The last sub-module in the specialization “Strategic Management” confronts the Bachelor’s students in the 6th semester of “Management Entrepreneurship” with a practical task. This time, 123 students divided in 25 teams dealt with the real case of the company “Hartliebs Bücher”, in particular with the branch specializing in French and Italian books. Starting with an intensive analysis of the status quo, the students developed future-oriented strategies and the indicators for implementing them.
The developed concepts range from smaller adaptations of the branch equipment to a change of location, from additional offers in the portfolio to extensive cross selling with the involvement of other industries such as coffee & book, food & book and wine & book. Many of the concepts rely on the bookstore as an oasis of wellbeing, some see the extension in other languages as a niche provider in the branch. In order to counteract the online giants, the advantages of in-store trading – in the case of Hartliebs Bücher in particular the competent advice – are supplemented by most of the teams with adaptations of the web shop. In the accompanying communication measures, the students particularly focus on the target group-specific expansion in the social media channels in coordination with the respective strategy and taking into account a sensibly used budget.
From the 25 teams, the teachers nominated the best team in their cohort for the final task. In a pitch, these five teams tried to convince the client of their concept. In the end, Ms. and Mr. Hartlieb opted for the “The Bookstore” team concept. The colleagues Melek Dautoska, Marco Kosztka, Klaus Krenauer and Florian Nigitz developed a broad, but moderate strategic concept, which was understandable for the client and seemed realistically feasible.