The items I found the most interesting while researching Transnational Corporation (TNC) website are the acquisition of other companies and corporate regulations. While researching Verizon Wireless there was an interesting article about how Verizon has acquired AOL (AOL). This was interesting because these two companies were competitors at one point for internet customers, but now Verizon is overtaking the market. The research into the Wells Fargo Corporate website had an interesting section about corporate regulations on the financial industry, because it seems that the increased regulations cause the company to be less profitable (Wells Fargo). When looking through the Fortune 500 website I was surprised to see failing companies such as Fannie Mae on the list (Fortune 500). This was unexpected because I was not expecting to see a failing company such as Fannie Mae higher on the list (#17) than a profitable company such as Microsoft (#31) (Fortune 500).
The Transnational Corporation I will be researching throughout the quarter is Starbucks. Starbucks has been successfully operating worldwide since 1971 (Starbucks). I chose Starbucks as the TNC to research this quarter because Starbucks has an interesting history, innovative products, and inspiring company mission statement. The Starbucks mission statement is “To inspire and nurture the human spirit – one person, one cup and one neighborhood at a time” (Starbuck). I am inspired to research this company this quarter by this mission statement and the variety of products offered. Additionally, Starbucks has a worldwide reputation and a genre all its own. Starbucks has created a niche brand recognized by customers of many ages and cultures. The mission statement is inspiring because it really relates back to the company’s products and culture.
Works Cited
AOL. "AOL.Verizon." AOL.com. N.p., 2016. Web. 31 Mar. 2016.
Fortune 500. "Fortune 500." Fortune. N.p., 2016. Web. 31 Mar. 2016.
Starbucks. "Company Information." Starbucks Coffee Company. N.p., 2016. Web. 11 Apr. 2016.
Wells Fargo. "Wells Fargo & Co Government Relations." Wells Fargo - Personal & Business Banking - Student, Auto & Home Loans - Investing & Insurance. N.p., 2016. Web. 31 Mar. 2016.
Lesson 02 – Starbucks
The Transnational Corporation (TNC) for research in this assignment is Starbucks. While Starbucks is a coffee shop, Starbucks also has other products including: smoothies, tea, backed goods, and sandwiches. The industry Starbucks operates in is the specialty eatery industry. For this assignment, Starbuck’s involvement in the specialty eatery industry will be evaluated against an article written by Liz Alderman “In Europe, Starbucks Adjusts to a Cafe Culture” (Alderman).
This article is interesting in comparison to Starbucks’ presence on the global market because the article shows a hole in Starbucks global appeal in France where local coffee shops are the preference. In France the local coffee shops have been in operation with longstanding cultural favoritism and Starbucks is seen as a novelty (Alderman). The local patrons tend to prefer the local flavor and customs associated with the local coffee shops over the commercialized Starbucks stores. For example a coffee patron Marion Bayod stated “I never go into Starbucks; it’s impersonal, the coffee is mediocre, and it’s expensive” (Alderman). These sentiments are seen by many local coffee shop patrons in France.
Other areas of Europe have embraced the Starbucks commercialized coffee vending, and the transnational corporation has become normalized. For example in Amsterdam, Berlin, or London, customers frequent the coffee shop on a regular basis enjoying the niche brand Starbucks has created. The Starbucks brand in these areas of Europe display the American spin on coffee shops and is a place of interest to many Europeans (Alderman). Another draw for customers is the wifi services offered to the Starbucks coffee patrons. The younger generation enjoys the ability to grab a cup of coffee and surf the internet for free on their laptops or mobile devices.
Works Cited
Alderman, L. "Starbucks in Europe Adjusts to Continental Tastes - The New York Times." The New York Times - Breaking News, World News & Multimedia. N.p., 2012. Web. 11 Apr. 2016.
