Wooden Bakery: Should It Enter the U.S. Market

Description

A leading family-owned Lebanese bakery-convenience store chain, Wooden Bakery, was in the process of deciding the company’s next options for growth in Lebanon and in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries. The owner was pondering the use of aggressive growth strategies such as franchising and area-development franchising. Additionally, the founder of the company and its board members were facing the biggest decision in the company’s history as they prepared to vote on whether to enter the U.S. market. What competitive and functional-level strategies would be required to implement such an ambitious growth strategy in a very challenging and unfamiliar market environment?

Learning Objective

This case can be used in a strategic management or international management course at either the undergraduate or graduate level. It primarily addresses corporate growth strategies in and outside of Wooden Bakery’s home country of Lebanon.Students will gain an understanding of the following aspects of strategic management: ·growth and new market-entry tools, such as franchising, area-development franchising, partnerships, and strategic alliances ·risks associated with aggressive growth strategies relevant to the food industry and family-owned businesses ·the formulation and implementation of business-level strategies and different functional-level strategies to ensure success

Keywords

Family Business food industry Global expansion Growth strategy