Michael J. Kemper Case Questions

Lufthansa (Case #18)

1. Evaluate the general environment (demographic, economic, political/legal, sociocultural, technological, global) of Lufthansa using the framework in Chapter 2. What are the key opportunities and threats in each of these areas facing Lufthansa?

2. Use Porter's Five Forces Model to analyze the global airline industry. Identify each force as strong, moderate, or weak. Given your analysis, is the industry attractive or unattractive?

3. Evaluate Lufthansa's tangible and intangible resources. (Use Tables 3.2 and 3.3 in Chapter 3 to do your evaluation.) Which are more important as a source of competitive advantage? Why?

4. Does Lufthansa have a sustainable competitive advantage in the global airline industry? (Hint: Apply the four criteria for competitive advantage given in Chapter 3, specifically, Tables 3.4 and 3.5.)

5. Perform a SWOT Analysis on Lufthansa Airlines

6. What is Lufthansa's business-level strategy? Defend your answer. Is the strategy appropriate to offset the forces in the industry? Do you recommend any changes?

Humana Inc. (Case #15)

7. Which of the general environment segments are most relevant to Humana? What are the main opportunities and threats affecting the company?

8. Apply Porter's Five Forces Model of Competition to the Accident and Health Insurance and Medical Service Plans industry. Is this an attractive industry in which to compete?

9. What factors are critical to the success of Humana (key success factors)?

10. What are Humana's tangible and intangible resources? Which of these will be critical in developing capabilities and core competencies?

11. Perform a SWOT Analysis on Humana.

12. What are Humana's strategic options to achieve their goal of becoming the nation's leading internet-enabled, customer-focused health services company?

Wal-Mart (Case 29)

13. Evaluate the general environment of Wal-Mart using the framework in Chapter 2. What are the key opportunities and threats facing Wal-Mart?

14. Use Porter's Five Forces Model to analyze the global retailing industry. Given this analysis, is the industry attractive or unattractive?

15. Who are the main competitors of Wal-Mart and how does Wal-Mart measure up against these competitors? (Consider future objectives, current strategy, assumptions, and strengths and weaknesses.

16. Evaluate Wal-Mart's tangible and intangible resources. Which are more important as a source of competitive advantage? Why?

17. Apply the value chain model to Wal-Mart. Based on this model, in which activities does Wal-Mart have its main competencies?

18. Does Wal-Mart have a sustainable competitive advantage in the global retailing industry? (To answer this question, you should apply Table 3.4 (The Four Criteria for Sustainable Competitive Advantage). Then give me a clear conclusion about each criterion (yes or no) and then interpret your analysis.)

19. Perform a SWOT Analysis on Wal-Mart.

20. What is Wal-Mart's business-level strategy? Is the strategy appropriate to offset the forces in the industry? Do you recommend any changes? (In answering this question, students you should refer to Michael Porter's framework in Chapter 4, especially Figure 4.1.) What is the international-level strategy being pursued by Wal-Mart? What entry strategies are being used?

Whole Foods (Case 30)

21. Which of the general environment segments are most relevant to Whole Foods Market? What are the main opportunities and threats affecting the company?

22. Apply Porter's Five Forces Model of Competition to the natural and organic foods industry. Is this an attractive industry in which to compete?

23. What are Whole Foods Market's tangible and intangible resources? Which of these will be critical in developing capabilities and core competencies?

24. Perform a SWOT Analysis on Whole Foods.

25. How should Whole Foods Market deal with anticipated shortages of natural and organic products in the future? How will mainstream acceptance of natural and organic products affect Whole Foods Market? To what extent should Whole Foods Market pursue international expansion?

Tata Steel (Case 26)

26. Which of the general environment segments are most relevant to Tata Steel? What are the main opportunities and threats affecting the company?

27. Apply Porter's Five Forces Model of Competition to the global steel industry. Is this an attractive industry in which to compete?

28. What are Tata Steel's tangible and intangible resources? Which of these will be critical in developing capabilities and core competencies?

29. Perform a SWOT analysis on Tata Steel.

30. How can social giving be considered enlightened self-interest? What has driven Muthuraman to reexamine the vision for Tata Steel? Are the two pillars of Tata Steel's vision contradictory? What are the benefits of Tata's strong brand equity in India and in the global marketplace?


	*Strategic Management and Organizational Policy*
	*Management 499*
	*Case Questions*
Syllabus	Printable Link Lufthansa (Case #18) 1. Evaluate the general environment (demographic, economic, political/legal, sociocultural, technological, global) of Lufthansa using the framework in Chapter 2. What are the key opportunities and threats in each of these areas facing Lufthansa? 2. Use Porter's Five Forces Model to analyze the global airline industry. Identify each force as strong, moderate, or weak. Given your analysis, is the industry attractive or unattractive? 3. Evaluate Lufthansa's tangible and intangible resources. (Use Tables 3.2 and 3.3 in Chapter 3 to do your evaluation.) Which are more important as a source of competitive advantage? Why? 4. Does Lufthansa have a sustainable competitive advantage in the global airline industry? (Hint: Apply the four criteria for competitive advantage given in Chapter 3, specifically, Tables 3.4 and 3.5.) 5. Perform a SWOT Analysis on Lufthansa Airlines 6. What is Lufthansa's business-level strategy? Defend your answer. Is the strategy appropriate to offset the forces in the industry? Do you recommend any changes? Humana Inc. (Case #15) 7. Which of the general environment segments are most relevant to Humana? What are the main opportunities and threats affecting the company? 8. Apply Porter's Five Forces Model of Competition to the Accident and Health Insurance and Medical Service Plans industry. Is this an attractive industry in which to compete? 9. What factors are critical to the success of Humana (key success factors)? 10. What are Humana's tangible and intangible resources? Which of these will be critical in developing capabilities and core competencies? 11. Perform a SWOT Analysis on Humana. 12. What are Humana's strategic options to achieve their goal of becoming the nation's leading internet-enabled, customer-focused health services company? Wal-Mart (Case 29) 13. Evaluate the general environment of Wal-Mart using the framework in Chapter 2. What are the key opportunities and threats facing Wal-Mart? 14. Use Porter's Five Forces Model to analyze the global retailing industry. Given this analysis, is the industry attractive or unattractive? 15. Who are the main competitors of Wal-Mart and how does Wal-Mart measure up against these competitors? (Consider future objectives, current strategy, assumptions, and strengths and weaknesses. 16. Evaluate Wal-Mart's tangible and intangible resources. Which are more important as a source of competitive advantage? Why? 17. Apply the value chain model to Wal-Mart. Based on this model, in which activities does Wal-Mart have its main competencies? 18. Does Wal-Mart have a sustainable competitive advantage in the global retailing industry? (To answer this question, you should apply Table 3.4 (The Four Criteria for Sustainable Competitive Advantage). Then give me a clear conclusion about each criterion (yes or no) and then interpret your analysis.) 19. Perform a SWOT Analysis on Wal-Mart. 20. What is Wal-Mart's business-level strategy? Is the strategy appropriate to offset the forces in the industry? Do you recommend any changes? (In answering this question, students you should refer to Michael Porter's framework in Chapter 4, especially Figure 4.1.) What is the international-level strategy being pursued by Wal-Mart? What entry strategies are being used? Whole Foods (Case 30) 21. Which of the general environment segments are most relevant to Whole Foods Market? What are the main opportunities and threats affecting the company? 22. Apply Porter's Five Forces Model of Competition to the natural and organic foods industry. Is this an attractive industry in which to compete? 23. What are Whole Foods Market's tangible and intangible resources? Which of these will be critical in developing capabilities and core competencies? 24. Perform a SWOT Analysis on Whole Foods. 25. How should Whole Foods Market deal with anticipated shortages of natural and organic products in the future? How will mainstream acceptance of natural and organic products affect Whole Foods Market? To what extent should Whole Foods Market pursue international expansion? Tata Steel (Case 26) 26. Which of the general environment segments are most relevant to Tata Steel? What are the main opportunities and threats affecting the company? 27. Apply Porter's Five Forces Model of Competition to the global steel industry. Is this an attractive industry in which to compete? 28. What are Tata Steel's tangible and intangible resources? Which of these will be critical in developing capabilities and core competencies? 29. Perform a SWOT analysis on Tata Steel. 30. How can social giving be considered enlightened self-interest? What has driven Muthuraman to reexamine the vision for Tata Steel? Are the two pillars of Tata Steel's vision contradictory? What are the benefits of Tata's strong brand equity in India and in the global marketplace? .

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