A)please read and discuss the questions with the exercise in your text, "So you want to lead the orchestra!" This is a very cool opportunity to try to explain why certain jobs , within the same busine

A)please read and discuss the questions with the exercise in your text, "So you want to lead the orchestra!"

This is a very cool opportunity to try to explain why certain jobs , within the same business, get paid differently- a great way to see how internal and external  alignment and equity works. Give it a try and include your comments!

B) McCafe Case Report

1. Based on the initial results, Sgro believed that McCafe has resolved the losses in breakfast sales. Do you agree? (20 points)

1. Other coffee retailers sell the same products that McCafe offers. Why would McCafe attract customers? (20 points)

1. How will coffee retailers and fast-food competitors react to McCafe? While McDonald’s competitors will attempt to copy McCafe, how effective will they be? (20 points)

1. What sort of internal resources does McDonald’s have that has made the McCafe concept effective? (20 points)

1. Do you think McCafe has a sustained competitive advantage?  (Hint: How do your answers to the above four questions help you answer this question?) (20 points)

C) Please read the article "Walmart drops rival to Amazon Prime, offers free two-day shipping on some orders  Download Walmart drops rival to Amazon Prime, offers free two-day shipping on some orders" and perform a VRIO analysis on Amazon Prime and discuss whether Amazon Prime has a competitive advantage or sustained competitive advantage based on your VRIO analysis.  

1. Is Prime valuable?
2. Is Prime rare?
3. Is Prime inimitable?
4. Is Amazon positioned well to take advantage of Prime?  Does Amazon have bundled resources to make Prime harder to be imitated?  If so, what are they?  How do they prevent competitors, such as Walmart, from easily imitating/substituting Prime?