DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: Do you agree with Howard Schultz that investing more of Starbucks’ profits into people and stores is “the only way to create long-term value” for the chain? How likely is it that Starbucks will be able to convince most of the stores petitioning union votes to reject Starbucks Workers United?
Interactive Edge’s CEO, Zel Bianco comments, featured on RetailWire’s Braintrust:
I recently attended the Food Marketing Conference at Western Michigan University and one of the keynote speakers was the CEO of Spartan Nash. He presented a very convincing argument on the importance of a “People First” strategy. The only way to be successful in business, especially now that employees have so many options, is to provide a workplace, whether face-to-face or virtually, is to treat your employees as your most valuable asset and that includes making them more important than even your shareholders.
Did Howard Schultz make a wise course correction on his first day back at Starbucks?