The number of companies in your industry will range from 4 to 12 companies, depending on class size and
the number of co-managers assigned to each company. All companies begin The Business Strategy
Game exercise in exactly the same competitive market position—equal sales volume, global and regional
market share, revenues, profits, costs, footwear styling and quality, prices, retailer networks, and so on. In
upcoming years, managers can undertake actions to alter their company’s sales and market shares in all
regions, opting to increase sales and share in some and to decrease sales and share in others (including
exiting one or more regions or market segments entirely).
Market Growth. The prospects for long-term growth in the sales of athletic footwear are excellent.
Athletic shoes have become the everyday footwear of choice for children and teenagers. Adults buy
athletic shoes for recreational activities as well as for leisure and casual use, attracted by greater comfort,
easy-care features, and lower prices in comparison to leather shoes. Athletic footwear has proved very
attractive to people who spend a lot of time on their feet and to older people with foot problems.
The combined effect of these factors is reliably expected to produce 7-9% annual growth in global demand
for athletic footwear for Years 11-15, slowing to about 5-7% annual growth during Years 16-20. But the
projected growth rates are not the same for all four regions, as indicated in the table below: