1. What external and internal pressures did Mark Parker face when he assumed the leadership of Nike, and how did he respond to these challenges?
2. Strategic management is about formulating strategies that align an organization’s internal capabilities with external opportunities while avoiding or minimizing threats. How effective has Mark Parker been as a strategist so far?
3. Part of strategic management is accomplished via SWOT analysis. What is the evidence that the leadership at Nike is making use of this tool?
4. As revealed in the text, an effective strategist develops strategies that (1) enhance value to its customers, (2) create synergistic opportunities, and (3) build on the company’s core competencies. What evidence shows that Mark Parker is pursuing this course or shares this viewpoint?
5. According to the Big Five Model of Personality, what traits would Mark Parker consider critical for his managers to possess?
6. The interactions among power, politics, networking, and negotiation are a common occurrence in organizational life. CEOs have to deal with various stakeholders (shareholders, employees, board of directors, customers, suppliers, unions, government and state regulators, and so on). Describe how a CEO like Mark Parker would employ power, politics, networking, and negotiation as effective tools of leadership.
7. Communication, coaching, and conflict management are said to be skills that have a direct and significant impact on a leader’s career success. Given the weak market and financial position that Nike was in prior to Mark Parker’s appointment, how critical are these skills in his efforts to reposition the company and address its weaknesses?