Competitive Advantage
Strategic Management and Competitive Advantage: Concepts, (4th Edition) by Jay B Barney and William S Hesterly, 2012 (Pearson Publishing) . ISBN is 9780132546348. The text is absolutely essential to succeeding in this course. The list price is around $154 new, but you can also find used copies at a reduced price online. Do not substitute the more expensive version (Concepts and Cases) or any older versions.
Case 1 – due Monday, September 23 (worth 50 points). Submit to dropbox before 11 pm on the due date. Watch one of two videos to apply concepts from the textbook to your analysis. (Warning: this is supposed to be a fun assignment, but you probably shouldn’t watch these episodes while you are eating. Also be aware that like most reality shows, some of the language may be offensive.)
Option 1: Pirate Bar Rescue
http://www.spike.com/full-episodes/81jluh/bar-rescue-yo-ho-ho-and-a-bottle-of-dumb-season-2-ep-201
Questions
In a two-page narrative, answer the following questions, incorporating terminology and concepts from Chapter 1 and Chapter 3 in the textbook.
1. What is Tracy’s implied mission? Based on your observation, what are two of her objectives?
2. As a business, what do you think the mission should be?
3. What resources and capabilities does the Pirate Tavern have in the beginning?
4. Apply the VRIO (Value Rare Imitability Organization) Framework to the Pirate Tavern.
5. Does the business have any competitive advantage in the beginning of the episode?
6. What resources and capabilities did Jon Taffer help them acquire during the bar rescue?
7. Does the business have any competitive advantage at the end of the bar rescue?
Option 2: Murphy’s Mess Bar Rescue
http://www.spike.com/full-episodes/is6m7q/bar-rescue-murphys-mess-season-2-ep-203
Questions
In a two-page narrative, answer the following questions, incorporating terminology and concepts from Chapter 2 and Chapter 3 in the textbook.
1. Describe the competitive environment for bars in the Fells Point, Maryland area.
2. Which of the external threats in Porter’s Five Forces model is the biggest concern for Joel and Keith? Are there other threats that are imminent?
3. What resources and capabilities does J.A. Murphy’s have in the beginning of the episode?
4. Apply the VRIO (Value Rare Imitability Organization) Framework to J.A. Murphy’s.
5. Does the business have any competitive advantage in the beginning of the episode?
6. What resources and capabilities did Jon Taffer help them acquire during the bar rescue? 7. Does the business have any competitive advantage at the end of the bar rescue?
