Reference no: EM132433762

1 (a) Using Porter's typology of strategies and the concept of segmentation, classify Walmart's business level strategy.

1 (b) Using a contingency perspective and building on your answer to question 1(a), identify the two most important independent variables that would determine the effectiveness of Walmart's business level strategy. Why are these two independent variables the most important for Walmart? (Hint: Your dependent variable may be: Effectiveness of Walmart's strategy).  

1 (c) Based on your answers to 1 (a) and 1 (b), how can Sears attack Walmart's competitive advantage? 

2 (a) Imagine you are a company considering entering Quaker Oats' niche in the sports drink industry. Using any two of the tools of industry analysis presented in class, analyze the attractiveness of this niche within the fast food industry.  

2 (b). Let us assume that your company decides to penetrate this niche. What offensive strategies (strategy) are you likely to make and why? 

3)(a) Several multinationals in the personal computer industry would like to operate across national borders differently from the way they function domestically. Under what conditions would a different strategy across national borders be effective and lead to sustainable competitive advantage?  

(b) Assume you are HP, a global competitor in the personal computer industry. Dell is using the same strategy across multiple countries. How can you attack Dell's current value chain in the personal computer industry to gain sustainable competitive advantage?