This last question suggests an enhancement, Auctioning Starbucks Stock. 

a. This exercise invites your learners to delve, for a moment, into the question of “corporate aging.” Although Starbucks is still run by its founders, in the coffee industry, the company may seem to some to be rather “long in the tooth.” Others may see Starbucks to be particularly well primed for timely rejuvenations, including pruning stores that are not regularly producing profits.

b. The question to learners is this: Were you to have $100 to spend gambling on the stock market, Starbucks is trading at $25 a share and a “hot” new coffee business is selling at $5 a share, which stock would you buy?

c. You can show them the 5-year history taken this day off the Internet. 

d. To increase the symbolism of this event, give everyone 20 squares of blank paper representing $5 bills. 

e. Set up two spots on a table at the front of the classroom—the Starbucks spot and the Hot Shops spot. 

f. On “go” your learners come to the front and lay their cash down on the stock spot of their choice.

g. Tally the results.

h. If most of their money went to the proven leader, Starbucks, discuss why.

i. If most went to the challenger, ask why. 

The core of the matter is, Will Starbucks be growing over the next five years, or is this the beginning of their end? Must they change? Will they change?