Kroger Analysis Assignment #1
Strategic Management
Assignment in
Brief:
Analyze Kroger’s internal and external environments and assess their
competitive advantage
Background:
Whether
you know them as Kroger, Dillons, City Market, King Soopers, Baker’s, Fred
Meyer, Ralphs, Smith’s, Mariano’s, Foods Co., Pay Less Super Markets, Gerge’s,
Harris Teeters, QFCs, Food4Less, JayC Food Stores, Owen’s, Roundy’s, Ruler
Foods, Fry’s Food Stores, or Pick ‘n Save[1], you’ve almost certainly
interacted with Kroger at some point.
There has been
considerable dynamism in the grocery industry over the last 10 years, and
Kroger has tried a multi-pronged approach to dealing with the changes,
experiencing mixed success.
Instructions: Analyze Kroger’s
external environment using a PESTEL and Porter’s Five Forces analysis and
Kroger’s internal environment by assessing its resources, core competencies,
and value chain. Summarize the most important conclusions from these analyses
into a SWOT analysis.
Prompts: Based on your
analyses, what are the most important opportunities, threats, strengths, and
weaknesses experienced by Kroger? Which elements of the internal and external
environments are driving these? In what ways does Kroger have a competitive
advantage and in what ways does it not? What is driving Kroger’s competitive
advantages (this will likely relate back to your SWOT analysis)? Which, if any,
are currently sustainable?
Please note: (1) I’m not asking for
your whole analysis, just what you deem the most important conclusions, (2)
when instructions ask for opportunities (plural), I expect that you’ll describe
at least two, and (3) whether stated explicitly or not, I expect you to explain
your reasoning and support your positions with sources as appropriate.
Format: Develop a
“concise, professional paper” and keep your write-up to max 2 pages (exclusive
of references), single-spaced. Use APA format (no abstract or title page
needed, but include a references page and all team members’ names on the first
page of the assignment). PLEASE USE SUGGESTED SOURCES BELOW
Starter Source Suggestions:
· Kroger Wikipedia
Page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kroger
o
It
is NOT appropriate to cite this, but it can give helpful background and
starting points. If you find information you’d like to use, try following the
associated source in the footnote and see if it’s a more appropriate source to
cite.
· Latest 10-k (Part
1 will be most helpful): https://ir.kroger.com/CorporateProfile/financial-performance/sec-filings/default.aspx
o
Also
look at Part 1 of Kroger’s major competitors’ 10-ks to see what factors they’re
identifying as most important
· https://www.forbes.com/sites/richardkestenbaum/2022/04/13/the-future-of-the-grocery-industry—will-walmart-kroger–amazon-remain-leaders/
· https://www.forbes.com/sites/qai/2022/09/09/how-inflation-affects-grocery-stocks-like-kroger-walmart-and-costco/?sh=7d44a12d4217
· https://www.forbes.com/sites/dennismitzner/2022/07/31/grocery-retailers-and-the-food-market-trends-and-future-prospects/?sh=4bdb95504f68
· https://www.forbes.com/sites/errolschweizer/2022/01/12/why-are-denver-kroger-workers-on-strike/
· Look at the
Industry Survey for “Food & Staples Retailing” via NetAdvantage https://www-capitaliq-com.ezproxy.library.astate.edu/CIQDotNet/Research/InvestmentResearch.aspx?stateKey=f39cd496afe04530aa294565afca5cef&pagemode=13
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If
direct link doesn’t work, go to our Library A-Z Databases https://libguides.astate.edu/az.php?a=n&p=1, then
NetAdvantage, then Industry Surveys
· Consider using
“NexisUni” (aka LexisNexis) as a better search resource than Google for quality
articles https://ezproxy.library.astate.edu/login?url=https://www.nexisuni.com
[1] https://www.kroger.com/i/kroger-family-of-companies
