In Midtown Manhattan, on the ground floor of an office building, there’s a coffee shop that’s easy to miss. When you walk in, there’s no menu, just a metal riser supporting drinks waiting to be picked up, and in back, some plush banquettes and tables.
Click here to read the story at fastcompany.com.
Discussion Questions:
- What is positioning?
- Based on information from this story, how was Starbucks positioning itself in the 1990s?
- Two years ago, to-go orders represented 80% of transactions for the company. How might that be a departure from the company’s original positioning strategy?
- Why do you think Starbucks has invested so much in app and to-go orders?
- How has that impacted the company’s growth?
- How have relations with employees changed in recent years?
- How has that impacted the company?
- What is leadership?
- Why is leadership important to a company like Starbucks?
- How do you think leadership has impacted Starbucks? Be prepared to discuss your answers in class.
