STARBUCKS CASE ANALYSIS INSTRUCTIONS

You can use the questions given below as a guide for your Starbucks case analysis assignment. Please review them as soon as you can so that I can address the questions you might have during our next online meeting.

1. Explain how Starbucks's strategy evolved through different periods since its founding.

We define strategy in this course with the help of the following five elements: Arenas, Vehicles, Differentiators, Economic Logic, and Staging & Pacing. In other words, a firm's strategy is based on the decisions they make and the activities they put into place regarding each of these elements.

Your first task is to explain how Starbucks's strategy changed over time by identifying the changes in these elements. Be specific about time periods and what changed during those periods.

2. Analyze the strategy in each of the periods you identified by determining if the changes led to a better or worse strategic position for Starbucks.

In other words, given the changes in the various elements, was Starbucks better or worse off from a strategic perspective (i.e. did their competitive advantages improve or suffer?) Remember that all five elements need to be aligned (i.e., be congruent and coherent)that's how we determine whether a given strategy works (i.e., strategic decisions or activities should not be in conflict with one another or the competitive environment).

Feel free to apply any of the other strategic management tools/models you have learned about in this course. If a model or concept helps improve your analysis or strengthen your argument, then it is probably a good idea to use it.

Always explain the reasoning behind your conclusions.

DO NOT USE AI