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Carl's Jr: Developing a Sustainable Competitive Advantage

Fabrizio Di Muro

Product #:9B20A004
Supplier:Ivey
Discipline:Marketing
Setting:United States, 2019
Details:Case (PDF) • 10 pages • 2020-01-16 (Rev: 2020-01-15)

Subjects:

Competitive advantageSWOT analysisCompetitive strategyStrategic analysisSales and marketingMarketing

Industries:

Food and beverage sector

Geography:

North AmericaUnited States
Your Price:$9.71

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In April 2019, Carl’s Jr. Restaurants LLC (Carl’s Jr.), an American fast-food restaurant chain, faced an important decision. The company was up against strong competition from both traditional players in the fast-food market and newer competitors in the fast-casual dining market. In 2017, Carl’s Jr. had stopped using the provocative ads it had become known for, and in 2018, the company ended a long co-branding relationship with Hardee’s Restaurants LLC. Due in part to these changes, the company was struggling to form its own identity. Carl’s Jr.’s chief executive officer needed to develop a sustainable competitive advantage in order to make the company relevant again in the minds of consumers.

Learning Objectives

This case can be used in an undergraduate- or graduate-level courses on the fundamentals of marketing or marketing management. This case can also be used in an undergraduate- or graduate-level course on introduction to management or strategy to illustrate the importance of developing and maintaining a competitive advantage. After working through the case and assignment questions, students will be able to do the following:
  • Identify and discuss various sources of competitive advantage.
  • Assess the sustainability of a competitive advantage.
  • Identify and discuss the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) facing an organization.
  • Describe the process of creating a sustainable competitive advantage.
  • Illustrate how a company can turn its fortunes around.
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Case Study: Carl's Jr: Developing a Sustainable Competitive Advantage (English version) | Ivey Publishing