$1.$ Is this a commodity market? Why or why not?

$2.$ Could Valdez implement a cost leadership strategy in this market? If not, why not? If so$,$ how?$$

$3.$ How could Valdez implement a differentiation strategy?$$

$4.$ Suppose Valdez decided to pursue a differentiation strategy. Would you select an industry$-$wide strategy or a niche strategy? On what would you differentiate and how?

$5.$ What process would you use to handle customers from entry into the store to checkout? a$.$ What information systems would you use to support that?

$6.$ How could Valdez use information systems to $....$ a$.$ Lock in customers? b$.$ Lock out competition? c$.$ Improve their competitiveness? d$.$ Develop new products

$7.$ Identify and briefly describe a disruptive technology that could change the industry structure.