Description

Individual Assignment 05 Discussion Questions on Chapter 12 (50 pts):

Presentation on Module 09 and 10 Instructional Materials, the Ivey Case San Francisco Coffee House Franchise in Croatia, and the HBS case Kentucky Fried Chicken

1.       Over the past decade, the landscape of the international business environment has undergone substantial change. International strategic alliances and other inter-firm collaborative strategies have permeated global trade. With increasing frequency, strategic alliances are being formulated between organizations (10 pts).

a)      Define and explain in substantive detail the concept/theory of international strategic alliances. Why are alliances being formed?

b)      Identify the facets and characteristics of international strategic alliances in detail.

c)       Identify in detail the advantages and disadvantages of forming international strategic alliances?

d)      “All joint ventures are strategic alliances, but not strategic alliances are joint ventures.” Do you agree or disagree with this statement? Either way, provide a detailed explanation in defense of your position.

e)      Instead of competing in an adversarial manner, firms are now focusing on collaborating with their competitors. Why do you think this major paradigm shift is occurring?

(In answering these questions, please do not only merely restate points discussed in the lecture on these topics. Conduct research and use external sources of information to develop additional explanations for your answer, but be sure to cite all your sources.)

2.       The following questions are based on the Ivey San Francisco Coffee House Franchise in Croatia case (20 pts).

a)      What is the central problem facing San Francisco Coffee House?

b)      In Croatia, what are the pros and cons of franchising?

c)       Based on the above discussion, would you recommend Tensek and Pacek franchise or invest in organic growth? Defend your answer.

d)      Regardless of your recommendation, if Tensek and Pacek decide to franchise in Croatia what adaptations would they need to make.

e)      If they franchise, how can Tensek and Pacek protect their intellectual property?  How do they fight imitators or major chains like Starbucks if they decide to enter the market?

1.       The following questions are based on the HBS Kentucky Fried Chicken—Japan (KFC-J) case (20 pts).

a)      Based on your assessment, what is the central problem facing KFC?

b)      What are the four key action issues for which different strategies/solutions need to be articulated? Describe each of them in substantive detail.

c)       Describe in substantive detail the three stages in country’s management evolution discussed in the case.

d)      What implications and cues you can draw from the three stages in country’s management evolution that will help you identify various options for managing Loy Weston, i.e., what options do you have if you were the Weston’s manager in HQ? What would YOU do with him? Then, based on your assessment, what should be the best option that Mayer should consider relative to Weston?  

Reminder: When analyzing HBS cases, please do not conduct additional research either on the Internet or in the library nor introduce additional information from external sources. Introducing additional external information will only contaminate the case. Base your answers on the information contained in the case. That is the information the case author(s) have provided you, as managers or consultants, to make your decisions and recommendations. Besides conducting external research on the HBS cases will circumvent your learning as well as diminish the development of your judgment and decision making skills (That is also plagiarism!).