1. Imagine yourself as the head of an SBU in a large corporation.

a. What are some of the ways in which the corporate headquarters could interfere in your running of the business, preventing you from accomplishing your strategic objectives?

b. What steps could you take to minimize that interference and establish a more supportive relationship between the corporation and the SBU?

2. What are some ways in which a primary care group practice of four or five physicians could differentiate what they offer to their customers/patients from the offerings of competing physician groups?

Who are the true "customers" of the group practicethe patients to whom it provides medical services or the health plans with whom it contracts to gain access to those patients?