Joined Assignment, Business Strategy and Organizational Identity - Case Study Example

Starbucks was founded in 1971 by Gordon Bowker, Jerry Baldwin and Zev Siegel. The trio opened up a store in Seattle and named it Starbucks Coffee, Tea, and Spice, in honor of Starbuck, the coffee-loving first mate in Herman Melville's Moby Dick. The company's logo is a mermaid with two tails, with the store's name around it. The company began to be profitable every year, and by the early 1980s, there were four Starbucks stores in the Seattle area alone. However, the roles of the founders of the company went through some major changes, and Jerry Baldwin took over the daily management of the company, while Gordon Bowker remained involved as an owner, though he devoted most of his time to other business ventures, and Zev Siegel left the company.

As stated on the company’s website, Starbucks’ vision is to “establish Starbucks as the most recognized and respected brand in the world.” (www.starbucks.com). Starbucks corporation offers products like pastries, specialty coffees, cold blended beverages, coffee beans, tea and coffee related products. Starbucks first opened a location in Seattle, in 1971, and three decades later, the company had more than 3,300 locations and is still on the increase. Mission Starbucks’ mission is to “establish Starbucks as the premier provider of the finest coffee in the world, while maintaining uncompromising principles as the company continues to grow.

” (www.starbucks.com) this mission statement, and the positive effects that the company has brought to bear in its operating communities has ensured continued customer loyalty for the company. In 1982, Howard Schultz was recruited into the company. The following year, Schultz came up with an idea for the future of Starbucks but encountered strong resistance from the founders, and later decided to leave the company to open his first Il Giornale store in 1985.HistoryThe company was started by three Seattle entrepreneurs in 1971 selling whole bean coffee in one Seattle store.

By 1982, their business had grown into five stores selling the coffee beans, a roasting facility, and a wholesale business for local restaurants. As a marketer, Howard Schultz was hired to be the manager of retail and marketing who brought new ideas to the owners but was turned down. Schultz opened a coffee bar in 1986 based on Italian coffee cafes, selling brewed Starbucks coffee. By 1987, Schultz had expanded to three coffee bars and bought Starbucks from the original owners for $4 million.

His intention for the company was to grow slowly with a very solid foundation. He wanted to create a top-quality management team which he did by buying off top executives from other well-known corporations. The company suffered losses for the first two years, but Schultz stood his ground and did not surrender his long-term integrity and values for short-term profit.