• Is Trader Joe's the grocery store of the future? How is the grocery store changing in your area? Take a trip to a specialty food retailer such as Trader Joe's, Whole Foods or a farmer's market. Discuss what the advantages of those stores are and what they still don't provide shoppers with. Do they offer competitive prices, or could they ever? Meet with the manager/organizer and discuss their target customer and where they see their competitive value. Study up on the grocery workers' strike in Southern California and what implications it might have in your area and for the industry.
• Surprise Package shows that, unlike the IBM story, outsourcing doesn't have to be international. UPS has set itself up to be all things for all companies looking to outsource work. Have your member's map out their supply chain and figure out potential areas for outsourcing, if they wanted to do so. Arrange a visit to a distribution warehouse. Have your members write down in advance what they expect to find there, and compare that to what is actually going on there. Is it more than packing and shipping? Does a shorter supply chain automatically equate to a more efficient one?
• Chuck Salter's story on Jacques Torres chocolate factory hits on a few major business issues -- hand production vs. mass assembly, finding success in an unexpected location -- among others. Have your group indulge their sweet tooth with a trip to a local candy shop or boutique food store. Discuss what the appeal is of such stores. Do the other customers seem drawn in by brand names, products, or location? Does the shop resonate with what you expect from that company's brand name? Similarly, consider having a meal, before or after that dessert, at a 'label' restaurant, where the name is the appeal. It could be a Wolfgang Puck's or one with an athlete or actor's name attached to it, such as Michael Jordan's ventures in Chicago and Washington, D.C., or Dan Marino's in Miami. Does the restaurant serve its namesake well? What is different, and how could it be improved?

Daniel Richards contributed this month's Next Steps.

February 2004 Connexus | Flash Points | Next Steps

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