Douglas Fine Foods - 2008
Case Questions
1. Market
A. Clearly and specifically define this business as it now exists and its market in one clear and specific sentence. This must be a complete definition (customer, product/service, level in chain, and geographic area at a minimum).
B. Provide full support as to why this is the best definition. Address each part of the definition separately.
C. Fully analyze this market. For example, what is its growth rate, how large is it, approximately what is the company's share of the market, and then briefly note who are the major competitors (at least four or five) and what are their positions.
D. What does this theory recommend for the company? Explain.
2. Mission statement
A. Write a new mission statement for the company, using the information from the case as needed. It must be clear, complete, and concise and cannot be more than 75 words long. Make this specific to this company - no generic missions are acceptable.
B. Support the new mission statement fully by showing how it contains the four required components (customers, etc.). Address each component separately.
C. The class handout gives four major purposes of a mission statement (define, etc.). Support your new mission statement by showing how it meets each of the four purposes. Address each purpose separately.
3. Alternatives
A. Prepare three (3) specific, reasonable, and significantly different alternative strategies for this company. State each clearly, briefly, and in specific terms. No generic alternatives.
B. For each
alternative in A, list at least three specific advantages and three specific
disadvantages.
4. Recommendation:
A. What one major strategy should they pursue now? You must be specific (not generic) and support fully. Support for your choice being the most appropriate choice is critical. Use the following outline to answer this question. You must address all detail items within 3 & 4 fully.
1. State your recommended strategy.
2. Explain your strategy.
3. Support why your strategy is appropriate. (values, trends, mission, feasible)
4. Support why your strategy is the best strategy.(difference, succeed, competitors)
B. Clearly relate and justify your proposed strategy to each tool above.
1. Relate to the market analysis in #1D.
2. Relate to the mission you wrote in #2A.
3. Relate to your alternative analysis in #3B.
See FAQ for answers to frequently asked questions about this case.
- Q1 – 7/13/2011 -