Starbucks Corporate Strategy Essay

Starbucks was bought out by current CEO Howard Schultz in 1987. Since then, Andrew Harrer (2012) reports the company has grown to operate over “17,244 stores worldwide” (para. 1). Fortune (n.d.) reports in its yearly 100 Best Companies to Work for that Starbucks employs “some 95,000 employees”. From only a handful of stores in 1987 to a billion dollar franchise today, the success of Starbucks is due in great deal to their corporate culture, specifically how employees, or as Starbucks calls them, partners are treated. Joseph Michelli (2007) echoes this sentiment, “A great cup of coffee is only part of the Starbucks success equation” (p. 767).

The Starbucks business commerce is trade, and the products include coffee drinks and coffee related products. Since the company has thousands of branches throughout the world, it is very convenient to “run in and out” and grab a coffee. Starbucks has a very loyal customer base and high profit margins. Through the loyal customer base and always being

As Starbucks' strategic vision evolved over the years, so did its strategy. Starbucks current strategy in comparison to its original competitive strategy are: to continue the focus on growth; to establish a leadership with company owned stores in key markets such as USA, Japan, Australia, and UK; to pre-emptively enter and aggressively grow in all targeted markets; to leverage the brand into new product categories and channels; to continue operations improvement; to growth through innovation; to develop and maintain leadership talent; and to maintain their values, culture, and guiding principles. The key elements of Starbucks current strategy is to expand Starbucks globally, and to further develop its internet business. The strategy has changed over time as the business has grown exceptionally well in North America, and now they want to take that success over sea.

Starbucks is a matrix organizational structure where a business is split into different divisions of whatever functions needed and then has multiple managers for each division and finally the lower tier members. This organizational strategy allows information from the customers to travel up to the lower-tier of employees and to the corporate levels are more streamline in a flat organizational structure. This helps as it ensures that Starbuck’s culture of family is communicated. (Starbucks

The extraordinary success Starbucks experienced during the early 1990s resulted from Howard Schultz’s passion and vision to create a coffee culture in the United States similar to the coffee culture he experienced while traveling to Italy. Schultz’s vision of the Starbucks brand evolved around providing a quality product while delivering exceptional customer service in an inviting atmosphere. Starbucks’ success can be attributable to the following factors:

Starbucks should have a growth strategy to focus in increasing their sales and market share even more. Since, Starbucks is in the maturity stage in the business life cycle implementing growth strategy will make sure to keep Starbucks company in this phase a longer time. Moreover, Starbucks should maintain an efficient fast supply chain and continue employing well trained and skilled people. Because it is easy for the rivals to copy Starbucks strategies but

Starbucks advertises two essential mission statements. First and foremost, it strives to “establish [ourselves] as the premier purveyor of the finest coffee in the world while maintaining our uncompromising principles while [we] grow(s).” (Starbucks) Reflective of its mission, Starbucks bases its strategic campaign and communications on six indispensable philosophies; structuring a pleasant work environment in which employees are treated with “respect and dignity,” incorporating diversity in all business aspects, purchasing, roasting and delivering fresh coffee, retaining satisfied customers, giving back to the community and environment, and developing

business model may seem, there is plenty of hard work invested and financial risks taken to grow

According to Gulati, Huffman, and Neilson (2002), Starbucks proves relationships is an important asset for growth. Starbucks is a relationship-centric organization which relationship is act as a core asset of the firm. This asset is called “relational capital”, which indicates the value of a firm’s network of relationship with stakeholders such as customers, suppliers, alliance partners, and employees. Alliances Starbucks had made with its partners are one of the main cause Starbucks has become well-known brand and coffee leading company in the world.

Starbucks business level strategy has been to become and remain the world's premier coffee franchise that operates in a sustainable and principled manner. The company utilizes a comprehensive corporate social responsibility program that is integrated in every part of the company's operations from the way it treats its employees to the way it sources its coffee.

Starbucks strategy at the beginning was based upon creating a symbolic-expressive value trough a social meaning concept of offering the American community meeting places; this positioned its original products and made associations to identify consumers with self-expression providing personal, social and sociocultural meaning.

Starbucks is the worlds leading specialty coffee retailer. The company produces a wide range of beverages as well as various confections and pastries. With over 17,000 stores world wide one would have to wonder why a successful company like this would need to form a strategic plan. In this world there are no guarantees of success for businesses. Each company must be able to form a successful marketing strategy and must be able implement their plan effectively. In this highly competitive global environment the overarching

The company has also developed a structure and control system. With the realization that human capital holds a vital role in the development and sustainability of any institution, that of Starbucks included, it has taken to task to protect the same. To develop this, the company has an elaborate system that ensures the production levels of the company are met with pride. This like other leaders in the same has entailed ensuring they have an empowering corporate culture, topped by ensuring their employees enjoy competitive benefits.

Strategic planning is the process of gathering information from stakeholders, market players, professional entity, and government agency. The purpose of gathering information is formulating a realistic and a workable framework that any organization can implement and work with. Evaluation of information is a key aspect in determine the kind of plans that the organization wish to a chive over certain a period. Strategic planning ensures the implementation is, crafted well, and parties involved be acquitted with it. Developing a good Strategic plan helps a company to implement its missions and visions effectively, and helps the company to evaluate

Starbucks have shown in the past that they are very good at taking advantage of opportunities. In an strategy alliance with Hewlett Packard, customers could create their own music CD within a Starbucks coffee shop. Thus the company could look for these kind of opportunities to seize. In addition, new markets for coffee are emerging such as India and the Pacific Rim nations, also Europe which is getting more and more accustomed with the brand name “Starbucks”. Co-branding with other manufacturers of food and drink, and brand franchising to manufacturers of other goods and services both have potential.