the company as the leading name in supply chain management software.

Nike’s vision for the i2 phase of NSC was “achieving greater flexibility in planning execution and delivery processes…looking for better forecasting and more profitable order fulfillment." When successfully implemented, the manufacturing cycle would be reduced from nine months the six. This would convert the supply chain to make-to-order rather than make-to-sell, an accomplishment not yet achieved in the footwear and apparel industry.

Predicting demand required inputting historical sales numbers into i2’s software. “Crystal balling” the market had substantial support at the time among SCM companies. While the belief that entering numbers into an algorithm and spitting out a magical prediction didn’t age well, the methodology required reliable, uniform data sets to function.

Nike decided to implement the “Big Bang” ERP approach when switching to i2 for the supply chain management. The method consists of going live where the business completely changes without phasing out the old system. Nike also opted for a single instance strategy for implementation. The CIO at the time, Gordon Steele, is quoted saying, “single instance is a decision, not a discussion.” Typically, global corporations choose a multi-instance ERP solution, using separate instances in various regions or for different product categories.

By June of 2000, various problems with the new system had already become apparent. According to documents filed by Nike and i2 shareholders in class-action suits, the system used different business rules and stored data in various formats, making integration difficult. In addition, the software needed customization beyond the 10-15% limit recommended by i2. Heavy customization slowed down the software. For example, entries were reportedly taking over a minute to be recorded. In addition, the SCM system frequently crashed as it struggled to handle Nike’s tens of millions of product numbers.

The issues persisted but were fixable. Unfortunately, the software was linked to core business processes, specifically factory orders, that sent a ripple effect that would result in over and under-purchasing critical products. The demand planner would also delete ordering data six to eight weeks after it was entered. As a result, planners couldn’t access purchasing orders that had been sent to factories.

Problems in the system caused far too many factory orders for the less popular shoes like the Air Garnett IIIs and not enough popular shoes like the Air Jordan to meet the market's demand. Foot Locker was forced to reduce prices for the Air Garnett to $90 instead of the projected retail price of $140 to move the product. Many shoes were also delivered late due to late production. As a result, Nike had to ship the shoes by plane at $4-$8 a pair compared to sending them across the Pacific by boat for $0.75.   

November 2000

According to Nike, all the problems with i2’s supply chain management system were resolved by the fall. Once the issues were identified, Nike built manual workarounds. For example, programmers had to download data from i2’s demand predictor and reload it into the supply chain planner on a weekly basis. While the software glitches were fixed and orders weren’t being duplicated or disappearing, the damage was done. Sales for the following quarter were dramatically affected by the purchasing order errors resulting in a loss of over $100 million in sales.

Nike made the problem public on February 27, 2001. The company was forced to report quarterly earnings to stakeholders to avoid repercussions from the SEC. As a result, the stock price dove 20%, numerous class-action lawsuits were filed, and Phil Knight famously voiced his opinion on the implementation, "This is what you get for $400 million, huh?"

In the meeting, Nike told shareholders they expected profits from the quarter to decline from around $0.50 a share to about $0.35. In addition, the inventory problems would persist for the next six to nine months as the overproduced products were sold off.

As for the future of NSC, the company, including its CEO and President, expressed optimism. Knight said, "We believe that we have addressed the issues around this implementation and that over the long term, we will achieve significant financial and organizational benefit from our global supply-chain initiative."

A spokeswoman from Nike also assured stakeholders that the problems would be resolved; she said that they were working closely with i2 to solve the problems by creating “some technical and operational workarounds” and that the supply chain software was now stable.

While Nike was positive about the implementation process moving forward, they placed full blame on the SCM software and i2 Technologies.

Nike stopped using i2’s demand-planning software for short-and-medium range sneaker planning; however, it still used the application for short range and its emerging apparel business. By the Spring of 2001, Nike integrated i2 into its more extensive SAP ERP system, focusing more on orders and invoices rather than predictive modeling.

What Went Wrong?

While the failures damaged each company’s reputation in the IT industry, both companies would go on to recover from the poorly executed software implementation. Each side has assigned blame outward, but after reviewing all the events, it's safe to say each had a role in the breakdown of the supply chain management system.

Underestimating Complexity

Implementing software at this scale always has risks. Tom Harwick, Gigi Information Group’s research director for supply chain management, said, “Implementing a supply-chain management solution is like crossing a street, high risk if you don't look both ways, but if you do it right, low risk.”

One of Nike's most significant mistakes was underestimating the complexity of implementing software at such a large scale. According to Roland Wolfram, Nike’s operators had a false sense of security regarding the i2 installation because it was small compared to the larger NSC project. "This felt like something we could do a little easier since it wasn’t changing everything else [in the business]," he says. "But it turned out it was very complicated."

Part of the reason why the project was so complicated was because of Nike’s fractured legacy supply chain system and disoriented data sets. i2’s software wasn’t designed for the footwear and apparel industry, let alone Nike’s unique position in the market.  

Data Quality

Execution by both parties was also to blame. i2 Technologies is on record recommending customization not to exceed 10-15%. Nike and i2 should have recognized early on that this range would be impossible to accommodate the existing SCM system.

Choosing a Big Bang implementation strategy didn’t make sense in this scenario. Nike’s legacy system data was too disorganized to be integrated into the i2 without making dramatic changes before a full-on launch.

Poor Communication

Communication between Nike and i2 from 1999 to the summer of 2000 was poor. i2 claimed not to be aware of problems until Knight issued blame publicly. Greg Brady, the President of i2 Technologies who was directly involved with the project, reacted to the finger-pointing by saying, "If our deployment was creating a business problem for them, why were we never informed?" Brady also claimed, "There is no way that software is responsible for Nike's earnings problem." i2 blamed Nike’s failure to follow the customization limitations, which was caused by the link to Nike’s bake-end.

Rush to Market

At the time, Nike was on the verge of solidifying its position as the leader in footwear and sports apparel for decades to come. Building a solid supply chain that could adapt to market trends and reduce the manufacturing cycle was the last step toward complete market dominance. In addition, the existing supply chain solutions built for the footwear and apparel industry weren’t ready to deploy on a large scale. This gave Nike the opportunity to develop its own SCM system putting the company years ahead of competitors. Implementing functional demand-planning software would be highly valuable for Nike and its retail clients.

i2 also was experiencing market pressure to deploy a major project. Had the implementation gone smoothly, i2 would have a massive competitive advantage. The desire to please Nike likely played a factor in i2’s missteps. Failing to provide clear expectations and communication throughout the process may not have happened with a less prominent client.  

Failure to Train

After the problems became apparent in the summer of 2000, Nike had to hire consultants to create workarounds to make the SCM system operational. This clearly indicates that Nike’s internal team wasn’t trained adequately to handle the complexity of the new ERP software.

Nike’s CIO at the time reflected on the situation. "Could we have taken more time with the rollout?" he asked. "Probably. Could we have done a better job with software quality? Sure. Could the planners have been better prepared to use the system before it went live? You can never train enough."

How Nike Could Have Done Things Differently

While Nike and i2 attempted to implement software that had never been successfully deployed in the global footwear and apparel industry, many problems could have been avoided. We can learn from the mistakes and how Nike overcame their challenges with i2 to build a functioning ERP system.

Understanding and Managing Complexity

Nike’s failure to assess the complexity of the problem is at the root of the situation. Regardless if the i2 implementation was just the beginning of a larger project, it featured a significant transition from the legacy system. Nike’s leadership should have realized the scale of the project and the importance of starting NSC off on the right foot.  

i2 also is to blame for not providing its client with realistic expectations. As a software vendor, i2 is responsible for providing its client with clear limitations and the potential risks of failing to deploy successfully.

See " Understanding and Managing Your Project’s Complexity " for more insights on this topic.

Collaborate with i2 Technologies

Both companies should have realized that Nike required more than 10-15% customization. Working together during the implementation process could have prevented the ordering issues that were the reason for the lost revenue.

Collaboration before deployment and at the early stages of implementation is critical when integrating a new system with fractured data. Nike and i2 should have coordinated throughout the process to ensure a smooth rollout; instead, both parties executed poor project management resulting in significant financial and reputational blows.  

See " Solving Your Between Problems " for more insights on this topic.

Hire a 3rd Party Integration Company

Nike’s lack of understanding of the complexity of SCM implementation is difficult to understand. If i2 had been truthful in that they did not know about problems with their software, Nike could have made a coordinated decision not to involve the software company during the process.

Assuming that is the case, Nike should have hired a 3rd party to help with the integration process. Unfortunately, Nike’s internal team was not ready for the project. Outside integrators could have prevented the problems before the damage was done.

Not seeking outside help may be the most significant aspect of Nike’s failure to implement a new SCM system.   

See " Be a Responsible Buyer of Technology " for more insights on this topic.

Deploy in Stages

A “Big Bang” implementation strategy was a massive mistake by Nike. While i2 should have made it clear this was not the logical path considering the capabilities of their software and Nike’s legacy system, this was Nike’s decision.

Ego, rush to market, or failure to understand the complexities of the project could all have been a factor in the decision. Lee Geishecker, a Gartner analyst, stated that Nike chose to go live a little over a year after starting the project, while projects of this scale should take two years before deployment. In addition, the system should be rolled out in stages, not all at once.

Brent Thrill, an analyst at Credit Suisse First Boston, is on record saying he would have kept the old system running for three years while testing i2’s software. In another analysis, Larry Lapide commented on the i2 project by saying, "Whenever you put software in, you don't go big bang, and you don't go into production right away. Usually, you get these bugs worked out . . . before it goes live across the whole business."

At the time, Nike’s planners weren’t prepared for the project. While we will never know what would have happened if the team had been adequately trained, proper preparation would have put Nike in a much better position to handle the glitches and required customizations.

See " User Enablement is Critical for Project Success " for more insights on this topic.

Practice Patience in Software Implementation

At the time, a software glitch causing a ripple effect that would impact the entire supply chain was a novel idea. Nike likely made their decisions to risk the “Big Bang” strategy, deploy in a year without phases and proper testing, and not seek outside help because they assumed the repercussions of a glitch wouldn’t be as catastrophic.

Impatience resulted in avoidable errors. A more conservative implementation strategy with adequate testing would have likely caught the mistakes.

See " Going Live Too Early Can Be Worse as Going Late " for more insights on this topic.

Closing Thoughts

One of the most incredible aspects of Nike’s implementation failure is how quickly the company bounced back. While Nike undoubtedly made numerous mistakes during the process, NSC was 80% operational in 2004.

Nike turned the project around by making adjustments and learning patience. Few companies can suffer a $100 million “speed bump” without filing bankruptcy, but Nike is in that position because of its resilience. The SAP installation wasn’t rushed and resumed many aspects of its original strategy. In addition, a training culture was established due to the i2 failures. Customer service representatives receive 140 to 180 hours of training from highly skilled “super users,” All employees are locked out of the system until they complete their required training courses.

Aside from the $100 million loss, the NSC project was successful. Lead times were reduced from nine months to six (the initial goal), and Nike’s factory inventory levels were reduced from a month to a week in some cases. Implementing a new SCM system also created an integration between departments, better visibility of customer orders, and increased gross margins.

While Nike could have executed far more efficiently, Phil Knight’s early assessment of the i2 failure turned out to be true. In the long run, the process gave Nike a competitive advantage and was instrumental in building an effective SCM system. 

In a nutshell: A failure to demonstrate patience, seek outside help, and rush software implementation can have drastic consequences.  

> Nike says i2 hurt its profits

> I2 Technologies, Inc.

> How Not to Spend $400 Million

> i2-Nike fallout a cautionary tale

> Nike rebounds: How Nike recovered from its supply chain disaster

> Scm and Erp Software Implementation at Nike – from Failure to Success 

> I2 Says: "You Too, Nike"

Nike: An Innovation Journey

• First Online: 29 November 2017

Cite this chapter

• Michelle Childs 5 &
• Byoungho Jin 6  

Part of the book series: Palgrave Studies in Practice: Global Fashion Brand Management ((PSP:GFBM))

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Nike is an American multinational company that has evolved to become a global leader in athletic wear with annual sales exceeding $21 billion in 2016, more than half of which is attributed to international markets. Since its inception in 1964, Nike has been an innovation leader in product development, marketing and consumer experience. Due to a dedication to continuous innovation, Nike has been able to sustain a competitive advantage within the athletic apparel and footwear marketplace. This case highlights key points in Nike’s journey of innovation and examines how Nike has successfully emerged as a global champion within the athletic wear industry. Based on these analyzed strategies, this case provides implications that are relevant for practitioners and academics.

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Childs, M., Jin, B. (2018). Nike: An Innovation Journey. In: Jin, B., Cedrola, E. (eds) Product Innovation in the Global Fashion Industry. Palgrave Studies in Practice: Global Fashion Brand Management . Palgrave Pivot, New York. https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-52349-5_4

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At Nike, Revolt Led by Women Leads to Exodus of Male Executives

By Julie Creswell ,  Kevin Draper and Rachel Abrams

• April 28, 2018

For too many women, life inside Nike had turned toxic.

There were the staff outings that started at restaurants and ended at strip clubs. A supervisor who bragged about the condoms he carried in his backpack. A boss who tried to forcibly kiss a female subordinate, and another who referenced a staff member’s breasts in an email to her.

Then there were blunted career paths. Women were made to feel marginalized in meetings and were passed over for promotions. They were largely excluded from crucial divisions like basketball. When they complained to human resources, they said, they saw little or no evidence that bad behavior was being penalized.

Finally, fed up, a group of women inside Nike’s Beaverton, Ore., headquarters started a small revolt.

Covertly, they surveyed their female peers, inquiring whether they had been the victim of sexual harassment and gender discrimination. Their findings set off an upheaval in the executive ranks of the world’s largest sports footwear and apparel company.

On March 5, the packet of completed questionnaires landed on the desk of Mark Parker, Nike’s chief executive. Over the next several weeks, at least six top male executives left or said they were planning to leave the company, including Trevor Edwards , president of the Nike brand, who was widely viewed as a leading candidate to succeed Mr. Parker, and Jayme Martin , Mr. Edwards’s lieutenant, who oversaw much of Nike’s global business.

Others who have departed include the head of diversity and inclusion, a vice president in footwear and a senior director for Nike’s basketball division.

It is a humbling setback for a company that is famous worldwide and has built its brand around the inspirational slogan “Just Do It.” While the #MeToo movement has led to the downfall of individual men, the kind of sweeping overhaul that is occurring at Nike is rare in the corporate world, and illustrates how internal pressure from employees is forcing even huge companies to quickly address workplace problems.

As women — and men — continue to come forward with complaints, Nike has begun a comprehensive review of its human resources operations, making management training mandatory and revising many of its internal reporting procedures.

While the departure of top executives has been covered in news accounts, new reporting by The New York Times, including interviews with more than 50 current and former employees, provides the most thorough account yet of how disaffection among women festered and left them feeling ignored, harassed and stymied in their careers. The Times also viewed copies of three complaints to human resources.

“I came to the realization that I, as a female, would not grow in that company,” said Francesca Krane, who worked for five years in Nike’s retail brand design area before leaving in 2016. She said she grew tired of watching men get promoted into jobs ahead of women she felt were equally or better qualified.

Many of those interviewed, across multiple divisions, also described a workplace environment that was demeaning to women. Three people, for instance, said they recalled times when male superiors referred to people using a vulgar term for women’s genitals. Another employee said that her boss threw his car keys at her and called her a “stupid bitch.” She reported the incident to human resources. (She told her sister about it at the time, the sister confirmed.) He continued to be her supervisor.

Most of the people who spoke to The Times insisted on anonymity, citing nondisclosure agreements or a fear of being ostracized in the industry, or in the Portland community, where Nike wields outsize influence. Some have spouses or family members still working there.

In response to questions, Nike portrayed its problems as being confined to “an insular group of high-level managers” who “protected each other and looked the other way.”

“That is not something we are going to tolerate,” said a spokesman, KeJuan Wilkins.

In a statement, Mr. Parker said the vast majority of Nike’s employees work hard to inspire and serve athletes throughout the world. “It has pained me to hear that there are pockets of our company where behaviors inconsistent with our values have prevented some employees from feeling respected and doing their best work,” he said.

For Amanda Shebiel, who left Nike in September after about five years at the company, the promise to address longstanding systemic problems is welcome, but late.

“Why did it take an anonymous survey to make change?” she asked. “Many of my peers and I reported incidences and a culture that were uncomfortable, disturbing, threatening, unfair, gender-biased and sexist — hoping that something would change that would make us believe in Nike again.”

“No one went just to complain,” Ms. Shebiel added. “We went to make it better.”

An Inner Circle of Men

With a market value of about $112 billion and annual revenues of around $36 billion, Nike is a global behemoth in the athletic market, where its dominance went largely unchallenged for several decades.

But the company is facing significant business hurdles. Adidas, one of its biggest competitors, has gained ground in key markets like apparel and footwear. Nike is also struggling to get traction in women’s categories, the fastest-growing segment of the market.

Some of those interviewed by The Times said the weakness in women’s products in part reflected a lack of female leadership and an environment that favored male voices. Nike’s own research shows that women occupy nearly half the company’s work force but just 38 percent of positions of director or higher, and 29 percent of the vice presidents, according to an April 4 internal memo obtained by The Times.

And while Nike executives have told investors that the women’s category was a crucial part of its revenue growth strategy, former employees said it was not given the budget it needed to roll out the sophisticated marketing campaigns that were the hallmark of traditional men’s sports, like basketball.

When Nike did put money behind campaigns targeting women, it sometimes flailed.

Last year, Mr. Edwards, the former president, gave the green light for a marketing campaign for the fall launch of the VaporMax shoe for women; the female British singer FKA Twigs was given creative license for a shoot in Mexico City. The result, according to a person who saw a rough cut of the commercial and another who saw the final cut, featured few shots of the shoes and instead had a woman twirling on what looked like a stripper pole and male athletes in sports bras striking odd poses. The campaign was killed, costing Nike millions of dollars.

Asked about the aborted campaign, Mr. Wilkins of Nike said the company was proud of its relationship with the singer. “We have a history of pushing the boundaries in marketing, just as we do in product development,” Mr. Wilkins said. “We create a lot of material that is not deployed in the marketplace.’’

Nike forcefully disputed the notion that women were not involved in the creative and marketing operations, noting that a female executive leads its women’s division. But Mr. Wilkins, the spokesman, acknowledged that, in areas like basketball, “there was more room and opportunity for the company to increase female representation in its senior positions.”

While women struggled to attain top positions at Nike, an inner circle of mostly male leaders emerged who had a direct line to Mr. Edwards. Within the company, as reported earlier in The Wall Street Journal , this group was known as F.O.T., or Friends of Trevor. They texted him in meetings or bragged about having lunch or dinner with him.

A charismatic and creative marketing force, the London-born Mr. Edwards joined Nike in 1992. He oversaw marketing in Europe in the late 1990s, before moving to the United States and taking over the brand in 2002. In 2013, he became Nike brand president.

Paige Azavedo recalls her first meeting in 2014 with her new boss, Daniel Tawiah, then a senior director for Nike’s digital brand in North America. She expected they would discuss digital marketing plans.

Instead, she was surprised when he talked mostly about himself and how Mr. Edwards had nominated him for a fast-track career program. “He basically said, I’ve been nominated to be in this V.P. program and that’s going to be my goal for the next six months to a year,” said Ms. Azavedo, who left Nike in 2015. “He made it clear he was a friend of Trevor.”

Multiple women, including Ms. Azavedo, told The Times they reported Mr. Tawiah to human resources for berating them in front of their peers, sometimes to the point of tears. He was promoted to vice president last year. This month, he was among those who abruptly departed.

Reached by telephone, Mr. Tawiah declined to comment. Mr. Wilkins declined to comment on the complaints against Mr. Tawiah or his departure.

Mr. Edwards, who resigned in March but is advising Mr. Parker until he retires in August, did not respond to an email or a message left on his LinkedIn profile. A representative for Mr. Martin declined to comment.

As men advanced more quickly into key roles in merchandising, design and marketing, a number of high-ranking women began to leave the company.

Among the first to depart, in the spring of 2017, was Patty Ross, a vice president of workplace design and connectivity who had started working at Nike when she was 16. She had also founded a women’s mentoring network inside Nike.

She was followed by Kerri Hoyt-Pack, a 15-year veteran of the company who had helped launch the Nike women’s brand. Then came Nikki Neuburger, a vice president in global brand marketing for running, who was a driving force behind the Nike+ app.

Ms. Ross declined to comment for this article. Ms. Hoyt-Pack and Ms. Neuburger did not respond to messages seeking comment.

When Ms. Neuburger left, she sent a pointed letter to Mr. Parker as well as other members of her team, laying out the reasons for her departure. They covered familiar themes, said one person who said she was read the letter: harassment, and the exclusion of women from the inner circle of decision makers.

“Nikki did write a letter,” Mr. Wilkins said. “It was thoughtful and professional. Mark took the letter very seriously and did meet with Nikki.”

Concerned about these departures, a group of women inside Nike started the behind-the-scenes survey that eventually ended up on Mr. Parker’s desk.

‘I Was Looking for Help’

The obstacles to advancement for women at Nike are not new and, in many ways, common in companies with male-dominated leadership. Since Nike’s early days in the 1960s, many employees have been guided by a simple ethos: work hard, party hard, get up for your five-mile run in the morning.

The culture that evolved could be belittling to women. On the way to a work dinner in Los Angeles, two senior men debated whether Los Angeles or Portland had better strip clubs, according to a person who attended, as the women traveling with them in the van stared out the windows.

One current employee said a supervisor pushed his way into a bathroom and tried to kiss her, according to a copy of her complaint that was viewed by The Times.

Over time, many women developed a deep skepticism of Nike’s human resources services. Some avoided the department altogether, fearing retribution or convinced that nothing would happen. Those who did seek help said they often came away frustrated.

“I was looking for help and they just totally shut it down, like ‘You’re the problem,’” said Marie Yates, a former retail designer, who said she went to human resources seeking help with issues she was having with a manager. She left the company in 2016.

A senior manager who mentioned a female employee’s breasts in an email was not terminated, but rather given a verbal warning, according to a former staff member in the human resources department.

In one complaint reviewed by The Times, a woman described her manager bragging about the condoms he always carried and the magazines he kept on his desk with scantily clad women on the covers, despite being told to remove them. She reported him to human resources, and was told she had made a mistake by not confronting him first, she said.

Until last year, human resources was run by David Ayre, who was hired in 2007 by Nike from PepsiCo and reported directly to Mr. Parker.

Mr. Ayre did not return phone and email messages seeking comment.

Complaints were sometimes handled casually. The employee whose supervisor tried to kiss her in the bathroom set up a meeting with human resources to discuss it, and was taken aback when she was told to meet her representative in the Mia Hamm cafe — a public space on Nike’s sprawling campus.

Amber Amin said her manager routinely belittled her with sexist and dismissive comments but still worried about what would happen if she reported him.

“I think his general attitude toward women was just, subtly, that we were less capable,” said Ms. Amin, a junior designer on one of the Nike apps, who added that she had received positive performance reviews since becoming an employee in 2014.

She eventually sought help from human resources, which told her that corrective action would be taken. Two days later, she was part of a round of layoffs.

Mr. Wilkins said Nike has a no-retribution policy that it takes seriously and noted that there was a significant reorganization of the work force last year.

The callousness that some women experienced extended at times to the work force at large, employees said. By the summer of 2016, for instance, Nike had decided to stop making golf balls, golf clubs and other equipment. Members of the division were summoned to a meeting inside the Clubhouse, the nickname for one of Nike’s buildings.

There, horrified employees watched their names appear on a large screen, directing them to different rooms, where some would be laid off, according to one person who attended the meeting and two people who were told of it. The person said it left employees with the impression they were being let go via PowerPoint presentation.

Asked about those layoffs, Mr. Wilkins said, “That’s absolutely not normal practice for us,” and suggested the situation was more nuanced than it appeared. In layoff situations, he said, “we make great efforts to treat every employee in a very thoughtful manner.”

Regarding complaints to human resources, Mr. Wilkins said: “We’re not going to comment on individual cases, but cases are often more complicated than simply listening to one side of the story.”

While Nike believes it has a set of human resources procedures installed, those systems “have not worked consistently,” Mr. Wilkins said. “As Mark has said, we are currently reviewing and improving our practices to re-establish trust where it has been lacking and to guard against this happening in the future.”

Pressure on Chief Executive

Nike’s goals would have been hard to achieve even before the recent departure of high-level executives. In October 2015, Mr. Parker announced an ambitious target: By 2020, Nike would reach $50 billion in annual revenues. But last fall the company pushed the target date to 2022.

And while Nike’s stock has climbed 25 percent in the past year, its revenues for the first nine months of its current fiscal year grew by only 4 percent, with North American sales dipping in crucial areas, like footwear.

In women’s products, Nike “is growing in the low single digits, which means it is a long way away from where it wants to be,” said Matt Powell, a sports industry analyst at the NPD Group. Companies like Lululemon and even Old Navy are finding greater success in the women’s sportswear market, Mr. Powell said.

For now, Mr. Edwards’s duties have been split between two other executives. Nike recently named a woman, Kellie Leonard, as chief diversity and inclusion officer, and Mr. Wilkins said Nike is focused “on attracting, developing and elevating both women and people of color throughout the organization.’’

It now falls to Mr. Parker, 62, to move Nike forward. A quiet executive who designed several of Nike’s running shoes, Mr. Parker has been the company’s chief executive since 2006. He appeared to solidify his control over the company’s operations around 2015 when Nike’s co-founder Phil Knight stepped down as company chairman.

But given the recent tumult at Nike, Mr. Parker may face tough questions himself. At least a dozen current and former employees told The Times they could not see how Mr. Parker was not aware of the problems with his top leaders. What is unclear, some said, is whether information was deliberately kept from Mr. Parker.

As he did with other executives who reported directly to him, Mr. Parker met regularly with Mr. Ayre when he was the head of human resources to discuss, among other things, any active investigations of suspected employee misconduct, Mr. Wilkins said.

When appropriate, he said, action was taken. But with 74,000 employees, Mr. Wilkins said, “Mark would not have been aware of all issues.”

That explanation did not satisfy Ms. Shebiel, the former employee who left in September.

If Mr. Parker did not know, she said, “it negates the times over the years my peers and I sought support and counsel from the people we were told we could trust to bring about change.”

Ms. Shebiel said she and her colleagues risked or experienced retaliation “for shining a light on both significant and everyday experiences that left us feeling bullied, uncomfortable and intimidated.”

Doris Burke, Alain Delaquérière and Elisa Cho contributed research.

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Nike's Strategy to Improve Conditions in its Global Supply Chain – A Case Study

Nike’s approach to managing supplier responsibility has greatly evolved since the 1990s, when the media uncovered claims of child labor, underpaid workers, and poor working conditions in several Asian countries. This report explores how Nike’s approach to improving social and environmental conditions in its global supply chain has evolved through integrated management of sustainability and innovation, increased supplier incentives, and systems innovations intended to prevent problems before they arise.

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DevOpsSchool.com

Nike: selection and interview process, questions/answers.

Rahul Singh

Nike, instantly recognizable by its iconic swoosh logo, is a global giant in athletic footwear, apparel, and equipment. Here’s a quick rundown:

• Dominant Brand: Nike leads the sportswear market with innovative designs, high-performance gear, and a strong focus on athlete sponsorships.
• Extensive Product Range: From industry-leading running shoes to stylish sportswear and everything in between, Nike caters to athletes and everyday consumers alike.
• Culture of Innovation: Nike constantly pushes boundaries in design, technology, and sustainability, keeping them at the forefront of the athletic wear industry.

A career at Nike can open doors to exciting opportunities in various areas, including:

• Design: Product designers develop innovative and stylish footwear and apparel collections.
• Marketing and Advertising: Creative minds craft marketing campaigns that resonate with athletes and consumers.
• Sales: Selling Nike products through retail stores or managing wholesale partnerships.
• Supply Chain and Logistics: Ensuring efficient movement of goods from manufacturing to stores worldwide.
• Finance and Accounting: Supporting the financial health of the company.

Table of Contents

What are the selection and Interview process of Nike?

The selection process at Nike can vary depending on the specific role, department, and location. Here’s a general overview of the potential steps:

1. Application: Submit your resume and cover letter through Nike’s careers website [1]. Tailor your application materials to highlight relevant skills and experiences for the specific position you’re applying for.

2. Online Assessments (possible for some roles): You might encounter online assessments to gauge your abilities in areas like problem-solving, basic math skills, or situational judgment tests (depending on the role).

3. Phone Interview (possible for some roles): An initial conversation with a recruiter to discuss your qualifications and suitability for the role might occur.

4. In-Person Interview(s): This is a common stage and could involve one or two (or sometimes more) in-person interviews. You might meet with the hiring manager, team members from the department, or a combination of both. Be prepared for a mix of questions about:

5. Background Check and Drug Test: These are standard procedures for most positions at Nike.

Tips to Shine During the Process:

• Research Nike: Demonstrate your knowledge of their brand story, product range, focus on innovation, and any recent advancements or campaigns they’ve undertaken.
• Highlight Your Skills: Tailor your resume and interview responses to showcase how your skills and experience align with the job requirements (technical skills if applicable).
• Passion for the Industry (potential): Expressing your enthusiasm for the sports and fitness industry can be a plus.
• Creative Thinking (for creative roles): For design or marketing roles, showcase your portfolio and highlight your creative approach.
• Enthusiasm and Drive: Demonstrate your passion for the brand and your eagerness to contribute to Nike’s continued success.

By understanding the potential selection process, highlighting your relevant skills and experience (technical skills if applicable), demonstrating your problem-solving abilities, teamwork, and creative thinking (for creative roles), you can increase your chances of landing a rewarding career at the swoosh company.

How many rounds of interview conducted in Nike?

Number of Interview Rounds:

The number of interviews at Nike can vary depending on the position and department [1, 2, 3]:

• Initial Video Interview (HireVue): This online platform allows you to record video responses to pre-recorded questions at your convenience.
• Phone Interview: A recruiter or HR representative might conduct a phone interview to discuss your background and suitability for the role in more detail.
• In-Person Interview: Shortlisted candidates are invited for an in-person interview with the hiring manager or a team panel. This could involve behavioral and situational questions to assess your skills and fit for the role.
• Some Roles (especially product manager positions): There might be additional rounds, such as a case study or group assessment, to evaluate your problem-solving, teamwork, and communication skills in a simulated environment.

What is the salary for freshers in Nike?

While Nike doesn’t disclose specific salary information for freshers, here are some resources that can help you estimate the range:

• Job Search Websites: Search for similar positions at Nike on Indeed or Glassdoor. You might find salary ranges or reviews with salary information from past applicants.
• Salary Comparison Websites: Explore websites like Payscale or [removed] They provide salary ranges based on job titles, location, and experience level (entry-level in this case).
• Nike Careers Website: While it might not mention specific figures, the Nike Careers website offers insights into their benefits and work culture, which can be helpful during salary negotiations.

Tips for Freshers Applying to Nike:

• Highlight Relevant Skills and Achievements: Showcase your skills and academic achievements in your resume and cover letter to stand out to recruiters.
• Research Nike: Learn about Nike’s mission, values, and areas of operation (e.g., footwear, apparel) to demonstrate your understanding of the company during your interview. Behavioral questions might focus on how your skills align with Nike’s culture.
• Practice for Video Interviews: If the initial interview involves HireVue, familiarize yourself with the platform and practice your responses beforehand to feel confident during the recording.
• Prepare for Common Interview Questions: Research common interview questions, especially behavioral and situational ones, and practice your responses to make a strong impression during the interview process.

By showcasing your qualifications and preparing for the different stages of the interview process, you can increase your chances of landing a job at Nike!

Top questions Asked for freshers in Nike

As a fresher interviewing at Nike, expect questions that assess your:

• Tell me about yourself and your interest in Nike. (Highlight your interest in sports, fitness, or fashion, and how it connects to Nike’s brand).
• Why do you want to work at Nike? (Express your enthusiasm for Nike’s values like innovation, sustainability (if applicable), and empowering athletes).
• Do you follow any specific Nike athletes or campaigns? (Demonstrate genuine interest in the brand).
• Describe a time you faced a challenge and how you overcame it. (Focus on problem-solving skills and resilience).
• Explain a situation where you had to work effectively in a team. (Showcase your teamwork abilities and communication skills).
• What are your strengths and weaknesses? (Be honest, but highlight strengths relevant to a fast-paced environment, like creativity, adaptability, and a strong work ethic).
• Do you have any questions for us? (Always have thoughtful questions prepared about the role, company culture, or career development opportunities at Nike).
• For example, for a marketing role, they might ask about your social media experience or knowledge of marketing trends.
• For a design role, they might ask you to present your portfolio or complete a design challenge.

How to apply for job in Nike?

Here’s a guide on applying for a job at Nike:

• Visit the Nike Careers Website: Head over to the Nike career page.
• Search for Jobs: Utilize keywords related to your field or browse job categories (e.g., Marketing, Design, Retail, IT). Look for “Entry Level” or “Associate” positions that align with your skills and interests.
• Find the Perfect Fit: Carefully read job descriptions and identify roles that align with your qualifications and aspirations within the sports industry. Consider your strengths and what kind of work environment you prefer (creative, fast-paced retail, etc.).
• Apply Online: Submit your application electronically for the chosen position. Tailor your resume and cover letter to the specific role, highlighting relevant coursework, volunteer work (especially in sports or fitness), and your passion for Nike and the industry.
• Prepare for Interview: If shortlisted, research Nike further and delve deeper into the specific role. Practice answering common interview questions and prepare thoughtful questions for the interviewer. Demonstrate your enthusiasm, strong work ethic, and potential to excel in a dynamic and brand-focused environment.

By showcasing your passion for Nike, relevant skills, and willingness to learn, you can increase your chances of landing a job at this iconic sports brand.

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