Case Study Directions

• Read in your textbook Case #1, “Fixer Upper: Expanding the Magnolia Brand” and watch the 3-minute video, Chip and Joanna Gaines Reveal the Story Behind the Start of Their Own Business Links to an external site. Additional information can be found at Magnolia Inc.’s website: https://magnolia.com, or via its social media site on LinkedIn, https://www.linkedin.com/company/magnolia. 

• Write a 3–5 page paper answering the questions below. The page count does not include the cover page, reference page, any charts, graphs, etc. 

• At least 3 references of an academic or scholarly source are required for this case study to support your analyses and conclusions.

• Use APA 7th Edition writing style for your entire paper. Include narrative or parenthetical citations in the body of your paper and a reference page. Remember, all information that is not your own work or that is not common knowledge must be cited.

• Include headings to help organize your paper. Convert the questions to short descriptors. For example, an appropriate heading for Question 1 is: Magnolia Inc.’s Competitive Strategy

• Set your margins to 1-inch on all sides and double-space your entire paper, including the reference page.

Case Study Questions

What are the major elements of Magnolia Inc.’s competitive strategy? How well do the pieces fit together? Is the strategy evolving? 

Explain the pressures facing Magnolia Inc. in its internal and external environments. How would you prioritize those pressures? 

What strategic issues confront Magnolia Inc. in 2018? What market or internal circumstances should most concern owners Chip and Joanna Gaines and the company’s senior management team? 

What recommendations would you make to Magnolia Inc. to address the strategic issues confronting it in 2016 in order to sustain its impressive growth in revenues and achieve profitability?