Scenario/case study for Whitbread PLC .WRITING YOUR ASSIGNMENT:
• The Harvard Referencing System must be used.
• Your work must indicate the number of words you have used.
• You must number all pages.
• This should be a business rapport with a content page and executive summery before the introduction.

Scenario :

You have just been appointed to the role of senior consultant within the area of Business Development for one of the UK’s leading FT 500 companies, Whitbread plc. Whitbread plc has a diversified portfolio of businesses, from food, to accommodation and coffee, serving twenty five million customers per month. Its coffee brand, Costa is the UK’s largest chain and its hotel brand, Premier Inn is the largest budget hotel chain in the country.

Whilst based firmly in the UK, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Mr. Andy Harrison is very keen to capture the high growth potential of newly emerging markets. Senior Management feel that the UK market is somewhat nearing saturation point in terms of market expansion and are mindful to maintain existing high growth rates to keep shareholders satisfied. Whitbread plc has already successfully entered the Chinese market with over 350 coffee outlets and are keen on expanding this successful formula abroad for both its coffee and hotel businesses
The key geographic regions of the world they are keen to expand are:
Central and Eastern Europe.
You have been directed to select 3 COUNTRIES- Czech Republic, Poland and Romania of that geographic region for analysis.
The Director of Business Development has asked you to prepare a business report on the selected geographic region together with an assessment of the existing levels of competition.
You must analyse the company’s general and competitive environments and put forward key recommendations as to Whitbread’s international expansion. The overall strategic goal being to achieve long term growth opportunities for Whitbread.

Assignment Tasks:

1. Corporate Governance and Organisational Structure.
Backed up by relevant theory, briefly examine how Whitbread Plc is governed and what type of organisational structure is adopted.
2. General External Environment
Conduct a PEST analysis on the 3 countries you have chosen, examining how these factors may affect Whitbread Plc if they choose to enter this market.
3. Competitive Environment
Choosing either the coffee or the hotel business examine and evaluate the level of competitive rivalry and the threat from substitute products. (There is no need to conduct Porter’s 5 forces analysis)
4. Conclusions and Recommendations
Draw conclusions as to the issues that you have analysed and put forward key recommendations as to how Whitbread should proceed in the future in terms of their international expansion.