Burger King
Católica lisbon – School of Business and Economics
Burger King in Portugal
To lead or to follow?
Sara Saraiva Patrone | Number 152110048 Advisor: Professor Mário Valente
Dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of requirements for the degree of MSc in Business Administration, at the Universidade Católica Portuguesa, June 2012
Burger King in Portugal – To lead or to follow? Abstract
Title: Burger King in Portugal. To lead or to follow? Author: Sara Saraiva Patrone In 2001, the Burger King (BK) brand, managed by Ibersol group entered the growing fast food Portuguese market. Marginally higher prices along with the fact of having entered the market 10 years after its most direct competitor (McDonald´s), led BK to a sub leader position. Although being recognized as offering superior quality products when compared to McDonald´s, BK´s growth margins in the Portuguese market have been decreasing since 2007. The company´s uncertainty situation, offers the possibility of discussing positioning alternatives and strategic choices in business strategy and marketing courses. Besides the case study, the dissertation includes a literature review of frameworks and concepts used to evaluate company´s internal and external environment. Finally, teaching notes proposes an approach to the case that might be used to guide class discussion or stimulate its preparation. From the case analysis, the competition analysis and recent Portuguese economic situation, this dissertation proposes a set of concrete actions to reverse the current positioning and brand growth. ________________________________________________________________________________________ Resumo Título: Burger King em Portugal. Líder ou seguidor? Autor: Sara Saraiva Patrone Em 2001, a marca Burger King (BK) detida pelo grupo Ibersol entrou no mercado português para um segmento que, à altura, apresentava um forte crescimento: o segmento da “comida rápida”. O facto de praticar preços marginalmente mais
Burger King in Portugal
To lead or to follow?
Sara Saraiva Patrone | Number 152110048 Advisor: Professor Mário Valente
Dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of requirements for the degree of MSc in Business Administration, at the Universidade Católica Portuguesa, June 2012
Burger King in Portugal – To lead or to follow? Abstract
Title: Burger King in Portugal. To lead or to follow? Author: Sara Saraiva Patrone In 2001, the Burger King (BK) brand, managed by Ibersol group entered the growing fast food Portuguese market. Marginally higher prices along with the fact of having entered the market 10 years after its most direct competitor (McDonald´s), led BK to a sub leader position. Although being recognized as offering superior quality products when compared to McDonald´s, BK´s growth margins in the Portuguese market have been decreasing since 2007. The company´s uncertainty situation, offers the possibility of discussing positioning alternatives and strategic choices in business strategy and marketing courses. Besides the case study, the dissertation includes a literature review of frameworks and concepts used to evaluate company´s internal and external environment. Finally, teaching notes proposes an approach to the case that might be used to guide class discussion or stimulate its preparation. From the case analysis, the competition analysis and recent Portuguese economic situation, this dissertation proposes a set of concrete actions to reverse the current positioning and brand growth. ________________________________________________________________________________________ Resumo Título: Burger King em Portugal. Líder ou seguidor? Autor: Sara Saraiva Patrone Em 2001, a marca Burger King (BK) detida pelo grupo Ibersol entrou no mercado português para um segmento que, à altura, apresentava um forte crescimento: o segmento da “comida rápida”. O facto de praticar preços marginalmente mais