Costco Wholesale in 2012: Mission, Business Model, and Strategy

Please complete an analysis based on the following questions. (10% of final mark)

1. What are the chief components of Costcos business model?

2. What are the chief elements of Costcos strategy?
3. Draw a representative five forces diagram for the North American wholesale club industry.
4. What is your assessment of the strength of competitive pressures stemming from rivalry
among Costco, Sams Club, and BJs Wholesale?
5. What is your assessment of the strength of competitive pressures stemming from the
threat of entry of new competitors into the North American wholesale club market?
6. What is your assessment of the strength of competitive pressures stemming from
substitutes for shopping at wholesale clubs?
7. What is your assessment of the strength of competitive pressures stemming from
suppliers to the three North Americabased wholesale club competitors?
8. What is your assessment of the strength of competitive pressures stemming from the
customers/members of the three North Americabased wholesale club competitors?
9. What is the collective strength of the five competitive forces facing the three North
Americabased wholesale clubs?

Panera Bread Company in 2012Pursuing Growth in a Weak Economy

Please complete an analysis based on the following questions. (10% of final mark)

1. What are the key success factors for a restaurant chain that operates in the fast-casual
segment of the restaurant industry?
2. What does a SWOT analysis reveal about the attractiveness of Panera Breads situation
and future prospects?
3. What are the primary components of Panera Breads value chain?
4. What are the chief elements of Panera Breads strategy?
5. Which one of the five generic competitive strategies discussed in Chapter 5 most closely
approximates the competitive approach that Panera Bread is employing?
6. What does the data in case Exhibit 1 reveal about Panera Breads financial performance?
7. What does the data in case Exhibit 2 reveal about Panera Breads operating
performance?
8. What does the data in case Exhibit 7 reveal about Panera Breads three business
segments?

Netflix in 2012: Can It Recover from Its Strategy Missteps?

Please complete an analysis based on the following questions. (10% of final mark)

1. What forces are driving change in the movie rental industry? Are the combined impacts of
these driving forces likely to be favorable or unfavorable in terms of their effects on
competitive intensity and future industry profitability?
2. What does your strategic group map of the movie rental industry in the United States look
like? How attractively is Netflix positioned on the map? Why?
3. What concerns do you have about Netflixs situation, given the financial data contained in
case Exhibits 2, 3, 6, and 7?
4. How does Netflixs competitive strength compare against that of Blockbuster and Amazon?
Do a weighted competitive strength assessment using the methodology presented in Table
4.4 in Chapter 4 to support your answer. Based on your assessment and calculations,
does Netflix have a net competitive advantage over Blockbuster and/or Amazon?

The Walt Disney Company: Its Diversification Strategy in 2012

Please complete an analysis based on the following questions. (10% of final mark)

1. What strategic issues and problems does top management at Walt Disney need to
address for the company to be more financially and competitively successful in the years
ahead?
2. What actions do you recommend that top management at Walt Disney take to deal with
each of these issues/problems? Your recommended actions must be supported with
convincing, analysis-based arguments.