Case Study: Creating a Strategy and Linking It to Performance at KidsCloth, Inc$\mathrm{.}1$ KidsCloth $($KC$)$ Inc. is a global specialty retailer of clothing, accessories, and personal care products for men, women, children, and babies. With more than $134,000$ employees and more than $3,000$ stores, the company is also a global player. Most recently, the company has experienced a long slide in sales. KC$$s trouble in winning back customers has a variety of explanations. In particular, KC$$s large size has made it tough for the retailer to adapt to changes in fashion trends. KC$$s casual image hasn$$t fared well moving from the casualization of the workplace in the $1990$s to the recent period of heightened fashion sensibility$.$ KC$$s turnaround strategy largely consists of three parts: $1)$ Getting the product and environment right; $2)$ Cutting costs by simplifying and streamlining operations; and $3)$ Managing the performance of existing employees, especially those who must use a lot of creativity and innovation in their jobs. With respect to the first part of the strategy $($i$.$e$.,$ getting the product and environment right$),$ several analysts seem to like KC$$s new fall sales offerings, which it is calling the $$Elegance Redefined$$ campaign. KC$$s new merchandise is more $$age appropriate$$ and $$shows significant improvements in quality,$$ analyst Christine Chen wrote. $$It takes time to win back customers who have been disappointed for three years,$$ Chen wrote. She added: $$It will likely take at least a few more quarters of consistent execution and improved merchandise before customers are convinced that KC is back.$$ As an example of the second part of KC$$s turnaround strategy, cutting costs by simplifying and streamlining operations, KC eliminated about $2,200$ positions in one year. That includes $550$ jobs lost at its now$-$closed First & Choir chain. To implement the third part of the strategy, managing the performance of existing employees, the Board of Directors of KC has hired you as a performance management consultant. As part of your consulting duties, you will also assist top management in developing the overall strategic plan for the next $5$ years.

Answer the following questions

$1.$ Provide a detailed discussion of what the organization will need to do to create a strategic plan for the next $5$ years.

$2.$ Critically evaluate how the strategic plan will relate to individual performance.