What strategic options does Robin Hood have? Is continuing with the present strategy an option or is the present strategy obsolete? Show and use a SWOT analysis to develop different strategic options from which to choose.

Robin Hood connect Joseph Lampel Alliance Manchester Business School I was in the spring of the second year of his insur- England. As the band grew larger, their small bivouac rection against the High Sheriff of Nottingham became a major encampment. Between raids the men that Robin Hood took a walk in Sherwood Forest. milled about, talking and playing games. Vigilance As he walked, he pondered the progress of the cam- was in decline, and discipline was becoming harder paign, the disposition of his forces, the Sheriff's to enforce. "Why," Robin reflected, "I don't know recent moves, and the options that confronted him. half the men I run into these days." The revolt against the Sheriff had begun as a per- The growing band was also beginning to exceed sonal crusade. It erupted out of Robin's conflict with the food capacity of the forest. Game was becoming the Sheriff and his administration. However, alone scarce, and supplies had to be obtained from outly- Robin Hood could do little. He therefore sought ing villages. The cost of buying food was beginning allies, men with grievances and a deep sense of jus to drain the band's financial reserves at the very tice. Later he welcomed all who came, asking few moment when revenues were in decline. Travelers, questions and demanding only a willingness to serve. especially those with the most to lose were now giv- Strength, he believed, lay in numbers. ing the forest a wide berth. This was costly and incon- He spent the first year forging the group into a venient to them, but it was preferable to having all disciplined band, united in enmity against the Sheriff their goods confiscated. and willing to live outside the law. The band's organi- Robin believed that the time had come for the zation was simple. Robin ruled supreme, making all Merry Men to change their policy of outright confis- important decisions. He delegated specific tasks to cation of goods to one of a fixed transit tax. His lieu- his lieutenants. Will Scarlett was in charge of intel- tenants strongly resisted this idea. They were proud ligence and scouting. His main job was to shadow the of the Merry Men's famous motto: "Rob the rich Sheriff and his men, always alert to their next move. and give to the poor." "The farmers and the towns- He also collected information on the travel plans of people," they argued, are our most important allies. rich merchants and tax collectors. Little John kept How can we tax them, and still hope for their help in discipline among the men and saw to it that their our fight against the Sheriff?" archery was at the high peak that their profession Robin wondered how long the Merry Men could demanded. Scarlett took care of the finances, con- keep to the ways and methods of their early days. verting loot to cash, paying shares of the take, and The Sheriff was growing stronger and becoming bet- finding suitable hiding places for the surplus. Finally. ter organized. He now had the money and the men Much the Miller's son had the difficult task of provi- and was beginning to harass the band, probing for its sioning the ever-increasing band of Merry Men. weaknesses. The tide of events was beginning to turn The increasing size of the band was a source against the Merry Men. Robin felt that the campaign of satisfaction for Robin, but also a source of con- cern. The fame of his Merry Men was spreading, and new recruits were pouring in from every corner of Copyright 1991 by Joseph Lampel C-294 PART 2 Cases in Crafting and Executing Strategy must be decisively concluded before the Sheriff had a first given him the regency but were now beginning chance to deliver a mortal blow. "But how," he won- to dispute his claim to the throne. Several of these dered, could this be done? barons had set out to collect the ransom that would Robin had often entertained the possibility of release King Richard the Lionheart from his jail in killing the Sheriff, but the chances for this seemed Austria. Robin was invited to join the conspiracy in increasingly remote. Besides, killing the Sheriff might return for future amnesty. It was a dangerous prop- satisfy his personal thirst for revenge, but it would not osition. Provincial banditry was one thing, court improve the situation. Robin had hoped that the per- intrigue another. Prince John had spies everywhere, petual state of unrest and the Sheriff's failure to collect and he was known for his vindictiveness. If the con- taxes would lead to his removal from office. Instead, spirators' plan failed, the pursuit would be relentless the Sheriff used his political connections to obtain and retributions swift. reinforcement. He had powerful friends at court and The sound of the supper horn startled Robin was well regarded by the regent, Prince John. from his thoughts. There was the smell of roasting Prince John was vicious and volatile. He was venison in the air. Nothing was resolved or settled. consumed by his unpopularity among the people. Robin headed for camp promising himself that he who wanted the imprisoned King Richard back. He would give these problems his utmost attention after also lived in constant fear of the barons, who had tomorrow's raid