Study Questions: 1. Assess Laura Ashley’s recent performance. How serious is the company’s present predicament? 2. Identify reasons for poor and deteriorating financial performance. 3. What strategy recommendations would you offer to Mr. Cheong that would best serve the interests of Laura Ashley’s shareholders?
Session 3 Case:
Global Wine War 2009: New World versus Old
Study Questions
1. How did the French become the dominant competitors in the increasingly global wine industry for centuries? What sources of competitive advantage were they able to develop to support their exports? Where were they vulnerable?
2. What changes in the global industry structure and competitive dynamics led France and other traditional producers to lose market share to challengers from Australia, United States, and other New World Countries in the late twentieth century?
3. What advice would you offer today to the French Minister of Agriculture? To the head of the French wine industry association? To the owner of a mid-size well regarded Bordeaux vineyard producing wines in the premium and super premium categories?
4. What advice would you offer today to the Australian Minister of Agriculture? To the head of the Australian wine industry association? To the owner of a mid-size, well regarded vineyard in the Barossa Valley (a premier Australian wine region) producing wines in the premium and super premium categories?
5. What advice would you offer today to the US secretary of Agriculture? To the head of a major US wine industry Association? To the owner of a mid-size, well regarded vineyard in the Napa Valley producing wines in the premium and super premium categories?
Session 4 Case: Wal-Mart Stores in 2009 (In Grant)
Study Questions 1. To what extent is Wal-Mart’s (WM) performance