Chapter 5: Entrepreneurship and New Venture Management

Complete set of links to companies

Access the web sites of two entrepreneurial firms, Stillking and Auntie Anne’s Pretzels. Then answer the following questions:

1. In what industry is each company? Is each industry one in which small firms tend to excel, based on what your text indicated?
2. What seems to be each firm’s distinctive competencies? Based on your answer to this question and to question 1 above, do you think each firm is likely to continue to be successful? Why or why not?

Internet Exercise

The "Management Infotech" themed insert for Chapter 5 (found on page 128 of your text) describes the challenges that online retailers are posing for traditional sellers. View the Amazon.com web site, and answer the following questions:

1. In your opinion, has Amazon.com exploited a niche in an established market, or are they identifying a new market?
2. What are Amazon.com’s plans for the future? Is it continuing to be entrepreneurial?
3. What lessons might managers from other online retailers learn from Amazon.com’s experience? What might traditional retailers learn?

Explore Further

One of Amazon.com’s traditional "bricks and mortar" competitors is the bookseller Barnes and Noble. View their web site, barnesandnoble.com, and compare their operations with those of Amazon.com. What are the differences? Consider appearance and functioning of the web site, products offered, etc.