Is Starbucks’ Mission (vision, goals, objectives) aligned with its strategies? In other words, can Starbucks continue its growth as a multi-billion dollar company, and yet maintain its entrepreneurial character?

Case Instructions:

Visit the Starbucks website, identify Starbucks’ mission statement, and analyze it.

Then read the following two articles about Starbucks, as well as conduct additional research. When you visit the Starbucks website, be sure to review the most recent Annual Reports under the “About Us/Investor Relations” sections of the site (these reports are important – they are essentially a company’s self-analyses).

Analyze Starbucks’ mission statement, as well as the company’s goals and objectives.

Identify and analyze Starbucks’ main stakeholders, and whether the company mission meets stakeholders’ goals.

Analyze how Starbucks’ strategies meet its mission, vision, and objectives.

Write a five page paper, answering the question above!

Required Articles:

Helm, B. (2007). Saving Starbuck’s Soul: Chairman Howard Schultz is on a mission to take the company back to its roots! Oh, yeah– he also wants to triple sales in five years. Business Week. New York: April 09, 2007, Issue 4029, p. 56

Rae, J. (2006), The Importance of Great Customer Experiences. Business Week. New York: November 27, 2006. Issue 4011, page 32

Helpful Hints

Business school case assignments are meant to offer practice opportunities for future business people, such as you, who are earning their MBA degrees. Therefore, case assignments should not be descriptive. Consider yourself a consultant hired to make these assessments.

There are no right or wrong answer to the Case question, as long as it is well-supported and argued.

Study in-depth Background Materials and identify main strategy concepts.

Recognize the concepts of mission/vision/goals, stakeholders, as well as the strategic process.

Apply strategy concepts to facts in the Case and your own research (such as the company’s website, etc.). Be sure you have the most current information!

Analyze the mission statement. Be very critical and do not let yourself be influenced by a company’s statements. Analyze the mission against the organization’s actual strategies.

Analyze how the company meets its major stakeholders’ goals.

Identify and appraise some of the strategic choices Starbucks has made (e.g., product differentiation, R&D, operations)

Compare their strategic choices to the mission statement, goals, and objectives.

Make a decision (yes or no), and critically defend it using arguments based upon your analysis of mission/vision and strategic choices.

Ensure that you apply strategic concepts to facts.

Use your analysis in order to defend your position.

Format!

Writing! This is a business report that you develop for the board of directors and shareholders if you were the CEO, or for the CEO if you were the consultant. This is a professional and objective document. Use Tips of Good Writing to structure your report. This is an important business skill to acquire.

Executive summary:

Starbucks’ mission/strategic choices/Do they align

Introduction:

Starbucks’ mission, summary of your analysis

Main Body: Sections (use titles/headings)

Mission Statement

Analysis

Your conclusion

Apply strategy concepts to facts about Starbucks
Conclusion: Summarize paper