1. Why was Caterpillar able to meet Japanese competition and succeed where other major U.S. manufacturers failed? For example, what did Caterpillar do that the big three auto makers have not done?

2. Evaluate Caterpillar Inc.'s marketing and management strengths and weakness.

3. In the United States, Caterpillar is competing in a mature industry. This means that for caterpillar to increase its U.S. market share, it must take sales from competitors, rather than increase the size of the market.

a. Are there other major growth opportunities in the domestic market which have not been identified by caterpillar?
b. If the U.S. market is close to saturation, should caterpillar maintain the majority of its manufacturing operations in the U.S.?

4. Identify the strengths and weaknesses of Komatsu and Caterpillar's other major competitors.

5. Where are the major growth opportunities for Caterpillar, Inc. in the international market? Identify the risks of pursuing these growth opportunities and the risk reduction strategies which caterpillar could pursue.

6. Caterpillar has been a major corporate voice in the call for the reduction of trade barriers not only in the U.S. but also worldwide. Explain the benefits to caterpillar if trade barriers were eliminated.

7. Caterpillar, Inc. has had severe labour difficulties during the past decade. What can the company do to establish a more cooperative environment? 

8. Looking at the equipment (Appendix B) which Caterpillar currently manufacturers, are there new equipment opportunities that the company has ignored?