he dreamt of becoming a “businessman” and would go into stores in the city where he lived and observe how personnel operated. In his exploits, he became very friendly with many of the business owners in the city. As time passed, John Francois obtained four (4) Advanced Level subjects (Mathematics, Geography, English Literature and Spanish). He also enrolled in a Technical Vocational institution and pursued short courses in tiling, plumbing, masonry and electrical maintenance for which he gained certification. Through his qualifications, John was able to secure employment quite easily from the age of

Based on the existing environment & the situation at John Francois Stores, & as the Consultant hired by the Company Suggest 4 strategies by name that the Company could undertake to maintain a competitive advantage, and provide a brief explanation of what each strategy means. 

John Francois Stores

Mr. Francois, a very successful businessman is contemplating his next move at the age of 70. As a young man at the age of 16, he dreamt of becoming a “businessman” and would go into stores in the city where he lived and observe how personnel operated. In his exploits, he became very friendly with many of the business owners in the city. As time passed, John Francois obtained four (4) Advanced Level subjects (Mathematics, Geography, English Literature and Spanish). He also enrolled in a Technical Vocational institution and pursued short courses in tiling, plumbing, masonry and electrical maintenance for which he gained certification. Through his qualifications, John was able to secure employment quite easily from the age of seventeen (17) years. Within a five (5) year period, John had worked at a large hardware store, then a small home branch of a large Bank, and a large successful insurance company. During that time, John was being very observant and was recognized by each of his employers as an asset. However, John was “hungry” and wanted to achieve his dream of becoming a “big businessman”.

Opportunity Ahead!

Unfortunately, John Francois lost both his parents by the age of twenty-three (23), but he was left with a fortune. By the age of twenty-four (24) John decided to erect a four-story building on a piece of land which he had inherited in the city. He was focused on his goal of starting a business. He began reading autobiographies and other books about successful businessmen across the world. He also sought
 advice from the colleagues and mentors whom he had met along the way. He was never afraid to seek advice. In 1977, at the age of twenty-six (26), John Francois had completed the large commercial building at the corner of French Street and John Street, the main street in the city and one of the busiest corners in the city of Timberland on the eastern part of the island of Carnibar. The building was painted in a bright fluorescent green and bordered with bright yellow. “My building must be a landmark in Timberland”, he thought to himself. The people of Timberland were a diverse population in many ways and the building was a true reflection of Carnibar. Mr. Francois operated as a sole proprietorship for many years selling a variety of almost every item that a household could want as shown in Table #1 below.
Table #1 – Variety of Items sold by John Francois Stores

•    Personnel Manager - was responsible for ensuring that human resource practices including health and safety procedures were adhered to.
•    Accountant – responsible for ensuring that accounting standards are upheld. Also, the member was responsible for the cashiering function.
•    Procurement/Inventory Manager – responsible for ensuring that adequate stock is always available through the efficient and timely management of inventory.
•    Marketing Manager – works alongside the Procurement/Inventory Manager to promote the organization, its products and seasonal promotions.
Although Mr. Francois had spread his wings and continued to operate a successful and profitable business, he never stopped pondering his next move. By 2015, the total staff had grown to one hundred (100) persons which included cashiers, information technology personnel, supervisors, customer service staff, cleaners, drivers and his five (5) children as managers with one at each branch. The children had been educated up to the undergraduate level and had a fairly good understanding of business processes. Mr. Francois was the Chairman of the organization.
In addition to the stores, Mr. Francois had invested in four (4) beach-front properties which were booked for at least 90% of the year. These properties were well kept and maintained. Much of the occupancy was gained via word of mouth although a website was developed. Regional and international tourists as well as local citizens made repeat visits, which demonstrated that the service received was excellent. Mr. Francois was proud of his achievements.