Executive strategy Study Case
The case scenario is:
The Board of Vera Bradley has employed you as a consultant and asked you to assess the company's strategy, competitive market position, overall situation, and recommend a set of actions to help the company reverse its downturn and reestablish a positive revenue and net income trajectory. Please prepare a report to the senior executives at Vera Bradley that includes:
i. an identification of the key elements of the company's strategy
ii. a discussion of which of the five generic competitive strategies described in chapter 5 seem to most closest match the competitive strategy that Vera Bradley is using
iii. the pros and cons of the company's strategy
iv. an assessment of Vera Bradley's strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats
v. an assessment of Vera Bradley's financial performance (based on the data in case Exhibits 1, 2 and 3)
vi. an evaluation of Vera Bradley's closest rivals ( presented in the case)
vii. the strategic issues and problems that Vera Bradley's management needs to address
viii. a set of action recommendations to deal with these issues and problems
b. Your report should be 6-8 pages, plus it should include an assortment of charts, tables, and exhibits to support your analysis and recommendations.
Assignment Questions
1. Does Vera Bradley have a well-defined strategy? How can the strategy be best characterized?
2. Does Vera Bradley have any core competencies? Distinctive competencies? If so, what are they?
3. How attractive is Vera Bradley's situation? What can a SWOT analysis reveal about the company's situation
4. Using the information in case Exhibits 1 and 2 and the financial ratios in Table 4.1 of Chapter 4, prepare an analysis of Vera Bradley's financial situation.
5. How does Vera Bradley stack up against its three major competitors? From the data in the case (including case Exhibits 1, 2, 4, 5, & 6), which of its four industry rivals is the strongest? Which firm appears best poised for growth in the next 3 - 5 years?
6. How would you advise the management to improve the company's market standing, competitiveness, and financial performance over the next 3 - 5 years? What steps should management take?