Assignments/Questions
The following Assignment Questions should be completed as follow: List the question first, and then the response. The response must adequately cover the question without being wordy or relying on “yes” or “no” responses.
What are the three criteria for determining whether a company has a winning strategy?
Based on your experiences as a coffee consumer, does Starbuck’s strategy (as described in Illustration Capsule 1.1 – Starbuck’s Strategy in the Coffeehouse Market on p. 6) seem to set it apart from rivals? Does the strategy seem to be keyed to a cost-based advantage, differentiating features, serving the unique needs of a niche, or some combination of these? What is there about Starbuck’s strategy that can lead to sustainable competitive advantage?
Elements of Wal-Mart’s strategy have evolved in meaningful ways since the company’s founding in 1962. Prepare a one- to two-page report that discusses how its strategy has evolved after reviewing all of the links at Wal-Mart’s About Us page, which can be found at https://corporate.walmart.com/our-story . Your report should also assess how well Wal-Mart’s strategy passes the three tests of a winning strategy.
Should a company’s strategy be tightly connected to its quest for competitive advantage? Why or why not? What difference does it makes whether a company has a sustainable competitive advantage or not?
Good strategy + good strategy execution = good management. True or false? Justify and explain your answer.
What determines whether a company’s strategy is “ethical?” Why should a company care where its strategy can pass the test of moral scrutiny so long as each of its strategic actions fall within the bounds of what is considered legal?
Read Case 01 – Mystic Monk Coffee on pages c2 – c5. What recommendations would you make to Father Daniel Mary in terms of crafting and executing strategy for the monastery’s coffee operations? Are changed needed in its long- term direction? Its objectives? Its strategy? Its approach to strategy execution? Explain.