BIT108 Foundations of Business

Task:

Write a report in your own words, providing solutions to the following questions:

1. Knowing that Graeter’s competes with multinational corporations as well as small businesses, would you recommend that Graeter’s expand by licensing its brand to a company in another country? Why or why not?

2. Graeter’s hired management consultants to help improve its training procedures and expand distribution. “I think my cousins and I all have come to realise we can’t do it alone,” says the CEO. Why do you think the management team made this decision? Does the involvement of outside consultants move Graeter’s further from its roots as a family business?

3. Do you agree with Graeter’s decision to stop franchising? Explain your answer.

4. What have been company’s most important strengths? Can you identify any weaknesses that might affect its ability to grow?

5. Graeter’s is currently a non-union company. How might the experience of working there change if a union were to be introduced?

6. What are the elements of Graeter’s marketing mix? Which are most likely to be affected by external forces in the marketing environment?

7. Graeter’s ice cream line includes smoothies and sorbets. Do you think it should consider other brand extensions such as yogurt, lowfat ice cream, coffee drinks, or other related products? Why or why not?

8. Suppose you were writing a social media plan for Graeter’s, with two objectives: to improve brand awareness in new markets and to build online orders during holiday periods. What quantitative and qualitative measurements would you use to evaluate the results of your plan?

9. What kinds of questions do you think bank managers might ask Graeter’s owners before agreeing to loan the company $10 million for the “unexpected acquisition”?