Some of the information he gave us about the paper I also have have the case for the reader.

Zara, one of 5 apparel retail chains owned by Inditex, is a significant entity in the global apparel industry. This case provides a lot of information about Zara, its competitors, and the industry. Please address the following items/questions:

Briefly identify the major resources and capabilities that contribute to Zara’s competitive advantage.  There are many things that the company does well, but it is possible to identify the “core” resources and capabilities that create distinctive competencies. Please be specific about the resources, capabilities, and how they would result in a distinctive competency. (Please note: If every company in this industry has the same resources and capabilities, then it won’t create a distinctive competency that will lead to competitive advantage.)  I would prefer to have you discuss 3-4 really strong ideas than to have a “laundry list” of every resource/capability/distinctive competence. Zara has a history of doing business outside of its home country and while it would be possible to critique their prior efforts, for this assignment I would rather that you address how Zara should best grow its chain, outside its home area, going forward. Think first about the pressures for cost reduction and customer responsiveness that they face in their industry. What are the strengths of those pressures? This will then suggest how they might expand. Should they export, have joint ventures, create wholly owned subsidiaries or what? Which market or markets would you suggest?