1. In the highly competitive global footwear industry, what are the most important decisions faced by firms like Wolverine in their drive to obtain superior performance? What approaches did Wolverine follow to configure and coordinate its value-chain activities worldwide?

2. What are the three key drivers of the growth of global sourcing? Explain how these drivers affect the global footwear industry and Wolverine.

3. Referring to Exhibits a and b, what is the nature of Wolverine’s approach to global sourcing? In your view, what value-chain activities should Wolverine outsource and what activities should it internalize? Justify your answer.

4. What are the specific benefits that Wolverine obtains from global sourcing? What specific threats and risks does it face? What strategies can Wolverine employ to minimize the risks and threats it faces from global sourcing?
5. What steps is management taking to ensure Wolverine is a socially responsible firm? Using the Ethical Framework and other material from Chapter 5, what further actions can Wolverine take to ensure its operations are ethical and socially responsible?

Wolverine World Wide, Inc., is a leading designer, producer, and marketer of quality casual, outdoor, and work footwear. Based in the U.S. state of Michigan, it sells millions of pairs of popular shoes and boots in 180 countries. The company markets well-known brands such as Hush Puppies, Merrell, and Wolverine. The firm also makes licensed footwear under the Caterpillar (“CAT”), Harley-Davidson, and Patagonia brands. Key competitors include Timberland, Sketchers, and Deckers. Wolverine’s main competitive advantages are well-recognized brand names, wide range of distribution channels, and diversified manufacturing and sourcing. Products are supplied worldwide through retail stores, catalog sales, and theInternet.

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Exhibit:a Value-adding activity is Value-adding activity is extermalized internalized (outsourced) Value-adding activity kept in home c Keep production in-house, in home third-party provider at Value-adding activity conducted abroad (global Delegate production to Outsource production to foreign subsidiary or a third-party provider affiliate (captive abroad (contract manu- facturing or global soure- ing from independent suppliers) Exhibit b Central and Eastem Europe South Asia Central and Middle East atin America and the Caribbaand Africa Chile, Brazil, Costa Rica, Top-Ranked Countries Czech India, China, Egypt, Jordan, United Arab Emirates, Chana Tunisia, Dubai Hungary Jamaica, Panama, outh Africa, Israel, Turkey Russia, Sri Lanka Emerging Local Laxxoft (Russia, NCS (Singapore, Sofitek (Mexico, Xeed (Egypt development) processes); EPAM SystemsBluem (China, Neoris (Mecdoo, IT NesTechmologies services); Politee (Brazil, IT IT services) IT services) jeraisy Group Saudi Arabia, IT services) development): (China, software ervices)