Netflix’s Evolving Strategy
This assignment asks you to evaluate the strategic evolution of the Netflix company from 1994 to 2011, as described in the case study for this unit. Although many new changes have occurred with Netflix since this case study was written, it covers a formative period in Netflix’s evolution. As you complete your essay, please respond to the questions according to the context of the years in which Netflix made these decisions.
- Summarize the evolution of Hastings’ strategy through successive business plans. How many strategy revisions did the business have to make, and what were they?
- What caused Netflix’s leadership to make each shift?
- Were the shifts driven from the top or the bottom?
- How did they decide what to do next? Were the shifts well-planned or did they just “throw things against the wall to see what would stick”? Do the shifts in strategy seem well-planned or haphazard?
- How would you characterize the differences between Blockbuster’s and Netflix’s business model?
- Was Netflix disruptive? How? How would you evaluate Blockbuster’s response?
Is the Netflix’s strategy deliberate or emergent? How do you know?
