Starbucks - the World’s Leading Coffee Company

General Requirements for Written Reports

How to Submit: Please submit your group’s report by the due date using the course website, by clicking on the module for the week that the report is due (see the Course Schedule below). Please submit assignments in Microsoft Word document form. Only one person from your group needs to submit your group’s report, but be sure all group members’

names are listed on the cover page within the report (see requirements below).Typeface: use a common typeface (e.g., Times New Roman, Arial, etc.).

Font Size: 12-point (excluding title page, headings, tables, exhibits, graphs, etc.).

Line Spacing: double-spaced (excluding headings, charts, tables, exhibits, graphs, and design modules attached as an appendix).

Cover Page: be sure to at least include (1) your group letter [you’ll find this in the “join a group” discussion under Course Home], (2) the first and last names of each group member,(3) the semester, year, and course number [listed on the first page of this syllabus], and (4) the name of the organization you’re analyzing. In your filename, include your group letter.

Length: Page limits are somewhat flexible because I focus on quality not quantity. However,roughly aim for these guidelines: at least 10 and no more than 20 double-spaced pages(excluding title page, table of contents, bibliography, tables, exhibits, graphs, appendices, etc.).Note: tables, exhibits, graphs, and the like may be integrated into the text of the paper as long as the text of the paper would have been within 20 pages without them. Also note: Although quality is more important than quantity, better reports have tended to be 15 to 20 pages in length. Your group can divide this page limit between the case study and redesign plan as you see fit. However, I would recommend that you divide this roughly in half (e.g., 10 pages for the case study and 10 pages to discuss your redesign recommendations). There is no maximum page limit on your design module answers (attached as an

appendix).

____________________________________________________________________________

-

Written Report

The written report is partly (though not entirely) based on the Analyzing the Organization Design Modules at the end of each assigned chapter. Each design module asks your team to collect information and answer several questions about the organization you have chosen.The written report should contain two major sections.

SECTION 1

The first section of the written report is the case study. In this part of the report, you should thoroughly describe the organization’s current design and identify any structure or design problems that the organization is facing. The data gathered in each chapter’s design module will help you with this. By answering the design module questions (in appendix), you will gain an understanding of how the organization is currently structured and what challenges it faces. It is important to focus on challenges related to structure and design— those identified as you complete the weekly modules— since other problems (such as poor products, poor pricing, poor marketing, and so on) might not be as relevant and won’t give you enough opportunity to demonstrate mastery of course concepts. However, if those problems arise because of poor organizational structure or design, they are appropriate to discuss.

(Britt)

Starbucks, the world’s leading coffee company, has had many successes throughout the several decades it has been in existence. Many of these successes can be attributed to its unique organizational structure and design. The company has made a name for itself, and has a world known reputation for being ethically and socially responsible. They have changed the coffee business as we know it, and have created a friendly and rich culture to back it up.

Starbucks was founded in 1971 in Seattle Washington. It began as a retailer for coffee, tea and spices. A store in which customers could purchase raw materials for at home use. At this time, being the small business it was, it was very flat in structure. The stores owners would oversee all operations, with few employees (meaning a very small span of control). This type of structure was simple and easy, and it worked well for a company of its size. Soon, however, the growth Starbucks would experience would cause the company to change the way it is structured. Upon the arrival of CEO Howard Schultz in 1987, Starbucks made the huge transition from a retailer to a “coffee bar”. Schultz was inspired by Italy’s social and popular coffee bars, and wanted to introduce the concept to the United States, where cafes were few and far between. Schultz was looking to create an atmosphere where people could enjoy high quality coffee, yet have somewhere to enjoy it. Starbucks successfully made this transition and went from a simple coffee store to operating in the restaurant/cafe industry.

The growth of Starbucks can only be attributed to the new concept of the “coffee bar”. There were many other strategies that helped this organization rise to the top. Ethical practices is a value that Starbucks puts on the top of its list. From “putting their people first” to remaining socially responsible, corporate social responsibility, to ethical distribution, Starbucks does it all, and they do it well. Socialization of the employees is an important factor in the organization’s culture, and helps to sustain its unique open-communication structure. With that being said, Starbucks’ organizational structure is not only unique, but has become very complex due to its growth.

The CEO remains at the top of the company’s structure (much like other companies). However, Starbucks has put forth a lot of effort to remain as flat as possible, while also introducing aspects of a matrix structure. Under CEO Howard Schultz the span of control consisted of 17 members. This is rather high and some might say that lowering this span would allow the CEO to be more effective through differentiation, specializing in only the most important business decisions. The span of control, as well as other important organizational design structures, could change for Starbucks in the very near future. Howard Schultz stepped down as CEO on April 3, 2017. While Schultz will remain on the

...