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Final individual assignment (Total Points: 100) You are expected to consult the readings, book and slides from this class to answer the questions

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Final individual assignment (Total Points: 100)

You are expected to consult the readings, book and slides from this class to answer the questions. You don’t gain from using ChatGPT as the goal is to apply the frameworks and the way of thinking learned in class.

 

 

You need to stick to the maximum length requirement. Writing more will culminate in a grade penalty of 5 points per question for which you exceed the space limit.

 

Question 1 (25 points – Max 200 words)

 

Supermarkets experience important economies of scale as larger supermarkets will buy their goods at a lower price from their suppliers than smaller ones. End customers will thus benefit from shopping at the larger supermarkets as they will typically charge lower prices than their smaller counterparts.  

 

Can we infer from the above that supermarket chains are one-sided networks with positive network effects between the end customers? Or are they two-sided networks with positive cross-side network effects between end customers and the suppliers to the supermarkets. Or is neither of these claims correct? Please explain.

 

Grading criteria:

 

a. Did you answer the question? (10 points)

 

b. Do you understand markets with network effects? (15 points)

 

 

 

Question 2 (20 points – Max 200 words)

 

 

 

In class, we talked primarily about capability-based competitive advantage. 

 

However, companies can also obtain superior performance based upon pre-emption, which is the result of exploiting some form of first-mover advantage. 

Being first does, however, not necessarily imply pre-emption. Please provide two examples to illustrate when being first does (example 1) and when being first does not (example 2) lead to pre-emption. The examples can be hypothetical and should clearly illustrate that you understand and can communicate the difference in logic between the two cases, so please be to the point. 

 

 

 

Grading criteria:

 

a. Did you answer the question? (5 points)

 

b. Did you clearly understand the difference between both situations? (10 points)

 

c. Does each example make sense (5 points) 

 

 

Question 3 (35 points – Max 500)

 

The ride-hailing market in the U.S. is fiercely competitive. Utilizing digital technology, these platforms have changed how drivers and passengers connect, serving a wide range of urban and suburban areas. Over time, this intense competition led to the exit of many smaller ride-hailing companies, leaving Uber and Lyft as the main players in the market.

 

Looking forward do you expect the ride-hailing market to become a winner-take-all business at the metropolitan level (i.e., that in any given metropolitan area, there would just be one player)?

 

You are allowed to search online for publicly available information about Uber and Lyft. Your paper will be graded based on the following rubrics.

 

Grading rubrics:

 

a. Did you answer the question? (5 points)

b. Did you select the appropriate framework? (15 points)

c. Do you demonstrate a correct understanding and application of the various components of the framework? (10 points)

d.  Did you draw the correct conclusion from your analysis? (5 points)

Question 4 (20 points – Max 300 words)

In recent years, the concept of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) has gained significant importance in the business world. Companies are increasingly evaluated not just on their financial performance, but also on their impact on the environment, society, and their governance practices. This shift has led to a debate on whether ESG considerations are aligned with the traditional goal of profit maximization for a company.

This company should be known for its strategic integration of ESG principles into its business model. You can refer to the optional articles suggested in this course, for inspiration and are allowed to gather information from them or other sources but please quote them.

 

Your Task:

Description of ESG Strategy: Describe the ESG initiatives undertaken by the chosen company.

Profit Maximization and ESG Alignment: Critically evaluate whether the ESG initiatives of the company align with its goal of profit maximization. Provide specific examples or data to support your arguments.

Grading criteria:

a. Did you provide a thorough and insightful description of the company's ESG initiatives? (10 points)

b. Did you effectively evaluate the alignment between ESG initiatives and profit maximization, with supporting evidence? (10 points)