BU 481 Strategic Management

Case Questions

Use the following questions to guide your thinking and analysis as you prepare a case
for class. The instructor may or may not ask these specific questions in class.

Case preparation questions for: “Tesla, Inc. – Industry Analysis”

1. Is the North American electric car industry a profitable industry?

2. After conducting a PEST analysis, are there any opportunities/red flags for companies
competing in the North American electric car industry?
3. What are the key success factors required for the electric car industry? Are they the same
or different from the traditional car industry?
4. How is Telsa positioned in the electric car industry as it is evolving?
5. Do you believe Tesla’s stock valuation, as one of the most valuable car companies, is
rational or is it over-hyped?

Case preparation questions for: “Porter Airlines”

1. What are Porter Airlines’ key competitive advantages?

2. How has Porter Airlines faired in the industry?
3. How is Porter Airlines competing? Detail its generic strategy.
4. What are the implications for adding additional international and domestic destinations?

Case Preparation questions for: Tony Hsieh at Zappos: Structure, Culture and Radical
Change

1. Would you want to work at a place like Zappos before the transition to Holacracy? How
about after? Why/why not?
2. Why do you think Tony Hsieh is making this change? Why is he doing it now?
3. What do you make of the fact that 14% of the employees took Hsieh up on his offer?
4. What do you think this process feels like as an employee?
5. How would you assess Tony Hsieh as a leader? As a boss?
6. What, if anything, should Tony do now?

Case preparation questions for: “Harlequin Enterprises Inc.: The Mira Decision
(Condensed)”

1. Who is Harlequin's series customer and what value does Harlequin's product create?
2. Where in its series value chain does Harlequin create unique value?
3. Series romance fiction is one of the most profitable areas of book publishing. Why is it so
difficult for competitors to imitate or replicate Harlequin's success?
4. How do the series business and the single-title business differ?
5. Can Harlequin be as successful/profitable in the single-title business as they are in the
series business? Why or why not?
6. What resources/capabilities does Harlequin bring to the single-title business?

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7. What would you recommend? (If you decide to enter the single-
title business please describe how.)
8. How sustainable is this model going forward?

Case preparation questions for: “Lincoln Electric Company”

1. Why has Lincoln Electric been so successful? Point specifically to contributory factors in
Lincoln’s environment, strategy, and organization. Of these, which do you believe has been
of greatest importance?
2. Is Lincoln a healthy and robust organization? Does Lincoln have a secure and sustainable
competitive position? Why/why not?
3. Describe and assess the firm’s organization from a strategic perspective.
a. What is the leadership style?
b. What is the organization’s structure?
c. What are the management processes?
i. Decision
ii. Management processes
iii. Incentive Systems
4. When Lincoln creates value (e.g.; increases productivity), how are the benefits distributed?
5. How well do you think Lincoln will fare in the next 15 years? What, if any, changes do you
think will be essential for a positive forecast?
6. Is this type of strategy possible today?

Case preparation questions for: “Cupcakes by Lizbeth”

1. How was CBL positioned in the market place?

2. Evaluate CBL’s current strategy.
3. List and discuss CBL’s strategic alternatives. Which strategy would you recommend; provide
support and justification for your choice.

Case preparation questions for: “Trader Joe’s”

1. How do firms in the supermarket industry make money? How profitable is this industry?
2. What are the key success factors for the US supermarket industry?
3. Is the strategy working?
4. What are the key sources of Trader Joe’s competitive advantage?
5. What are the main threats to Trader Joe’s competitive advantage? Is their advantage
sustainable?
6. Is the organization aligned with the strategy from a structure, management processes and
leadership behaviour perspective?
7. What options does Trader Joe’s have moving forward?

Case preparation questions for: “Ratios Tell a Story (2021)”

1. Use you understanding of financial ration, common sense, and intuition to match each
column in exhibit 1 to one of the listed industries. Please come to class prepared to explain
your rational behind the matches.

Case Preparation questions for: “The Walt Disney Company: The Entertainment King”

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1. Why has Disney been so successful for so long?
2. What did Michael Eisner do to rejuvenate Disney? Specifically, how did he increase net
income in his first four years?
3. What types of diversification has Disney management used over its history? Has it been
successful or unsuccessful?
4. What type of corporate structure should Disney adopt going forward? What should be its
corporate focus?

Case preparation question for: “The LEGO Group: Building Strategy”

1. Identify the key issues facing the company.

2. Complete an external analysis of the industry and industry environment for the global toy
industry at the time of the case. Is it an attractive industry to be in?
3. Complete a thorough strategic analysis of the existing internal strategy of LEGO including
but not limited to a financial analysis of the company. Is the strategy working and
sustainable?
4. Examine three (3) possible options for the company based on your analysis and make and
justify a recommendation.
5. Please document in detail the implementation plan supporting your recommendation.

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