This week’s second discussion question is on Panera Bread, which many of you may have visited. After you have viewed the video, read the Case Study and Stage 1 project, and review the Walmart Example to help you understand what is required.

Now that you are familiar with this semesters case study and Porter’s five forces analysis you will need to analyze Panera Bread using them and provide some thoughts on how the it helped you to identify any short comings in Panera’s strategy. You may want to use the below questions as a guideline for responding to this week’s discussion.

1. What is Panera Bread’s strategy?
2. Which of Porter’s Three Generic Strategies, found in the Week 1 Learning Rsources, most closely ?t the competitive approach that Panera Bread is taking?
3. What type of competitive advantage is Panera Bread trying to achieve?
4. What does a SWOT or Five Forces analysis of Panera Bread reveal about the overall attractiveness of its situation?
5. Does the company have any core competencies or distinctive competencies?
6. What strategic issues and problems does Panera Bread management need to address?
7. What does Panera Bread need to do to strengthen its competitive position and business prospects vis-à-vis other restaurant chain rivals?

On Saturday, I will post a solution so that you can see how both a SWOT and Porter’s Five Forces analysis is applied. This discussion is intended to help you understand the concepts you will use to complete the Stage 1 project.

As with the first discussion, each member of Group A should do a main posting by Thursday midnight, and each member of Groups B, C, and D should respond to at least two class members by Sunday midnight. You should check back to see if I or anyone in the class have a question for you, or a comment that you want to respond to.