Starbucks' Management and Evaluates the Degree to

¶ … Starbucks' management and evaluates the degree to which the company's management is capable of meeting organizational goals. The first section will discuss the structure of the organization and how this affects decision-making, and what the roles of the different managers are. The next element of management that is discussed is the organizational culture.

Culture has been a driving force for success at Starbucks in the past, but there are some cultural challenges today associated with the saturation of branches and the extensive use of franchisees, over which the company has less control. The role of training and the leadership pipeline are also key issues. Starbucks has never enjoyed much success without Howard Schultz at the helm, so the quality of the leadership pipeline will be key to the future of the company once Schultz retires.

The last two topics are organizational change, and how well Starbucks handles that, and the issue of the company's new acquisitions. Integrating major acquisitions is a challenge for any company, and so some space will be dedicated to evaluating the effectiveness of Starbucks in integrating these new purchases to this point. Introduction I. Company is Starbucks a. Provide brief overview of organization, its size, profits and major businesses b.

Provide brief history to present day, focusing on the era of expansion from the mid-80s, through the slowdown in the mid-00s, and the resurgence in recent years. Organizational Structure I. Provide description of org chart, and a graph as well. II. Provide overview of franchise/partnership structures a. Domestic franchising strategy b. International franchising/partnerships, which have been critical and will be in the future with respect to the growth strategy. i. Special attention should be paid to the China strategy, where Starbucks is buying back franchises. III.

Outline how decisions are made within the context of the hierarchy a. Role of CEO b. Role of senior management c. Role of lower managers d. Role of franchisees and other stakeholders Organizational Culture I. How the company defines its culture i. There should be elements of mission, vision and values in this explanation of culture. II. Outline the role that the culture plays in: a. Service function b. Operations III. Ways culture contributes to competitive advantage a.

Customer service, which is probably the most important element of success for the company b. "Starbucks experience," and its relevance to the customer and to sustainable competitive advantage. c. Innovation culture, and the value of innovation to Starbucks' success Organizational Change I. How much does the company change? Discuss growth, internationalization and the transition from a growing company to a mature business that has occurred in recent years. II. How does it manage its change processes? III. Are the systems for change sufficient to meet its strategic objectives? a.

This requires noting the strategic objectives and then analyzing the systems of change. Managerial Training I. Low level training, brief overview II. Leadership pipeline a. How does the company identify leaders? b. What leadership training is there? c. Do leaders stay with the company? III. Succession plan is a key element to discuss as Schultz may retire in the next decade. New Acquisitions I. Starbucks has bought several companies recently a. How are these being integrated? b.