Business Strategy SCS00974     Case Analysis (worth 20% of course mark): Case 29 – Starbucks (due Monday Dec 7th, 2020 at 11:59 PM EST) You should NOT DO ANY external research and ONLY USE information that is provided in the case

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Business Strategy SCS00974    

Case Analysis (worth 20% of course mark): Case 29 – Starbucks (due Monday Dec 7^th, 2020 at 11:59 PM EST)

You should NOT DO ANY external research and ONLY USE information that is provided in the case.  To put it another way, if you only completed the assignment based on the background provided from the textbook, that would be what is expected.

For more information on case analysis, see the documents posted on Blackboard under the Course Documents section.

Assignment Question  

Kevin Johnson, Starbucks’ CEO, has hired you as a consultant and asked you to do three things: 

1. Critique the company’s present strategy, 
2. Identify the strategic issues and problems confronting the company as of mid-2018
3. Recommend what actions he should take to make sure that Starbucks stays on a path of sustained growth and strong financial performance.

Prepare a ten-page report that outlines the actions that you would recommend to Starbucks Company’s Board to improve the company and increase shareholder value.

Report format

Main report: Approximately 10 pages, double-spaced.

Appendices: Maximum 10 pages. To be used as supporting material for the main report. Free form (but legible). 

The report will be graded upon the following: 

The assignment is to be submitted via the Quercus online portal. Portal will be available one week before the submission ate.  

Case is due on Monday Dec 7^th, 2020 at 11:59 PM EST (Toronto time).

Each day the assignment is submitted late, a 5% penalty will be applied to the case study mark.  

Last day to submit the assignment will be one later on Monday Dec 14^th, 2020 at 11:59 PM EST (Toronto time).

This is an independent assignment – group work is not permitted and will not be graded.

Assignment Tips

Your analysis should include an examination of the industry’s dominant economic characteristics, the driving forces impacting the industry, and the industry’s key success factors. In addition, your analysis should include an assessment and identification of the company’s current strategy, an examination of its recent financial performance, and a SWOT analysis. Your recommendations should clearly identify a specific course of action that Starbucks should pursue and be well supported with arguments and justifications from your analyses. 

Consider your audience - you are presenting to the CEO of Starbucks.  He is familiar with the company’s vision, mission statement, history, etc.  You only have 10 pages - make sure you include information that will be relevant to them and will enable them to make a decision after reading your report.  This is an executive audience that will be looking for concise and well organized arguments, not tables of data or a restatement of history.

Some of the information that students may want to investigate regarding the case are: 

• S.W.O.T. and/or PESTEL analysis for the company 
• Strategic group map for the company Competitive analysis 
• Industry analysis Short term plan/longer-medium term plan 
• Human resource plan (if applicable) 
• Detailed Financials (current and go forward) 
• Implementation
• Organizational culture impacts 

Examples of questions that I would expect students to think about…. 

o What does a 9-cell industry attractiveness / business strength matrix show  o How well is the existing strategy working?  o What issues should the Starbucks be concerned about? Which should have the highest priority? 

Identification of problem(s)       10% 

Do you clearly and explicitly articulate that issue(s) that face Starbucks?

Analysis of identified problem  40% 

What information from the case supports your problem identification?  You will have a lot of data from the case - I'm not looking you to restate all the details - pick the points that are relevant from the SWOT, PESTEL, etc. that help build your argument and your recommendation.  At the end of the day – it is about the story you want to tell me.

Recommendations and Expected Outcome         40% 

What should Starbucks do, and why? What are the implications if they do/do not carry out the recommendations?

Structure and Quality of report               10% 

Proper formatting, paragraphs, sentences vs. point form.  Clear flow and messaging.

very important note :

You should NOT DO ANY external research and ONLY USE information that is provided in the case.To put it another way, if you only completed the assignment based on the background provided from the textbook, that would be what is expected.

For more information on case analysis, see the documents posted on Blackboard under the Course Documents section.