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Starbucks case study strategic management
Starbucks case study strategic management
How the success of an organisation depends greatly on its culture
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Global Markets: Starbucking the System Throughout the global market place, countless examples of success and failure exist, but rarely can one turn to a single entity that demonstrates not only success and failure, but also a phoenix-like return to greatness from the ashes of its own demise. Starbucks offers the world that precise opportunity, an examination which reveals the guiding principles that formed the basis of the company’s high and low points over the last several decades. The clear contrast between those principles offers a compelling tale that clearly illustrates Starbuck’s success is the direct result of its organizational culture, effective management decisions, a key core-competency of its managers, and perhaps most importantly, the impact of the company’s chief executive officer, Howard Schultz (Ostdick, 2011). Building an Organizational Culture that Contributes to Global Success As with most organizations, the culture in which the employees operate forms the basis of the behavior generally exhibited by the overall workforce. For Starbucks, creating a culture that inspires its workforce to focus on customer satisfaction differentiates itself from merely a coffee house offering a product to a service-based shop in which the customers’ satisfaction is based on far more than the quality of the product itself. To achieve this culture, however, Starbucks could not simply place a greater emphasis on the customer, as doing so could create a climate in which employees feel underappreciated and in so doing could ultimately risk the potential that the employees will be unable or unwilling to carry-out the company’s desire to achieve customer satisfaction. Instead, Starbucks’ management places its trust in its employees... ... middle of paper ... ...stdick, J. H. (2011, March 6). Rekindling the heart & soul of starbucks. Retrieved from http://www.success.com/mobile/article/rekindling-the-heart-soul-of-starbucks Saporito, T. J. (2013, February). Ten key dimensions of effective ceo succession. Retrieved from http://iveybusinessjournal.com/topics/the-organization/ten-key-dimensions-of-effective-ceo-succession Solomon, M. (2014, January 29). The 'future former employee' test of corporate culture: Consulting your inner starbucks. Retrieved from http://www.forbes.com/sites/micahsolomon/2014/01/29/would-your-corporate-culture-pass-the-future-former-employee-test-are-you-target-or-starbucks-walmart-or-costco/ Stoessel, E. (2013, May 23). Schultz inspires with story of starbucks' rise, fall and revival. Retrieved from http://restaurant-hospitality.com/trends/schultz-inspires-story-starbucks-rise-fall-and-revival?page=1
Starbuck’s, Nordstrom, Boeing, Costco and Wal-Mart have all been chosenas Fortune Magazine “USA 100 Best Companies to Work For” Starbuck’s, Nordstrom, Boeing, Costco and Wal-Mart are leaders in their industry and have been doing business successfully. During the research on their Human Resource Management (HRM), I can see their successes are firmly related to their effective and efficient HRM strategies. There are many factors in common among these five companies’ HRM strategies: devotion to employees’ benefits, employee training, a diversified work environment, promotions and rewards system, friendly and healthy workplace and outsourcing opportunities, Starbuck’s business has been boosting year by year. For many people that have had Starbuck’s coffee, they may notice that Starbuck’s customer service is outstanding. Every customer is treated like a VIP and with high quality service.
The research mainly looks at Kimpton hotels and restaurants’ corporate culture, trying to draw a big picture of what it is like to work for this company: How does this company manage its employees? What are the distinct traits of Kimpton’s corporate culture? and similar questions… This can be a useful source for college students and graduates who are passionate about service and hospitality industry because information is provided from a job-seeker’s viewpoint. All the information that a future Kimpton employee needs to know beforehand is delivered in a clear and organized manner.
In 2002, unexpected findings of a market research showed problems regarding customer satisfaction and brand meaning for Starbucks customers. The situation was unacceptable for a company whose overall objective is to build the most recognized and respected brand in the world. Starbucks was supposed to represent a new and different place where any man would relax and enjoy quality time, alone or with others. But the market research showed that in the mind of the consumers, Starbucks brand is viewed as corporative, trying to expand endlessly and looking to make lots of money. This huge gap between customers' perception and Starbucks' values and goals called for immediate action.
Founded in 1971 at Seattle’s Pike Place Market, Starbucks Coffee, Tea and Spices, as it was originally called, has been “brewing-up” its famous blends in over 43 countries, including the United States. Now called Starbucks Coffee Company, business isn’t just about the coffee and tea anymore. Starbucks has its own line of bottled water, handcrafted beverages, fresh food, entertainment, merchandise and a Starbucks Card. The company has received numerous awards for their outstanding business practices. Fortune Magazine has ranked them as one of “The Best 100 Companies to Work For” in 1998, 2000, 2002, and 2008 (Starbucks, 2008). The Starbucks Experience provides consumers and the general public a direct line a of business communication. From friendly baristas to press releases from CEO Howard Schultz, Starbucks keeps its “partners” informed.
Starbucks not only shapes a defined importance on its product, the coffee, but also the relationships on its partners, its customers and its shareholders to create diversity, “to create a place where each of us can be ourselves” (Starbucks Coffee), to treat all related partners with dignity and respect at the greatest corporate level. In this sense, Starbucks involves its customers, its neighbors and is shareholders to participate in the community to “be a force for positive action—bringing together [its] partners, customers, and the community to contribute every day (Starbucks Coffee).
Schultz, Howard, and Joanne Gordon. Onward: How Starbucks Fought for Its Life Without Losing Its Soul. New York: Rodale, 2011. N. pag. Print.
Howard Shultz and the senior management at Starbucks have to decide how to react to the opportunities that are being made available because of their rapid growth. The decision for a strategic growth plan has to be made in the near future. This will prove to be key for Starbucks reaching their long-term goal of becoming the most recognized and respected brand of coffee in the world.
Starbucks began its retention plan by analyzing their employees’ needs. The analysis drew variables of importance, such as positive culture, employee development, and benefits. As a result of the analysis, Starbucks CEO, Howard Schultz, came up with a plan to start a long-term retention program in his company. Mr. Schultz made sure that “he made it a point to put himself at the top of a respect pyramid in which he would be sure to be kind to everyone in the company with whom he interacted, with them passing on the respectful treatment, right down to the pyramid’s base”(“How Starbucks retains its employees”). The company also set up an online portal for employee development. Starbucks also launched a program to help its employees to achieve a college education. This educational program sends employees to Arizona State’s online program, providing juniors with free tuition and sophomores with financial aid. As a result of this initiative, Forbes (2015) has named Starbucks as one of “America’s Best
In the text, Organizational Behavior, Stephen P. Robbins defines organizational culture as, "a system of shared meaning held by members that distinguishes the organization from other organizations" (2005). Starbucks has a very strong organizational culture and strives to maintain it.
Schultz continually sees opportunity and the ability for growth, with an increase in locations across the globe every year and the ability to keep up with the latest in technology (websites, online shopping, a Starbucks application with the ability to pay and reload loyalty cards on your smart phone), etc. It is pretty safe to say that Schultz exhibits numerous leadership traits and skills that Gary Yukl, Professor of Management and Psychology at the University at Albany (State University of New York) believes are associated with effective leaders. Schultz has been adaptable throughout the years that he has been with Starbucks, you can see this in the way he has changed Starbucks’ food items to create better quality items, his ability to keep up with technology with the Starbucks application for smart phone users, and his expansion with taking Starbucks locations globally. Starbucks takes their partners very seriously, as well as their well-being.
One of the main problems that Starbucks is facing at the present time is the ability to maintain national competitive advantage (Monash South Africa, 2014). Due to their local demand conditions, Starbucks tries to satisfy all customers by trying “to inspire and nurture the human spirit – one person, one cup and one neighborhood at a time” (Starbucks Corporation, 2014). Local demand conditons consist of a company trying satisfy needs of their closest customers and expanding their competitive advantage by upgrading their strategic management policies (Monash South Africa, 2014).
Starbucks is a worldwide company, known for is delicious brews of coffee and seasonal varieties of tasty drinks for any occasion. Starbucks opened with two main goals, sharing great coffee with friends and to help make the world a little better. It originated in the historic Pike Place Market of Seattle, Washington in 1971 by Jerry Baldwin, Zev Siegl and Gordon Bowker. The creation of Starbucks’ name came from the seafaring tradition of early coffee traders and the romance evoked from Moby Dick. At the time, this individual shop specialized in the towering quality of coffee over competitors and other brewing services enabling its growth to becoming the largest coffee chain in Washington with numerous locations. In the early 1980s, the current CEO Schultz saw an opportunity for growth in the niche market. After a trip to Italy he brought back the idea of a café style environment of leisure and social meetings to the United States we now see in Starbucks locations today. Schultz ultimately left Starbucks to open his own coffee shop, Il Giornale which turned out to be a tremendous success. Fast forward a year later, Schultz got wind that Starbucks was going to sell all their components of Starbucks including their stores and factories, he immediately acquired the funds to buy Starbucks and linked both operations. Within five years he was able to open more than 125 stores starting in New England, Boston, Chicago, and gradually entered California. He wanted Starbucks to be a franchise system based on the mission of telling the truth and emphasize the quality,
Howard Schultz wants to start a company his father had failed to work in. In the company, everyone will get the respect and attention, no matter where you come from, what color is your skin, and what your education level is. According to Maslow’s theory of needs, esteem need and self-actualization can be satisfied here. Schultz used the treatment to attract and retain people who have the same values with Starbucks. The inspirational motivation, mutual trust and individualized concern for employees make him a transformational
In addition to being best-known supplier of the finest coffee and promising only the highest quality products, Starbucks emphasizes firm values, provides guidelines to enhance employee self-esteem. This is to ensure continued customer satisfaction. Moreover, diversity has become a priority to providing an inviting environment to all consumers. Starbucks continues to abide by a strict, slow growth policy in which they set out to dominate a market before moving on to expand, thus history has shown this strategy to be successful for Starbucks, making them one the fastest growing companies nationwide.
Preliminary Starbucks – one of the fastest growing companies in the US and in the world - has built its position on the market by connecting with its customers, and creating a “third place” beside home and work, where people can relax and enjoy themselves. It was the motto of Starbucks’ owner Howard Schultz and, mostly thanks to his philosophy, the company has become the biggest coffee drink retailer in the world. However, within the new customer satisfaction report, there are shown some concerns, that the company has lost the connection with customers and it must be taken some steps to help Starbucks to go back on the right path regarding customer satisfaction. I will briefly summarize and examine issues facing Starbucks. Starting from there, I will pick the most important issue and study it from different positions.