• Construct a capstone project summary that links Starbucks’ challenges to MBA program outcomes.

• Analyze Starbucks’ digital growth strategy through evidence-based insights and recommendations.

Project Summary: Capstone Proposal

Organization

For my capstone project, I have selected Starbucks Corporation. Starbucks is a multinational coffee company and roaster headquartered in Seattle, Washington. It was founded in 1971 and operates over 38,000 stores across 80 countries (Starbucks, 2023). The company is structured through regional divisions, with a mix of company-operated and licensed stores. Starbucks positions itself as a premium coffee retailer and lifestyle brand, offering a range of products including hot and cold beverages, bakery items, packaged goods, and branded merchandise.

I chose Starbucks because it is both highly visible and facing measurable challenges. Starbucks has been a market leader in the specialty coffee segment, but it faces increasing competition from fast-food chains like McDonald’s, independent specialty cafes, and changing consumer expectations regarding price, convenience, and sustainability. Starbucks provides sufficient data availability from financial disclosures, media coverage, and industry reports to enable a rigorous analysis.

Scope

The scope of this project will focus on Starbucks’ digital transformation strategy. Starbucks has invested heavily in its mobile app, loyalty program, and personalized marketing, yet it faces pressure to improve profitability in a high-cost inflation environment. The business problem lies in balancing digital growth with operational efficiency and customer satisfaction.

The central research question is: How can Starbucks optimize its digital strategy to strengthen customer loyalty and improve profitability?

I will analyze Starbucks’ mobile order and pay system, loyalty program, and data-driven personalization efforts. The project will also evaluate the operational strain caused by high mobile order volumes and the competitive risk of customer attrition to lower-cost rivals.

The action plan involves:

• Reviewing Starbucks’ financial reports to assess revenue contributions from digital sales.

• Examining academic and industry literature on digital transformation and customer loyalty.

• Benchmarking Starbucks’ strategy against competitors in the quick-service restaurant (QSR) industry.

• Developing recommendations for technology investment, customer engagement, and operational alignment.

Starbucks is a good choice because the problem is well-defined and supported by evidence. In 2023, mobile orders accounted for 31% of Starbucks’ US transactions, but long wait times and store congestion were cited as customer pain points (Wall Street Journal, 2023). This data provides a concrete basis for problem analysis.

Data

The analysis will use a mix of qualitative and quantitative data. Key sources include:

• Company reports such as annual 10-K filings and quarterly earnings transcripts.

• Industry databases such as IBISWorld for QSR sector trends.

• Credible media outlets like the Wall Street Journal and Financial Times for coverage of Starbucks’ digital strategy.

• Scholarly research on consumer behavior, digital transformation, and loyalty programs.

The process of data collection will involve downloading Starbucks’ public financial documents, accessing subscription databases through the university library, and gathering peer-reviewed journal articles from business and technology fields.

Risks include limited access to internal operational data. To mitigate this, I will triangulate publicly available data with secondary research from independent analysts. Another risk is over-reliance on US-centric data, since Starbucks operates globally. To address this, I will incorporate international reports and regional case examples where possible.

Demonstrating MBA Program Outcomes

I. Leadership and Collaboration
The project will show leadership by proposing strategies that Starbucks’ executives could apply to align digital transformation with employee and customer needs. Collaboration is demonstrated by integrating perspectives from operations, marketing, and technology functions.

II. Ethical and Evidence-Based Decision Making
The project requires evidence-based recommendations rooted in financial data and peer-reviewed research. Ethical considerations will include how digital transformation impacts store employees, customer privacy, and equitable access to digital platforms.

III. Innovation and Strategic Thinking
The project focuses on digital innovation as a driver of competitive advantage. Strategic thinking will be demonstrated through an evaluation of long-term profitability, brand equity, and operational scalability.

IV. Integrating Information Across Disciplines
The analysis will connect consumer behavior research, financial performance data, and technology strategy. By synthesizing insights from marketing, operations, and information systems, the project will provide a multidimensional perspective.

V. Critical and Analytical Thinking
The project will apply analytical reasoning to evaluate Starbucks’ performance metrics against competitors and industry benchmarks. This will include identifying performance gaps and risks in current digital practices.

VI. Clear and Professional Communication
The final report will be written in a professional format, with concise language, data-supported claims, and actionable recommendations suitable for a corporate audience.

Conclusion

Starbucks provides a strong platform for an MBA capstone project due to its scale, visibility, and ongoing digital challenges. The project will address a real business problem with evidence, propose practical recommendations, and allow for a demonstration of all MBA program outcomes. By analyzing Starbucks’ digital transformation strategy, the project will highlight how leadership, ethical judgment, and strategic thinking are essential in solving complex business challenges.

References

Starbucks Corporation (2023). Annual Report 2023. Available at: https://investor.starbucks.com
Wall Street Journal (2023). Starbucks mobile orders drive revenue but strain stores. The Wall Street Journal. Available at: https://www.wsj.com
Liu, Y., Perry, P. & Moore, C. (2022). Customer engagement in digital retail: Examining mobile apps and loyalty programs. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 65, 102882. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jretconser.2022.102882
Chatterjee, S., Rana, N. & Dwivedi, Y. (2021). Digital transformation and business value: A resource-based view. Information Systems Frontiers, 23(2), 439-452. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10796-019-09946-1

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Create a 2–3 page project summary that describes your chosen organization, defines the scope of a business problem or opportunity in that organization, and provides a strategy for how you will go about your capstone project. Include a discussion of the type of data you will need, and how your topic allows you to demonstrate each of the MBA program outcomes.

Introduction
This course revolves around the creation of a single, significant capstone project. In other words, a project that caps off your learning and your program, allowing you to demonstrate the competencies of leadership and collaboration, ethical and evidence-based decision making, and innovative and strategic thinking. For your capstone, you will choose a real company (DO NOT USE THE COMPANIES REFERENCED IN THE ATTACHED ADDITIONAL MATERIALS OR GOVERNMENT AGENCIES & NON-PROFITS) and analyze it in a way that demonstrates your understanding of the MBA program outcomes. You will turn your analysis of that company into a written report with recommendations and a formal presentation for your intended audience.

Having a solid, doable scope is an important part of creating a successful capstone project, and the exact scope is up to you. To help you establish a realistic scope, you will start with the project summary. Be careful to consider the scalability of your project scope, ensuring that it demonstrates your ability to lead in a business environment and showcases your achievement of all MBA program outcomes.

Examples
A scope that is poorly defined:

I want to write a general analysis of the bookseller, Barnes & Noble.
This topic is too broad, and it would probably require hundreds of pages to address all of the possible analyses.
A scope that is better defined:

I want to focus on how Barnes & Noble has managed to survive the Internet age while Borders has crumbled.
What makes this a better scope? The scope is grounded in a problem (such as how to survive Internet competition) or opportunity (such as the area lacking a business that you plan to open), which allows you to focus the analysis.
It must also allow for you to analyze and suggest evidence-based recommendations, takeaways, or actionable next steps as the crux of your project.
Important note: You must be able to prove the problem with evidence. So in the above example, you would also provide data showing that Barnes & Noble is profitable, perhaps comparing Barnes & Noble income or profits to Borders in its last years.

Preparation
Read the MBA Capstone Project Description [PDF]. (ATTACHED AS ADDITIONAL MATERIALS)

Instructions
For this assessment, introduce the organization you have chosen to research, why you chose it, the scope of your project, and how it will allow you to demonstrate all of the MBA program outcomes.

Write a 2–4 page paper, in professional writing style, that details the topic and scope of your capstone project. Your project summary should be clear and concise yet thorough enough for faculty to provide feedback and guidance. Your project summary should be well-organized and include the following sections:

• Illustrate how Starbucks can align digital growth with operational efficiency and customer needs.

• Explain the data sources and research process for analyzing Starbucks’ business problem.

Organization: Describe the background of your chosen organization.
Provide a brief background of your selected organization. For instance, discuss its product lines, number of years in business, organization structure, location, et cetera.
If you choose an organization for which you work, your introduction must include a statement that you received permission to use the company from a supervisor.
Scope: Describe a business topic, problem, or opportunity within that organization that you intend to research.
Describe the problem or opportunity you see that makes this company a good choice.
Explain the scope of your project by clearly identifying the topics or areas you intend to research.
Provide a general action plan on how you will research, analyze, and identify recommendations or solutions to this business challenge or opportunity.
Establish the premise of your paper (the problem or need) with evidence. For example, if your plan is to talk about how Dillard’s department store can come back after a huge financial loss, you should include citations that establish its dramatic financial loss.
Data: Explain the level of accessibility to data necessary to examine the chosen business topic, problem, or opportunity.
Discuss the general type of data sources you will be using to inform your analysis. Provide at least two specific sources that you are considering. These resources should be from credible sources such as the Wall Street Journal, IBIS, et cetera. Use the excellent Research Guide – MBA for locating credible resources.
Include the process or steps on how you will access the data necessary for analysis of a business topic or challenge.
Identify any special requirements that you might need to meet to access the data you will need.
Explain risks you think will be encountered and the mitigation plan to manage those risks.
Demonstrating MBA program outcomes: Explain how your topic will allow you to showcase your leadership ability by demonstrating each MBA program outcome.
List out each program outcome clearly, and then explain in 3–4 sentences how your topic will allow you to demonstrate each. The MBA program outcomes are listed in the MBA Capstone Project Description document.
Identify specific items of your project summary that you believe demonstrates the outcome.
Conclusion.
Wrap up your paper with a clear, concise conclusion that summarizes your plan. Just a couple sentences is fine.

Submission Requirements
Your assessment should also meet the following requirements:

Style: Your paper should follow the corresponding MBA Academic and Professional Document guidelines (available in the MBA Program Resources) for academic style. It should be single-spaced, use subheadings, and be well-organized and well-written.
Communication: Ensure written communication is free of errors that detract from the overall message and quality.
APA guidelines: Format citations according to current APA style and formatting.
Resources: At least one resource should be a scholarly article or other content found in the Capella library, and one should be from the Wall Street Journal. If using Internet sources, evaluate them appropriately to make sure they are credible resources.
Length: Your paper should be 2–4 pages.
Font and font size: Times New Roman, 12 point.
ePortfolio
You should consider adding this to your ePortfolio and personal portfolio. This assessment demonstrates your ability to draft a project summary, which is necessary in a professional setting when you are trying to pitch an idea or potential project, or make recommendations.

Competencies Measured
By successfully completing this assessment, you will demonstrate your proficiency in the following course competencies and scoring guide criteria:

Competency 2: Integrate information across disciplines and from differing perspectives.
Describe the background of the chosen organization.
Competency 3: Think critically and analytically to provide evidence-based solutions to business challenges and opportunities.
Describe an intended business topic, problem, or opportunity to research.
Explain the level of accessibility to data necessary to examine the chosen business topic, problem, or opportunity.
Explain how the topic will allow showcasing of leadership ability by demonstrating some MBA program outcomes.
Competency 7: Communicate clearly and effectively in a business environment.
Write coherently to support a central idea with correct grammar, usage, and mechanics as expected of a business professional.