1. Using no more than 250 words, elaborate on how the leadership role of senior executives shapes the trajectory of a business enterprise. Which function within this leadership capacity do you perceive as the most pivotal, and can you articulate the reasons for this perspective?

2. (No more than 500 words)

Kindly review the provided news article featuring Starbucks and its global expansion. Use your understanding to respond to the following two questions:

(1) With reference to the chapter's discussion on three driving forces for global proliferation, which force would you say most accurately encapsulates Starbucks' expansion decisions? (5 points)

(2) Can you identify and elaborate examples for each of the general environment sectors as they apply to Starbucks, based on the information from the news article? (6 points)

News Article

Starbucks will open more than 400 stores across Asia Pacific in 2023, marking its biggest expansion in the region in five years.

The coffee chain plans to add the new outlets in India, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Laos and the Philippines, where it aims to expand beyond major cities. It will open one outlet in Laos, a Southeast Asian market the company only entered last year, it said in a statement Thursday.

The move is intended to seize on Asia's reopening as it continues to bounce back from the Covid-19 crisis, according to Michael Conway, Starbucks' president of international and channel development.

"We are seeing headwinds shifting to tailwinds across markets around the world, including the Asia Pacific region, and continued recovery coming out of the pandemic," he said in the statement.

"The Asia Pacific region will continue to be a key growth driver for Starbucks globally and we remain optimistic of its long-term growth and opportunities, underpinned by a growing middle class and rising coffee consumption."

Asia Pacific, which Starbucksmanages separately to its business in mainland China and Japan, is one of the beverage giant's biggest growth opportunities.

3. (No more than 400 words) Elucidate how the dynamic of variation, selection, and retention can foster innovation within a corporate entity (4 points), using recent examples from the corporate landscape (4 points). Furthermore, what might be the possible implications of this process for management practices (3 points)?