CASE 21: Starbucks Strategy & Internal Initiatives to return to Profitable Growth can be found on pages C326-C360 in your textbook, Thompson, A. A., Peteraf, M.A., Gamble, J.E., Strickland, A.J. (2012). Crafting and Executing Strategy: Concepts and Cases: Global Edition, NY, U.S.A
Instructions for the Oral Presentation and Written Assignment:
Working in a Team of 3-4, Howard Schultz has hired you as a consultant and asked you to critique the organisation’s strategy and make recommendations. In doing so, please address the (10) assignment questions below.
Assignment Questions:
1. What was Howard Schultz’s original strategic vision for Starbucks? Is his 2010 strategic vision for Starbucks different from the one he had in the 1980s? How many times has his strategic vision changed? Is his present strategic vision likely to undergo further evolution?
2. Has Starbuck’s strategy evolved as the strategic vision has evolved?
3. Which one of the five generic competitive strategies discussed in Chapter 5 most closely approximates the competitive approach that Starbucks is employing?
4. What are the key policies, practices, business principles, and procedures that underlie how Howard Schultz and Starbucks’ management have implemented and executed the company’s strategy?
5. What “values” does Starbucks have? How well do they connect to the strategy and to the manner in which the company conducts its business?
6. What is your evaluation of Starbucks social responsibility strategy? Is it sincere or just something the company does and talks about to create a good public image?
7. What is your assessment of Starbucks’ financial performance during fiscal years 2005-2009?
8. What is your evaluation of Howard Schultz’s transformation agenda for Starbucks during 2008-2010 (see pages C-362 and C-363)? Has Schultz done a good job since his return as Starbucks’