Article(1): Improving firm performance by matching strategic decision-making processes to competitive dynamics.
Article(2): How to manage alliances strategically. MIT Sloan Management Review.
Article(3): The central challenge of global strategy.
Case(1): Aldi: The Dark Horse Discounter.
Case questions:
Should Wal-Mart be worried about Aldi? Why? Should Aldi be worried about Wal-Mart? Why?
Do you believe Aldi to be at a competitive advantage or disadvantage relative to Wal-Mart?
What is Aldi’s generic strategy (according to Porter)?
Case(2): The alliance of community-based pharmacy owners of Puerto Rico: Challenging competition from US chains
Case questions:
Develop a SWOT analysis that identifies the situation faced by community-based pharmacy owners (as individual companies, not members of the Alliance) as competition with US chains intensifies
Does the Alliance represent an appropriate response to the issues facing pharmacy owners? Why?
What other strategic options did pharmacy owners have (different from the Alliance)?
Case(3): Walmart around the World
Case Questions:
Evaluate Walmart’s globalization strategy over the last two decades. Where did the retailor struggle? Where did it do well? Can location characteristics explain the differences in Walmart performance?
Walmart entered in some countries through acquisitions and in some countries through greenfield investment. What entry mode do you think was best? Why? Did location characteristics drive the mode of entry? Why?
In 2013, Walmart decided to enter the Indian market in a joint-venture with Bharti Enterprises. Based on your analysis of Walmart’s global expansion up to that point, do you think it was a good idea to go to India? To select joint-venture as the mode of entry?