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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. As the CEO of Starbucks, who is Howard's primary responsibility directed towards?

2. When the Starbucks food and beverage department first tries to expand on the icy drink, what is the result?

3. What mistake does Starbucks make in stocking the stores for the disastrous season Howard talks about in the end of the book?

4. What date does Starbucks finally go public?

5. What year does United Airlines begin serving Starbucks coffee on its flights?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is the paper cup problem that Starbucks encounters and how is it solved?

2. How does Starbucks choose the design for its stores?

3. Who is Scott Bedbury and why does Howard hire him to work for the company?

4. Why does Howard agree to allow United Airlines to serve Starbucks coffee on their flights?

5. How is the idea of serving cold drinks at Starbucks first introduced to Howard and what is his response?

6. What changes does Starbucks make after receiving negative publicity?

7. What key events happen on the year that Howard turns forty?

8. How does Howard find a bank to take Starbucks public?

9. What is an example of a negative claim that was made against Starbucks?

10. What decisions does Starbucks make when the crisis is extended and eventually passes?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Customer requests and employee ideas are taken very seriously by Howard and Starbucks.

1) Choose three examples of how customer requests were developed into new ideas for products and describe how.

2) Explain the potential risks that a company is taking by ignoring customer requests, and how Howard learns the value in being receptive to them.

3) Choose three examples of employee ideas that were developed into ideas for products and describe how.

Essay Topic 2

Analyze the partnership between Starbucks and United Airlines, including why Howard decides to allow Starbucks coffee to be served on airplanes, the quality problems that occur, and how both companies work to solve them.

Essay Topic 3

Two situations that are outside of Howard's control threaten the company that he has built.

1) Compare and contrast the way that Starbucks and other coffee companies react to the crisis that the coffee industry goes through when Brazil suffers from severe frost.

2) Describe the negative claims that labor activists make against Starbucks in trying to defame the company, and how Howard changes his business practices accordingly.

(see the answer keys)

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