1. What business- level strategies is Nike pursuing?
2. How have Nike’s business- level strategies changed the nature of industry competition?

Nike, headquartered in Beaverton, Oregon, was founded over 30 years ago by Bill Bowerman, a former University of Oregon track coach, and Phil Knight, an entrepreneur in search of a profitable business opportunity. Bowerman’s goal was to dream up a new kind of sneaker tread that would enhance a runner’s traction and speed, and he came up with the idea for Nike’s “waffle tread” after studying the waffle iron in his home. Bowerman and Knight made their shoe and began by selling it out of the trunks of their car at track meets. From this small beginning Nike has grown into a company that sold over $12 billion worth of shoes in the $35 billion athletic footwear and apparel industries in 2004.