CASE DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

Robin Hood
1. What are the characteristics of the Band of Merry Men (BMM) as an organization? 
2. What is the issue facing Robin?
4. What should Robin don now? Be specific.                     

Pearce Company
1.  What changes have occurred in the Pearce Company lately?
2.  What do the dotted lines signify ?
3.  What should Ross do first after being named plant manager?

Costco Wholesale Corp.
1. How would you describe Costco's strategy?
2. What core business values are stressed at Costco?
2. How effective is the strategy? How well is the firm performing financially?
3. Do you think Jim Sinegal is an effective CEO? Explain.

Competition in the Bottled Water Industry
1. Define the industry?
2. Who are the major players?
3. How competitive is the industry? (Hint use Porters five forces)

Watt, Inc.
1. Complete the DuPont chart for current year.
2. How healthy is the firm? (complete ratio analysis table)
3. What is the firm's cash flow from operations? (complete strategic funds programming chart through cash flow)
4. Which option should the firm undertake? A,B, or C? Explain.

Panera Bread
1. How would you characterize the firm's environment? Be specific?
2. Describe and assess PB's strategy.
3. Based on the answers to the above two questions, what would your answer be to the case question of attainability of  
     Panera’s goals?
4. What suggestions would you make to top management for enhancing its goal attainability?

Coach, Inc.
1. What are the defining characteristics of the luxury goods industry?
2. How is the industry changing and what are the factors for success?
3. What is Coach's strategy for competing in the leather accessories market?
4. What are the firm's key strengths & weaknesses?
5. Has the firm gained a competitive advantage? explain in part using the financial performance
6. What should Lew Frankfort do moving forward? Be specific.

Dell, Inc.
1. Describe Dell's strategy?
2. What are the firm's key sources of competitive advantage?
3. What environmental threats/opportunities does the firm face from its macro environment? Its industry?
4. Assess the firm's performance, does it have a competitive advantage?
5. What strategic moves would you recommend that the firm take to insure long term performance? Be specific.

Spectrum Brands
1. Was globalizing a good move for Spectrum? explain.
2. What generic corporate level strategy is Spectrum pursuing?
2. Has Spectrum  diversified into attractive industries? Explain using selected industry criteria.
3. How would you assess the performance and strength of Spectrum's business units?
4. What strategic moves would you recommend that Jones take to restore profitabilty
     and insure long term performance? Be specific.

Tapco International
1. Why has Tapco recently undergone restructuring?
2. What role does the UK subsidiary play for the company?
3. What  is the purpose of the meeting called by Bob Phillips in New York?
4. What would you say at the meeting if you were Harold Dickenson?

IKEA Invades America
1. How would you describe the firm's strategy? What generic international strategy is the firm pursuing?
2. What opportunities/threats exist for the firm in the USA? How do these differ from its European markets?
3. Does the firm appear to have a competitive advantage?
4. Develop an action plan for the firm that will take it through the next five years? Identify major strategic moves?

Mills Corporation
1. What is the issue facing the company?
2. What should Mr. Goodman do to make the company more competitive?

Skoda Auto
1. Identify the challenges and opportunities faced by companies in theCzech Republic as
    they have moved from being nationalized to privatized companies.
2.Use “Five Forces Model” to explain the global automobile market in which Skoda is now forced to compete.
3. What are the firm's major strenghts & weakenesses? Explain.
4. Has thr firm developed a competitive advantage? do the numbers bear this out?
5.   Identify the appropriate market strategies for Skoda to compete in the global car manufacturing industry.

PepsiCo, 2007
1. What generic corporate level and business level strategy is PepsiCo pursuing?
2. Evaluate PepsiCo's domestic portfolio? its international portfolio?
3. What are the actual cashflows of each segment? are they consistent with the portfolios?
4. What would you recommend PepsiCo do with its businesses?

Home Page  [Course Schedule] [CAPSTONE] [ Case questions] [ Lecture Slides] [Policies & Grades]  [Contact Info]    [Text & Materials][CAPSTONE] [ Case questions] [ Lecture Slides] [Policies & Grades]  [Contact Info]    [Text & Materials]

This page was last updated on 04/07/09