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darden
April 15, 2013

Executive Summary Darden is one of the world’s top preforming companies in the food services industry, with over 2,000 locations and 180,000 employees. Including many brands from luxury restaurants to quick and easy restaurants Darden has been able to develop brand names into clear strategic advantages, which lead to competitive advantages and keeping customers coming back for more. In this paper a team of marketing students analyze Darden’s current position in the market through research and apply concepts from class to develop a strategic plan for Darden moving forward. Looking at the company through such lenses as resource based view of the firm describes the firm’s most important assets. Using such charts as weighted competitive strength assessment and a nine cell attractiveness chart to show Darden’s current position and what they need start moving towards, allows the reader to develop an understanding of the team’s aspirations for the company.

Table of Contents
Company Environment……………………………………………………………..
Tangible and Intangible Assets……………………………………………………..
Weighted Competitive Strength Assessment………………………………………
External Issues……………………………………………………………………….
Recommendations for External Issues……………………………………………..
Business Level Strategies…………………………………………………………..
Recommendations…………………………………………………………………..
Current Corporate Level Strategy………………………………………………..
Service Divisions…………………………………………………………………….
Financials……………………………………………………………………………
Weighted Competitive Strength Chart…………………………………………...
Nine Cell Attractiveness Matrix……………………………………………………
International Strategy………………………………………………………………
McKinsey 7-S Model………………………………………………………………..
Utilization……………………………………………………………………………

Company Environment
Darden is one of the largest full-service dining companies in the world; they are also an extremely successful company. They have many strengths and a few competitive


Cited: "Darden Restaurants - A Leader in the Full-Service Restaurant Industry." Darden Restaurants - A Leader in the Full-Service Restaurant Industry. N.p., n.d. Web "The McKinsey 7S Framework." Mind Tools New Articles RSS. N.p., n.d. Web “Darden Restaurants, Inc. Competitors” NASDAQ.com. N.p.,n.d. Web. 06 Feb. 2013. Lockyer, Sarah E. "Restaurant Industry Lobbying Efforts Focus on Tax Reform, Debit Fees, Labor." Nation 's Restaurant News Home Page. Restaurant News, 20 Apr. 2012. Web. 30 Jan. 2013. Darden 2011 Annual Report. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Jan. 2013 "Business Level Strategy." Business Level Strategy. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Feb. 2013.
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