Blog
‘How to achieve good analysis’ with the Ocado Chief Executive
20th May 2013
I am a massive advocate of Radio 5 Live as a source of extra 'reading' and understanding for Business Studies students. If you are a student reading this, ditch Heart, Radio 1 or whatever your choice of breakfast show listening is, and tune in to Radio 5. The business news items provide great insight into news stories that are real life examples of concepts you are learning about and will provide AQA BUSS4 students with examples they can research further and use for their essays. And every now and then a business leader provides a masterclass in the exam skills that are so vital to a student's success in the Business Studies exams. Just like Tim Steiner, the Chief Executive of Ocado did this morning.
Ocado are a home delivery grocery firm who provide Waitrose with a means of reaching customers with a home delivery service. Waitrose partly financed their growth, but are now reported to be unhappy that Ocado have struck a deal to provide Morrisons with a similar service. Morrisons have been slow to develop an internet order, home delivery grocery service and are the only major supermarket chain that do not currently offer such an option.
Here is Tim Steiner of Ocado being interviewed on Radio 5 Live this morning, discussing (and playing down) the potential fall-out with Waitrose as a result of the deal and the benefits Waitrose and Ocado enjoy from their partnership. There are numerous A Level Business concepts here including Porter's 5 Forces and economies of scale. But best of all is the last 45 seconds of this clip. Listen to the last question put to Mr Steiner had then his response. Count the 'connectives' ("which means") and marvel as he gives a logical chain of argument as to why Waitrose will ultimately benefit from Ocado's deal with Morrison. An absolutely brilliant lesson in how to achieve 'good analysis' for any AQA Business Studies student, especially those preparing for BUSS3 and BUSS4 exams.