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Strategic Analysis Report: Starbucks.
Minjie Wang
Executive Summary
The paper looks at the strategic decisions made by Starbucks, by examining it through
known Management tools such as SWOT, PESTEL, Porter’s five forces theory, VRIO
Framework Analysis, GAP Analysis, and also examines the Value chain system at
Starbucks. The paper further looks at the strategic decisions made by Starbucks and
where it could improve even further. It is concluded that Starbucks, a globally
renowned brand and international player has managed to be successful even during
adverse and recessionary economic times. Their strategies are definitely paying off.
Contents
Contents.....................................................................................................................................................3
1. Introduction:...........................................................................................................................................3
2. Financial Analysis of Starbucks:............................................................................................................4
3. SWOT Analysis....................................................................................................................................6
4. PESTLE Analysis:...............................................................................................................................10
5. Porter’s Five Forces:............................................................................................................................13
6. VRIO Framework:...............................................................................................................................15
7. GAP Analysis:......................................................................................................................................16
8. Competitive Analysis:..........................................................................................................................17
9. Value Chain:........................................................................................................................................18
10. Strategy at Starbucks:.........................................................................................................................19
References:...............................................................................................................................................21
APPENDICES:........................................................................................................................................23
1. Introduction:
Starbucks can be cited as a testament to a great success story anywhere in the world.
From being a local Seattle based company, it has expanded to four continents, with an
excess of 5000 stores worldwide (Gulati et al, 2008). The question that arises in
everyone’s mind is what is so special about this place? How did grow at the speed it
has? The answer, perhaps, lies in some of its core values: Relationships. According to
Anne McGonigle, vice-president for special projects at Starbucks:
“Starbucks starts and ends with core values … [and] the core values emanate from
and around relationships with people,” (Gulati et al, 2008: 1)
2. Financial Analysis of Starbucks:
Starbucks Corporation's Financials for Fiscal Year ending
September of each year (All USD figures in millions)
Key
Ratio's/Accounts
FY
2008
FY
2009
FY
2010
FY
2011
FY
2012
FY
2013
Profitability Ratio's
Revenue 10,38
3
9,77
5
10,70
7
11,700 13,30
0
14,892
Gross Margin % 19.2 55.8 58.4 57.7 56.3 57.1
Operating
Income (USD
Millions)
504 562 1,419 1,729 1,997 -325
Operating
Income Margin
%
4.9 5.7 13.3 14.8 15 -2.2
Net Income
(USD Millions)
316 391 946 1,246 1,384 8
Net Margin % 3 4 8.8 10.7 10.4 0.06
Return on Equity
(ROE) %
13.2 14.1 28.14 30.9 29.2 0.17
Return on Assets
(ROA) %
5.73 7 16 18.1 17.8 0.08
Earnings Per
Share (EPS)
0.43 0.52 1.24 1.62 1.79 0.01
Efficiency Ratio's
Asset Turnover 1.89 1.74 1.79 1.7 1.71 1.51
Inventory
Turnover
12.1 6.4 7.4 6.6 5.3 5.4
Fixed Asset
Turnover
3.5 3.5 4.3 4.9 5.3 5
Days Sales
Outstanding
10.9 11.2 9.8 10.75 12 12.8
Days Inventory 30.11 57.3 49.4 55.6 69.3 67.3
Payable Period 15.6 25 22.5 30.3 29.4 25.4
Cash Conversion
Cycle
25.4 43.5 36.7 36.1 52 54.7
Liquidity & Financial Health Ratio's
Current Ratio 0.8 1.3 1.55 1.83 1.9 1.02
Quick Ratio 0.3 0.6 1 1.17 1.14 0.71
Debt/Equity 0.22 0.18 0.15 0.13 0.11 0.29
Financial
Leverage
2.28 1.83 1.74 1.68 1.61 2.57
Year on Year Growth %
Revenue Growth
%
10.3 -5.9 9.5 9.3 13.7 12
[Source: (Starbucks Corporation, 2014)]
The financial health of Starbucks is constantly increasing. From a Net Revenue of
$9.8 billion in 2009, it has added a year on year increase, and it now stands at a
whopping $14.8 billion in 2013 (Starbucks Corporation, 2014). With an operating
margin of 16.5%, its operating income stands at $2459 million in 2013, an increase of
$462 million since 2012 (Starbucks Corporation, 2014). These numbers surely add up,
with, more than 3 billion visits by customers in the 19000 plus stores operated by
Starbucks in over 60 countries worldwide (Starbucks Corporation, 2014).
3. SWOT Analysis
Strengths:
• Excellent Brand Equity: Starbucks has become synonymous with coffee.
Starbucks is easily the most recognizable coffee brands worldwide, as well as a
globally renowned brand (Trigeorgis & Baldi, n.d). Its strong brand value is a huge
intangible asset to the company, and part of its success story. Its strong brand image
has helped it expand so rapidly and successfully.
• Very Strong market position: Starbucks continues to expand on its market share,
despite saturation setting-in in the industry (Hennessey, 2012). Starbucks quickly
edges out the competition with its rapid opening of stores, hence giving it a
competitive edge when it comes to Market position.
• Use of the best raw materials: Starbucks uses the best quality of ingredients, as its
philosophy is to serve the best coffee to its customers. Starbucks sources its coffee
from the best farmers through its responsible buying programs (Starbucks, 2014).
[Appendix 1]
• Excellent Ambiance and ‘A Place for Everyone’: Starbucks has a very aesthetic
and pleasing ambiance. Customers know what to expect as soon as they enter one of
their stores (Hennessey, 2012). Apart from coffee, Starbucks caters to a wide variety
of options on its menu. Its reasonably priced products have a great market appeal,
thus, making it a place for everyone (Hennessey, 2012).
• Customer Loyalty: Starbucks thrives on its customer loyalty and its marketing is
done mostly by word of mouth. Infact, Satrbucks spends a miniscule 1% on its
marketing expenses compared to other Coffee Stores globally (Wahba, 2014).
Weaknesses:
• Over-reliance on American Stores: Starbucks has about 7049 stores in USA
alone, compared to its 10194 stores worldwide (Starbucks Corporation, 2014)
(including USA). Hence it has only 3145, less than half of USA, stores outside the
USA (Starbucks Corporation, 2014). It comes as no surprise that the majority of the
revenues come from within the USA. Hence, it puts an over reliance on the stores in
USA. With the USA coffee market reaching a saturation point, it could be a major
downside for Starbucks in the future.
• Over dependence on Company operated store: A majority of stores are company
operated (Starbucks Corporation, 2014) despite the company having several licensed
stores. Company operated stores put extra burden on the resources of the company,
especially human resources. Starbucks could easily employ a strategy where more
stores can be licensed. Even existing company owned stores can give way to licensed
stores.
Opportunities:
• Expansion outside the USA, particularly developing nations: With the saturation
of the markets in the developed world, particularly in USA and the EU, more and
more organizations are setting shop in the developing economies such as China India
Brazil Thailand etc. These countries boast of a huge middle class with a good amount
of money at their disposal. Economic and political power is definitely swinging the
way of these developing nations (Kharas, 2010). Starbucks should aim at exploiting
these markets to the fullest extent. While it recently opened it 1000 nd store in China
(Starbucks Corporation, 2014) it seems to slow into entering other economies which
may have huge potential, especially with the sales in the USA starting to fall off now.
• Operating outside the stores: Starbucks have started retailing their products as
packaged goods to various grocery stores both domestically as well as internationally
(Grant, 2013). Starbucks must continue and expand on these packaged goods and
utilize its excellent brand equity to the fullest.
Threats:
• Increasing Competition: The emergence of various other coffee stores such as
Dunkin Donuts, Costa Coffee, Pete’s Coffee, and existing fast food biggies such as
McDonalds and Burger King can have an adverse impact on the future sales of
Starbucks (Chang & Carroll, 2014).
• Saturation of Existing markets: With USA and Europe being the two largest
markets of Starbucks, and with both saturating, Starbucks may soon face problems.
The key indicators of market saturation for Starbucks are evidenced by a slower
growth in sales as well as a trimmed profitability (UW Business School, 2003).
• Changes in Consumer preferences: Various studies have pointed out the ill effects
of consuming coffee on a regular basis. Dr. Rob van Dam Assistant Professor in the
Department of Nutrition, Harvard School of Public Health says that coffee may not
offer any real health benefits. On the other hand, the caffeine present in coffee can
cause serious damages to the body (Dam, 2014). These studies have an impact on
consumer behaviour and some of them may switch to substitutes like Tea which has
lesser bad effects or completely healthy drinks such as Green Tea or Green Coffee.
Starbucks should look at expanding their menu and incorporating some healthy
options for the future.
Summary:
Starbucks is a financially sound organization with huge brand equity and customer
loyalty; it uses the best quality of materials in making its food/ beverages. Its stores
are aesthetic and easy to reach out to, in the manner that they are well located, easy to
access and provide a sense of familiarity to the customer. However, Starbucks
depends heavily on its American stores as well as stores that are run by the company
itself. Starbucks has been a successful innovator thus far, with its huge resources; it
should look to diversify into other segments such as retailing its products, especially
in large departmental stores such as Wal-Mart, Tesco or Carrefour. Starbucks should
also enter newer markets, as it has the experience of successfully doing so, especially
with its current markets reaching their peak. Starbucks current brand image will hold
the competition at sea, however they must continue to innovate, expand their menus
and incorporate changing customer needs and preferences if they are to remain at the
top.
4. PESTLE Analysis:
Political: Recently, Starbucks has fallen into the microscope of various countries,
particularly in Latin America and Africa on the way they source Coffee Beans. To
combat these problems, Starbucks has initiated Farmer Suport Centers in countries
like Rwanda and Costa Rica, which are their top sources of coffee beans (Grant,
2013). Furthermore, Starbucks itself controls the purchasing, roasting and packaging
of the coffee beans in order to ensure their standard of quality is maintained (Grant,
2013). Starbucks has adopted a “Fair Trade” policy in order to offer the best prices to
the farmers in these countries (Grant, 2013). Moreover, Starbucks should also be
concerned about the laws in the countries they have stores in. Starbucks is an
international entity, spanning over 60 countries, (Gulati et al, 2008) a strict adherence
to local country laws is a must. Moreover, Starbucks will have to keep an eye out for
political turmoil in the countries they operate it, particularly in the Middle east which
may be prone to wars or be politically unstable. In March 2003, Starbucks had to
move out of Israel due to political turmoil in the country (Wu, 2014).
Economical: Perhaps the key challenge for Starbucks, and any other multinational
corporation, continues to be the current downswing in world wide economies.
Starbucks has been very successful in avoiding the effects of recession on its
businesses (Wood, 2012), but it needs to keep doing so, as the effects of recession can
overpower the biggest of companies.
Social: America and USA have a strong coffee culture (Scheller, 2014). However, in
emerging markets such as China, India and Turkey, a wide population of people prefer
tea to coffee (Scheller, 2014). In order to exploit these markets, Starbucks will need to
either change the traditional habits of the people or innovate its menus, to incorporate
varities of tea as well as its signature coffee. Moreover, as disscussed earlier, recent
studies have shown that consumers are trying to switch to healthier bevarages like
green tea, and stop the consumption of bevarages with a lot of caffeine such as coffee.
Starbucks needs incorporate these changing customer needs in order to remain
successful.
Technological: It is the era for technological innovations. Smartphone, tablets and
even Smart Televisions are part of our day to day lives. Starbucks has tried to
incorporate technology in its efforts, by introducing mobile applications, available on
the iPphone1
as well as Android TM2
platform (Starbucks (a), 2014). Moreover,
Starbucks uses the Cloud Technology in order to “plan its IT innovation strategies to
maintain a competitive edge” says Robert Teagle, Starbucks Coffee’s EMEA IT
director (Venkatraman, 2014). In Europe, Starbucks uses “Microsoft Office 365 for
email and SQL cloud services. It also uses Oracle Siebel customer relationship
management (CRM) service as its loyalty system, which is tied to the Oracle ERP
platform.” (Venkatraman, 2014). These innovations and implementation of
technology will surely keep Starbucks ahead of the competition. However, in todays
times, technology gets obsolete quickly and newer technologies emerge. Hence,
Starbucks will have to keep in sync with changing technologies and invest in them.
Environmental: There have been several complaints made by Starbucks customers
who are environmentally conscious, regarding the use of paper cups to serve coffee in.
These cups are not recyclable (Allison, 2008). Moreover, Starbucks does not use
recycle bins (Allison, 2008). Hence, the use of recyclable materials would be
ineffective. However, this is changing fast at Starbucks, as they are offering a 10c
discount to customers who carry their own reusable cups (Allison, 2008). In an
industry, which is dependable on using products which cannot always be used again,
Starbucks has a trash profile [Appendix 2] which needs to be corrected sooner rather
1
iPhone is a trademark of Apple Inc
2
Android TM is a registered trademark of Google Inc.
than later.
Legal: Starbucks must be watchful regarding any local laws that may exist in the
country of operation. For example, Starbucks had been in the news on how little
Corporation Tax it paid (BBC, 2012). HM Revenue and Customs (UK) had said that
corporation tax is not voluntary in nature is a statutory obligation (BBC, 2012).
Starbucks needs to adhere more carefully to local laws, rules and regulations.
Summary:
In some areas such as economical progression and technological innovation,
Starbucks has managed to be quite successful and in some areas, especially
environmental; it has broken a few norms and invited criticsm, both by its customers
and the administration. Starbucks needs to put more emphasis in valuing the factors
that affect its business and take corrective action to set them straight or to take full
advantage of situations presented to them.
5. Porter’s Five Forces:
• Threat of New Entrants: Moderate to Low.
Entry in the industry would require considerable investment to achieve proper market
penetration, and since the industry is already dominated by some large players such as
Starbucks, it makes it a relatively unattractive industry to enter.
• Bargaining Power of Buyers: Low.
There are many buyers in the industry; hence no single buyer has the power to
demand any price concessions. Starbucks itself had more than 3 billion visits by
customers in 2013 (Starbucks Corporation, 2014).
• Bargaining Power of Suppliers: Medium.
Starbucks sources its main ingredient: Coffee beans from select farmers in Latin
America and Africa. It would make it difficult for them to move to another location
and maintain the same quality as coffee beans from these places are known to be the
best. However, none of the suppliers are big enough to bargain with a giant like
Starbucks. Despite this, Starbucks maintains its Fair Trade policy [Appendix1] to
source coffee beans responsibly.
• Competitive Rivalry in the industry: Moderate to High.
The industry is a pseudo oligopoly; the largest players control most of the market,
with Starbucks leading the way. However, the rivalry is heating up, with Dunkin and
Starbucks at the center of the battle and the likes of Costa Coffee waiting to pick up
the pieces.
• Threat of Substitutes: High.
With changing customer preferences or traditional habits (in countries such as China
or India, where tea is a preferred beverage) the industry faces a big threat of substitute
products. Moreover, the industry is as much about coffee as it is about the ambience,
quality and option of food available and value added services such as Wi-Fi internet
services. Even if customers do not switch beverages, it would be easy for them to
change the café they prefer to have coffee in. For example, some customers may
prefer a Dunkin Donut with their coffee rather than a sweet condiment being offered
by Starbuck.
Summary:
The industry has a low to medium threat of new entrants as the barriers are rather
high, with low bargaining power of both buyers and suppliers. However, the threat of
substitute products is quite high and the firms need to constantly differentiate their
products as well as services to retain their customers. The competitive rivalry within
the industry is moderately intense, with a few firms competing with each other. With
continued innovation and excellent customer loyalty, it should continue to dominate
the markets in the future.
6. VRIO Framework:
Resources for Starbucks Value Rare Costly to
Imitate
Organization
Huge financial resources YES YES YES YES
Technological Innovation YES NO YES YES
Brand Equity YES YES YES YES
Global Presence YES YES YES YES
Customer Loyalty YES YES YES YES
• The financial resources of Starbucks definitely give it a competitive advantage in
the industry.
• Technological Innovation is superior at Starbucks (Higbee et al, n.d) but it is not
rare in the industry, hence, it does not give them an absolute competitive advantage.
• Starbucks boasts of a huge cult following which has given it an unbeatable Brand
Equity. (Silverman, 2009) It definitely has a huge competitive advantage.
• Starbucks strong global presence (Starbucks Corporation: Competing in a Global
Market, 2003) is the main reason for its success and almost impossible to duplicate.
Hence, it gives them a strong competitive advantage.
• Starbucks boasts of great customer loyalty that stays loyal to Starbucks, giving
them another competitive edge.
7. GAP Analysis:
Desired Actual
Consistency Drinks taste different and can vary
from place to place, depending on
where it was purchased.
Accessibility to customers No Delivery service yet. (Although it
is on the anvil) (Starbucks
Corporation (a), 2013)
Affordability Prices are generally higher than its
competitors (Starbucks (b) , 2013)
Flexibility in operations Centrally managed and controlled
through a majority of stores operated
by the Company.
8. Competitive Analysis:
Some major competitors of Starbucks are mainly in the retail coffee industry such as
Costa Coffee. However, fast food brands like McDonalds and Dunkin Donuts are
venturing into the retail coffee industry as well, which adds to the competition in the
industry. In 2011, Starbucks controlled about 33% markets share, about double its
nearest competitor Dunkin Donuts. With an industry revenue of $26.5billion,
[Appendix 3] Starbucks managed to generate $11.7 billion (Starbucks Corporation,,
2014) itself, proving it is by far the biggest player in the market. A closer look at
Starbucks competition reveals that even though Starbucks does not spend on
marketing activities, it enjoys domination in customer retention and loyalty.
Moreover, Starbucks prices are comparatively higher than Dunkin. Still, people prefer
Starbucks due to some critical factors such as quality, brand equity and ambiance in
the store.
However, Starbucks will have to guard against complacency in the future with a rapid
growth of Dunkin and Costa Coffee and especially with McDonalds entering the
coffee retail segment on global basis through its café chain McCafe. (McDonalds,
2014)
9. Value Chain:
Primary Activities:
• Inbound Logistics: The main ingredients of Starbucks, Coffee beans and sugar are
directly sourced by them through Latin America and Africa (for coffee beans) and
different parts of the world for sugar.
• Outbound Logistics: Starbucks operates through a chain of its retail stores. A
majority of them are company owned and some are licensed stores.
• Marketing & Sales: Starbucks spends the least amount of money on marketing
operations. It relies heavily on customer retention and word of mouth. (Allison (a),
2006)
• Service: The service staff at Starbucks are known to be courteous and helpful, an
attribute that Starbucks builds in its employees. (wpaadmin, 2014)
Support Activities:
• Infrastructure: Starbucks concentrates on the infrastructure of its store. All the
stores have a sense of familiarity to them. The customer knows exactly where to go
for what he needs, even if he is visiting that store for the first time.
• Human Resource Management: Starbucks places a great deal of importance in
proper managing its human resources. They believe it is one of the greatest assets they
have.
• Technology: Starbucks uses various machines in preparing the coffee and food
items. In addition to this, it offers Wi-Fi internet at most of its locations as well as an
online ordering system available on smart phones that run on IoS or Android.
10. Strategy at Starbucks:
The strategy at Starbucks is uncomplicated. Offer the best products and services to the
consumers, along with several value added services and hope that they keep coming
back. Starbucks doesn’t spend on marketing activities, yet it boasts of the highest
customer retentions. Starbucks innovates on a regular basis, whether it is its delivery
system, use of technology or reaching out to customers. (Loeb, 2013)
It should continue to follow its strategic decisions and look at expanding into further
emerging markets outside the USA, especially in Asia where there is a huge economic
boom.
11. Recommendations:
Starbucks has managed to recover and get back into profitability after a series of
misfit expansions across the world. Starbucks should carefully evaluate the market
before entering and pay special attention to the legal or cultural requirements of the
country they want to operate in. This would certainly help them avoid the debacle that
they were subject to in Israel, and had to withdraw from the country after protests.
Starbucks must aim to build on its menu and perhaps offer more vegan variety in their
food menu, especially in countries like India where people prefer not to eat meat and
go for vegetarian alternatives. Moreover, more and more people across the world,
including the West are now realizing the importance of avoiding meats, especially red
meat. It would be a good idea for Starbucks to introduce a vegan menu in the West as
well.
Starbucks has thrived on consumer loyalty and as discussed earlier, its marketing is
done solely on the basis of word of mouth. Starbucks can introduce a referral
program, where if a customer brings in a friend with him, he is eligible for a discount
on his order. Customer loyalty cards can be used to track consumer behavior in this
instance.
Starbucks should look to invest in technology and give their customers the luxury of
online ordering and payment. This way they will have knowledge of the particular
customers buying patterns and hence, will be able to analyze the collective data to
improve on its services.
Starbucks should also expand on its delivery. The service has just begun for
Starbucks, but big chains such as Pizza Hut, Dominos, McDonalds have been doing it
successfully for years now, and it is reflected in their bottom line.
References:
Allison (a), 2006. Starbucks takes unique approach to marketing. [Online]
Available at: http://seattletimes.com/html/businesstechnology/2003300353_events12.html
[Accessed 25 December 2014].
Allison, M., 2008. Starbucks struggles with reducing environmental impacts. [Online]
Available at: http://seattletimes.com/html/businesstechnology/2004412179_starbucks14.html
[Accessed 25 December 2014].
BBC, 2012. Starbucks agrees to pay more corporation tax. [Online]
Available at: http://www.bbc.com/news/business-20624857
[Accessed 25 December 2014].
Bruzelius & Johansson, 2012. The demand and supply of the domestic coffee shop market. Thesis
Paper: The Department of Economics at the School of Business, Economics and Law.
Chang & Carroll, 2014. Split country: Dunkin' vs. Starbucks. [Online]
Available at: http://www.boston.com/yourtown/specials/starbucks_vs_dunkin_donuts/
[Accessed 25 December 2014].
Dam, D. R. v., 2014. Ask the Expert: Coffee and Health (Harvard School pof Public Health).
[Online]
Available at: http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/coffee/
[Accessed 25 December 2014].
Grant, R., 2013. Cases in Contemporary Strategy Analysis (with text and cases). 8th ed. s.l.:Wiley.
Gulati et al, 2008. The Barista Principle - Starbucks and the rise of Relational Capital. Strategy &
Competition; Booz and Company, Septemner.p. 8.
Hennessey, R., 2012. 3 Reasons Why Starbucks Still Shines, Despite Market Shortcomings.
[Online]
Available at: http://www.forbes.com/sites/rachelhennessey/2012/08/06/3-reasons-why-starbucks-
still-shines-despite-market-shortcomings/
[Accessed 25 December 2014].
Higbee et al, n.d. The Future of Starbucks. Team Macchiato.
IBIS World, 2013. The Coffee & Snack Shop Industry in the US Report. IBIS.
Kharas, H., 2010. THE EMERGING MIDDLE CLASS IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES.
Working Paper No. 285 OECD Development Center, January.p. 55.
Loeb, W., 2013. Starbucks: Global Coffee Giant Has New Growth Plans. [Online]
Available at: http://www.forbes.com/sites/walterloeb/2013/01/31/starbucks-global-coffee-giant-
has-new-growth-plans/
[Accessed 25 December 2014].
McDonalds, 2014. McDonalds: McCafe. [Online]
Available at: http://www.mcdonalds.com/us/en/food/full_menu/mc_cafe.html
[Accessed 25 December 2014].
Scheller, A., 2014. Here's Unsurprising Proof That Coffee Is More Popular Than Tea In Pretty
Much Every Country. [Online]
Available at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/09/29/coffee-is-more-popular-than-
tea_n_5901430.html?ir=India
[Accessed 25 December 2014].
Silverman, G., 2009. Best Global Brands 2008. Interbrand.
Starbucks (a), 2014. Get the Starbucks® app for iPhone® and Android™. [Online]
Available at: http://www.starbucks.com/coffeehouse/mobile-apps
[Accessed 25 December 2014].
Starbucks (b) , 2013. 10-K Form for FY ended on September 29th, 2013. Annual Report.
Starbucks Corporation (a), 2013. Global Data and MarketLine Financial Deals. Report.
Starbucks Corporation,, 2014. Fiscal 2013 Annual Report. Starbucks Corporation,, 19 March.
Starbucks Corporation: Competing in a Global Market (2003) Professors Suresh Kotha and Debra
Glassman.
Starbucks, 2014. Ethically Sourced Coffee Goals and Progress. [Online]
Available at: http://www.starbucks.com/responsibility/sourcing/coffee
[Accessed 25 December 2014].
TAHO, n.d. Information Management Advice 35: Implementing Information Security. TAHO.
Trigeorgis & Baldi, n.d. VALUING BRAND STRATEGIES WITH REAL OPTIONS. University
of Cyprus.
UW Business School, 2003. Starbucks Corporation:. [Online]
Available at:
http://www.foster.washington.edu/centers/gbc/globalbusinesscasecompetition/documents/cases/20
03case.pdf
[Accessed 25 December 2014].
Venkatraman, A., 2014. Starbucks uses cloud to manage innovation and disruptive technologies.
[Online]
Available at: http://www.computerweekly.com/news/2240232395/Starbucks-uses-cloud-to-
manage-innovation-and-disruptive-technologies
[Accessed 25 December 2014].
Wahba, 2014. Starbucks to offer delivery in 2015 in some key markets. [Online]
Available at: http://fortune.com/2014/10/31/starbucks-delivery/
[Accessed 25 December 2014].
Wood, L., 2012. Research and Markets: Starbucks: Business revival in recession. [Online]
Available at: http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/12/07/idUS179556+07-Dec-
2012+BW20121207
[Accessed 25 December 2014].
wpaadmin, 2014. Company Culture: It Takes More Than Incentives. [Online]
Available at: http://www.activescreening.com/company-culture-takes-incentives/
[Accessed 25 December 2014].
Wu, A., 2014. Starbucks' World Won't Be Built In A Day. [Online]
Available at: http://www.forbes.com/2003/06/27/cx_aw_0627sbux.html
[Accessed 25 December 2014].
APPENDICES:
APPENDIX 1:
[Source: Starbucks (2014)]
APPENDIX 2:
Starbucks' trash profile By volume:
Cardboard: 32 percent
Milk jugs: 15 percent
Paper cups: 9 percent
Pastry boxes: 8 percent
Other dairy cartons: 7 percent
Other waste: 29 percent
[Source: (Allison, 2008)]
APPENDIX 3:
[Source: (IBIS World, 2013)]

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Adec8446

  • 1. Strategic Analysis Report: Starbucks. Minjie Wang
  • 2. Executive Summary The paper looks at the strategic decisions made by Starbucks, by examining it through known Management tools such as SWOT, PESTEL, Porter’s five forces theory, VRIO Framework Analysis, GAP Analysis, and also examines the Value chain system at Starbucks. The paper further looks at the strategic decisions made by Starbucks and where it could improve even further. It is concluded that Starbucks, a globally renowned brand and international player has managed to be successful even during adverse and recessionary economic times. Their strategies are definitely paying off.
  • 3. Contents Contents.....................................................................................................................................................3 1. Introduction:...........................................................................................................................................3 2. Financial Analysis of Starbucks:............................................................................................................4 3. SWOT Analysis....................................................................................................................................6 4. PESTLE Analysis:...............................................................................................................................10 5. Porter’s Five Forces:............................................................................................................................13 6. VRIO Framework:...............................................................................................................................15 7. GAP Analysis:......................................................................................................................................16 8. Competitive Analysis:..........................................................................................................................17 9. Value Chain:........................................................................................................................................18 10. Strategy at Starbucks:.........................................................................................................................19 References:...............................................................................................................................................21 APPENDICES:........................................................................................................................................23 1. Introduction: Starbucks can be cited as a testament to a great success story anywhere in the world.
  • 4. From being a local Seattle based company, it has expanded to four continents, with an excess of 5000 stores worldwide (Gulati et al, 2008). The question that arises in everyone’s mind is what is so special about this place? How did grow at the speed it has? The answer, perhaps, lies in some of its core values: Relationships. According to Anne McGonigle, vice-president for special projects at Starbucks: “Starbucks starts and ends with core values … [and] the core values emanate from and around relationships with people,” (Gulati et al, 2008: 1) 2. Financial Analysis of Starbucks: Starbucks Corporation's Financials for Fiscal Year ending September of each year (All USD figures in millions) Key Ratio's/Accounts FY 2008 FY 2009 FY 2010 FY 2011 FY 2012 FY 2013 Profitability Ratio's Revenue 10,38 3 9,77 5 10,70 7 11,700 13,30 0 14,892 Gross Margin % 19.2 55.8 58.4 57.7 56.3 57.1 Operating Income (USD Millions) 504 562 1,419 1,729 1,997 -325 Operating Income Margin % 4.9 5.7 13.3 14.8 15 -2.2 Net Income (USD Millions) 316 391 946 1,246 1,384 8
  • 5. Net Margin % 3 4 8.8 10.7 10.4 0.06 Return on Equity (ROE) % 13.2 14.1 28.14 30.9 29.2 0.17 Return on Assets (ROA) % 5.73 7 16 18.1 17.8 0.08 Earnings Per Share (EPS) 0.43 0.52 1.24 1.62 1.79 0.01 Efficiency Ratio's Asset Turnover 1.89 1.74 1.79 1.7 1.71 1.51 Inventory Turnover 12.1 6.4 7.4 6.6 5.3 5.4 Fixed Asset Turnover 3.5 3.5 4.3 4.9 5.3 5 Days Sales Outstanding 10.9 11.2 9.8 10.75 12 12.8 Days Inventory 30.11 57.3 49.4 55.6 69.3 67.3 Payable Period 15.6 25 22.5 30.3 29.4 25.4 Cash Conversion Cycle 25.4 43.5 36.7 36.1 52 54.7 Liquidity & Financial Health Ratio's Current Ratio 0.8 1.3 1.55 1.83 1.9 1.02 Quick Ratio 0.3 0.6 1 1.17 1.14 0.71 Debt/Equity 0.22 0.18 0.15 0.13 0.11 0.29 Financial Leverage 2.28 1.83 1.74 1.68 1.61 2.57
  • 6. Year on Year Growth % Revenue Growth % 10.3 -5.9 9.5 9.3 13.7 12 [Source: (Starbucks Corporation, 2014)] The financial health of Starbucks is constantly increasing. From a Net Revenue of $9.8 billion in 2009, it has added a year on year increase, and it now stands at a whopping $14.8 billion in 2013 (Starbucks Corporation, 2014). With an operating margin of 16.5%, its operating income stands at $2459 million in 2013, an increase of $462 million since 2012 (Starbucks Corporation, 2014). These numbers surely add up, with, more than 3 billion visits by customers in the 19000 plus stores operated by Starbucks in over 60 countries worldwide (Starbucks Corporation, 2014). 3. SWOT Analysis Strengths: • Excellent Brand Equity: Starbucks has become synonymous with coffee. Starbucks is easily the most recognizable coffee brands worldwide, as well as a globally renowned brand (Trigeorgis & Baldi, n.d). Its strong brand value is a huge intangible asset to the company, and part of its success story. Its strong brand image has helped it expand so rapidly and successfully. • Very Strong market position: Starbucks continues to expand on its market share, despite saturation setting-in in the industry (Hennessey, 2012). Starbucks quickly edges out the competition with its rapid opening of stores, hence giving it a
  • 7. competitive edge when it comes to Market position. • Use of the best raw materials: Starbucks uses the best quality of ingredients, as its philosophy is to serve the best coffee to its customers. Starbucks sources its coffee from the best farmers through its responsible buying programs (Starbucks, 2014). [Appendix 1] • Excellent Ambiance and ‘A Place for Everyone’: Starbucks has a very aesthetic and pleasing ambiance. Customers know what to expect as soon as they enter one of their stores (Hennessey, 2012). Apart from coffee, Starbucks caters to a wide variety of options on its menu. Its reasonably priced products have a great market appeal, thus, making it a place for everyone (Hennessey, 2012). • Customer Loyalty: Starbucks thrives on its customer loyalty and its marketing is done mostly by word of mouth. Infact, Satrbucks spends a miniscule 1% on its marketing expenses compared to other Coffee Stores globally (Wahba, 2014). Weaknesses: • Over-reliance on American Stores: Starbucks has about 7049 stores in USA alone, compared to its 10194 stores worldwide (Starbucks Corporation, 2014) (including USA). Hence it has only 3145, less than half of USA, stores outside the USA (Starbucks Corporation, 2014). It comes as no surprise that the majority of the revenues come from within the USA. Hence, it puts an over reliance on the stores in
  • 8. USA. With the USA coffee market reaching a saturation point, it could be a major downside for Starbucks in the future. • Over dependence on Company operated store: A majority of stores are company operated (Starbucks Corporation, 2014) despite the company having several licensed stores. Company operated stores put extra burden on the resources of the company, especially human resources. Starbucks could easily employ a strategy where more stores can be licensed. Even existing company owned stores can give way to licensed stores. Opportunities: • Expansion outside the USA, particularly developing nations: With the saturation of the markets in the developed world, particularly in USA and the EU, more and more organizations are setting shop in the developing economies such as China India Brazil Thailand etc. These countries boast of a huge middle class with a good amount of money at their disposal. Economic and political power is definitely swinging the way of these developing nations (Kharas, 2010). Starbucks should aim at exploiting these markets to the fullest extent. While it recently opened it 1000 nd store in China (Starbucks Corporation, 2014) it seems to slow into entering other economies which may have huge potential, especially with the sales in the USA starting to fall off now. • Operating outside the stores: Starbucks have started retailing their products as packaged goods to various grocery stores both domestically as well as internationally
  • 9. (Grant, 2013). Starbucks must continue and expand on these packaged goods and utilize its excellent brand equity to the fullest. Threats: • Increasing Competition: The emergence of various other coffee stores such as Dunkin Donuts, Costa Coffee, Pete’s Coffee, and existing fast food biggies such as McDonalds and Burger King can have an adverse impact on the future sales of Starbucks (Chang & Carroll, 2014). • Saturation of Existing markets: With USA and Europe being the two largest markets of Starbucks, and with both saturating, Starbucks may soon face problems. The key indicators of market saturation for Starbucks are evidenced by a slower growth in sales as well as a trimmed profitability (UW Business School, 2003). • Changes in Consumer preferences: Various studies have pointed out the ill effects of consuming coffee on a regular basis. Dr. Rob van Dam Assistant Professor in the Department of Nutrition, Harvard School of Public Health says that coffee may not offer any real health benefits. On the other hand, the caffeine present in coffee can cause serious damages to the body (Dam, 2014). These studies have an impact on consumer behaviour and some of them may switch to substitutes like Tea which has lesser bad effects or completely healthy drinks such as Green Tea or Green Coffee. Starbucks should look at expanding their menu and incorporating some healthy options for the future.
  • 10. Summary: Starbucks is a financially sound organization with huge brand equity and customer loyalty; it uses the best quality of materials in making its food/ beverages. Its stores are aesthetic and easy to reach out to, in the manner that they are well located, easy to access and provide a sense of familiarity to the customer. However, Starbucks depends heavily on its American stores as well as stores that are run by the company itself. Starbucks has been a successful innovator thus far, with its huge resources; it should look to diversify into other segments such as retailing its products, especially in large departmental stores such as Wal-Mart, Tesco or Carrefour. Starbucks should also enter newer markets, as it has the experience of successfully doing so, especially with its current markets reaching their peak. Starbucks current brand image will hold the competition at sea, however they must continue to innovate, expand their menus and incorporate changing customer needs and preferences if they are to remain at the top. 4. PESTLE Analysis: Political: Recently, Starbucks has fallen into the microscope of various countries, particularly in Latin America and Africa on the way they source Coffee Beans. To combat these problems, Starbucks has initiated Farmer Suport Centers in countries like Rwanda and Costa Rica, which are their top sources of coffee beans (Grant, 2013). Furthermore, Starbucks itself controls the purchasing, roasting and packaging of the coffee beans in order to ensure their standard of quality is maintained (Grant,
  • 11. 2013). Starbucks has adopted a “Fair Trade” policy in order to offer the best prices to the farmers in these countries (Grant, 2013). Moreover, Starbucks should also be concerned about the laws in the countries they have stores in. Starbucks is an international entity, spanning over 60 countries, (Gulati et al, 2008) a strict adherence to local country laws is a must. Moreover, Starbucks will have to keep an eye out for political turmoil in the countries they operate it, particularly in the Middle east which may be prone to wars or be politically unstable. In March 2003, Starbucks had to move out of Israel due to political turmoil in the country (Wu, 2014). Economical: Perhaps the key challenge for Starbucks, and any other multinational corporation, continues to be the current downswing in world wide economies. Starbucks has been very successful in avoiding the effects of recession on its businesses (Wood, 2012), but it needs to keep doing so, as the effects of recession can overpower the biggest of companies. Social: America and USA have a strong coffee culture (Scheller, 2014). However, in emerging markets such as China, India and Turkey, a wide population of people prefer tea to coffee (Scheller, 2014). In order to exploit these markets, Starbucks will need to either change the traditional habits of the people or innovate its menus, to incorporate varities of tea as well as its signature coffee. Moreover, as disscussed earlier, recent studies have shown that consumers are trying to switch to healthier bevarages like green tea, and stop the consumption of bevarages with a lot of caffeine such as coffee. Starbucks needs incorporate these changing customer needs in order to remain successful.
  • 12. Technological: It is the era for technological innovations. Smartphone, tablets and even Smart Televisions are part of our day to day lives. Starbucks has tried to incorporate technology in its efforts, by introducing mobile applications, available on the iPphone1 as well as Android TM2 platform (Starbucks (a), 2014). Moreover, Starbucks uses the Cloud Technology in order to “plan its IT innovation strategies to maintain a competitive edge” says Robert Teagle, Starbucks Coffee’s EMEA IT director (Venkatraman, 2014). In Europe, Starbucks uses “Microsoft Office 365 for email and SQL cloud services. It also uses Oracle Siebel customer relationship management (CRM) service as its loyalty system, which is tied to the Oracle ERP platform.” (Venkatraman, 2014). These innovations and implementation of technology will surely keep Starbucks ahead of the competition. However, in todays times, technology gets obsolete quickly and newer technologies emerge. Hence, Starbucks will have to keep in sync with changing technologies and invest in them. Environmental: There have been several complaints made by Starbucks customers who are environmentally conscious, regarding the use of paper cups to serve coffee in. These cups are not recyclable (Allison, 2008). Moreover, Starbucks does not use recycle bins (Allison, 2008). Hence, the use of recyclable materials would be ineffective. However, this is changing fast at Starbucks, as they are offering a 10c discount to customers who carry their own reusable cups (Allison, 2008). In an industry, which is dependable on using products which cannot always be used again, Starbucks has a trash profile [Appendix 2] which needs to be corrected sooner rather 1 iPhone is a trademark of Apple Inc 2 Android TM is a registered trademark of Google Inc.
  • 13. than later. Legal: Starbucks must be watchful regarding any local laws that may exist in the country of operation. For example, Starbucks had been in the news on how little Corporation Tax it paid (BBC, 2012). HM Revenue and Customs (UK) had said that corporation tax is not voluntary in nature is a statutory obligation (BBC, 2012). Starbucks needs to adhere more carefully to local laws, rules and regulations. Summary: In some areas such as economical progression and technological innovation, Starbucks has managed to be quite successful and in some areas, especially environmental; it has broken a few norms and invited criticsm, both by its customers and the administration. Starbucks needs to put more emphasis in valuing the factors that affect its business and take corrective action to set them straight or to take full advantage of situations presented to them. 5. Porter’s Five Forces: • Threat of New Entrants: Moderate to Low. Entry in the industry would require considerable investment to achieve proper market penetration, and since the industry is already dominated by some large players such as Starbucks, it makes it a relatively unattractive industry to enter.
  • 14. • Bargaining Power of Buyers: Low. There are many buyers in the industry; hence no single buyer has the power to demand any price concessions. Starbucks itself had more than 3 billion visits by customers in 2013 (Starbucks Corporation, 2014). • Bargaining Power of Suppliers: Medium. Starbucks sources its main ingredient: Coffee beans from select farmers in Latin America and Africa. It would make it difficult for them to move to another location and maintain the same quality as coffee beans from these places are known to be the best. However, none of the suppliers are big enough to bargain with a giant like Starbucks. Despite this, Starbucks maintains its Fair Trade policy [Appendix1] to source coffee beans responsibly. • Competitive Rivalry in the industry: Moderate to High. The industry is a pseudo oligopoly; the largest players control most of the market, with Starbucks leading the way. However, the rivalry is heating up, with Dunkin and Starbucks at the center of the battle and the likes of Costa Coffee waiting to pick up the pieces. • Threat of Substitutes: High. With changing customer preferences or traditional habits (in countries such as China
  • 15. or India, where tea is a preferred beverage) the industry faces a big threat of substitute products. Moreover, the industry is as much about coffee as it is about the ambience, quality and option of food available and value added services such as Wi-Fi internet services. Even if customers do not switch beverages, it would be easy for them to change the café they prefer to have coffee in. For example, some customers may prefer a Dunkin Donut with their coffee rather than a sweet condiment being offered by Starbuck. Summary: The industry has a low to medium threat of new entrants as the barriers are rather high, with low bargaining power of both buyers and suppliers. However, the threat of substitute products is quite high and the firms need to constantly differentiate their products as well as services to retain their customers. The competitive rivalry within the industry is moderately intense, with a few firms competing with each other. With continued innovation and excellent customer loyalty, it should continue to dominate the markets in the future. 6. VRIO Framework: Resources for Starbucks Value Rare Costly to Imitate Organization Huge financial resources YES YES YES YES Technological Innovation YES NO YES YES
  • 16. Brand Equity YES YES YES YES Global Presence YES YES YES YES Customer Loyalty YES YES YES YES • The financial resources of Starbucks definitely give it a competitive advantage in the industry. • Technological Innovation is superior at Starbucks (Higbee et al, n.d) but it is not rare in the industry, hence, it does not give them an absolute competitive advantage. • Starbucks boasts of a huge cult following which has given it an unbeatable Brand Equity. (Silverman, 2009) It definitely has a huge competitive advantage. • Starbucks strong global presence (Starbucks Corporation: Competing in a Global Market, 2003) is the main reason for its success and almost impossible to duplicate. Hence, it gives them a strong competitive advantage. • Starbucks boasts of great customer loyalty that stays loyal to Starbucks, giving them another competitive edge. 7. GAP Analysis:
  • 17. Desired Actual Consistency Drinks taste different and can vary from place to place, depending on where it was purchased. Accessibility to customers No Delivery service yet. (Although it is on the anvil) (Starbucks Corporation (a), 2013) Affordability Prices are generally higher than its competitors (Starbucks (b) , 2013) Flexibility in operations Centrally managed and controlled through a majority of stores operated by the Company. 8. Competitive Analysis: Some major competitors of Starbucks are mainly in the retail coffee industry such as Costa Coffee. However, fast food brands like McDonalds and Dunkin Donuts are venturing into the retail coffee industry as well, which adds to the competition in the industry. In 2011, Starbucks controlled about 33% markets share, about double its nearest competitor Dunkin Donuts. With an industry revenue of $26.5billion, [Appendix 3] Starbucks managed to generate $11.7 billion (Starbucks Corporation,, 2014) itself, proving it is by far the biggest player in the market. A closer look at Starbucks competition reveals that even though Starbucks does not spend on marketing activities, it enjoys domination in customer retention and loyalty. Moreover, Starbucks prices are comparatively higher than Dunkin. Still, people prefer
  • 18. Starbucks due to some critical factors such as quality, brand equity and ambiance in the store. However, Starbucks will have to guard against complacency in the future with a rapid growth of Dunkin and Costa Coffee and especially with McDonalds entering the coffee retail segment on global basis through its café chain McCafe. (McDonalds, 2014) 9. Value Chain: Primary Activities: • Inbound Logistics: The main ingredients of Starbucks, Coffee beans and sugar are directly sourced by them through Latin America and Africa (for coffee beans) and different parts of the world for sugar. • Outbound Logistics: Starbucks operates through a chain of its retail stores. A majority of them are company owned and some are licensed stores. • Marketing & Sales: Starbucks spends the least amount of money on marketing operations. It relies heavily on customer retention and word of mouth. (Allison (a), 2006) • Service: The service staff at Starbucks are known to be courteous and helpful, an attribute that Starbucks builds in its employees. (wpaadmin, 2014) Support Activities:
  • 19. • Infrastructure: Starbucks concentrates on the infrastructure of its store. All the stores have a sense of familiarity to them. The customer knows exactly where to go for what he needs, even if he is visiting that store for the first time. • Human Resource Management: Starbucks places a great deal of importance in proper managing its human resources. They believe it is one of the greatest assets they have. • Technology: Starbucks uses various machines in preparing the coffee and food items. In addition to this, it offers Wi-Fi internet at most of its locations as well as an online ordering system available on smart phones that run on IoS or Android. 10. Strategy at Starbucks: The strategy at Starbucks is uncomplicated. Offer the best products and services to the consumers, along with several value added services and hope that they keep coming back. Starbucks doesn’t spend on marketing activities, yet it boasts of the highest customer retentions. Starbucks innovates on a regular basis, whether it is its delivery system, use of technology or reaching out to customers. (Loeb, 2013) It should continue to follow its strategic decisions and look at expanding into further emerging markets outside the USA, especially in Asia where there is a huge economic boom. 11. Recommendations:
  • 20. Starbucks has managed to recover and get back into profitability after a series of misfit expansions across the world. Starbucks should carefully evaluate the market before entering and pay special attention to the legal or cultural requirements of the country they want to operate in. This would certainly help them avoid the debacle that they were subject to in Israel, and had to withdraw from the country after protests. Starbucks must aim to build on its menu and perhaps offer more vegan variety in their food menu, especially in countries like India where people prefer not to eat meat and go for vegetarian alternatives. Moreover, more and more people across the world, including the West are now realizing the importance of avoiding meats, especially red meat. It would be a good idea for Starbucks to introduce a vegan menu in the West as well. Starbucks has thrived on consumer loyalty and as discussed earlier, its marketing is done solely on the basis of word of mouth. Starbucks can introduce a referral program, where if a customer brings in a friend with him, he is eligible for a discount on his order. Customer loyalty cards can be used to track consumer behavior in this instance. Starbucks should look to invest in technology and give their customers the luxury of online ordering and payment. This way they will have knowledge of the particular customers buying patterns and hence, will be able to analyze the collective data to improve on its services. Starbucks should also expand on its delivery. The service has just begun for
  • 21. Starbucks, but big chains such as Pizza Hut, Dominos, McDonalds have been doing it successfully for years now, and it is reflected in their bottom line. References: Allison (a), 2006. Starbucks takes unique approach to marketing. [Online] Available at: http://seattletimes.com/html/businesstechnology/2003300353_events12.html [Accessed 25 December 2014]. Allison, M., 2008. Starbucks struggles with reducing environmental impacts. [Online] Available at: http://seattletimes.com/html/businesstechnology/2004412179_starbucks14.html [Accessed 25 December 2014]. BBC, 2012. Starbucks agrees to pay more corporation tax. [Online] Available at: http://www.bbc.com/news/business-20624857 [Accessed 25 December 2014]. Bruzelius & Johansson, 2012. The demand and supply of the domestic coffee shop market. Thesis Paper: The Department of Economics at the School of Business, Economics and Law. Chang & Carroll, 2014. Split country: Dunkin' vs. Starbucks. [Online] Available at: http://www.boston.com/yourtown/specials/starbucks_vs_dunkin_donuts/ [Accessed 25 December 2014]. Dam, D. R. v., 2014. Ask the Expert: Coffee and Health (Harvard School pof Public Health). [Online] Available at: http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/coffee/ [Accessed 25 December 2014]. Grant, R., 2013. Cases in Contemporary Strategy Analysis (with text and cases). 8th ed. s.l.:Wiley. Gulati et al, 2008. The Barista Principle - Starbucks and the rise of Relational Capital. Strategy & Competition; Booz and Company, Septemner.p. 8. Hennessey, R., 2012. 3 Reasons Why Starbucks Still Shines, Despite Market Shortcomings. [Online] Available at: http://www.forbes.com/sites/rachelhennessey/2012/08/06/3-reasons-why-starbucks- still-shines-despite-market-shortcomings/ [Accessed 25 December 2014]. Higbee et al, n.d. The Future of Starbucks. Team Macchiato. IBIS World, 2013. The Coffee & Snack Shop Industry in the US Report. IBIS.
  • 22. Kharas, H., 2010. THE EMERGING MIDDLE CLASS IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES. Working Paper No. 285 OECD Development Center, January.p. 55. Loeb, W., 2013. Starbucks: Global Coffee Giant Has New Growth Plans. [Online] Available at: http://www.forbes.com/sites/walterloeb/2013/01/31/starbucks-global-coffee-giant- has-new-growth-plans/ [Accessed 25 December 2014]. McDonalds, 2014. McDonalds: McCafe. [Online] Available at: http://www.mcdonalds.com/us/en/food/full_menu/mc_cafe.html [Accessed 25 December 2014]. Scheller, A., 2014. Here's Unsurprising Proof That Coffee Is More Popular Than Tea In Pretty Much Every Country. [Online] Available at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/09/29/coffee-is-more-popular-than- tea_n_5901430.html?ir=India [Accessed 25 December 2014]. Silverman, G., 2009. Best Global Brands 2008. Interbrand. Starbucks (a), 2014. Get the Starbucks® app for iPhone® and Android™. [Online] Available at: http://www.starbucks.com/coffeehouse/mobile-apps [Accessed 25 December 2014]. Starbucks (b) , 2013. 10-K Form for FY ended on September 29th, 2013. Annual Report. Starbucks Corporation (a), 2013. Global Data and MarketLine Financial Deals. Report. Starbucks Corporation,, 2014. Fiscal 2013 Annual Report. Starbucks Corporation,, 19 March. Starbucks Corporation: Competing in a Global Market (2003) Professors Suresh Kotha and Debra Glassman. Starbucks, 2014. Ethically Sourced Coffee Goals and Progress. [Online] Available at: http://www.starbucks.com/responsibility/sourcing/coffee [Accessed 25 December 2014]. TAHO, n.d. Information Management Advice 35: Implementing Information Security. TAHO. Trigeorgis & Baldi, n.d. VALUING BRAND STRATEGIES WITH REAL OPTIONS. University of Cyprus. UW Business School, 2003. Starbucks Corporation:. [Online] Available at: http://www.foster.washington.edu/centers/gbc/globalbusinesscasecompetition/documents/cases/20 03case.pdf [Accessed 25 December 2014]. Venkatraman, A., 2014. Starbucks uses cloud to manage innovation and disruptive technologies. [Online] Available at: http://www.computerweekly.com/news/2240232395/Starbucks-uses-cloud-to- manage-innovation-and-disruptive-technologies [Accessed 25 December 2014]. Wahba, 2014. Starbucks to offer delivery in 2015 in some key markets. [Online] Available at: http://fortune.com/2014/10/31/starbucks-delivery/ [Accessed 25 December 2014]. Wood, L., 2012. Research and Markets: Starbucks: Business revival in recession. [Online] Available at: http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/12/07/idUS179556+07-Dec-
  • 23. 2012+BW20121207 [Accessed 25 December 2014]. wpaadmin, 2014. Company Culture: It Takes More Than Incentives. [Online] Available at: http://www.activescreening.com/company-culture-takes-incentives/ [Accessed 25 December 2014]. Wu, A., 2014. Starbucks' World Won't Be Built In A Day. [Online] Available at: http://www.forbes.com/2003/06/27/cx_aw_0627sbux.html [Accessed 25 December 2014]. APPENDICES: APPENDIX 1: [Source: Starbucks (2014)]
  • 24. APPENDIX 2: Starbucks' trash profile By volume: Cardboard: 32 percent Milk jugs: 15 percent Paper cups: 9 percent Pastry boxes: 8 percent Other dairy cartons: 7 percent Other waste: 29 percent [Source: (Allison, 2008)]
  • 25. APPENDIX 3: [Source: (IBIS World, 2013)]