The case indicates that Nike’s core competency is
to create heroes. What does this mean? How did
Nike build its core competency? Does it obey the
VRIO attributes?
2. What would it take for Nike’s approach to turn
from a strength into a weakness? Did this tipping
point already occur? Why or why not?
3. What recommendations would you have for
Phil Knight and Nike? Can you identify a way to
“reframe” the competency of creating heroes? Or
a new way to think of heroes that would continue
to build the brand?
4. If you are a competitor of Nike (such as adidas,
Under Armour, New Balance, or Li Ning), how
could you exploit Nike’s apparent vulnerability?
Provide a set of concrete recommendations