{"id":3023,"date":"2023-02-19T16:11:19","date_gmt":"2023-02-19T16:11:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.one.lumenlearning.com\/introductiontobusiness\/chapter\/apply-it-9-2-planning\/"},"modified":"2025-05-12T21:20:18","modified_gmt":"2025-05-12T21:20:18","slug":"apply-it-9-2-planning","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/content.one.lumenlearning.com\/introductiontobusiness\/chapter\/apply-it-9-2-planning\/","title":{"raw":"Apply It 9.2: Planning","rendered":"Apply It 9.2: Planning"},"content":{"raw":"<section class=\"textbox learningGoals\">\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li><span data-sheets-value=\"{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;Differentiate between different types of planning&quot;}\" data-sheets-userformat=\"{&quot;2&quot;:14720,&quot;10&quot;:0,&quot;11&quot;:4,&quot;14&quot;:{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:0},&quot;15&quot;:&quot;Calibri&quot;,&quot;16&quot;:10}\">Differentiate between different types of planning<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li><span data-sheets-value=\"{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;Understand what a SWOT analysis is&quot;}\" data-sheets-userformat=\"{&quot;2&quot;:14720,&quot;10&quot;:0,&quot;11&quot;:4,&quot;14&quot;:{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:0},&quot;15&quot;:&quot;Calibri&quot;,&quot;16&quot;:10}\">Understand what a SWOT analysis is<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li><span data-sheets-value=\"{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;Understand why planning is important&quot;}\" data-sheets-userformat=\"{&quot;2&quot;:14720,&quot;10&quot;:0,&quot;11&quot;:4,&quot;14&quot;:{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:0},&quot;15&quot;:&quot;Calibri&quot;,&quot;16&quot;:10}\">Understand why planning is important<\/span><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/section>\r\n<h2>Planning for Local Relevance<\/h2>\r\n<p>This Apply It continues using the Barnes and Noble case study video from earlier in this module. The video is included below in case you want to refresh your memory about specific details, but if you have already watched it, you don't need to watch it again.<\/p>\r\n<section class=\"textbox connectIt\">\r\n<h3>Strategic Pivot<\/h3>\r\n<p>Remember that Barnes &amp; Noble implemented a new strategy allowing individual store managers more autonomy in selecting and displaying merchandise based on local customer preferences, shifting away from their standardized superstore approach.<\/p>\r\n<p>[embed]https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=LIlH2L2oDno&amp;t=3s[\/embed]<\/p>\r\n<p class=\"p1\">You can view the <a href=\"https:\/\/course-building.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/Intro+to+Business\/transcripts\/WhyBarnesNobleIsCopyingLocalBookstoresItOnceT.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span class=\"s1\">transcript for \u201cWhy Barnes &amp; Noble Is Copying Local Bookstores It Once Threatened\u201d here (opens in new window).<\/span><\/a><\/p>\r\n<p>How would you characterize Barnes &amp; Noble's current approach in terms of strategic, tactical, operational, and contingency planning?<br \/>\r\n[reveal-answer q=\"353783\"]Click to Show Sample Answer[\/reveal-answer]<br \/>\r\n[hidden-answer a=\"353783\"]Barnes &amp; Noble's current approach demonstrates a thoughtful integration of multiple planning levels. At the strategic level, they've implemented a fundamental shift from standardized superstores to locally-tailored experiences, which represents a long-term vision to differentiate themselves from online retailers. This strategy addresses their core identity as a physical bookseller by emphasizing the in-store experience.<\/p>\r\n<p>At the tactical level, we see medium-term planning through their store downsizing initiatives and relocations to smaller spaces. Operationally, they've empowered local managers to make day-to-day decisions about inventory selection and display arrangements based on community preferences, such as featuring romance books prominently in stores where they're popular.<\/p>\r\n<p>Their contingency planning appears in how they're gradually testing this new approach across their 600+ locations, allowing them to adapt if certain elements aren't successful. The CEO's previous experience successfully implementing this model at Waterstones suggests they have backup plans based on lessons already learned.[\/hidden-answer]<\/p>\r\n<p>What external threats in Barnes &amp; Noble's SWOT analysis likely prompted their shift from standardized superstores to locally-tailored smaller locations?<br \/>\r\n[reveal-answer q=\"910489\"]Click to Show Sample Answer[\/reveal-answer]<br \/>\r\n[hidden-answer a=\"910489\"]The most significant external threat that prompted Barnes &amp; Noble's strategic shift was clearly Amazon's dominance in online book sales. This direct competition undermined Barnes &amp; Noble's previous competitive advantage of extensive inventory and lower prices compared to independent bookstores.<\/p>\r\n<p>Additional external threats likely included changing consumer preferences toward more authentic, personalized shopping experiences, and the growing resurgence of independent bookstores that provide unique, curated selections. Barnes &amp; Noble's revenue had been declining since 2012, indicating that their standardized superstore model was no longer resonating with customers in the digital age. Their failed attempt to keep pace digitally through the NOOK e-reader business further highlighted that competing directly with Amazon on digital platforms wasn't a viable strategy, forcing them to reconsider their value proposition and leverage their physical presence in a way online retailers couldn't match.[\/hidden-answer]<\/p>\r\n<\/section>\r\n<section class=\"textbox linkToLearning\">Try a SWOT analysis on one of your own goals! You can simply use a sheet of paper divided into four quadrants or use one of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.adobe.com\/express\/learn\/blog\/swot-analysis\">many templates<\/a> available on the Internet.<\/section>","rendered":"<section class=\"textbox learningGoals\">\n<ul>\n<li><span data-sheets-value=\"{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;Differentiate between different types of planning&quot;}\" data-sheets-userformat=\"{&quot;2&quot;:14720,&quot;10&quot;:0,&quot;11&quot;:4,&quot;14&quot;:{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:0},&quot;15&quot;:&quot;Calibri&quot;,&quot;16&quot;:10}\">Differentiate between different types of planning<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-sheets-value=\"{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;Understand what a SWOT analysis is&quot;}\" data-sheets-userformat=\"{&quot;2&quot;:14720,&quot;10&quot;:0,&quot;11&quot;:4,&quot;14&quot;:{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:0},&quot;15&quot;:&quot;Calibri&quot;,&quot;16&quot;:10}\">Understand what a SWOT analysis is<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-sheets-value=\"{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;Understand why planning is important&quot;}\" data-sheets-userformat=\"{&quot;2&quot;:14720,&quot;10&quot;:0,&quot;11&quot;:4,&quot;14&quot;:{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:0},&quot;15&quot;:&quot;Calibri&quot;,&quot;16&quot;:10}\">Understand why planning is important<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/section>\n<h2>Planning for Local Relevance<\/h2>\n<p>This Apply It continues using the Barnes and Noble case study video from earlier in this module. The video is included below in case you want to refresh your memory about specific details, but if you have already watched it, you don&#8217;t need to watch it again.<\/p>\n<section class=\"textbox connectIt\">\n<h3>Strategic Pivot<\/h3>\n<p>Remember that Barnes &amp; Noble implemented a new strategy allowing individual store managers more autonomy in selecting and displaying merchandise based on local customer preferences, shifting away from their standardized superstore approach.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" id=\"oembed-1\" title=\"Why Barnes &amp; Noble Is Copying Local Bookstores It Once Threatened | WSJ The Economics Of\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/LIlH2L2oDno?start=3&#38;feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">You can view the <a href=\"https:\/\/course-building.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/Intro+to+Business\/transcripts\/WhyBarnesNobleIsCopyingLocalBookstoresItOnceT.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span class=\"s1\">transcript for \u201cWhy Barnes &amp; Noble Is Copying Local Bookstores It Once Threatened\u201d here (opens in new window).<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p>How would you characterize Barnes &amp; Noble&#8217;s current approach in terms of strategic, tactical, operational, and contingency planning?<\/p>\n<div class=\"qa-wrapper\" style=\"display: block\"><button class=\"show-answer show-answer-button collapsed\" data-target=\"q353783\">Click to Show Sample Answer<\/button><\/p>\n<div id=\"q353783\" class=\"hidden-answer\" style=\"display: none\">Barnes &amp; Noble&#8217;s current approach demonstrates a thoughtful integration of multiple planning levels. At the strategic level, they&#8217;ve implemented a fundamental shift from standardized superstores to locally-tailored experiences, which represents a long-term vision to differentiate themselves from online retailers. This strategy addresses their core identity as a physical bookseller by emphasizing the in-store experience.<\/p>\n<p>At the tactical level, we see medium-term planning through their store downsizing initiatives and relocations to smaller spaces. Operationally, they&#8217;ve empowered local managers to make day-to-day decisions about inventory selection and display arrangements based on community preferences, such as featuring romance books prominently in stores where they&#8217;re popular.<\/p>\n<p>Their contingency planning appears in how they&#8217;re gradually testing this new approach across their 600+ locations, allowing them to adapt if certain elements aren&#8217;t successful. The CEO&#8217;s previous experience successfully implementing this model at Waterstones suggests they have backup plans based on lessons already learned.<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>What external threats in Barnes &amp; Noble&#8217;s SWOT analysis likely prompted their shift from standardized superstores to locally-tailored smaller locations?<\/p>\n<div class=\"qa-wrapper\" style=\"display: block\"><button class=\"show-answer show-answer-button collapsed\" data-target=\"q910489\">Click to Show Sample Answer<\/button><\/p>\n<div id=\"q910489\" class=\"hidden-answer\" style=\"display: none\">The most significant external threat that prompted Barnes &amp; Noble&#8217;s strategic shift was clearly Amazon&#8217;s dominance in online book sales. This direct competition undermined Barnes &amp; Noble&#8217;s previous competitive advantage of extensive inventory and lower prices compared to independent bookstores.<\/p>\n<p>Additional external threats likely included changing consumer preferences toward more authentic, personalized shopping experiences, and the growing resurgence of independent bookstores that provide unique, curated selections. Barnes &amp; Noble&#8217;s revenue had been declining since 2012, indicating that their standardized superstore model was no longer resonating with customers in the digital age. Their failed attempt to keep pace digitally through the NOOK e-reader business further highlighted that competing directly with Amazon on digital platforms wasn&#8217;t a viable strategy, forcing them to reconsider their value proposition and leverage their physical presence in a way online retailers couldn&#8217;t match.<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section class=\"textbox linkToLearning\">Try a SWOT analysis on one of your own goals! You can simply use a sheet of paper divided into four quadrants or use one of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.adobe.com\/express\/learn\/blog\/swot-analysis\">many templates<\/a> available on the Internet.<\/section>\n","protected":false},"author":21,"menu_order":13,"template":"","meta":{"_candela_citation":"[{\"type\":\"copyrighted_video\",\"description\":\"Why Barnes & Noble Is Copying Local Bookstores It Once Threatened\",\"author\":\"\",\"organization\":\"Wall Street Journal\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=LIlH2L2oDno&t=3s\",\"project\":\"\",\"license\":\"arr\",\"license_terms\":\"Standard YouTube License\"}]","pb_show_title":"on","pb_short_title":"","pb_subtitle":"","pb_authors":[],"pb_section_license":""},"chapter-type":[],"contributor":[],"license":[],"part":3011,"module-header":"apply_it","content_attributions":[{"type":"copyrighted_video","description":"Why Barnes & Noble Is Copying Local Bookstores It Once Threatened","author":"","organization":"Wall Street Journal","url":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=LIlH2L2oDno&t=3s","project":"","license":"arr","license_terms":"Standard YouTube License"}],"internal_book_links":[],"video_content":null,"cc_video_embed_content":{"cc_scripts":"","media_targets":[]},"try_it_collection":null,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/content.one.lumenlearning.com\/introductiontobusiness\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/3023"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/content.one.lumenlearning.com\/introductiontobusiness\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/content.one.lumenlearning.com\/introductiontobusiness\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/chapter"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/content.one.lumenlearning.com\/introductiontobusiness\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/21"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/content.one.lumenlearning.com\/introductiontobusiness\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/3023\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9201,"href":"https:\/\/content.one.lumenlearning.com\/introductiontobusiness\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/3023\/revisions\/9201"}],"part":[{"href":"https:\/\/content.one.lumenlearning.com\/introductiontobusiness\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/parts\/3011"}],"metadata":[{"href":"https:\/\/content.one.lumenlearning.com\/introductiontobusiness\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/3023\/metadata\/"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/content.one.lumenlearning.com\/introductiontobusiness\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3023"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"chapter-type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/content.one.lumenlearning.com\/introductiontobusiness\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapter-type?post=3023"},{"taxonomy":"contributor","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/content.one.lumenlearning.com\/introductiontobusiness\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/contributor?post=3023"},{"taxonomy":"license","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/content.one.lumenlearning.com\/introductiontobusiness\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/license?post=3023"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}