Exam 4: Business-Level Strategy

A manufacturer of jewelry imitates the style of a popular and expensive brand using manufactured stones rather than real gemstones and lesser grade metals rather than silver and gold. The manufacturer packages the jewelry in boxes of the same color imprinted with an almost identical logo. About 85 percent of the company's sales are through Internet sales. This example illustrates the competitive risk of ____ that threatens companies that use the differentiation strategy.

TQM is most helpful to firms following the ____ business strategy.

Changing consumer needs is illustrated by Starbucks' allowing consumers to have an experience rather than just a cup of coffee and to design their own drinks.

Unlike a cost leadership and a differentiation strategy, both focus strategies are less dependent on the completion of various value chain and support activities in order to compete in a superior manner.

The value-creating activities associated with the cost leadership strategy and differentation strategy are the same.

Case Scenario : Walt Disney Company. Walt Disney Company is famed for its creativity, strong global brand, and uncanny ability to take service and experience businesses to higher levels. In the early 1990s, then-CEO Michael Eisner looked to the fast-food industry as a way to draw additional attention to the Disney presence outside of its theme parks - its retail chain was highly successful and growing rapidly. A fast-food restaurant made sense from Eisner's perspective since Disney's theme parks had already mastered rapid, high-volume food preparation, and, despite somewhat undistinguished food and high prices (or perhaps because of), all its in-park restaurants were extremely profitable. From this inspiration, Mickey's Kitchen was launched. The first two locations were opened in California and in a suburb of Chicago, adjacent to existing Disney stores. Menu items included healthy, child-oriented fare like Jumbo Dumbo burgers and even a meatless Mickey Burger. Eisner thought that locating each restaurant next to existing Disney stores was sure to increase foot traffic through both venues. Less than two years later Disney closed down the California and Chicago stores and shuttered further expansion plans. Eisner cited overwhelming competition from McDonalds and general oversaturation in the fast-food industry as the primary reasons for closing down the failing Mickey's Kitchen. -(Refer to the above Case Scenario) Why do you think that Mickey's Kitchen failed?

According to the Chapter 4 Opening Case, part of Starbuck's success in 2011 was the decision to

Case Scenario : Walt Disney Company. Walt Disney Company is famed for its creativity, strong global brand, and uncanny ability to take service and experience businesses to higher levels. In the early 1990s, then-CEO Michael Eisner looked to the fast-food industry as a way to draw additional attention to the Disney presence outside of its theme parks - its retail chain was highly successful and growing rapidly. A fast-food restaurant made sense from Eisner's perspective since Disney's theme parks had already mastered rapid, high-volume food preparation, and, despite somewhat undistinguished food and high prices (or perhaps because of), all its in-park restaurants were extremely profitable. From this inspiration, Mickey's Kitchen was launched. The first two locations were opened in California and in a suburb of Chicago, adjacent to existing Disney stores. Menu items included healthy, child-oriented fare like Jumbo Dumbo burgers and even a meatless Mickey Burger. Eisner thought that locating each restaurant next to existing Disney stores was sure to increase foot traffic through both venues. Less than two years later Disney closed down the California and Chicago stores and shuttered further expansion plans. Eisner cited overwhelming competition from McDonalds and general oversaturation in the fast-food industry as the primary reasons for closing down the failing Mickey's Kitchen. -(Refer to the above Case Scenario) Mickey's Kitchens was successful primarily because it was able to create a differentiated Disney experience that drew customers away from other fast-food restaurants such as McDonald's.

The hazard of getting "stuck in the middle" applies to firms using any business strategy.

Denver-based Kazoo Toys uses the __________ strategy to create value for parents and children interested in purchasing unique toys while simultaneously having access to unique services.

According to the Chapter 4 Strategic Focus, The Li Ning Company entered the Chinese sportswear market using a __________________ strategy. As it seeks to expand into new market segments, however, its strategy has changed to ____________________.

In the animal food products business, food-product needs of owners of companion animals pets (e.g., dogs and cats) differ from the needs for food and health-related products of those owning production animals (e.g., livestock). Which of the following aspects of managing customer relationships does this choice refer to?

Case Scenario : International Cow Packers. International Cow Packers (ICP) is a $12 billion meat processor (slaughter, processing, and packing). Founded in 1943, ICP has grown to become the largest beef and pork processor in the United States (revenues come 90% from beef and 10% from pork) and also has a growing export market to Japan. The company follows a focused cost-leadership strategy, delivering USDA-graded meats primarily to the institutional (schools, prisons, hospitals) and supermarket channels. ICP's entire value chain is organized to deliver volume product at the industry's lowest per-unit cost. Its supplier industries, primarily cattle and swine feedlots, have relatively little power since prices for these raw materials are determined in the commodity markets. While entry barriers to the industry are high due to high minimum start-up costs, industry rivalry is extremely intense - primarily due to the fact that three large companies (including ICP) control 80% of the market for processed meats. The threat of substitutes is high with an increasing trend for consumers to favor poultry and other non-beef proteins. Buyers are also powerful since supermarkets are relatively concentrated at a regional level and end-consumers have ample choices. -(Refer to the above Case Scenario) The supplier industries of International Cow Packers (ICP), primarily cattle and swine feedlots, are powerful because prices for these supplies are determined in the commodity markets.

A company pursuing the differentiation or focused differentiation strategy would tend to

A cost leadership strategy targets the industry's ____ customers.

Describe the additional risks undertaken by firms pursuing a focus strategy.

Which of the following is NOT a value-creating activity associated with the differentiation strategy?

Discuss how a cost leadership strategy can allow a firm to earn above-average returns in spite of strong competitive forces. Address each of the five competitive forces.

The best of the generic business strategies is the integrated cost leadership/differentiation strategy.

Essentially, there are only two basic competitive advantages: lower cost than rivals and the ability to differentiate.