Question

1. small restaurant with room for 20 tables (seating 60 people).  It is in the center of the shopping area and a block from the commuter train station. You are a favorite stop for people in the morning.  They buy one of your great coffee choices and about 33% also buy something to eat.  The commuter sales are about 15% of your sales, and morning customers another 20%.

1. 1. What do you do if Starbucks is building its first store in the town a block further away from you on the other side of the parking lot, 2 blocks from the train station?(Short answer)
2. Why is company culture important for you in your job search?     And How can you learn about a company’s culture?(short answer)

Answer 1

a. The Starbucks company's decision to build a store in the vicinity would have following effects

(i) Some of the customers who are also the target group of Starbucks are likely to switch, while all those who want a affordable coffee house ( it is being assumed that the operting cost of the store would be lesser than starbucks, hence the cost of coffee along with something to eat is lower.) would stick to their old favourite.

(ii) Being a Starbucks, the store would attract customers from across the city, and some of them would also come across this coffee shop and might be tempted by it, adding new customers.

(iii) The target groups like commuters and morning customers re more likely to sticj to their previous choice, given th freuency of use and issue of affordability.

The compny should not worry, as its customer base would more or less remain the same, and is only likely to rise.It should focus on speciality items, both in coffees and accompaniments, which can give it a distinct identity.

B.

company is known by its Culture and an employee is known by the company it represents. Someone working with an orgnisation is expected to bear the same cultural attributes of the company, and perceived in the same mnner by the people outside. Culture also affects the way employees interact among themselves, their motivation, dedication and overall performance. Joining a company with good culture would not only enhances the future aspects of person, but also determines the quality of learning on the job.

The compny's culture can be assessed through the motivtion level and the body language of the employees on the first hand. It can also be assessed from their attrition rate, satisfaction rate, employee involvement, adoption of industry best prctices, etc. Other sources are independent websites like www.glassdoor.com, which provides reviews of different orgnisations, employee forums, industry associations, individual opinions, blogs and reviews.