Starbucks continues to be an interesting case study as the company continues to compete for business in a highly competitive market. Several years ago, Chairman, Howard Schultz, had planned to grow earnings considerably. With that said, Starbucks has continued to grow and innovate, and has recently posted record earnings!
Case Assignment Expectations
1. Conduct a SWOT analysis of Starbucks – that is discuss the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and strengths of Starbucks today.
2. Based on your SWOT analysis, make some specific recommendations for Starbucks that they can use to remain competitive and profitable.
Required Readings
Here are some recent articles on Starbucks. The NY Times web page provides links to additional, recent Starbucks related articles.
Anonymous, (2013). Starbucks Corporation. NY Times. Retrieved from: http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/business/companies/starbucks_corporation/index.html
Anonymous, (2013). Strong Earnings From Procter & Gamble and Starbucks Help Propel S&P 500 Index to 5-Year High. Yahoo Finance. Retrieved from: http://finance.yahoo.com/news/strong-earnings-procter-gamble-starbucks-132000921.html
Berfield, S., (2012). Starbucks’ food fight. Bloomberg Businessweek. Retrieved from: http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2012-06-12/starbucks-food-fight
Here are some older readings on Starbucks from several years ago. They may help to provide some historical context in formulating your discussion from a strategy perspective.
Helm, B. (2007). Saving Starbuck’s Soul: Chairman Howard Schultz is on a mission to take the company back to its roots! Oh, yeah– he also wants to triple sales in five years. Business Week. New York: April 09, 2007, Issue 4029, p. 56. Retrieved from: http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/07_15/b4029070.htm
Steverman, B. (2009). Is a Turnaround Brewing for Starbucks?. Business Week (Online) New York: Jul 22, 2009, retrieved at 07/20/2010 from: http://www.businessweek.com/investor/content/jul2009/pi20090722_611028.htm
ALSO… don’t forget to check out Starbucks’ web site at www.starbucks.com
Optional Readings
McRoskey, R. (2008). Starbucks: Big Investors’ Divorce Grounds. Business Week. New York: August19, 2008. Retrieved at 07/20/2010, from: http://www.businessweek.com/investor/content/aug2008/pi20080818_372022.htm
Helpful Hints:
• Please first read in-depth the Background Materials.
• Read both articles
• Analyze the current situation using the SWOT framework.
1. Environment such as economy trends overall industry
2. Competition (other players and newcomers)
3. Strengths (company strength such as customer base, brand etc)
4.Weaknesses (premium pricing, saturation, etc)
• Given the environment (threats and opportunities) and company (strengths and weaknesses) can S reach 23 B?
• Make the decision of Yes or No based on results of your analysis.
• Identify facts in the case that match concepts of strategic planning (vision, goals, strategies) and relate them.
• Apply these concepts to facts in the case in order to develop your arguments.
• Format: Introduction; Main Body: SWOT (each item a separate section), Discussion (Yes and how; or No and why); Conclusions
Format
In order to develop good business communication skills, it is recommended you write papers using the following structure, using headlines and titles.
Introduction (road map, explain main issue and list and main points)
Main Body: Develop each point in the Introduction, applying theory to facts, in subsections (one subsection per main point).
In this case, there are 5 subsections: 1 per each SWOT factors and 1 for the discussion following the SWOT analysis!
Conclusions: Summarize main paper points
List of references.
Citing your Sources:
APA Style
